> We house our calves in a barn we
> built specifically for raising
> calves in Sept. of 02. There are
> eight pens mde of cattle panels.
> One third of the pen is inside the
> barn and two thirds is outside.
> Recently we decided to pour a
> concrete floor, and we have had
> calves on it for five weeks. The
> same time we poured the floor we
> put lime down on the dirt on the
> outside sections of the pens. We
> spray bleach inside the pens when
> we remove the calves as they are
> weaned.
> Meds. that we have used that are
> not working include Excenel,
> Batril, LA 200, Penicillin,
> Sulfa-max calf scour bolus, and
> Corid.
> The milk replacer we have been
> using is Nurse Trate MPF Milk
> Replacer made by ADM Alliance
> Nutrition. Contains dried whey,
> dried skim milk, soy protien
> concentrate, animal fat ect.
Plant proteins are not digestable to baby calves until they are 3 weeks old. Find a milk replacer that has no soy, one with only milk and blood plasma(they use dried pig blood plasma). What the calf can't digest, the scour bacteria do quite well on. Most scour bugs are transmitted by ingestion of fecal material. The calf eats bedding or licks himself grooming to become infected. Many diseases are spread by nose to nose contact. Fences between pens should be solid or seperated to isolate each pen. Each pen should be handled all in/all out. Calves are social creatures and are stressed by being moved and mixed with new pen mates. Feed should be introduced immediately. They won't eat much, but the sooner they eat solid feed the sooner their gut will support beneficial bacteria. We use a coarse textured calf starter. What is the source of your calves? Are you treating sick ones for dehydration and how are you guaging the need for electrolites? Whow big are the pens and how many in each pen? Are you using bedding inside the building and if so what? Are you seeing any sudden death? Happy, healthy calves that die abruptly? Corid only helps with coccidia on babies, it is sometimes too late to be effective after symptoms start. We use 2cc in one feeding(mixed with the milk) once a day for the first 10 days. Its cheap, and some scour bugs need help getting started, coccidia can open the door. Are you using a nasal vaccine like TSV-2? Any preventative med. program on arrival?
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