The natural occurrence of bronchopneumonia in calves and the effect of DL-α-tocopherol in the prophylaxis and treatment of this disease is studied. We evaluated 60 male calves, aged up to 10 days, divided into two groups: GSV (group without vitamin) and GCV (group with vitamin). Supplementation with a single dose of 4,500 IU of DL-α-tocopherol administered intramuscularly (IM) was preceded by clinical examination, complete blood count (CBC), determination of serum proteins, globulins, gamaglutamyltransferase and tracheobronchial lavage cytology (D0) to check sanity and homogenization of the groups. The animals were kept two by two in individual 2.40 m² stalls, where they remained until day 21 (D0 to D21). The animals were examined daily and, in the presence of clinical signs of bronchopneumonia (DX), taken from stalls, evaluated by CBC and tracheobronchial lavage cytology, and treated with enrofloxacin (5 mg/kg, IM). During the treatment, clinical examination was performed daily by the CBC and tracheobronchial lavage cytology repeated one week after the end of treatment (DY). In healthy animals, CBC and tracheobronchial lavage cytology were repeated on the last day of the experiment (D21). No significant difference for the blood variables gamaglutamiltrasfrase (p=0.09), serum protein (p=0.27) and globulin (p=0.10) and the age of animals (p=0.15) were observed in both of groups. Animals in group GSV and GCV took an average of 11 and 12 days for get sick, respectively. However, no statistical difference between was observed in both groups (p=0.68). In 34 (56.66%) animals were diagnosed bronchopneumonia, and 17 of these calves (50%) belonged to group GCV and 17 (50%) to group GSV. With respect to clinical signs, there was no significant difference between groups in any of the times studied. Out of 34 animals which were affected, 73.52% died of the disease, 64.7% were from GCV group and 82.35% were from GSV group. Cytology of tracheobronchial lavage showed no difference between groups in any of the times studied (D0, DX, DY and D21). We conclude that supplementation with vitamin E had no influence in the prophylaxis and Treatment of bronchopneumonia in calves.
Bronchopneumonia; vitamin E; tracheobronchial wash; clinical examination; calves
