# Calf Scours



## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

Ok, trying to figure out the cause of the calf scours on one of my three bottle calves. He is a auction barn calf that I got on Monday and the scours started on Friday. Normal temperature (101.2). He is probably a Jersey Holstein cross (brown and white). Scours are the color of buttermilk with liquid and semi solids. They have the smell of sour milk. I am feeding a high quality MR. Tried to give him electrolytes between last nights feeding and this morning, only drank a cup. Not dehydrated yet (skin goes back). I had been giving him 2 quarts like the other two, but he is the smallest and he only drank 1 1/2 quarts last night (first sign that he wasn't feeling well). Gave him 1 cc thiamine and 3 cc LA-200 last night. This morning I gave him 1 1/2 quarts and he wanted more after that. 

So what are your thoughts? It is that I'm feeding him to much? Bacterial because of the smell? My plan is to give him electrolytes at noon and 1 1/2 quarts MR at night. And continue that if he is doing better like he was this morning.

Thanks for any advice.


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I don't have good advice to give~ but I can tell you my exp and you can draw from it what you feel relevant. I bought 4 bottle calves. Less than 24 hours later one went off feed and had obvious scours ~ completely liquid bowels. I went to the vet and got LA-200 and calf bolus (Giant blue pill for scours) for her and another calf that looked "iffy" to me. Now~ you have to understand I've never had calves before so I don't know what "Normal" looks like. So~ the two seemed to get a little better~ but I third went down hill. At this point I realized that all 4 had scours all along (BEFORE I purchased them) ~ but I didn't know what scours looked like. The vet put the sickest one on gentocin. She seemed to get a little better. Another looked like it was gonna die. gentocin for that one (18 month withdrawl with gentocin so be SURE before you use it). Calf bolus pills for everyone. They seemed to look a little better. THEN the one that HAD been the healthiest started to look droopy on a Saturday. I asked here and the consensus was he probably had walking pneumonia. I gave him 1ml penG on Sunday because it's what I had and the vet was closed. Come Monday morning the one was coughing badly, two more looked "Iffy" to me. I took everyones temp...........104 to 106 on all 4. Vet gave them ALL draxxin, I gave them all 9ml of penG for the next 3 days, and banamine shots for 3 days. oh~ and they had lice.......so they got some ivermectin too. That was over a week ago now............and everyone looks good and is eating NOW.......but we already know I don't know what a good looking calf looks like so I'm nervous!

The point of all that~ before you pickle him in antibiotics like I did~ consider getting a shot of that draxxin and one of those big blue bolus pills and getting it over with!

Good luck!


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## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

Wow, you have had it rough. At least you are learning a lot. Just consider the vet bills as a crash course in veterinary medicine. I hope yours stay healthy now....

Ok, I looked up Draxxin and it is for the treatment of BRD, like Nuflor etc... Thanks for the advice. I won't use anything with a withdraw period of 18 months. I know a lot of antibiotics have become useless, so LA-200 may not be helping. I'll check on him in at noon and see how he is doing.


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## Madsaw (Feb 26, 2008)

LA 200 is not a product of choose for scours. Skip alot of the hassle and go to the vet and get some Draxxin or Nuflur . I have said this alot on here. Treat scours like you would treat the calf for pneumonia. Also use the Sustain III boluses for them too. These are the blue pills from the vet. Also if they are real bad you need to get the sulfa into them faster then the 3 day release from the SIII. So also from the vet you can get SMZ/bactrum tablets. These are the same as the doc gives you when you need them.
Bob


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## billfosburgh (May 20, 2009)

get bolusus from vet. iv`e had good results giving them raw eggs


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

There are several different causes of scours. If you don't want to troubleshoot and possibly kill the calf then follow the advice Madsaw gave. If you have lots of calf raising experience then by all mean use the "kiss" method and slowly eliminate the possible causes of the scours...But using the KISS method may also turn into the KILL method, lets hope not. Each scouring auction calf I've purchased comes with it's own set of problems, it can't talk, and no playbook is issued. Many different choices to make and not one is a cure-all....Sorry to ramble but raising calf is tough duty...Good luck.


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## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks for the info. He is actually doing much better, but a second one is now scouring. I'll start them on Sulmet as I have that on hand and it is the same active ingredient in Sustain III until I can get to the vet.


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## Madsaw (Feb 26, 2008)

Good call. Sulmet is fast acting and works good. I have found it makes the milk bitter sometimes and the calf may be a bit slower to drink it all. If you have pennicillin on hand, give it 10 ml's also. Its better then the LA200 for this problem.
Bob


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## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

Yep, have penicillin, so switched to that.... Thanks!


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## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

Just an update, they are all still alive... Ok, better than that, they are all finishing their bottles for the second day in a row.... Ended up just using Sulmet for 3 days and got Draxxin from the Vet. Have a second shot next Monday, but so far so good. Also learned how to tube a calf. I was shocked at how little tubing you use on a big calf vs how much you use on a little lamb. Where would we be without the internet.... Oh, at the book store I guess... LOL Anyway, thank you all for your help!


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