Winter dysentery

[angus9259]

From my previous thread attempting to understand the diarrhea and weight loss in some cattle:

Thought it was coccidiosis. Thought it was acorn or weed poisoning. Nothing still making sense . . . . .

A vet working for my nutritionist suggested I may be dealing with "winter dysentery". The condition is mostly associated with dairy herds during winter months, but the vet suggested I look past those two issues because it's not exclusive to dairy or winter . . . .

Merck Vet Manual: Winter dysentery is an acute, highly contagious GI disorder that affects housed adult dairy cattle, primarily during winter. Clinical features include explosive diarrhea (sometimes accompanied by dysentery), a profound drop in milk production, variable anorexia and depression, and mild respiratory signs such as coughing. The disease has a high morbidity but low mortality, and spontaneous recovery within a few days is typical.

Most don't demonstrate a fever. Other symptoms: dehydration, brief anorexia, some decrease in body condition. The feces shortly return to normal.

Essentially, it amounts to adult onset corona virus scours.

http://www.lddc.uky.edu/documents/bulle ... ry2008.pdf
http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/ilm/proi ... n%2005.pdf
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index ... /22104.htm

 

[Sir Loin]

winter dysentery". Not likely!!

angus9259

What are your symptoms? Just diarrhea and weight loss in some cattle ?
Did you take them off everything except grass and hay?
SL

 

[angus9259]

Grass, hay . . . and mineral. They've never been on anything else before or since. I know you want me to take them off mineral too (see other thread) - they were on mineral before and after. Not going to take them off it. They are on no feed, grain, suplaments, etc.

 

[Sir Loin]

OK, if you have them on Grass, hay . . . and mineral the only other thing it can be is “water”.
What is their water supply?
Has there been any spraying with herbicides’ or pesticides in the area that caused runoff into their water supply?
Have you given any shots (vaccination ) lately?
What does the diarrhea look like?
Is it just soft and a little runny or does it squirt out about a foot or more?
Can you take some pics?
Have you brought any new cattle, from an outside source on to your place?
How far away from your cattle are the nearest cattle off your farm?
Is there any blood or mucus in their poop?
SL
Edited to add more questions.

 

[Sir Loin]

As I believe it is liver related:
Did your vet test for or mention the possibility of “liver flukes”?
Check the eyes and describe them to me.
Read this:
SL

http://cvm.msu.edu/alumni-friends/conti ... n-michigan

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm089

 

[angus9259]

What are your symptoms?

As described above from the links re: coronavirus scours (winter dysentery) in adult cattle.

Watery diarrhea.
Anorexia.
Rapid (week) and spontaneous recovery
Dramatic loss of milk production.
Absence of fever.
No eye or nose discharge.
Mild depression.

 

[angus9259]

OK, if you have them on Grass, hay . . . and mineral the only other thing it can be is “water”.
What is their water supply?
Has there been any spraying with herbicides’ or pesticides in the area that caused runoff into their water supply?
Have you given any shots (vaccination ) lately?
What does the diarrhea look like?
Is it just soft and a little runny or does it squirt out about a foot or more?
Can you take some pics?
Have you brought any new cattle, from an outside source on to your place?
How far away from your cattle are the nearest cattle off your farm?
Is there any blood or mucus in their poop?
SL
Edited to add more questions.

Water - well - no access to surface water.
No agricultural production in my area other than me.
No vaccinations lately.
Diarrhea - water with only enough "material" to change it's color. No blood or mucous.
Several cattle were brought in - presently in my quarantine pen - none showing symptoms.
No other cattle for miles around - my farm is surrounded by subdivisions now.

 

[dun]

No other cattle for miles around - my farm is surrounded by subdivisions now.

Perchance one of your subdivision neighbors being a good samaritan and throwing anything over the fence for the cows to eat?

 

[angus9259]

No other cattle for miles around - my farm is surrounded by subdivisions now.

Perchance one of your subdivision neighbors being a good samaritan and throwing anything over the fence for the cows to eat?

Good question. The cattle were in a pasture locked pasture when they got sick so anyone would have to come through several other electric fenced pastures to get to this pasture . . . . nothing's unheard of though.

 

[Sir Loin]

angus9259

OK, here we go.
As we are dealing with a digestive track problem the possible causes are:
1. Water: ruled out
2. Injection: Ruled out.
3. Poison by neighbor: Ruled out
4. Toxic runoff: Ruled out
5. Grass and hay: Ruled out as cows eat grass and hay all the time.
6. Cross contamination from other cows: Ruled out
7. Supplemental minerals: NOT ruled out.

Now unless there is something else your cows are ingesting that you aren’t telling us, your problem is that you are force feeding your cattle Supplemental minerals and it is making them sick and very well may kill them.

By “ force feeding” I mean you offer your cows ( free choice) all the minerals they wish to eat.
And as every mineral supplement that I have ever seen is laced with molasses they will over eat on the minerals before they will eat grass or hay.
What is the % of molasses in your supplement (s )?

IMO, your cows have Oded on minerals and have/are suffering liver damage.
Which may or may not be curable if you stop feeding Supplemental minerals .
IMO, the only hope you have is to take away the minerals for 60 days and see what happens.
Best of luck
SL
PS do any of your animals have a lump on their chin or throat?

 

[angus9259]

Except that they're on the same mineral and getting better - not worse.

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

Except that they're on the same mineral and getting better - not worse.

Well, that’s certainly good news.
Hope everything works out for you.
Keep us posted.
SL