white scours

[rosebudbeef]

Well I'm glad I found this forum. I hope I get some advise.
I have a problem with my calves having white scours. The mothers are good strong cows. A mixture of herfords, angus,
even a brahma.... They give birth easy then about 3-7 days, they start the "white scours" Sometimes we can catch them and treat them with Naxcel/Dexmethazone, some mu-se and
c & d anti toxin. They seem to perk up. We lost one this year... we just missed it when we found her she was rough...
flies maggots (you get the picture) We gave her several lactated ringers and she seemed to be pulling through and she did well for a week then she started to fail and died.
Anyway my theory.... The mothers let down their milk late
and the calves suck and suck and get too much milk... or it's something on the farm somewhere.... Please help I have several other questions and will be offering my two cents when I can.

 

[dun]

Rich milk. When cows are on decent grass and the calves are small and not eating grass yet, they'll get scours. If the get so they aren't acting normal, resorb will help, so will pepto bismal or about any of the terrimycine type of scour tabs.

 

[Alice]

I really don't think it's coccidiosis, and I'm inclined to agree with Dun, but the only sure way to find out is to take a sample to the vet.

Alice

 

[forageconverter]

Does this happen every year? Do all your cows' calves have scours, or is it just some of your cows? Is it the same cows every year?

The reason I asked the questions is because I fought the scours a few years in some of my cows' calves. I finally realized the same cows were having the scouring calves, and their herd mates being managed in the same way never did have a scouring calf. So I culled the mothers of the scouring calves, and now my scouring calves, if any, are few and far between. That was a headache I was glad to be rid of.


On another note, if you feel the cows are letting their milk down late, maybe the calves are not getting enough colostrum or are not getting the needed colostrum soon enough to aid in preventing scours. If that was the case, 'next year', as soon as the calves are born, you could try drenching the calves with a colostrum substitute, or colostrum from another cow – which could possibly be obtained from a dairy and kept frozen until needed. Of course, none of this is going to help you this year.

 

[Dusty Britches]

White and watery is usually indictivative of e-coli, but to be sure, follow Dun's advice and get it looked at. E-coli can hide out in pastures and calves pick it up every year. Ask your vet about preventing it -IF it is ecoli.

also, typically, rich milk will create a yellow to gold dropping that is very sticky.

i've also seen samanella poisoning create a white excrement.

Why do you think milk is letting down late? That is not a very common problem, but if the calves aren't getting colustrum in 12 hours, they will be weak and quickly get pnenomia.

definately vet check.

 

[Lim-flex]

I have been giving my cows a shot of Scourguard about 4 weeks before calving and it seems to work well. The only thing I seem to have a problem with is milk scours once in awhile. My vet also gave me some pills made by First Defense that I give to my calves in the first 12 hours, they act as a colostrum supplement and fight against the e-coli virus and others that can usually get calves.

 

[rosebudbeef]

Well, I just got back from the field... I have another one down.
This one has a high temp and scours. So I gave it some naxcel and dex. C & D anti toxin.
These cows and calves are not tame. Your comments made me think though.... The calves have been ok uop until about 2 weeks ago now I see even some of the older calves are scouring. It could be cocsidious (sp) But we did a water sample and it showed no baceria. My theory on the cows not letting their milk down is a fizzle because the calves seem healthy the first week. So they must be getting the colostrum. I just don't know. But I do know all of your comments has made me
evaluate things a great deal.. Thanks I'll keep you posted.

 

[dun]

Time for a fecal exam. You can;t treat someting properly with a shot in the dark diagnoses. Don't know if they run a temp with coccidiosis or not.

 

[rosebudbeef]

It seems if we see a calf looking gaunt and slow and give it the meds they seem to come back but it is slowly. See last year
we blamed the wet rainy spring. But this year in Pa it is DRY.
I am seriously thinking of culling. I wish the price would go up.
Well tomorrow is another day......

 

[racekannon]

I agree that it is E-coli.

 

[rosebudbeef]

e-coli............I checked out the internet and Acid shock was
mentioned several times. What is it?
I also read HAY is good. Maybe I'll put them in one pasture and feer them hay. Currently they have roam of about 80 acres.