[Epidemiologic studies of the detection of viral infection agents in calf losses in the Weser-Ems region]. / Epidemiologische Untersuchungen über Nachweise von viralen Infektionserregern bei Kälberverlusten im Weser-Ems-Gebiet.

In 961 calves up to an age of 6 months which were sent to the animal health center in Oldenburg between March 1987 and March 1990 for necropsy the results of determination of different viruses were calculated: BVD-, rota-, corona-, parainfluenza-3- (PI-3)-, bovine herpes-1 (BHV-1)- and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV). In 122 and 104 randomly collected health calves of 22 farms antibodies against BRSV and bovine adeno virus-types 5, 7 and 8 were determined. 50.1% of the necropsied calves were one and two weeks old. In this group in 40.2% rotavirus and in 19.0% coronavirus could be isolated. All over the calves the frequencies of isolated viruses were 13.3% for BVDV, 4.6% for BRSV, 3.2% for BHV-1, and 2.1% for PI-3. The percentages of positive findings for rota- and coronavirus increased up to 7 days after birth, and thereafter both decreased. The frequencies of BVDV and BRSV were higher in older groups. The frequency of PI-3 was low and remained constantly. Infections with rota-, corona- and with both viruses were accompanied by BVDV in 11.3, 5.3 and 14.3%, respectively. Against bovine adenoviruses and BRSV in the first 8 weeks and after 14 weeks of life in more than 70% of the calves antibodies were detected.

[Lying behavior and space requirements of German Schwarzbunt fattening calves in box stalls]. / Untersuchungen zum Liegeverhalten und zum Platzbedarf von Deutschen Schwarzbunten Mastkälbern bei Boxenhaltung.

In German Black Pied calves the height of wrist and length of body was measured and the want of space in lying situation in relation to height of wrist in different stadiums of age was calculated. For this relation was obtained the factor of 0.7, that means that 70 p.c. of the height of wrist are wanted by calves at the end of fattening (up to 250 kg) for lying. A totally extended behaviour in lying is kept during 1.6 and 0.9 p.c. of the length of day by calves which are offered an unlimited, limited space (boxes) respectively. More than 60 p.c. of the phase of this behaviour are lasting less than two minutes. Based on this behaviour found out and on the body measures this quotient seems to be justified as critical value for the minimum want of space in single boxes. As maximum width of a box 80 to 85 cm were calculated up to an age of 25 weeks. The length of the boxes should be related to the length of body and 45 cm more. This means for the found body measures a minimum length of about 180 cm. A higher value would correspond more to a species-related keeping of veal calves than a greater width of the box.