scour prevention ?

[EAT BEEF]

We never had a problem with scours until we bought to our curent place two years agur vet thinks we should not treat the cows with products like scour guard(he says if we start doing it we will always have to do it,but I would rather have to vac the cows than deal with scours)I do give calf guard to the calves as an oral vac as soon as their born,seems to be working aginst rota-coronavirus.I'm still haveing a problem with e. coli scours.I calve in pastures with at least an acre per cow and the cows are in good flesh 5+ - 7 body condition.So what are your thoughts on useing a product like scour guard on the cows or this year useing a product like first defense or bovine ecolizer on the remaining calves at birth.

 

[novaman]

We have always given the cows scourgard. We have little if any issues with scours. I don't understand your vets comment on starting and having to continue vaccinating. Isn't that the whole idea behind vaccinating cattle? You wouldn't vaccinate your cows for pregnancy issues one year and then skip a year or two. Besides, vaccine is not that expensive when you consider how much it saves in the long run. Two things I would never, ever skimp on when it comes to cattle, vaccinating and mineral. In my opinion, you try to get by without either one, even for a short time, and you could be asking for trouble.

 

[EAT BEEF]

I guess his thinking is they will build up their own resistance to it :???: ,but at this point I don't really care as I'm sick of chaseing calves around 60-80 acres pastures.How about the oral products given at birth do these work very well?

 

[rockridgecattle]

agree with novaman
We used the calf guard for a few years. On the plus works great
On the minus, you need to give it before it has it's first suck to be truely effective. Downside, gotta be quick if you have an excitable momma

We now use a produce called scour bos 9 or cow bos 9...something like that. Scour guard requires that you reboost the cows that have not calved in 8 weeks from the last shot So if you do your first timers at preg check in November, then 3 weeks prior, say March 1 for Calving March 21, the start of calving, anything that has not calved by April 30th will need a booster shot.

Cow bos is not like that. You give the first timers in November when preg checking , booster in January for mid march calving and that is it. You do not have to work the cows so close to calving either which is a bonus.

 

[hillsdown]

If you are having a problem with K99 e coli use a product like colimune or first defense, both are to be given to the calf as soon as it is born..

Colimune is a live vaccine and is made by Bioniche.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Eatbeef - I'm surprised at your vet's comments?? Prevention is not only cheaper - It's EASIER! like you said, chasing & treating is extremely time-consuming. If you KNOW you have a problem, I sure would be vaccinating the cows. And like rockridge said - there are different products, pick one that fits your program.
And, yes, First Defense has good results (at least that's the one my Vet recommends) - cross fingers & knock on wood - we don't & haven't had a scour problem on our farm. If we started - I definately would put our cows on the prevention program.