Have lost 5 bottle calfs in 2 days . Calfs are 1-2 weeks old , dairy & beef mixed. Reportedly had colostrum . Have tried bolus pills, scour halt, pectin, mixing flour in milk, baking soda, pepto bismoul. Feeding consistent times & feeding less at multiple times . PLEASE HELP!!!
Bottle calf scours !!
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piedmontese
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Spectro guard worked best for me when I had bottle calves with scours. It's actually supposed to be for pigs but worked better than anything else. If u have them penned together u need to separate them now before they're all dead. Also need to clean there pens real good and put down lime and fresh bedding.
polledbull
Well-known member
get some Corid , TSC has it , Sounds like they may have cosidiosis or colstridum , Draxxen will help ,
Lucky_P
Well-known member
With that sort of death loss, you need to get your veterinarian involved - and either have them perform a necropsy and collect samples for submission to the diagnostic lab, or submit the freshest dead calf to the diagnostic lab for a workup.
You could be dealing with one or more of the following: Rotavirus, coronavirus, enteropathogenic E. coli, Salmonella, Clostridium, Cryptosporidium, Strongyloides, coccidia. But, without some diagnostic testing, you're just guessing as to what you need to do in the way of vaccination or treatment.
I almost never see coccidiosis in bottle calves that age - to tell the truth, I can't ever remember seeing it in 1-2 wk calves; yeah, it's out there, but not high on my list - and I've raised hundreds of 'em. Rota/corona/Crypto would be at the top of my list.
You could be dealing with one or more of the following: Rotavirus, coronavirus, enteropathogenic E. coli, Salmonella, Clostridium, Cryptosporidium, Strongyloides, coccidia. But, without some diagnostic testing, you're just guessing as to what you need to do in the way of vaccination or treatment.
I almost never see coccidiosis in bottle calves that age - to tell the truth, I can't ever remember seeing it in 1-2 wk calves; yeah, it's out there, but not high on my list - and I've raised hundreds of 'em. Rota/corona/Crypto would be at the top of my list.
Your best bet is to follow Lucky's suggestion of having one taken to a lab, not sure where you are but it is not a lot of money. How many you got left?
Did not see you mention electrolytes such as Resorb, but if they are scouring you need to kept something like that in them. We use one called Deliver a lot,it gels. That 2 week time period is rough, usually if I can get them past 2 weeks I feel good.
Did not see you mention electrolytes such as Resorb, but if they are scouring you need to kept something like that in them. We use one called Deliver a lot,it gels. That 2 week time period is rough, usually if I can get them past 2 weeks I feel good.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
Absolutely, fluid/electrolyte replacement is essential for scouring calves. I'll often also add a human dose of Metamucil to the electrolytes when I'm treating a scouring calf - it 'gels', and helps slow gut transit time a bit, allowing for better chance to absorb fluid/electrolytes, rather than having 'em just run straight through. There used to be a commercial product that contained psyllium fiber, but haven't seen it in years(but I haven't looked, either).
Revive was the brand of electrolyte replacement I preferred, back when I was in practice; not sure if it's still on the market or not. ReSorb and others have been around for decades, and may be just as good.
There are 'homemade' recipes - and I've used 'em in a pinch - something like this: 1 can of beef consomme(protein source), 1 packet of fruit pectin(dextrose source) 1tsp baking soda, 1tsp salt substitutes(KCl - potassium source), water to bring volume to 1/2 gallon.
In the past, we used to recommend stopping feeding milk replacer to scouring calves - but they NEED that protein to drive their immune system, and particularly at this time of year, they need the energy from sugars/fats in the milk replacer just to maintain body temperature. So... the recommendation to withhold MR is not valid anymore; we just recommend working in additional feedings of electrolyte solution between MR feedlings to maintain hydration/electrolyte balance.
Your veterinarian can recommend antimicrobial therapy, based on what has worked best for previous cases. Don't waste your time with penicillin or LA-200; they're unlikely to be effective against most enteric pathogens - and totally ineffective against viruses or protozoa(Crypto, coccidia).
Revive was the brand of electrolyte replacement I preferred, back when I was in practice; not sure if it's still on the market or not. ReSorb and others have been around for decades, and may be just as good.
There are 'homemade' recipes - and I've used 'em in a pinch - something like this: 1 can of beef consomme(protein source), 1 packet of fruit pectin(dextrose source) 1tsp baking soda, 1tsp salt substitutes(KCl - potassium source), water to bring volume to 1/2 gallon.
In the past, we used to recommend stopping feeding milk replacer to scouring calves - but they NEED that protein to drive their immune system, and particularly at this time of year, they need the energy from sugars/fats in the milk replacer just to maintain body temperature. So... the recommendation to withhold MR is not valid anymore; we just recommend working in additional feedings of electrolyte solution between MR feedlings to maintain hydration/electrolyte balance.
Your veterinarian can recommend antimicrobial therapy, based on what has worked best for previous cases. Don't waste your time with penicillin or LA-200; they're unlikely to be effective against most enteric pathogens - and totally ineffective against viruses or protozoa(Crypto, coccidia).
Lucky_P":ndq1ynqy said:
Lucky, Deliver contains psyllium. It is one that gels, not sure if that is what makes it gel. We have had good luck with it, and directions on it says it can be mixed with milk. I always thought the gelling action helped them to retain a little more of what you put in them.
redcowsrule33
Well-known member
I've used Diaque with great success, has hydrophilic citrus fiber in it and has a better bicarb balance.
First off Thank you all for the help . On Christmas Eve last tue. I got 65 bottle babies. Got them in Florida & brought them to north miss. They were moved in a enclosed trailer. Each had prevail unpon arrival & a "stress pill" forgot the name. Lost 4-5 first 24 hours , by wed. Evening another 5-6 , called vet in thus. Morning , did stool samples said it was "viral". Suggested seperating sick calfs & continue treatment as I had been . Said it has to run its course . By Friday evening had 24-26 dead , I have tried ALL the online home remedies for scours & no or very little success . I'm using salt, calcium, vinegar & Gatorade for electrolyte replacement . I only have 8 left that will take a bottle & 9 more I'm tube feeding . I'm at a TOTAL loss as to what I should do??
regolith
Well-known member
I have heard of farmers experiencing that level of losses when rotavirus hits, never had it happen here.
I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
Did your vet specify the type of virus as there may be an antibody that will help - won't save everything, but I've read farmers 'testing' it believing it wasn't working and the loss was definitely reduced in the group of calves that got the rotagen.
Aside from that, keeping up the fluids to the calves and disinfecting the environment is about all you can do. It's probably mid-winter where you're at but if I get rotavirus in a shed I abandon that shed for the remainder of the calf rearing season, even with all the cleaning and disinfecting and anti-viral products I'll still get 100% infection rate in there, and I can pull them through but it's much better not to have them infected in the first place.
I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
Did your vet specify the type of virus as there may be an antibody that will help - won't save everything, but I've read farmers 'testing' it believing it wasn't working and the loss was definitely reduced in the group of calves that got the rotagen.
Aside from that, keeping up the fluids to the calves and disinfecting the environment is about all you can do. It's probably mid-winter where you're at but if I get rotavirus in a shed I abandon that shed for the remainder of the calf rearing season, even with all the cleaning and disinfecting and anti-viral products I'll still get 100% infection rate in there, and I can pull them through but it's much better not to have them infected in the first place.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
Wow, AA.
That's a phenomenal disaster. Certainly, with that rapid onset and spread, the viruses are most likely the cause.
Oral rota/corona vaccine was an integral part of my receiving protocol, back in the day when we were raising dairy calves - if the dairy clients I purchased them from weren't vaccinating at birth. Also gave a dose of injectible Vit A and Vit E/Se on arrival, as they are intimately involved in proper immune system function. Even with the vaccine, I still lost a calf or two to coronavirus along the way.
Can't think of anything else to recommend beyond what you're doing in the way of fluid/electrolyte replacement and covering with broad spectrum antimicrobials.
That's a phenomenal disaster. Certainly, with that rapid onset and spread, the viruses are most likely the cause.
Oral rota/corona vaccine was an integral part of my receiving protocol, back in the day when we were raising dairy calves - if the dairy clients I purchased them from weren't vaccinating at birth. Also gave a dose of injectible Vit A and Vit E/Se on arrival, as they are intimately involved in proper immune system function. Even with the vaccine, I still lost a calf or two to coronavirus along the way.
Can't think of anything else to recommend beyond what you're doing in the way of fluid/electrolyte replacement and covering with broad spectrum antimicrobials.
presmudjo
Well-known member
AA, when i read Florida milk/beef calves I know what you are going through. 2 years ago we got 2 of those calves, neighbor got 3. He went and got them somewhere north of central florida. We lost one, and he lost one. The vet had been getting calls all over on these calves dropping like flys. Seemed nothing worked. He said very few made it. Heart breaking. I don't know if he ever found the underlaying cause. Our second one that did make it was attacked by pit bulls, he didn't survive it. I hate irresponsible people.
I got the calves from Bell, Florida , about 30 miles west of Gainesville . The sellers won't return calls or tex messages. That's normal for crappy people . Thanks again everyone for the info. & suggestions. Will update after morning feeding, lets pray they all are alive .
No good news to report , down to 11 calves , had to tube 3 of those . Spent most of the day giving shots , changing bedding , giving bolus pills & midday electrolytes . Called the vet again & was told all I could do was treat the "symptoms "
One thing that you can do is hose down all the areas the caves have been exposed to with a mixture of water and bleach. If you don;t, any new calves that are exposed to those areas will most likely get sick the same way.
presmudjo
Well-known member
A bit late now, but I wonder if the State of Florida Agriculture can do anything about this farm. Shut down the sale of calves? I believe it was Bell that my neighbor got the calves from also. Scumbags know they are all dying and sell them anyways with a smile.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
Dang I wish I had seen this when you first posted, I have fed alot of bottle calves in large groupes like that. Baytril and draxxin is the best for most things. But the very best thing for hard to cure scours is 5cc's of ampicillin for 3 days and 1 primor dog pill for 3 days, that will cure about any kind if scours you have. Also be sure to keep them all separated, you will always have trouble penning calves together.
