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Treating Scours (Article)
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<blockquote data-quote="CattleAnnie" data-source="post: 72132" data-attributes="member: 220"><p>Another worthwhile read for those of you between calving checks.</p><p></p><p>~</p><p>Adequate colostrum uptake, good cow nutrition help guard against calf scours </p><p></p><p>By David Barz, D.V.M., Northwest Vet Supply</p><p>Wednesday, February 16, 2005 2:04 PM CST</p><p></p><p> </p><p>The weather is rapidly changing and now calving season is beginning. The fluctuating changes cause stress on young calves which may lead to calf scours. There are several important points to understand that will enable producers to minimize problems.</p><p></p><p>Gestating cows must receive good nutrition before calving. The cow's immune system needs to be at peak performance to produce a strong, healthy calf while producing colostrum high in immunoglobulins. </p><p></p><p>Depending on the size of the cows, they generally require 1.5 to 2 pounds of crude protein per cow per day. If this cannot be accomplished with feedstuffs, supplement the protein to reach these levels. Scour vaccinations may be given to gestating cows to increase the immunity passed to calves through the colostrum.</p><p></p><p>Assure early and adequate colostrum uptake of the calf. The calf's gut allows the absorption of immunoglobulins for the first 12 hours after birth. If the calf does not suck in the first few hours after birth, it should be fed. The dam's colostrum is best. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Producers who get colostrum from a neighboring dairy should make sure new scour pathogens aren't brought into the herd.</p><p></p><p>The Land 'O Lakes company has a new product which is a colostrum-base milk replacer. There are other products available, but natural colostrum is still the best.</p><p></p><p>In difficult births the gut remains open for absorption for up to 24 hours enabling these weak-stressed calves to gain immunity.</p><p></p><p>Some vaccines and paste products may be given orally at birth to the calf and be absorbed into the bloodstream with the colostrum.</p><p></p><p>Monitor calves' health by watching their attitude and appetite. If calves have a yellow or white diarrhea but are running around they probably don't need to be treated. When calves exhibit signs of dehydration, weakness, depression, reluctance to move or dull, sunken eyes, treatment is necessary. A producer's primary treatment should be oral electrolytes.</p><p></p><p>Generally, these products contain an energy source, sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride. These replace the fluids the calf lost, while rebalancing the electrolytes in the calf's bloodstream. Scouring calves usually require 2 liters of oral solution one to three times daily. All electrolyte solutions are not created equally, so select which one will work on your operation. If the calf cannot stand and oral treatments yield no response, intravenous treatment with fluids may be necessary.</p><p></p><p>A proper diagnosis should be made before initiating any antibiotic therapy. Calves may develop internal infections as the pathogens enter the bloodstream.</p><p></p><p>The use of the proper antibiotics will help clear these conditions. If these antibiotics are overused or inappropriately administered in a general manner, resistance will develop to the antibiotic ending its usefulness. Scours are a problem in the herd if producers have more than five percent of the animals scouring or greater than a two percent death loss.</p><p></p><p>Good biosecurity will prevent the increased spread of scours. Never purchase calves to place on cows whose calves have died. If calves begin scouring in a pasture, it is best to move the cows that have not calved to clean pasture uncontaminated by scour pathogens. Be sure to disinfect any treatment equipment after treating scouring calves.</p><p></p><p>Calf scours are a problem in most cow herds. Good cow nutrition, adequate colostrum uptake by the calf and good biosecurity will greatly minimize problems. If scours occur, a good diagnosis and early treatment can help.</p><p></p><p>~</p><p>Take care.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CattleAnnie, post: 72132, member: 220"] Another worthwhile read for those of you between calving checks. ~ Adequate colostrum uptake, good cow nutrition help guard against calf scours By David Barz, D.V.M., Northwest Vet Supply Wednesday, February 16, 2005 2:04 PM CST The weather is rapidly changing and now calving season is beginning. The fluctuating changes cause stress on young calves which may lead to calf scours. There are several important points to understand that will enable producers to minimize problems. Gestating cows must receive good nutrition before calving. The cow's immune system needs to be at peak performance to produce a strong, healthy calf while producing colostrum high in immunoglobulins. Depending on the size of the cows, they generally require 1.5 to 2 pounds of crude protein per cow per day. If this cannot be accomplished with feedstuffs, supplement the protein to reach these levels. Scour vaccinations may be given to gestating cows to increase the immunity passed to calves through the colostrum. Assure early and adequate colostrum uptake of the calf. The calf's gut allows the absorption of immunoglobulins for the first 12 hours after birth. If the calf does not suck in the first few hours after birth, it should be fed. The dam's colostrum is best. Producers who get colostrum from a neighboring dairy should make sure new scour pathogens aren't brought into the herd. The Land 'O Lakes company has a new product which is a colostrum-base milk replacer. There are other products available, but natural colostrum is still the best. In difficult births the gut remains open for absorption for up to 24 hours enabling these weak-stressed calves to gain immunity. Some vaccines and paste products may be given orally at birth to the calf and be absorbed into the bloodstream with the colostrum. Monitor calves' health by watching their attitude and appetite. If calves have a yellow or white diarrhea but are running around they probably don't need to be treated. When calves exhibit signs of dehydration, weakness, depression, reluctance to move or dull, sunken eyes, treatment is necessary. A producer's primary treatment should be oral electrolytes. Generally, these products contain an energy source, sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride. These replace the fluids the calf lost, while rebalancing the electrolytes in the calf's bloodstream. Scouring calves usually require 2 liters of oral solution one to three times daily. All electrolyte solutions are not created equally, so select which one will work on your operation. If the calf cannot stand and oral treatments yield no response, intravenous treatment with fluids may be necessary. A proper diagnosis should be made before initiating any antibiotic therapy. Calves may develop internal infections as the pathogens enter the bloodstream. The use of the proper antibiotics will help clear these conditions. If these antibiotics are overused or inappropriately administered in a general manner, resistance will develop to the antibiotic ending its usefulness. Scours are a problem in the herd if producers have more than five percent of the animals scouring or greater than a two percent death loss. Good biosecurity will prevent the increased spread of scours. Never purchase calves to place on cows whose calves have died. If calves begin scouring in a pasture, it is best to move the cows that have not calved to clean pasture uncontaminated by scour pathogens. Be sure to disinfect any treatment equipment after treating scouring calves. Calf scours are a problem in most cow herds. Good cow nutrition, adequate colostrum uptake by the calf and good biosecurity will greatly minimize problems. If scours occur, a good diagnosis and early treatment can help. ~ Take care. [/QUOTE]
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