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Abstract Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is one of the most serious diseases counted for economic loss and extensive usage of antibiotics in cattle. Ceftiofur, third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, has been approved for use in cattle in the United States. This study was done to investigate the clinical effect of ceftiofur on calves as well as its efficacy and safety for treating BRD. Thirty Holstein calves in a dairy farm were divided in to 3 equal groups. group I was utilized as a healthy negative group. group II was composed of healthy animals injected with ceftiofur (2mg/kg B.W) subcutaneously in the ear as single dose. Group III, clinically investigated to be suffering from BRD, was given ceftiofur with the same dose and administration route as group II. All groups were clinically evaluated at day 0, 7, and 14 after drug administration for illness score, body weight, body gain, feed intake, body temperature, depression score, discharges, coughing score and lung score. Clinical illness score showed clear signs of BRD (elevation of body temperature and depression). Nasal, ocular and ear discharges were recorded and ranked. Significant increases in respiratory and coughing score were observed in diseased calves. Significant increase in the lung score. Additionally, significant changes in the hematological and biochemical analysis. group III showed a significant decrease in the body weight, body gain and food intake compared to other groups. Non-significant changes between groups I and II were evaluated. It is clearly concluded that ceftiofur could be the drug of choice for treating BRD due to its high efficacy, low adverse effects on clinical signs, and suitability of dosing and administration also negative effect on the liver and kidney function. |