A look at pinkeye in cattle at stage one. Photo from College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperating Extension

By Jeff Burbrink
Ag & Natural Resources Extension Educator, Purdue Extension LaGrange County

LAGRANGE — Two local farmers were chatting about an outbreak of pinkeye in their cattle at the sale barn the other day. Otherwise known as bovine keratoconjunctivitis, it can be a common issue in the early summer in Indiana.

Jeff Burbrink

There are three keys to managing pinkeye: control the flies that spread it, vaccination/medications and pasture management.

I’ll start with pasture management. Tall grass, particularly the seedheads, can rub and poke the eyes of adult cattle and calves as they graze, irritating the tissue and allowing flies to spread the bacteria from one animal to the next. Clipping the pasture, particularly the seedheads, is one way to reduce a potential irritation from happening. The added benefit of clipping a pasture can be weed control and opening up the pasture to allow more desirable species to thrive.

Dust can also irritate the eyes of animals and lead to more potential issues. The dry weather and windy conditions we have experienced this spring have not helped matters.

Fly management can help a great deal, even though you will never quite get them under control. Options for managing flies include sprays, ear tags and cattle rubs. Sanitation, such as cleaning of pools of water and piles of manure, can reduce breeding sites for flies also. The University of Kentucky has a good summary on fly control for grazers.

Vaccination and antibiotics are another step to reduce issues. Until a few years ago, it was thought there was only one type of bacteria responsible for pinkeye, but there are now several different species of bacteria and virus known to cause issues. Work with your veterinarian to develop a plan specific to your farm to control pink eye through vaccination and/or antibiotics. Just remember, vaccines are not very effective after an outbreak starts and rarely work when other steps are not enforced to reduce irritation.

Isolating animals with pinkeye from the rest of the herd can also help to reduce or slow the spread.

Don’t forget the role that proper nutrition can play with quality of animal health and the animals immune system. Unhealthy animals are more likely to catch and spread pinkeye.

Providing shade can also reduce eye irritation and help the animals get over mild cases of pinkeye.

Sheep, goats, horses, dogs, cats and even people can also experience versions of pinkeye, although the root cause of the infection can vary from specie to specie, and may or may not be transmittable between species. Because of the uncertainty, it’s good to use disposable gloves, wash your hands, keep your hands away from your face, and call a vet when the outbreak is obviously over your head.