Calf Talk

April, 2004

Volume 10, No. 4

SCOUR TREATMENT REVISITED

By: Russ Schnepper, D.V.M

There is one essential treatment for the calf, regardless of the cause of the scour. “Put the fluids in the front end of the calf faster than it comes out the back end.” The calf dies of dehydration if this does not occur.

It is important to continue to give the regular dose of milk replacer and give extra fluids in between milk meals. I see calf raisers trying to cure scours by cutting back on the milk to the point the calf is starving to death. The weak calf does not stand a chance. There was some very good research done in the Milk Specialties Research Barn. They proved experimentally that if milk is continued and extra fluids provided, the calf would continue to gain weight right through the scours. Whereas if the milk was removed, the calf lost weight rapidly. As you are probably aware, I put out wrong information 20 years ago. I would remove the milk in an effort to starve the bacteria, but what we starved was the calf. So, PLEASE, feed the calf.

Proper use of electrolytes is extremely important. However, the water is more important than the electrolytes. Some packets of electrolytes claim to be able to be mixed with milk. Putting the electrolytes in the milk totally misses the point. The extra fluids are the most important, not the electrolytes. Likewise, mixing a dose of electrolytes with a reduced amount of water is also counterproductive. Electrolytes in the gut work by osmotic pressure. If the solids in the gut are higher than in the body fluids the water is sucked from the body into the gut making the dehydration worse. So when you concentrate the electrolytes in the reduced amount of water, it works like Epsom salts, and I do not think that is the effect you want.

We use Immunoboost to treat scours. It is very effective on E. coli, Salmonella, Rota and Corona Virus. Immunoboost does not work for Crypto nor Clostridial infections. Cryptosporidiosis can be prevented by using decoquinate at 50mg/calf/feeding for the first 10 to 14 days. Clostridial infections have to be treated orally. Penicillin and/or Clostridium perfringens C and D Antitoxin, given by mouth, will usually work if you treat very early. Clostridial enterotoxemia is caused by bacteria that are normal inhabitants of the gut. Acidosis occurs first, with a little blood seeping into the gut and the Clostridium loves blood and grows rapidly, producing a toxin that poisons the calf.

Most scours can be prevented by vaccinating with Endovac bovi on day one and day eight, and Immunoboost on day one and day eight. Immunoboost can also be used selectively for treatment as needed. Decoquinate has to be fed twice daily for the first 10 to 14 days. (Put the decoquinate in the colostrum also.) Selenium is extremely important. The calf’s immune system will not function if it is short on selenium.

Regardless of the cause of the scours you can usually win at treating scours if you “Put the fluids in the front end of the calf faster than it comes out the back end.”

Contact information for ordering information and questions about our products:

Schnepper International, Inc.

3162 County B, Platteville, WI 53818

608-348-6141, Fax: 608-348-6146