Pinkeye is the common name for Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK). This infectious disease of cattle is commonly seen in July and August in the Pacific Northwest. Affected cattle have red, swollen, sore eye(s) and change their behavior to alleviate the discomfort. Those changes can cost the cattle producer a bunch of money. A 1997 report published by the National Animal Health Monitoring system (NAHMS) found pinkeye to be the second most common adverse health condition in breeding age beef females. If untreated, pinkeye can cause blindness. Cattle reduce feed intake and search out shady areas due to sun sensitivity of the infected eye. Calves have a high susceptibility to the disease and a pinkeye infection prior to weaning will have a significant impact on profitability. In one study, pinkeye infections reduced calf weaning weights by 35 to 40 pounds. Discounts for “blue eyes” from pinkeye-scarred corneas are often seen at sale yards.
Pinkeye is highly contagious and easily spread by face flies. Steps producers can take to reduce the risk of pinkeye include:
• Controlling face flies with insecticide-treated ear tags, fly predators, dusters and/or endectocides (larvicide incorporated in trace mineral supplements).
• Mowing pastures if needed to reduce eyeirritating seed heads and high forage height.
• Vaccinating annually for pinkeye 4 to 6 weeks prior to fly season.
• Providing some shade.
As with most diseases, prevention of pinkeye, rather than treatment, is the optimal situation. If infection occurs, prompt treatment can reduce affected animals’ discomfort, curtail losses and decrease spreading to the rest of the herd. Dr. Mike Tripp of Oklahoma reports, “We have been really successful with an oxytetracycline injection for cattle with pinkeye problems. It works well because we can give one dose with a seven to eight day systemic effect.” Several eye sprays were used with injectable antibiotics in the past, but the spray ingredients are now illegal for use in food animals.
For several years, cases of “winter pinkeye” have occurred in the region. Affected eyes are irritated, watering, sensitive to light and have all the symptoms of pinkeye, but do not respond to antibiotics. The mysterious eye problem has been linked with burdock plants. Burdock grows in riparian areas and has very small burrs in the fragmented seedheads.
Source: W. Frank Hendrix Washington State University Extension