Livestock Management RANCHING
Calf Scours C
ALF SCOURS IS ANOTHER NAME FOR CALF DIARRHEA. IT IS A result of conditions that affect the digestive tract of calves, mostly from 3 days of age to 4 to 6 weeks. This diarrhea causes dehydration and loss of vital
electrolytes to the calf, resulting in an alteration of the acid-base balance of the bodily fl uids. The damage to the intestinal lining of the calf stops the calf‘s ability to digest and absorb nutrients, causing weight loss as well as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and, if not treated, death. Scours results from infection of various pathogens,
such as viruses like BVD, rotavirus, corona virus, and bacteria like Escherichia coli, salmonella and Clos- tridium perfringens. The answer to the control of calf scours is easily attainable with the vaccines we have available today.
Cow immunity most important part of scours prevention The cow herd should be gathered and vaccinated
6 to 8 weeks prior to the start of calving with scour prevention vaccines. This is necessary for the mother cow to have time to develop antibodies in her colostrum (mother’s fi rst milk) to the various disease entities that normally cause scours.
Management problem more than a disease Management as well as a good vaccination program
are necessary to minimize the risk of these pathogens. All stressors — weather and other environmental factors
tscra.org
such as dystocia — add to the risk of scours. Control the ones you can. Too-close confi nement of the herd during calving
concentrates the risk of contamination of the newborn calves by the pathogens. The more one can keep the herd spread out and on fresh calving ground, the less chance there is of exposure of the newborn calves. Move the cows that have not yet calved every 2
weeks to a fresh calving area to minimize a buildup of exposure to the newborns. Nutrition and body condition score of the cows are
also important. If signs of scours show up during the calving season,
early treatment is much more effective than waiting until the calf is not nursing, acting very depressed or even down and unable to get up. Early treatment starts with oral fl uids to replace
the fl uids and the electrolytes. If not caught early the calves may need intravenous fl uids to keep them hy- drated while the intestinal tract repairs itself to get normal absorption going again.
Editor’s note: David T. Bechtol, DVM, of Palo Duro
Consultation, Research and Feedlot, with the help and support of other colleagues and Merck Animal Health, provides a quick reference sheet on what to watch for and provide to your beef cattle herd during your 2014 calendar of events. Dr. Jim Furman owner of The Ani- mal Center, Alliance, Neb., helps with this month’s look at calf scours.
February 2014 The Cattleman 47
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