A clean environment, good nutrition and a strategy for disease management are all part of preventing calf scours, according to the registrar of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association.
“Vaccinations won’t prevent a scours outbreak if the environment is horrible and the nutrition is horrible,” said Duane Landals.
“The whole thing goes together.”
Landals recommends having a calving area that is separate from where the cattle overwinter. That reduces the risk of exposure to the bacteria and viruses that cause scours.
Producers should provide dry, clean bedding in calving areas and should move calves out of the maternity area three to four days after birth.
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Try to ensure a newborn calf feeds from its mother within 12 hours of birth and that it drinks at least one litre of the milk. The first milk contains colostrum, a substance that bolsters the calf’s immune system.
There are scour vaccinations that can be given to cows two to three weeks before they calve, Landals said. The cow then produces antibodies against scours and the antibodies are passed to its calf.
Oral vaccines against scours can also be given directly to calves.
Producers thinking about vaccinating for scours should consult with a veterinarian, Landals advised.
Balanced nutrition is important for pregnant cows. Adequate protein, energy and minerals should all be provided.
Landals mentioned selenium as a trace mineral to be concerned about. A selenium deficiency in cows can be passed to calves, possibly resulting in a weak infant that does not nurse properly.
Trace minerals and salt should be available to cows and calves.
“The biggest thing that kills calves with scours is the dehydration,” said Terry Carruthers, an assistant professor in herd medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon. An electrolyte solution may be needed to overcome that.
Antibiotics may also be needed to treat an infected calf. Before giving electrolytes or antibiotics to a calf with scours, it is wise to consult a veterinarian, Landals said.
Producers should consider calling a vet if a calf with scours appears weak, he said.
