Possible scours need advice ASAP

[littleblessingsfarms]

Have a two day old Hereford calf, mother rejected so we are bottle raising him. Started out with two quarts powdered colostrum at approx two hours after birth, gave 5 g probios orally at four hours, another quart of colostrum at approx six hours and one final quart at about 15 hours (10 PM). Second day we gave his 2 qt mixed milk (part replacer, part colostrum) at 1PM, he didn't want to eat earlier but ate voraciously then, about one quart warm water at 5 PM, and 2 qt mixed milk at 10PM. This morning, when I went out to feed him morning milk, he stood up and had BM that was literally water squirting out, but prior to this BM had BM's that were mushy yellow with "pellets" in it and again afterwards. He is active, insistant at feeding time and seems healthy. This obviously is my first bottle baby so am not sure if the watery one was normal or if he is in early scours. He has had all normals BM's except that one, they all smell the same and like cheese which I assumed is normal but my only point of reference is human babies and that is normal with them. Even the watery one was cheesy smelling. I am not sure if I should start treating him and if so, should I give antibiotics or just electrolytes for this type. I have hunted all over the net and I can find lots of definitions of scours but nothing that is really helpful, just what causes it and how to treat, nothing about looks nor smell.

 

[dun]

If the next stool was normal it sounds to me like just too much liquid. What are the ingredients of the milk replacer? Keep in mind that the directions on most milk replacers are for an average 100 lb calf.

 

[Alice]

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dpi/nreninf.n ... EA00273B5A

Read that. I keep it in my files!

Alice

 

[larryshoat]

I'm thinking along the same lines as dun. I will bet your herford calf does not weigh 100 lbs, so you need to adjust the milk accordingly. Make sure you are using a good all milk, milk replacer.
The water is a good idea between meals. Feed milk 12 hours apart and the water in between.
The biggest worry is when they are loose, lethargic, and refuse their milk.

Larry

 

[Susie David]

Have to agree...sounds like that calf got alot of groceries for being two days old. Could just be a liquid overload. Keep a close eye on the animal if the next movement isn't more calflike then I would consider the bolus. You are cleaning the equipment between feedings...right? Had to ask. DMc

 

[ctlbaron]

I agree with Dun and Susie. Too much liquid. Put fresh water in the pin with him. He will drink when he wants it. They will nose around in the water a day or two then they will begin to drink as they want it. My favorite and most successful treatment for loose movement or scours is 10cc Spectam scour halt for pigs and a sustain III scour pill. 2 feeding a day is plenty right now. Go to 3 later on if you have the time. But its not really necessary. Put a good quality calf starter in with him a handful at a time. When he cleans it up. Put out a little more next time. Good luck

 

[littleblessingsfarms]

Called the vet once they opened and they said it was probably the water that caused it. He is doing great now. I just worry because he bolts down his milk and wonder if that is good for him. But he is back to his ornery self, so I think he will be fine. I got calf starter but when I got it home ( I admit I didn't watch the guy load it) it says it is for dairy replacer heifers so have an email in to the company that makes it to see if I should return it and get something else.

 

[hillsdown]

If it's dairy ration calf starter then you got the good stuff .More money but it will be a least 18% protein.So don't worry about that.

Next thing to remember if you have to feed colostrum again is the first feeding is always the most important and the rule of thumb is feed as much colostrum for the first feeding as they want. If they want 10 pints then that is what you give them, let them drink until they are full.After that 2 litres for the next three feedings is plenty. Feeding # five of the fist milk should go by the size of the calf.

If he is drinking too fast from the bottle use a nipple that he has to work at to get the milk out a little harder.His meal should last longer than a few seconds at his age.

Sounds like a healthy baby so far.

 

[samm]

make sure you are using a whey based milk, not a soy based one, we use martindale , we also give b12 shots, the vet said it makes them go to making good bacteria in the guts and also gives them a booste. i give egg and yogurt in all bottles, and the terramycin twice a day for 4 days, the other day i had one really watery, i cut him off the milk gave him electrolites and might near 1/2 of bottle of pepto bismol (its all i had), but it worked, gave him milk the next day. scours are bad and ya can sure sure loose one real quick, hope it works out for you.

samm