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<blockquote data-quote="randiliana" data-source="post: 619193" data-attributes="member: 2308"><p>Great post RR, and good timing.</p><p></p><p>As far as prevention everything written so far is good stuff. We don't have a huge scour problem here. Usually only 3-5/100+ per year. But we have had ones that hit them hard, and fast. If a calf is up and around, usually just antibiotics will do. If they are a little off, laying around, really looking bad we dose with electrolytes. I figure if I can catch them by myself, then they can use the electrolytes, if I can't they aren't that bad, yet, and we just keep a close eye on them. Sometimes we check 2-3 times a day.</p><p></p><p>As far as treating really sick calves, I have found that less is more. That is smaller more frequent doses of electrolytes seem to work better than one large dose. </p><p></p><p>How many have experienced the very sick calf that they gave the single 2L dose of electrolytes to. A couple hours later you go out and if you press on his stomach and hear all the liquid sloshing around. At this point, they are either dead, or darn near dead.</p><p></p><p>My theory on that is that these calves stomachs are not working well, and that large dose of electrolytes is just too much and shuts the system down. </p><p></p><p>Here is the regimine that I use on those very sick and even downer calves. </p><p></p><p>First, I divide the electrolyte powder up into 3-4 equal parts ( I don't mix it up ahead of time). Instead of dosing with 2L I want to dose with about 500ml. It requires an extra bit of work on my part, but I have saved some awfully sick calves. </p><p></p><p>Then I will feed the calf 500 ml every 2-3 hours. </p><p></p><p>After the first packet is gone, I always feed the calf a small feed of milk or colostrum, depending on the age. </p><p></p><p>I try to keep all feeds around that 500 ml size. </p><p></p><p>Then, I will alternate the electrolyte with milk for the next packet. And possibly even another if the calf needs it. </p><p></p><p>I know that they say you shouldn't/don't need to feed milk when feeding electrolytes, but I like to give milk too. It is what gives the calf energy to get better. The electrolytes keep the calf from dehydrating further, and rehydrate it. I have not lost a calf that I have used this strategy on.</p><p></p><p>Also, we treat these calves with Sustain III boluses and either Trivetrin or Nuflor.</p><p></p><p>The last calf I did this with was a twin that didn't get enough colostrum. He was down and out, to the point that I was pretty sure (and DH was positive) I was wasting my time and money. This is the calf that showed me how much those milk feedings were worth. I think I worked with him for 3 days. For the first day of treatment, this calf never sat up, he was laid out flat. But, to our surprise he made it through the night (DH electrolyted him at 3 am when he checked cows). The next morning he was given electrolytes, still out flat, and then given a feed of milk, at the next treatment time he was sitting up. I think he was on his feet the evening of the second day. We dosed him for another day and he came out of it. We sold him to a friend for a replacement calf, and from what I heard he grew out just fine. Another calf we treated the same way (although not quite as sick) was our son's 4H steer last year.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="randiliana, post: 619193, member: 2308"] Great post RR, and good timing. As far as prevention everything written so far is good stuff. We don't have a huge scour problem here. Usually only 3-5/100+ per year. But we have had ones that hit them hard, and fast. If a calf is up and around, usually just antibiotics will do. If they are a little off, laying around, really looking bad we dose with electrolytes. I figure if I can catch them by myself, then they can use the electrolytes, if I can't they aren't that bad, yet, and we just keep a close eye on them. Sometimes we check 2-3 times a day. As far as treating really sick calves, I have found that less is more. That is smaller more frequent doses of electrolytes seem to work better than one large dose. How many have experienced the very sick calf that they gave the single 2L dose of electrolytes to. A couple hours later you go out and if you press on his stomach and hear all the liquid sloshing around. At this point, they are either dead, or darn near dead. My theory on that is that these calves stomachs are not working well, and that large dose of electrolytes is just too much and shuts the system down. Here is the regimine that I use on those very sick and even downer calves. First, I divide the electrolyte powder up into 3-4 equal parts ( I don't mix it up ahead of time). Instead of dosing with 2L I want to dose with about 500ml. It requires an extra bit of work on my part, but I have saved some awfully sick calves. Then I will feed the calf 500 ml every 2-3 hours. After the first packet is gone, I always feed the calf a small feed of milk or colostrum, depending on the age. I try to keep all feeds around that 500 ml size. Then, I will alternate the electrolyte with milk for the next packet. And possibly even another if the calf needs it. I know that they say you shouldn't/don't need to feed milk when feeding electrolytes, but I like to give milk too. It is what gives the calf energy to get better. The electrolytes keep the calf from dehydrating further, and rehydrate it. I have not lost a calf that I have used this strategy on. Also, we treat these calves with Sustain III boluses and either Trivetrin or Nuflor. The last calf I did this with was a twin that didn't get enough colostrum. He was down and out, to the point that I was pretty sure (and DH was positive) I was wasting my time and money. This is the calf that showed me how much those milk feedings were worth. I think I worked with him for 3 days. For the first day of treatment, this calf never sat up, he was laid out flat. But, to our surprise he made it through the night (DH electrolyted him at 3 am when he checked cows). The next morning he was given electrolytes, still out flat, and then given a feed of milk, at the next treatment time he was sitting up. I think he was on his feet the evening of the second day. We dosed him for another day and he came out of it. We sold him to a friend for a replacement calf, and from what I heard he grew out just fine. Another calf we treated the same way (although not quite as sick) was our son's 4H steer last year. [/QUOTE]
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