Help help scours

[BEJ]

Help 4 day old calf was doing good noticed yesterday was a little loose fed some electrolytes and a poop pill not doing any better today had to tube and after driving around the pasture and checking everything else noticed 2 more calves that where a little loose moved everything to a different pasture today just in case there was something in the one they where on caused it…never had a problem with scours before

 

[kenny thomas]

Are these newborns still on cows.
Several people use Inforce 3 internasal plus something else on newborns. HELP

 

[gcreekrch]

If cows aren't vaccinated will go through them all. In our operation Trivetrin works best under 10 days. LA when they are over. Suggest you talk to your vet.

 

[Farm Family]

Electrolytes first 24 hours and then they need energy so our rule is back to milk after first 24-36 hrs. Our calves need energy to stay warm when/if they scour cause it's frigidly cold that time of year. We typically see scours with our weather, those extreme changes and storms that come when our calves are this age.

We start on Trimadox or Borgal. We also drop Calf Span oral boluses (Sulfamethazine and charcoal) to get the antibiotic right in the gut. These are all prescription through our veterinarian.

They do sell a charcoal paste that I hear guys have had success with to settle the digestive tract but this is used in conjunction with antibiotics and fluid support.

I have heard of using Inforce 3 intranasal but as a preventative on healthy calves at birth or under 8 weeks in a scouring herd situation.

Glad you know how to use an esophageal feeder…this tool is a life saver. Especially if you are not in a situation to run an IV. A must!

Many studies on vitamins also helping. Our calves get ADE and selenium at birth. So we have found top ups not necessary but maybe a consideration based on location etc. or if not part of your at birth routine. The thoughts are additional immune support. If this is a herd issue it may be a consideration especially if calves still hitting the ground or calves need some additional immune support due to situation. Location may change these needs so again check what works best for your region.

Of course best to consult your veterinarian for best emergency care and preventative plan for moving ahead. I can only comment on what we do, have done and have had success with. Scours is the s pardon the pun.

With scours an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Good luck!

 

[GoWyo]

My vet usually recommends 20 cc spectinomycin, sulfa pill and electrolytes. The spectinomycin is labeled for pigs, but it works. Sold as Specto-Gard and Spectam. It is a red liquid.
On edit: it may well be e. coli in these calves this young, but any of several others too.

 

[TCRanch]

Are these newborns still on cows.
Several people use Inforce 3 internasal plus something else on newborns. HELP

I use Inforce 3 and First Defense on newborns. But ideally, the First Defense (bolus or gel) should be given within the first 12 hours after birth.

On the rare occasion I have to treat for scours, I use Sustain III calf boluses (one bolus per 50 lbs.) and electrolytes. In an extreme case, I'll also use charcoal boluses & probiotics.

Off label, my vet has recommended 5cc of Baytril.

 

[Dave]

My neighbor who calved out 1,600 this years has dealt with scour a lot. He buys electrolytes by the case. He gives them 10 cc and LA. 5 cc under the skin and shoots the other 5 cc down their throat. The electrolytes morning and night. If they don't respond quickly he IV's a gallon of distilled water with a little soda mixed in to it. I have used that Specto-Gard in the past with good success. But get plenty of fluids into them one way or another.

 

[devonian]

My neighbor who calved out 1,600 this years has dealt with scour a lot. He buys electrolytes by the case. He gives them 10 cc and LA. 5 cc under the skin and shoots the other 5 cc down their throat. The electrolytes morning and night. If they don't respond quickly he IV's a gallon of distilled water with a little soda mixed in to it. I have used that Specto-Gard in the past with good success. But get plenty of fluids into them one way or another.

LA? Is that hexasol la?

 

[MurraysMutts]

LA? Is that hexasol la?

LA200 LA300
Oxytetracylclene

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Old Thread?

 

[devonian]

Old Thread?

I've got a couple of scouring calves and was just wondering the best solution was I have electrolytes which I always administer but I have some draxxin and hexasol la, just wondering if hexasol la was ok to use its active ingrdient is mostly what murray said.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Ah, ok. I just met a 4th year vet student starting his clinical rounds this past week. He plans on specializing in beef cattle. Let me contact him for you.

 

[TCRanch]

I've got a couple of scouring calves and was just wondering the best solution was I have electrolytes which I always administer but I have some draxxin and hexasol la, just wondering if hexasol la was ok to use its active ingrdient is mostly what murray said.

Treatment depends on the type of scours. How old are the calves and what do the scours look like?

 

[MurraysMutts]

Treatment depends on the type of scours. How old are the calves and what do the scours look like?
View attachment 37245

I had one or two calves a couple years back had that "management nutritional" issue. For the life of me, I don't know what I did differently. Those did clear up on their own in relatively short order. That gray poop makes go hmmm

 

[GoWyo]

I had one or two calves a couple years back had that "management nutritional" issue. For the life of me, I don't know what I did differently. Those did clear up on their own in relatively short order. That gray poop makes go hmmm

Mine get it after maybe not nursing for 12 hours then get a big slug of milk. Just milk scours and not a big deal, but if type C/D clostridium gets going then it's a problem and can be a quick death.

 

[farmerjan]

I've got a couple of scouring calves and was just wondering the best solution was I have electrolytes which I always administer but I have some draxxin and hexasol la, just wondering if hexasol la was ok to use its active ingrdient is mostly what murray said.

It is "off label"... but I use something like Immodium AD... for people with diarrhea... same dose... 1 pill per 100 lbs... slows down the speed that the milk goes through their system so they don't dehydrate... no antibiotics unless there seems to be a problem... is there blood or something that makes you think they need an antibiotic? Sometimes too much milk is just that... and if their milk "stomach" gets too much it just "runs out" the other end... and it can cause them to dehydrate some. If they are bottle calves, and drinking good, mix 1-2 beaten eggs in 1/2 bottle of milk replacer... eggs will help to solidify and "stop up" their gut tract some.

 

[devonian]

It is "off label"... but I use something like Immodium AD... for people with diarrhea... same dose... 1 pill per 100 lbs... slows down the speed that the milk goes through their system so they don't dehydrate... no antibiotics unless there seems to be a problem... is there blood or something that makes you think they need an antibiotic? Sometimes too much milk is just that... and if their milk "stomach" gets too much it just "runs out" the other end... and it can cause them to dehydrate some. If they are bottle calves, and drinking good, mix 1-2 beaten eggs in 1/2 bottle of milk replacer... eggs will help to solidify and "stop up" their gut tract some.

The scours is literally yellow water and not bottle caves no and no sign of blood. Calf is 3 and a half days old. I've been off for a week so just come back to this so things haven't been done exactly how I normally do them, haven't had scours like this for a couple of years. I guess the colour is most similar to the rotavirus one perhaps not quite that yellow but even more watery. Colour half way between management issue and rotavirus perhaps but like I said very watery. I've had the management issue one a few times before in the last few years but always been solid so haven't worried too much about it.

 

[TCRanch]

If it's rotavirus, electrolytes are your best line of defense. Antibiotics won't kill the virus but may help against a secondary infection.

 

[TCRanch]

I had one or two calves a couple years back had that "management nutritional" issue. For the life of me, I don't know what I did differently. Those did clear up on their own in relatively short order. That gray poop makes go hmmm

What @GoWyo said. If you notice a calf with the white scours and it starts kicking its stomach, it's time to intervene. Clostridium Type D is also known as overeating disease. There is an antitoxin available, but I had a case a few years ago, called my vet, and he said to give the calf Baytril and Banamine - possibly because that's what I had on hand, but it worked.

 

[devonian]

Treatment depends on the type of scours. How old are the calves and what do the scours look like?
View attachment 37245

Where can I get a physical poster of this so I can stick it up beside the beef shed? Would be helpful both for myself and especially when I'm away on holiday so others can see it.