Section 1 | Selecting the Right Calf
Ontario Veal Industry
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Other Abnormalities
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There are several other health abnormalities that we now know contribute to disease and antimicrobial use at veal facilities. They are:
Diarrhea
- Calves entering a veal facility with diarrhea have a much greater risk of dying during the growing period
- For more information on calf diarrhea, visit our Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Ontario Beef Industry FAAST Review page, Identifying Diarrhea in Young Calves
Sunken flank
- A sunken flank is present when a calf has a hollow abdomen like the calf in the image below
- If a calf arrives with a sunken flank, they are more likely to die during the growing period
- This is likely due to a calf not consuming milk during long transit, leading to a depletion of energy reserves and poor immune function
Source: ACER Consulting Ltd.