Vet Blog 3 - Calf Scours
At this time of year, with most calves already hitting the ground, it’s a good time to talk about the ‘Calf Diarrhoea Complex’. Calf diarrhoea or ‘scours’ can be caused by multiple different infectious and non-infectious pathogens. Infection with more than one organism is also not uncommon; some target the newborn calf while others are more common in older calves of 3 weeks or older. The colour and consistency of the diarrhoea can often help diagnose the causative agent, however in order to reach a definitive diagnosis, diagnostics such as faecal samples are usually required.
Always remember that there is the potential for human infection, especially in immunocompromised individuals, so calves should be handled with gloves and contaminated clothing should be cleaned immediately after handling.
The treatment of calf scours is largely based around correcting considerable amounts of fluid and electrolyte losses, in addition to treating the causative agent. Early intervention and treatment is essential in preventing severe dehydration (12%+) which is fatal.
Image: Guidelines for Assessment of Dehydration in Calves (Beef Cattle Research Association, 2021)
* Skin tenting is the time taken for the skin to snap back and return to normal when pinched up and then released.
Calves showing signs of a dehydration >8% require immediate intravenous fluid therapy, so contact a veterinarian immediately. For calves with less than 8% dehydration, alternating oral doses of electrolyte and milk are usually sufficient in restoring the deficit.
Unless you have had experience in treating scours previously or are acting under the direction of a veterinarian, it is not recommended to administer antibiotics, as most scours are not bacterial in origin. Targeted antibiotic therapy should only be used if a bacterial cause has been identified. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics may lead to antimicrobial resistance on your farm in the future.
When to consult your veterinarian?
A veterinarian can help you diagnose the cause of scouring, treat it and discuss preventative measures. Remember that tests can take days to come back, so the earlier diagnostics are done, the better! Always contact a veterinarain if:
You don’t know what treatment protocol to use
Calves are dying
Calves had bloody faeces
Calves are not improving 6 hours after oral fluids
You have treated calves yourself but they are still unwell, or dying
Top 3 tips for preventing the most common causes of diarrhoea are:
Ensure adequate colostrum is fed to the calf within the first 6 hours after birth to avoid failure of passive transfer of immunity from cow to calf.
Never feed calves mastitic milk or milk from visibily dirty udders.
Keep calves in a clean and hygienic environment & clean calving paddocks.