Diarrhea

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Anonymous

I have two holstein steers 3months old and have had diarrhea for a couple of weeks . Feeding 16% grower and 1st. crop hay . Was giving 2nd. crop but cut that off . It is getting worse now but they seem healthy and happy to eat ? It is fuild diarrhea !!!! Don't know what to do ? Thanks !

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Administer 7cc's Spectam subcu. 3 days straight to each. This should clear it up. Spectam can be acquired through your local large animal vet.

> I have two holstein steers 3months
> old and have had diarrhea for a
> couple of weeks . Feeding 16%
> grower and 1st. crop hay . Was
> giving 2nd. crop but cut that off
> . It is getting worse now but they
> seem healthy and happy to eat ? It
> is fuild diarrhea !!!! Don't know
> what to do ? Thanks !
 
This could be a parasite such as coccidia or worse, cryptosporidia. Without knowing the cause, any treatment may be ineffective. I'd recommend a fecal exam prior to treatment, specifically checking for these as well as the routing Nematodirus etc. If fecal is negative, a trial of antibiotics may help, but it could also be viral. Good Luck V
 
> This could be a parasite such as
> coccidia or worse, cryptosporidia.
> Without knowing the cause, any
> treatment may be ineffective. I'd
> recommend a fecal exam prior to
> treatment, specifically checking
> for these as well as the routing
> Nematodirus etc. If fecal is
> negative, a trial of antibiotics
> may help, but it could also be
> viral. Good Luck V What is needed for a fecal sample ? Does the container have to be super clean ? Is there a time limit before it has to get to the lab ? Is there anything else that can screw up the results ? Thanks !

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Frankly, manure is needed, about a golf ball sized amount is plenty, and in a baggie is fine. Don't cook or freeze it, get it to the vet/lab same or next day at latest. Check with your vet to see if they have any special requests other than the above! V
 
Could it be because of the hot ration that they are squirting? That can cause very watery stools.

dunmovin farms

> Frankly, manure is needed, about a
> golf ball sized amount is plenty,
> and in a baggie is fine. Don't
> cook or freeze it, get it to the
> vet/lab same or next day at
> latest. Check with your vet to see
> if they have any special requests
> other than the above! V
 
> Could it be because of the hot
> ration that they are squirting?
> That can cause very watery stools.

> dunmovin farms

My thoughts exactly. Why did others jump to an illness immediately when the owner said they seemed happy and still on feed? Cattle stop eating when they are sick.

Jason

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#1 Cattle can eat and look happy and not gain worth a hoot if parasitized.

#2 Hot feed can cause gastric ulcers and rumen acidosis, leading to chronic problems, including liver abscesses.

#3 Some diseases can be better treated if caught early, vs when the gut is thickened. Also, some parasites can kill, and the only sign early on is diarrhea.

#4 Why not know what, if any, parasites are in your animals? Good management requires that in my opinion.

#5 Where did I jump to a disease? I merely stated that one should know what one is treating before slapping it on antibiotics. I recommended a fecal exam--$12 Cdn at my clinic--to see if that was the problem.

V
 
I am prone to agreeing with dunmovin'. Grain and first cutting alfalfa is pretty hot stuff to be feeding three month old calves.... cut the alfalfa with some straw if you are looking to have them eating free will. I found out this year that first cutting alfalfa is much more nutrient rich that second cutting, because of the longer growing time on first cutting. Second cutting alfalfa is actually closer to grass hay. Hence, you can over condition a first calf heifer on first cutting alfalfa if you allow her to free choice feed.

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> #1 Cattle can eat and look happy
> and not gain worth a hoot if
> parasitized.

> #2 Hot feed can cause gastric
> ulcers and rumen acidosis, leading
> to chronic problems, including
> liver abscesses.

> #3 Some diseases can be better
> treated if caught early, vs when
> the gut is thickened. Also, some
> parasites can kill, and the only
> sign early on is diarrhea.

> #4 Why not know what, if any,
> parasites are in your animals?
> Good management requires that in
> my opinion.

> #5 Where did I jump to a disease?
> I merely stated that one should
> know what one is treating before
> slapping it on antibiotics. I
> recommended a fecal exam--$12 Cdn
> at my clinic--to see if that was
> the problem.

> V These guys have been on this HOT mix since they were weaned and doing fine . Called vet and he put them on LA-200 which I did really agree with . Now diarrhea seems to be under control . But now are running a temp of 105 and are very withdrawen and are way down on feed . One of them has a swelled neck on both sides ? Don't think thats from the injections . Trying to get a hold of Vet .

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> I have two holstein steers 3months
> old and have had diarrhea for a
> couple of weeks . Feeding 16%
> grower and 1st. crop hay . Was
> giving 2nd. crop but cut that off
> . It is getting worse now but they
> seem healthy and happy to eat ? It
> is fuild diarrhea !!!! Don't know
> what to do ? Thanks ! cut back on feed increase hay to regular hay no alfalfa it is too rich for young calves

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