mermill2
Well-known member
Gary wants to know if there is a time frame for scours, any kind of scours. He also wants to know, if it is okay to put electroyltes in with her milk feeding? Thanks for any info
Still has scours
- Thread starter mermill2
- Start date
mermill2":8rsnqnca said:
Depends on the type of scours and how you're treating - generally viral or parasitic scours (Crypto) last longer because all you can provide is supportive care. As far as putting electrolytes in with her milk, check the label - some electrolytes can be mixed with milk and some cannot.
I only know of 2 types of electrolytes that can be mixed with milk replacer...Diaque and Calf Gel. There are others, but I don't know the names.
Normally, we look at the 2 week mark for calves to be over the scours, unless it is some sort of virulent strain. Also, if you can get the calf to eat dry feed, it helps tremendously.
And, push the microbials...probios type stuff.
Good luck...been there, done that...and it ain't fun.
Alice
Normally, we look at the 2 week mark for calves to be over the scours, unless it is some sort of virulent strain. Also, if you can get the calf to eat dry feed, it helps tremendously.
And, push the microbials...probios type stuff.
Good luck...been there, done that...and it ain't fun.
Alice
Also, with the sale barn holstein bulls (no colostrum, exposure to all kinds of nasty crap at the sale barn, stress from being hauled to the sale, squashed together in the hold pens, run thru the ring, popped with sticks and hotshots), scours last longer than 2 or 3 days, I assure you. Treating them is very stressful and time consuming. You are lucky that you've not had to deal with scours for more than 2 or 3 days.
I was taking care of 43 baby holstein bulls when my husband and brother brought in 42 more from the sale making a total of 85. At one point at least a third were scoured. It was nothing to see me "doctoring" calves by the headlights of the Polaris--well longer that 2 or 3 days...let's try 5-7 days, and nights.
Alice
I was taking care of 43 baby holstein bulls when my husband and brother brought in 42 more from the sale making a total of 85. At one point at least a third were scoured. It was nothing to see me "doctoring" calves by the headlights of the Polaris--well longer that 2 or 3 days...let's try 5-7 days, and nights.
Alice
Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
milkmaid":2kw2g08p said:
I have tried this potion a time or two, and it worked well.
Katherine
Alice":2x5ps2ip said:
Dairy cattle are not very plentiful up here - no dairys - so I haven't had the opportunity to work with them. I have, however, purchased beef calves through the salebarn and haven't had any trouble with them. Must be the difference in the breed. Thanks for sharing!
I really don't think it's the dairy cattle breed. It's the dairy owners/managers with the "get 'em gone" attitude towards holstein bull calves. Those calves can hit the ground and if it's sale day, the calves are scooped up and shipped to the sale. Those babies can barely walk and they are goosed, poked, and electricly prodded into the sale ring. Those calves don't stand a chance unless someone works fifty million and eleven hours a day, and the calves WANT to live, despite what most of them are sent to...those lousy, rotten wooden crates with barely enough room to turn around. And even then, it's 50/50...and even less if they're put in a "crate." Not a heck of a lot of monetary profit in it, unless there's a money man in another state. I've often wondered how that worked...but I've decided I don't really want to know. I guess I'm just too much of a bleeding heart for baby animals...h*ll, baby anything, to want to make a living like that.
I'm lucky...my husband's job supports my addiction...baby calves. And, I've decided that my addiction, is, and will be, beef calves. And, quite frankly that's over with...at least until this horribly hot, dry summer turns into late fall.
OK, I've vented myself plumb out.
Alice
I'm lucky...my husband's job supports my addiction...baby calves. And, I've decided that my addiction, is, and will be, beef calves. And, quite frankly that's over with...at least until this horribly hot, dry summer turns into late fall.
OK, I've vented myself plumb out.
Alice
msscamp":csputif8 said:
Nor do I eat veal, for that very reason. BUT, the crate raised calves I'm talking about are not raised for veal. They are raised by people who want to cram the most most amount of animals in the least amount of space and are held there from 2 to 4 weeks until the ones that live are shipped out of state, or the owner needs to get rid of some. You can tell a crate raised animal in a minute when it comes thru the sale ring as a "starter calf"...and it ain't a pretty sight. And, I'll shut up now before I start in on something...nevermind...I'm done.
Alice
GMN
Well-known member
How long does it take you to feed 85 calves twice a day?
You say 1/3 of them at one time have scours, that almost 30 at a time, seems a recipe for disaster, being scours can spread so quickly from animal to animal, and the space to put 85 calves/isolate when sick is massive, how do you cope?
Scours that lasts 2 weeks, seems unusual to me, tops is 1 week here, with agressive treatment. What do the scours look like, white, green liguid?
GMN
You say 1/3 of them at one time have scours, that almost 30 at a time, seems a recipe for disaster, being scours can spread so quickly from animal to animal, and the space to put 85 calves/isolate when sick is massive, how do you cope?
Scours that lasts 2 weeks, seems unusual to me, tops is 1 week here, with agressive treatment. What do the scours look like, white, green liguid?
GMN
vbd
Well-known member
OK...Van here, Alice's husband. For the record, I think Alice's post was misinterpreted. The scours never last two weeks...they die before that. What she was saying is we watch for the two week mark. Although I do not understand it, the calves that go past two weeks without scouring usually never do. As for handling 85 calves, it took about an hour to hour and a half to feed each time as we mixed the milk replacer in a 30 gallon drum and filled bottles with a hose. Just hang each bottle and go to the next and start back at the front and pick them up. You would usually spend 90% of your time with 10% of the calves...you know the sick or scoured ones. The rest were easy. These dairy cows have been breed for milk production to the point they have no immune system and without collostrum, some will make it and some will not. Each calf has his own pen so spread of the scours was not that big an issue. We made sure to keep things clean and bleached after each feeding.
When the bull calves were $30-$50 you could lose 15-20% and still make money. They are currently $150 and up and that dog won't hunt! We started picking up beef calves as the drought here forced the sale of some animals due to the lack of grass and we have had much better success with them. Besides, I like red! I have also come to like red, big eared calves even better.
Anyway, hope that clears that up somewhat.
Van
When the bull calves were $30-$50 you could lose 15-20% and still make money. They are currently $150 and up and that dog won't hunt! We started picking up beef calves as the drought here forced the sale of some animals due to the lack of grass and we have had much better success with them. Besides, I like red! I have also come to like red, big eared calves even better.
Anyway, hope that clears that up somewhat.
Van
GMN
Well-known member
vbd":qiojag8e said:
Yes that does clear it up!
GMN
mermill2
Well-known member
Thanks to all, I believe we are over everything on the little calf. She is running around with the rest of the bunch. She had a yellow pasty stool, some days, ago. I couln't post anything, couldn't remember my password, or find the paper with it on. Finallly, found it. I should be embarrassed. I have forgotten 2 x since I have joined , last of May. 
Hope all your problems are small( healthy calves) Merry
Hope all your problems are small( healthy calves) Merrymermill2
Well-known member
Hi, everybody, I know that i am late, sending this answer.. The little calf is doing fine. Thanks to all for their aid and assistance. Merry
