Scouring calves

[Moo.girl]

Don't get side tracked and end up making pancakes and forgetting the calf

No harm in making extra batter

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

Anyone use effydral tablets? Any good?

 

[Farmerfallace]

No harm in making extra batter

Well you can if you fancy eating some with the calf..just make sure it's shrove tuesday

 

[Clay52]

Has there ever been any research comparing these old farmer treatments (raw egg, pancake batter) vs standard reccomended treatments for scours.

 

[bovine]

Has there ever been any research comparing these old farmer treatments (raw egg, pancake batter) vs standard reccomended treatments for scours.

Not that I have seen.

I had a nice paper somewhere showing continued growth with gel added to milk compared to traditional scour formula.

There is some research showing improvement with glutamate over other products.

A review you can read for free:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23953652_Treatment_of_Calf_Diarrhea_Oral_Fluid_Therapy

 

[Princess Pooper]

I get very little scours in our calves which I put largely down to colostrum management. Ok we are small - we rear about 20 -25 calves to keep and another 60 - 65 beef crosses to sell at 5 weeks. I learned in a bad year about 8 years ago I was underestimating the extent of dehydration (the visual guide in the paper that Bovine posted is useful) and lost a couple of calves which with hindsight I was not rehydrating sufficiently. We did have the vet out that year as one was wobbly and needed iv fluids and she did treat it with antiobiotics as she suspected salmonella (it wasn't). We never use antibiotic if it is just scours (had a couple a few years ago that had respiratory symptoms as well) and just treat with electrolyte and metacam. Not lost a calf since that bad year or even had to have the vet look at any - but by trying to remain closed we have so far avoided crypto and salmonella and most years have no scours at all.,

 

[William Mellor]

Other than scouring what are the other signs of BVD?

 

[Clay52]

Other than scouring what are the other signs of BVD?

Sometimes nothing.

 

[Farmerfallace]

Loss of weight and not eating obv..ears down,eats cold just normal signs really

 

[coomoo]

Anyone use effydral tablets? Any good?

Use them here changed and have been using then directly in the milk at feeding time. Actually not 100% convinced so watching this thread with interest.

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

Other than scouring what are the other signs of BVD?

Aren't most calves with bvd just non doers?

 

[William Mellor]

Had vet out today, all other calves are ok acouring to him and unless I want to spend money dung or blood sampling others for BVD I would be better keeping an eye out for others scouring and soon as I notice anything call him out and take it from there.
There was a calf I wanted him to look at that seemed to be having some sort of fit when it lied down and lied flat out asif it was dead half the time. It was diagnosed with meningitis which I didn't even know calves could get, learn something new everyday, treated and hopefull alls going to be fine

 

[jade35]

Will, glad you called the vet out and that you caught the calf with meningitis in time. Meningitis is always something to think about especially if they seem to press or knock their head against a wall or fence. It must be an incredibly painful infection for the calf

I appreciate you are busy but this article from the Royal Veterinary College gives an overview of the spread and symptoms of BVD.

http://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/progr...e-and-sustainable-food/bovine-virus-diarrhoea

Do you do any bulk tank milk tests over the year as a comparatively inexpensive way of keeping track of some cattle diseases?
http://www.nationalmilklaboratories.co.uk/disease-testing-services

and also this thread if you haven't seen it.
https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/bvd-pcr-bulk-milk.146958/

 

[William Mellor]

Will, glad you called the vet out and that you caught the calf with meningitis in time. Meningitis is always something to think about especially if they seem to press or knock their head against a wall or fence. It must be an incredibly painful infection for the calf

I appreciate you are busy but this article from the Royal Veterinary College gives an overview of the spread and symptoms of BVD.

http://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/progr...e-and-sustainable-food/bovine-virus-diarrhoea

Do you do any bulk tank milk tests over the year as a comparatively inexpensive way of keeping track of some cattle diseases?
http://www.nationalmilklaboratories.co.uk/disease-testing-services

and also this thread if you haven't seen it.
https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/bvd-pcr-bulk-milk.146958/

Yes if I remember right my milk buyer does sample the bulk tank sometimes for BVD. The vet thought it's very unlikely they caught BVD if I had kept the BVD infected calf away from the others.
I thought the calf diagnosed with meningitis was acting very odd as after lieing down it would jump and starting walking into gates and wobble about asif it was drunk. The vet gave me some more injection to give it over the next 3 days but said if it doesn't improve after that don't hold up much hope but is eating and drink ok and at the moment is walking round the pen chewing its cud

 

[bovine]

Other than scouring what are the other signs of BVD?

BVD is badly named as scour is very rare.

Use them here changed and have been using then directly in the milk at feeding time. Actually not 100% convinced so watching this thread with interest.

Don't do that - it stops the milk clotting in the abomasum. If you want to add something to milk it needs to be one of the gel products.

Also (despite all the scour formulas recommending it) NEVER EVER mix scour formula and milk.

Aren't most calves with bvd just non doers?

Many are, but some look completely normal. I've found a number of milking PI animals over the years.

Had vet out today, all other calves are ok acouring to him and unless I want to spend money dung or blood sampling others for BVD I would be better keeping an eye out for others scouring and soon as I notice anything call him out and take it from there.

Not clear from your post - but have you done ANY testing for BVD? I hope you have.

 

[William Mellor]

BVD is badly named as scour is very rare.



Don't do that - it stops the milk clotting in the abomasum. If you want to add something to milk it needs to be one of the gel products.

Also (despite all the scour formulas recommending it) NEVER EVER mix scour formula and milk.



Many are, but some look completely normal. I've found a number of milking PI animals over the years.



Not clear from your post - but have you done ANY testing for BVD? I hope you have.

No as was a bit more concerned of the calf with meningitis to be fair but my vet in coming back next week to see if it is getting any better but he's seen a lot of BVD before and examined all the other calves to look any health issues. He seemed more concerned over the other calves catching meningitis. He said at he could blood test very calf for BVD if I wanted but would turn very expensive and would be better watching the others for any signs of ill health til he comes again next week.

 

[bovine]

Meningitis is rare and generally sporadic (just see single cases).

I see little point testing calves, but would like to know your herd BVD status. There is something odd going on here.

I might even be considering salmonella with the meningitis, scour and deaths.

 

[William Mellor]

Meningitis is rare and generally sporadic (just see single cases).

I see little point testing calves, but would like to know your herd BVD status. There is something odd going on here.

I might even be considering salmonella with the meningitis, scour and deaths.

We have never had BVD before until we had a BVD PI calf born so was very suprised. The vet said meningitis is more common than you think and because I group house my calves it is likely to spread

 

[bovine]

Not my experience with meningitis.

 

[milkloss]

Not my experience with meningitis.

Nor what I have come across too, but meningitis in humans is transmissible so it's fair to assume it would be in young calves I would have thought.