# Bottle calf has bloody poop? now what?



## freedomfrom4

I got bull Jersey calf July 24th. Had scours and finally got that cleared up with sure gel and consume soup mix. Calf now gets 2 bottles every day with 2 quarts liquid, 1 scoop powder MR, and an egg. Also gave him a handfull of sweetfeed tonight. He has been seeming to try grass also. Poop has been almost to thick. Now it has a small amount of blood in his poop. Is the blood a sure sign of illness or could it just be his diet? 
(I wouldn't have even known about it except we had a cyottee and water problem tonight so the calf is in my Laundry room. Tomorrow he will go back to the barn as soon as the roof is fixed. He got wet tonight before we got him in the house though. I felt so bad for him. Watching him iceskate across the basement floor was so funny.)


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## francismilker

Are you seeing the blood as a drop at the end of the bowel movement? If so, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Sometimes the animal's rectum gets irritated from the scours or near constipation and it dripples a small amount at the end of poop as a result of the spincter (sp?) muscle tightening. 
If the calf's poop is bloody as in looks like blood and poop are mixed together, I'd go to the farm store or vet supply and get some Corid. Use it as directed and don't over-medicate or overdose. This stuff is very potent and works pretty good for bloody stools in calves.


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## topside1

I agree with Francismilker, but would like to add: when using Corid follow the drench directions vice the drinking water method....Topside


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## freedomfrom4

Thanks, I knew you would have some good advise. It was just a little and I didn't notice if it was at the end or mixed. He had another large stool this morning and no blood was visable. I know they can go bad fast so I'm keping an eye on him. I fully expected him to die but that hasn't happened yet. We are teaching him to walk on a halter today, or rather my son is draging him around the yard by the halter. Ohh the joy's of motherhood


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## freedomfrom4

Quik question, Is it a bad idea to treat with Corid anyway just to act as assurance? And if I get him a few weeks older and want to get another calf should I just drench the new calf with the corid to ensure anything picked up in the stockyard doesn't get passed along?


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## topside1

It's a great product to have on hand. Treating won't hurt, but I wouldn't seems like a wait of money, then again I'm not there. If you will feel better then treat. Once again it's a common product found on all farms. Look at the expiration date before you buy...Topside


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## francismilker

freedom,
As topside mentioned, corid is a great product to have around. I'm not sure what it's protocol is supposed to be other than for bloody stools, so I'd not want to offer any advice on using it as a preventative. However, if you're planning on getting another calf and would like to medicate with something, I'd suggest you read the "sticky" thread at the top of the cattle page called "salebarn bottle calves" before proceeding any further. There's a wealth of info on that sticky and it would be good to have it on hand. It covers most topics of the "what-ifs" of raising baby cattle. 
I personally prefer treating calves with baytril or nuflor as a preventative when I pick them up at the salebarn and I try to quarantine them from other calves for a few days after arrival.


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## freedomfrom4

I have LA 200 as an antibiotic and I have the sale barn calf thread under favorites. That thread is how I found you all. I only ask stupid questions after searching through the arcives for the answer. If I can't find it I ask. I have to search for stupid stuff sometimes but I am learning. My dad has a cow/calf operation and he doesn't know anything about babies, so I have to look alot of things up on the computer, sometimes I just can't find the answer and have to ask you all. I have a bunch of kids and with the first one of them I had to ask alot of questions too, But by the time I got to number 6 I had it figured out. Hopefully if I raise this calf I won't be so lost with the next one


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## francismilker

Keep the questions coming. That's what we're all here on HT for! On the flipside though, I'm not a real fan of LA200 for treating sick bottle calves. I prefer something more aggresive for a specific symptom. The active ingredient in LA200 is oxytetracycline which is a broad spectrum anitbiotic that's overused in my opinion. Most of the time when used to control scours is does more harm than good in my opinion.


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## powchutu

Greetings Farmers! 

I'm from Southern Kentucky, we have been raising Angus for beef for about 2 years now. My father in law who passed away raised them. Mother in law sold many but kept the bull and we were lucky to keep 3 (one of them had a male calf), now have 3 newborns! 
But last week one female/mother died just about a week after she gave birth to a healthy calf the one I'm referring to. Just found out his stool has some clotting and blood - not too much. We're bottle feeding him and he is eating grass pretty good too. 
This information you guys mentioned is helpful! I'm going to the farm store and if they have any of corids. 
---- 
One question if you guys don't mind me asking... since the calf's mother is gone, is it possible to use him when he's a full grown bull, to mate the females we have? 
Thank you so much!


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## Owen

I too am new to raising bottle calves.I noticed blood in heifers stool, but I took advice from feed store employee and already gave LA200.Should I also get corid or wait and see if LA200 does the trick?


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