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Preventing Calf Scours Starts Now

Preventing Calf Scours Starts Now
Dr. Jeremy Powell, Associate Professor and Extension Veterinarian
According to USDA data, calf scours leads to approximately 15 percent of all calf mortality, making it a leading cause of calf deaths in the U.S. Calves suffering from scours can become critically ill in a short period of time. Scours can quickly lead to dehydration and electrolyte depletion, which could eventually cause the animal’s death. It is important to remember when dealing with calf scours that the key is to prevent the disease from occurring in the first place. During the upcoming calving season, producers should keep in mind the importance of their calves getting an adequate amount of good quality colostrum that will aid in protecting them from calf scours.
Colostrum plays a vital role in the newborn’s immunity status during the first few months of life. Colostrum is made up of essential nutrients for the newborn calf including energy, protein and antibodies. If the calf fails to receive the proper amount of colostrum, it will be more susceptible to pathogens such as calf scours. In order to ensure the calf receives defensive antibodies against calf scours from colostrum, the cow should be vaccinated well ahead of calving. To optimize a high level of antibodies against calf scours in the cow’s colostrum, she should be vaccinated approximately six weeks prior to calving. If a scours vaccine has never been used in a herd, then a booster dose may also be required.
Typically, a beef calf will ingest adequate colostrum on its own. However, if a calf is not nursing within two hours of birth, steps should be taken to tube feed colostrum to the calf. After being born, the average 80-pound beef calf should receive approximately two quarts of colostrum within the first six hours following birth and an additional two quarts within the next six hours. Factors such as calving difficulty, hypothermia or prolonged calving time may impair a newborn’s ability to nurse normally. If tube feeding is required, colostrum should be taken directly from the dam if possible. If an inadequate amount is available, injecting 1cc of oxytocin can increase "milk letdown." Otherwise, frozen or commercial colostrum may also be used.
To ensure the cow will produce good quality colostrum, the producer must ensure the cow gets adequate nutrition during her gestation period. The most important nutrient for the production of good quality colostrum is protein. Colostrum contains a very large amount of antibodies from the cow’s immune system. These antibodies are made of protein. To produce good quality colostrum, protein is essential in the cow’s diet. Depending on breed, a cow in late gestation should receive 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of protein per head per day to meet requirements. Cows of adequate body condition (BCS = 5.5-6.0) should normally produce good quality colostrum.
Several pathogens can lead to scours in calves. Generally, a calf scours vaccine will protect against four organisms that lead to scours: E. coli, rotavirus, corona virus and Clostridium perfringens. The agent responsible for the disease is usually determined by the calf’s age as well as the integrity of the calf’s defenses. To decrease the likelihood of a calf scours outbreak in the herd, a producer should:
Maximize colostrum transfer.
Optimize environmental sanitation.
Reduce stressors such as overcrowding or poor nutrition.
Vaccinate bred cows with calf scour vaccine six weeks before calving.
If calf scours becomes a problem in your herd, then focus your treatment efforts on correcting any fluid deficits, treating electrolyte imbalances, providing nutritional support and administering a broad spectrum antibiotic. If dehydration has occurred, oral or intravenous fluids may be used to correct this. Electrolyte powders can be added to oral solutions to correct electrolyte imbalances. Also, it is important to replace energy stores with oral or IV fluids containing glucose or dextrose supplements. Finally, a broad spectrum antibiotic should be administered for calf scours. It is important to consult with your veterinarian for treatment advice if you have any issue with calf scours.
Another potential preventative for calf scours is the use of a rotational calving system. By rotating heavy springing cows into fresh calving pastures every week of the calving season and leaving behind those cows with newborn calves by side, you can segregate newborns by age, decreasing the likelihood for calf scours to be shared among the group. For more information about calf scours and other beef cattle management tips, contact your county Extension office.