Economic impact of rotavirus and other neonatal disease agents of animals.

Methods for estimating the economic impact of disease agents were developed and utilized to assess the relative economic importance of rotavirus and other disease agents in calves. Based on incidence data from 2 sources, Escherichia coli was responsible for the most devastating economic losses (50.9% and 74.6%). Coronaviral (17.5% and 29.7% loss) and rotaviral (3.2% and 9.1% loss) infections ranked 2nd and 3rd, respectively. In one study, cryptosporidial infections (6.5% loss) were estimated to be similar in economic impact to rotaviral infection. Salmonellosis, mycotic gastroenteritis, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, and bovine viral diarrhea infections accounted for minor losses. The estimated average annual loss of calves for the 7-year period, 1970 through 1976, was $95,500,000/year. Based on data from 2 studies, the estimated average annual loss from E coli was $48.6 and 71.2 million; from coronaviral infection, $16.7 and 28.4 million; from rotaviral infection, $3.1 and $8.7 million; and from cryptosporidial infection, from 1 study, $6.2 million. Estimates of economic impact of disease agents on calves, and likely in other species, indicate that rotaviral infections have a relatively minor role with respect to E coli and coronaviral infections.