Calf scours that awful nasty watery poop that all too many calves get. One of the leading causes of death in calves under 30 days old.
Causes
Bacteria infection like E coli
Virus infection like Rotovirus
Virus infection like Rotovirus
Myths
Decreasing the amount of milk replacer powder when mixing a bottle decrease the chance of scours.
Allowing the calf to eat hay in the first 30 days increases scours.
Bottle feeding plain water to a calf after a milk replacer feeding will help prevent scours.
Feeding plain water to a scouring calf helps with dehydration.
Not only are these not true but can actually help to promote scours.
Treatment
There are hundreds of products on the market for treating calves with watery poop. Mainly because scours is so hard to cure. The success of treatment depends on amount of damage the calf has in the gut. Once a major amount of scar tissue develops the gut it just can not absorb enough nutrition for the calf.
I have had success with the following. It first starts with giving the calf antibiotics and then feeding a alternative to milk or milk replacer for two days while not allowing the calf any water.
Reading your article was really helpful for my own business. Very well written and worth reading this article!!
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