Loose stools

[Kell-inKY]

A couple of mine have close to diarrhea, no other symptoms. Wormed them with a block about 3-4 weeks ago which sometimes,causes this, any ideas?

Hay seems normal and always dry. Some of them go rooting for acorns, I know that's bad, not sure if that's a symptom?

 

[Bigfoot]

I have a little green up at my house. Had a few quit the hay ring all together, and go pickin. You may have a couple doing the same. If it wasn't a bloody poop, I believe id just neglect it.

 

[farmerjan]

The "acorn poisoning" that the farmers talk about here in cattle does result in scoury type stools and it is usually dark brown, almost brownish black. I am not sure of what type of acorns or if all the types cause this, I just know that we had one that the vet said years ago had acorn poisoning, and have seen it at the stockyards in some sad looking cattle occasionally in the fall. I am not even sure if it is the tannic acid from the acorns or the fact that they are very sharp and have been known to cause irritation and maybe even puncturing the digestive tract. Never had to deal with it in Conn. when I was growing up...but only had a couple of horses and chickens as a kid. All I know is that we are careful to keep the cows out of the woods until winter when they would rather eat hay than try to scrounge in the woods.
Maybe one of the vets on here can explain it???

 

[Bigfoot]

Acorns should be about all gone, unless you e just turned in on them.

 

[angus9259]

I lost one to acorn poisoning. It's the acid. It actually starts with somewhat of a constipation then goes to watery brown stool. I've not seen wormer do it. I've seen mineral do it - especially when it has magnesium. Higher quality hay can do it. Last potential . . . . ugh . . . johnes. That looks more like watery split pea soup. They eat like a hoss even on hay because they are starving so they start losing weight too. Seem healthy otherwise - till they drop dead starved to death.

 

[angus9259]

Also - "close" do diarrhea isn't Johnes or acorns. Those things are absolute watery runs. Coccidia could do it - take a sample to the vet for that but it will probably go away on it's own. Change of hay could do it if it's not too runny. I got mine on some pretty good hay right now and it's not that stiff.

 

[Kell-inKY]

I've seen mineral do it - especially when it has magnesium.

Crap! I ran out of regular mineral and thought what could be the harm in putting out some spring mineral. Thanks, I'll take care of it in the morning.

 

[angus9259]

I've seen mineral do it - especially when it has magnesium.

Crap! I ran out of regular mineral and thought what could be the harm in putting out some spring mineral. Thanks, I'll take care of it in the morning.

If it is the mineral it won't do them any harm per se the magnesium just acts as something of a laxative.