Question on calf poo....(sorry)

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mitch2

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Calves born mid April to mid May. So they are going on 3 to 4 months old. We had a wet late spring/early summer than the month of July dried up with not a drop in sight. Been feeding hay for the past couple/three weeks and hubby noticed the calves poop to be an almost white in color. I went out by them on Friday and all calves look healthy and plump, but the cream colored poop is making a mess on their hinders, it seems to have affected all of them. Is this a byproduct of getting some really good hay in the momma's belly's after foraging on pasture? Or, am I facing a bigger problem? I have never seen this happen before...(of course that isn't saying much).

As always, any opinion is greatly appreciated!

Michele
 
It sounds like the cows are making better quality and more milk now because of the hay. The calves will adjust to increased amount.

We've had that happen with calves before.
 
mitch2":146j4xpy said:
Calves born mid April to mid May. So they are going on 3 to 4 months old. We had a wet late spring/early summer than the month of July dried up with not a drop in sight. Been feeding hay for the past couple/three weeks and hubby noticed the calves poop to be an almost white in color. I went out by them on Friday and all calves look healthy and plump, but the cream colored poop is making a mess on their hinders, it seems to have affected all of them. Is this a byproduct of getting some really good hay in the momma's belly's after foraging on pasture? Or, am I facing a bigger problem? I have never seen this happen before...(of course that isn't saying much).

As always, any opinion is greatly appreciated!

Michele


Sounds like milk poop to me. Keep an eye on them and if they appear to be "off" then treat. Coccidiosis poop can be blood tinged or it can be kind of a sandy color from where they are shedding part of their intestines. I doubt it is this or the calves would be pretty sick. If they are playing and acting like calves then dont worry about it.
 
It's not normal for 3-4 month old calves to have white poo. I don't want to see white poo in any age calf.
Are the calves eating hay? they should be, and a quite a bit by now. Did this just start?
I'm, thinking they have a bug.
Sorry for all the questions but, do they have access to grain and can they get to the hay?
 
mitch2":2p02ulk3 said:
Calves born mid April to mid May. So they are going on 3 to 4 months old. We had a wet late spring/early summer than the month of July dried up with not a drop in sight. Been feeding hay for the past couple/three weeks and hubby noticed the calves poop to be an almost white in color. I went out by them on Friday and all calves look healthy and plump, but the cream colored poop is making a mess on their hinders, it seems to have affected all of them. Is this a byproduct of getting some really good hay in the momma's belly's after foraging on pasture? Or, am I facing a bigger problem? I have never seen this happen before...(of course that isn't saying much).

As always, any opinion is greatly appreciated!

Michele

What kind of hay have you been feeding? Any idea as to the protein content? I suppose it's possible for a calf of this age to develop milk scours from really good quality/high protein alfalfa hay fed in high amounts following a period of drought, but a calf of that age should be eating a good bit of that hay, nursing less, and the diarrhea shouldn't be cream or white colored. Michele, I would suggest you talk to your vet. He is more familiar with what has been going on - forage wise - in your area. It is highly unlikely that a 3-4 month old calf is going to develop milk scours, and it is equally unlikely that a calf of that age is going to develop crypto - both of which cause cream colored/white scours.
 
i would keep an eye on them. if any start acting sick i would treat them. at that age milk shouldn't bother them. would think they would get over it in a few days on their own
 
does it look kinda like this? we had a 3 month old bull calf last year that had that and he got over it in about a month or less
this picture is after it had already dried but
Cows_239.jpg
 
If it is thick like whipped cream ,it is just too much good milk and the calf is not utilizing all of it and it is coming out the back end.

If you are worried ,move them all to a clean ,new area and get a fecal done .
 
So, I posted to the boards and read the replies (thank you all!)

Me: Hubby - what hay have you been feeding to the cows?

Hubby: The good stuff.

M: The good stuff?

H: Yep, the 2nd crop alfalfa we just got done baling.

M: All 2nd crop? No grassier stuff?

H: Nope

So to update.... Calves have adjusted after about a week and a half. Hubby is no longer feeding ALL the good stuff. And all are good. Except one. That I found last night. New thread to be started shortly. UGH.

Thanks again everyone!

Michele
 

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