here is from the pfizer web site on scours
Calf Scours
Description
Animals affected
Common names
Causes
Contributing factors
Clinical signs
Disease management: prevention
Disease management: treatment
Economic impacts
Description
Newborn calves are extremely susceptible to calf scours, or diarrhea, especially during their first 28 days of life. Bacteria and viruses attack the lining of the calf's intestine, making it difficult for the animal to absorb essential nutrients from milk. Profuse, watery diarrhea occurs, causing the calf to lose those nutrients and become dehydrated. If disease is severe, the calf may die; however, even calves that survive severe cases will have lifelong poorer performance than healthy calves.
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Animals affected
All calves are susceptible to scours. Depending on the cause, calf scours can strike anytime from the first few hours after birth up through the first month to six weeks. First-calf heifers often produce lower quality and lower quantity colostrum and thus their calves may be more likely to scour. See health library article "Prevention, Clinical Signs and Control of Calf Scours."
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Common names
Scours, neonatal calf diarrhea, enteric disease
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Causes
Viruses: rotavirus, coronavirus
Primary bacteria: K99 E. coli; Clostridium perfringens Type C, Salmonella spp.
Parasites: cryptosporidia, coccidia
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Contributing factors
Inadequate or insufficient colostrum
Inadequate quantity colostrum
Difficult calving
Poor sanitation
Cold, wet weather
Use of milk replacers can result in scours in some cases
Over-consumption of milk creates an environment in which certain types of bacteria thrive, causing severe scours
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Clinical signs
Diarrhea, sometimes containing blood or mucus
Dehydration, loose skin
Rough haircoat
Weight loss, weakness
Death can occur 12–48 hours after onset of disease
Causes of scours, age of disease onset and clinical signs
Scours agent Age of onset Signs
Rotavirus possible: 0–28 days;
most common: 1–6 days watery-brown to light-green feces, blood and mucus
K 99 E. coli bacteria most common: 1–7 days effortless passing of yellow-to-white feces
Coronavirus possible: 0–28 days;
most common: 7–10 days watery, yellow feces
Clostridium perfringens Type C most common: 7–28 days sudden death; fetid, blood-tinged diarrhea
Cryptosporidia most common: 7–21 days watery-brown to light-green feces, blood and mucus
Coccidia most common: 7 days and after blood-tinged diarrhea
Salmonella spp. most common: 1–7 days similar to E. coli; yellow-to-white feces
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Disease management: prevention
For maximum disease prevention, follow these steps:
Reduce exposure of newborns to infectious agents
Separate healthy calves from sick calves immediately
House in individual huts
Be sure equipment, boots and hands are thoroughly cleaned after handling sick animals
Reduce stress on cows and calves
Assist with calving as necessary, especially with heifers
Keep animals as clean and dry as possible
Cows should be in Body Condition Score 3.5-4 for optimum calving and colostrum production
Make sure calves get enough good-quality colostrum (first milk)
4–6 quarts in the first 8 hours
Vaccinate the cow prior to calving, to provide disease protection through the colostrum. If the cow herd has not been vaccinated, consider using an oral vaccine in newborn calves prior to nursing to provide immediate protection in the gut. A scours vaccination program should include protection against:
Rotavirus, coronavirus
K99 E. coli
Cl. Perfringens Type C
See Vaccination Recommendations for specific vaccination suggestions for cows and calves.
ScourGuard 4® (K)/C and CalfGuard®
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Disease management: treatment
Successful treatment of calf scours depends on rapidly rehydrating scouring calves. Oral rehydration products such as Re-Sorb® restore lost electrolytes and essential nutrients. In some cases, antibiotic therapy may be advised for bacterial scours.
Your veterinarian plays a valuable role in accurately diagnosing disease and suggesting the best therapy and management options.
Other Pfizer disease management products: Liquamycin® LA-200®, Terramycin® Scours Tablets
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Economic impacts
USDA estimates that between 4 and 25% of all calves will die from scours each year in the U.S.1
1 Boland W, Cortese V, Steffen D. Interactions between vaccination, failure of passive transfer and diarrhea in beef calves. Agri-Practice. Vol 16:25-28. April 1995.
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