I have a 3 month old angus/hereford who came down with diarreha the other day. She has been out in the pasture with the other cows during the day. Here in Michigan the grass is just starting to grow and turn green. I kept her in her stall the next day and did not let her out in the pasture, she seems to be fine now. I am assuming it was the new grass that caused the diarreha. Someone told me that you should not let cows graze on new grass for a couple of weeks after it starts to grow. What are your opinions?
calfs and grass
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sidney411
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I'm sure that the new grass could cause scours in a small calf that's not used to the grass, but ours run on pasture year round. We never lock them off pasture unless there's one in the 'sick pen'
If you're worried, you could buy a bloat block and keep it in the pasture with the calf. BUT, the animal has to be on the bloat block for 2 days BEFORE it is given free choice on a new kind of feed. And, the animal has to have access to that bloat block every day so it gets a daily dose of the medication contained in the bloat block. After the animal's system adjusts to the new food, the bloat block isn't necessary. We usually use bloat blocks when we first turn our cows out, but after a couple of weeks we pull the blocks and put the remains away for the next season. We don't have year 'round pasture, so we are a little more careful than most. Maybe too careful, but we've never lost a cow to bloat yet.
The diarrhea you are seeing is most likely just the usual loose, liquid runny, green stuff most every cow gets when on spring grass, or when newly turned out on grass.
A second idea is to just turn your calf out on grass for a couple of hours each day for a week or two, feeding its regular food for the other 22 hours a day. That would give its body a chance to adjust gradually. Just increase the time out on pasture as the couple of weeks goes by, until it has free choice to the pasture.
New spring grass doesn't have the nutrition that a little more mature grass has, so your calf may still need some supplementation for a little while.
It's just that a ruminant animal must adjust to new feed gradually or it runs the risk of bloating.
The diarrhea you are seeing is most likely just the usual loose, liquid runny, green stuff most every cow gets when on spring grass, or when newly turned out on grass.
A second idea is to just turn your calf out on grass for a couple of hours each day for a week or two, feeding its regular food for the other 22 hours a day. That would give its body a chance to adjust gradually. Just increase the time out on pasture as the couple of weeks goes by, until it has free choice to the pasture.
New spring grass doesn't have the nutrition that a little more mature grass has, so your calf may still need some supplementation for a little while.
It's just that a ruminant animal must adjust to new feed gradually or it runs the risk of bloating.
Crowderfarms
Well-known member
Calves will scour when turned out on growing, lush patures.Have your calves been kept up in the barn most of the time and been on just grain and hay? If yes, then that would explain the scours. Should be no big deal.
tapeworm
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So you kept her up in her stall the next day and didnt let her out. Why? So she can scour (not diarrhea) again next time you let her out I guess. LOL Listen to Sidney and Crowder....that happens with green stuff...fill em up on hay and turn em out...the sooner you let the rumen adjust the better off they will be...sure gradual adjusting is better...but back and forth is not helping
Craig-TX
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Scours are beautiful. They're a sure sign of spring.
Craig-TX
Craig-TX
Farminlund
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Craig-TX":2a5lbza8 said:
Amen
buckaroo_bif
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Craig-TX":1umfq0by said:
And it was a L-o-o-ong winter!
