CALF SCOURS - two little words that can bring terror to the hearts and minds of the even the most seasoned producers. Calf scours (diarrhoea) is an insidious disease that most beef and dairy producers would have dealt with at some stage or another. They cause serious hardship for both the calf and the producer. It can be one of the most expensive, time consuming and depressing (and one of the most satisfying) issues producers have to deal with. Do you have a tried and tested method that you swear by, that brings claves back from the brink? Scours tend to occur in very young calves (usually within the first 6 weeks, and sometimes from as young as two days) and can be more problematic among the calves born to heifers (first calf cows) as well as in incidences of copper and selenium deficiencies. Calf scours is caused by an interaction of environment, the health of the calf, and the presence of pathogens (disease causing agents.) Common pathogens include bacteria (eg: Salmonella, E-coli and Clostridium), viruses (eg: Coronavirus, Rotavirus) and protozoa (eg: Cryptosporidium, Coccidia). Many calves will exhibit some signs of scouring, and most will recover without the need to intervene. Often producers refer to these scours as “milk scours”. Milk scours will be more prevalent in good seasons, and with dams that are high milk producers. During outbreaks of scours calves need to be assessed on a daily basis, as calves become dehydrated and can die rapidly. Dehydrated calves become weak and hypothermic - whilst the initial infection may cause damage to the intestines of the calf, death can usually be attributed to secondary reasons. A calf coat if available may prove invaluable in maintaining body heat. It may also be necessary to remove some calves from their dam and into shelter for a period of time. Bloody scours usually indicate a more severe infection (such as salmonella or coccidia – the calf is usually older than 6 days). For effective treatment it is important to determine the type of scour. More often than not there will be more than one pathogen implicated in a scour outbreak. Non- Infectious causes of calf scours include such things as inadequate nutrition of the pregnant dam, over feeding or irregular feeding of the calf and environmental conditions such as storm activity, extreme cold, high rainfall, mud slush and overcrowding (as cattle huddle) are all predisposing factors. Calves are born without most antibodies; these are acquired through the colostrum preferably in the first two to six hours of birth, (and this is why heifer’s calves are more susceptible to scouring). Calves rapidly lose the ability to absorb colostral antibodies, and after 36 hours supplementation with colostrum becomes practically useless. Vaccination programs are available, however are costly to implicate and need to be tailored to the specific needs of individual herds, they are also reliant on adequate colostral intake to be effective. TREATMENT: Addressing dehydration, acidosis and electrolyte loss is the first action. Warm fluids given orally or by oesophageal (tube) feeder, or in cases of moribund calves by I.V. is the first line of defence. Secondary infections (eg: pneumonia) may require antibiotic injection. Oral antibiotics (including scour tablets) if given should be given at correct dosage and for a maximum of two to three days. Supplying hypothermic calves with a supplementary heat source cannot be underestimated in its effectiveness. Calves may need to be taken off milk for a period of time (48 hours). There are a number of good publications available to aid in the assessment of dehydrated and scouring calves. It is important to remember that many of the pathogens can also be transferred to humans and to other animals, good hygiene is essential when dealing with scouring calves to prevent cross contamination. As always, if in doubt consult with your veterinarian to discuss treatment protocols. #realaussiefarms References: mla.au/CustomControls/PaymentGateway/ViewFile.aspx?hxgBFx3oSNijMK3UzDCNkRvnhRD6KM7uh5JTsTY1lLw81+B33aZEuY40ysKfnIX33EYMKKAfsht7d1Tnt3BqiA== mla.au/Livestock-production/Animal-health-welfare-and-biosecurity/Diseases/Infectious/Calf-scours
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 08:00:01 +0000
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