heat stress n' scours?

[Double R Ranch]

Is it possible to have heat related scours? We have been calving at a time we never wanted to calve at. It is about 98 degrees and fairly cool at night.
The calves seem to be retarted. Even when I put them in the shade they move to the sun. We have always calved durring spring and haven't had problems with heat. We have had numerous calves scour up and dehydrate in a matter of hours in the last few days. We provide shade and they move back to the sun. They stand panting with there tongue hanging out. Move them to shade and they still go back into the sun. We have started loosing calves now and others are on IV fluids and antibiotics etc. for scours to get them rehydrated.
Any suggestions. I will never have calves due this time of year again! Didn't want to anyways but didn't really have a choice.
Thanks for the help,
Double R

 

[msscamp]

Yes, it is possible to have heat related scours. The heat causes the calves to not want to move around, they don't nurse as frequently as they should, they become hungry and when it cools off at night, they hit Mom and overdo it.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Yes, it is possible to have heat related scours. The heat causes the calves to not want to move around, they don't nurse as frequently as they should, they become hungry and when it cools off at night, they hit Mom and overdo it.

Thats what I thought to and it only seems to be the smaller calves and newer calves that are having problems. The older calves (only by a week) and the bigger birthweight calves all have normal stools. It has hit each one so far overnight. They were fine and normal at PM feeding and down in the morning. Have to admit I didn't wait and watch each individual calf for a stool until now. There wasn't even poopy butts and tails. NEVER will I calve this time of year again.
Thanks for the help,
Double R

 

[Jogeephus]

Yes, it is possible to have heat related scours. The heat causes the calves to not want to move around, they don't nurse as frequently as they should, they become hungry and when it cools off at night, they hit Mom and overdo it.

Thats what I thought to and it only seems to be the smaller calves and newer calves that are having problems. The older calves (only by a week) and the bigger birthweight calves all have normal stools. It has hit each one so far overnight. They were fine and normal at PM feeding and down in the morning. Have to admit I didn't wait and watch each individual calf for a stool until now. There wasn't even poopy butts and tails. NEVER will I calve this time of year again.
Thanks for the help,
Double R

Msscamp has enlightened me. Post makes a lot of sense. I calved in September once and had a lot of trouble. Here, September is usually hot, dry and dusty. I had a lot of problems with scouring in the calves. I wrote it off to dust and dry conditions but this explanation makes more sense. I swore I'd NEVER calve at this time again but due to scheduling issues, guess what this fool is fixing to do again. :???: (ever heard the term "you can lead a mule to water but you can't make him drink"? ) :lol2:

 

[Double R Ranch]

Msscamp has enlightened me. Post makes a lot of sense. I calved in September once and had a lot of trouble. Here, September is usually hot, dry and dusty. I had a lot of problems with scouring in the calves. I wrote it off to dust and dry conditions but this explanation makes more sense. I swore I'd NEVER calve at this time again but due to scheduling issues, guess what this fool is fixing to do again. :???: (ever heard the term "you can lead a mule to water but you can't make him drink"? ) :lol2
Yeah you can lead a cow to shade but that dont mean it will stay there.

God bless ya all! Nice to put a humor to a bad time!! Thanks, I needed a laugh. And yes you can lead a cow to shade but that don't mean it will stay there!!!!!
Double R

 

[dun]

(ever heard the term "you can lead a mule to water but you can't make him drink"? ) :lol2:

More like "you can;t fix stupid"

 

[Double R Ranch]

(ever heard the term "you can lead a mule to water but you can't make him drink"? ) :lol2:

More like "you can;t fix stupid"

Exactly! They sure don't have that on EPD's!

 

[backhoeboogie]

(ever heard the term "you can lead a mule to water but you can't make him drink"? ) :lol2:

More like "you can;t fix stupid"

Exactly! They sure don't have that on EPD's!

We have seen 111 this year. It has been over 100 degrees for nearly 30 days now. Cows know exactly where the shade is around here. Some are panting like dogs. You sure as heck don't want cold climate cattle nursing calves in this heat. Calves are going to starve. Your cows had best have some ear if you want heavy calves.

 

[TheBullLady]

Yes indeed... I'm sure glad I have Brahman cows in this heat! Last year wasn't a problem, but sure is different now. Brahmans will still eat during the day, the Simmies give up about 10 a.m. and either stand under a tree or in the tank.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Yes indeed... I'm sure glad I have Brahman cows in this heat!

You should be glad at the sale barn too. Those Brahman's are fetching a lot of nickels right now.

 

[rockridgecattle]

Talk to your vet. I say this because crypto is the overeating disease and calves can die real fast from this.
What happens is they gorge themselves at night. By the morning they are sick because the enviroment that the natural flora of bacteria/bug has been in has now changed and they over produce making the calves real sick real fast and dead fast.
google cryptosporidia and talk to your vet in ways to head this off before it becomes a nighmare

 

[milkmaid]

Overeating disease = clostridium C&D

Crypto is totally different; for one, it's a protozoa, not a bacteria, and so it's not treatable with antibiotics.

 

[spinandslide]

We have seen 111 this year. It has been over 100 degrees for nearly 30 days now. Cows know exactly where the shade is around here. Some are panting like dogs. You sure as heck don't want cold climate cattle nursing calves in this heat. Calves are going to starve. Your cows had best have some ear if you want heavy calves.

' ZACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[msscamp]

Talk to your vet. I say this because crypto is the overeating disease and calves can die real fast from this.

Rockridge, I think you may have crypto confused with Clostridium types C & D. Cryptosporidium is caused by a protoza.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Howdy yal,
Just wanted to give you an update. We had 4 calves altogether that got heat related scours. Once on Rehydrating IV fluids and scour biotics three fully cleared up in 3 days and we lost one. However, the one that we lost there is an interesting turn. He was up and walking, but not feeling well, in the early afternoon and dead within hours of checking on him and giving him a treatment.
I purchased a healthy dairy calf from a known and respectable dairy, who I have purchased from before, and in three day of being on this mom he died. Went down and dead very suddenly. Same amount of time as the first calf being on that cow. It has been hot but he seemed to be doing well with no scours and once down, still no scours. It wasn't til after death that he had extremely loose stools come out (which is almost expected). Oh and no major dehydration like the other calves.
Debating weather to keep the cow and breed her back or sell due to two calves and the same time frame of nursing. Hard to wait til she cycles, breed her back, hope she takes and carries to term then do the same thing again.
What would you all do? This is a well bred cow, this was her first calf and delivery was perfect as well as calf up and nursing etc.
Double R
Double R