Calf Scours

[zukirider]

I have some holstein bull calves. Most of them are 1-3 weeks old. Has any one heard of putting just a tad bit of bleach in the milk replacer to clear up scours. I did it on one, and the next morning, it was a lot better. I don't know if the bleach goes in the digestive tract and cleans it out or what. Then, I had another one with scours so I tried it again. This morning though, the calf died. I'm thinking though I put too much bleach in because it was a tiny calf (50-60 lbs). Does anyone know of anything else that works good for scours other than resorb?

 

[Farmhand]

Protec. Get mine at the vet. Powder that you mix in milk replacer.

 

[ctlbaron]

I have heard of people using bleach to combat scours but I don't think much of the idea. It will kill both good and bad bacteria in the calf. If you do use it, you will need to replace the good stuff with something like probios or a simular product. I use scour tablets from Co-op or TSC. It says 1 tablet per 100 lbs. I give 2. Also I give scour halt for pig scours 10CC morning and night. After they get the tablets and the scour halt, I stuff a hand full of smooth peanut butter in their mouth to keep their strength up. I cut the milk replacer down to half strength with full water until I see some improvement. A shot of Nuflor helps too. Good luck.

 

[Medic24]

tried it with poor results......guess the calf dying would be called poor results huh? A calf dying around here has become a rarity thank goodness, I suspect the bleach did not help....much better alternatives out there I think. After all, it is poison we are dealing with here right? :cboy:

 

[pacadowling]

If you didnt know what the results were going to be and the doseage needed for bleach, then your shouldnt have played Dr. Frankenstein with innocent calves that rely on you to keep them fed and healthy. Did you think you were going to save a few dollars by using a bottle of bleach that costs a couple a bucks? You can buy some terramycin powder, put a about a teaspoon in a bottle of milk replacer and in a couple days scours usually clear up...The cost? About $5.00. Your lucky you didnt lose both calves. :roll:

 

[msscamp]

Would that be the soluble terramycin powder you are talking about?

 

[pacadowling]

yes, as long as you dont put over a teaspoon in the bottle, they cant taste it

 

[msscamp]

May want to check into it a little further or ask your vet, because according to everything I've read about the soluble terramycin powder it should never, never be given with milk. It was designed to be mixed with the calves water .

 

[pacadowling]

I used the terramycin soluable because it was recommended on this forum...I tried it and it worked...thats all I know

 

[msscamp]

Apparently the milk or milk replacer interferes with the utilization of the terramycin. I'm not sure if there are other side effects or not. Just thought you would like to know.

 

[Scotty]

I have heard of this also. Never liked soluable wormers or any other type of meds. Probly not always sucessfull(for me always) but SMZs work for me. Keep them hydrated and see how it gos.


Scotty

 

[Kelly]

I have used SMZ's in the milk replacer for a few days - morning & night. I give Probiotics once a day & electrolytes 1 or 2 times a day. Also always make sure they have plenty of fresh water. You can also try Kaopectin but I really like the electrolytes with the gel to get them a little more solid. Some of the electrolytes call for you to also stop all milk replacer for about a day - read the package. Sometimes just the probiotics alone will clear it up depending on what the calf is fighting off.

 

[msscamp]

We've never used SMZ, but I have heard from a lot of people on here that they work very well for scours. Our herd has pretty much always been closed, we Scour-Guard the cows so don't have many cases of scours to begin with. We can get away with using terramycin pills to take care of the few cases we get.

 

[Scotty]

Starting this year going to use some scour guard vacines. Have you considered using a drench like Corid(water soluable). Same as many metioned but in my ag teaching days I used it when sheep got scours at the shows. Probly the same as what you are using. Some times the way the same drug is administered can effect the way it is responded to. I mentioned I did not like them but remebered this one worked. I had some like Tramisol in hogs that did not.


Scotty

 

[msscamp]

I'm not familiar with Corid. Is it an alternative to pills for treating scours?

 

[Scotty]

Amprolium. Kinda the same as Bovatec(lasalocid).


Scotty

 

[msscamp]

Am I correct in thinking that by 'drench', it requires sticking a tube down the calf's throat? I really dislike tubing. There are just too many things that can go wrong with the new one-piece tubers and that is all that is available in this area.

 

[certherfbeef]

you can also use a pop bottle. I keep a glass pepsi bottle in the barn for just that purpose. Had many a dose of mineral oil put thru it.

 

[msscamp]

How do you connect the tube to the pop bottle? I have a old glass 16 oz coke bottle that I put a sheep's nipple on for bottling newborns, but I'm not sure how to connect the tubing to the pop bottle.

 

[certherfbeef]

How do you connect the tube to the pop bottle?

I don't. I grab the critter's tounge, pull it to one side and shove the bottle to the back of the throught. They have to swollow or they drown.