scour remedies

[almoy]

I used cowmans recipie on a calf that the vet said wouldn't make it. It was flat out when I tubed it. Next morning it was up and nursing.

[grassfarmer]

DaneG, Are you sure that "10.5oz can of beef consomme" wont cause BSE? - kind of like feeding cows to cows ;o)

I know it doesn't help when someone is in the middle of a scour outbreak but scours are a management created problem. I've learnt it is possible to manage cattle so that you do not get scour problems. It's a shame so many people accept them as a necessary or natural part of the calving cycle. Vets seem to have a particular interest in dispensing scour products and treatments.

[DaneG]

I don't know about bse from consome, got that recipe long before bse,if srm's are removed it should not be a problem.
The predef with nuflor sure made the difference for me.

[farmerboy]

Thanks for all the help and advice. Do you vaccinate with scourguard? We do and we often wonder if we are just giving them scours that way. Aren't we supposed to be protected? The first 20 head that calved never got scours and their mothers never got scourguard. Hmmm.

[farmerboy]

grassfarmer, sometimes scours is brought into a herd via new animals or people walking through a calving area that have the 'bugs' on their boots. I always have a disenfectant tub by the barn if it necessary for anyone to enter during calving.
I agree it is a management issue but sometimes cows shed the virus and new cattle brought in can bring it with them.

[cowman]

The first time I heard of the "bleach" remedy I thought "well whatever"! This old boy told me about it when I was picking up some corral panels.
Later one of my neighbors told me he had heard about it and when he was having a BSE scours outbreak he gave it a try! The vet had been pushing all these expensive drugs and the calves were dying like flies...so he figured What do I have to lose?
He said one shot and the calves were away! Now I resect this guy and know he isn't a BSer!
Now I seldom ever have a scour problem but one year I got a couple of calves that got a vicious case of scours. When the old eyes start to sink into the head you might as well forget all the tubing and drugs...in my opinion!
So I figured...What do I have to lose?
Mixed it up, tubed those flat out calves, and went out the next morning expecting to drag them out to the coyote banquet!
When I went in the barn both calves were up and lustily sucking, their tails going a mile a minute! By the next day they were outside with their mommas and they never looked back!
Haven't had a case of scours since but know what I'll do if it happens!

[PureCountry]

All I can suggest is keep fresh bedding everywhere, and I would separate those that ARE SICK, from any that have yet to calve - if possible. I worked one a ranch that had a terrible outbreak, and we built makeshift pens out of bales with a panel and gate on one side. These were out in the middle of the calving paddock - 25 acres - for 230 cows. We did like emrald1 said, not 2 litres twice a day, but smaller doses more often. That is a much better way to rehydrate any critter - trust me. My boxing days taught me a few things other than breaking knuckles with my chin.

I hate to say it, but with June calving, I sure don't miss any of these '...having a wreck...' stories.

[grassfarmer]

Seperating the ones still to calf - that seems to be the key Purecountry. We read of a system developed in the states that has worked well for us. Calving in late April after the snow cover has gone on banked grass. As soon as the snow clears move the cows from their winter quarters, off feed and onto banked grass. We put about 90 cows in a 10 acre paddock, after a week we will have around 30 calves on the ground. Then move out the 60 still to calf onto another fresh paddock and so on. After a couple of weeks on the 1st paddock (first with 90 then with 60) the grass will be about gone so we then give that bunch a fresh paddock. We never have calves of more than a week age difference in the same field until they are maybe 5-6 weeks old. The key to this is understanding that the later born calves only suffer more from scours because they are born in a polluted environment. Thats why corral calving in wet or snow covered conditions makes it hard to avoid scours - it is a man made problem created by causing stress and unnatural concentration of the animals. When you calf out in the pasture cows get the chance to act naturally and remove themselves from the herd at time of calving - they know what they are doing!
This system certainly works a dream for us once we learnt that we were causing the wrecks by our management.
Afterall the deer and bison seem to have managed for quite a few years without their young needing treated with electrolytes!

[grassfarmer]

my cows come into an acre pen behind the barn, are brought into the main corral a day or two before they are going to calve and then they are in shelters with enough pen space available that they aren't crowded.
Once the calf is up and going, navel dried off and is tearing around the corral, mama and calf are kicked out on a side slope hill with calf shelters and lots of straw. Access to clean water all the time is a must so the calves don't start drinking the crappy water, that can get an oubreak of coccidiosis going in no time.
I feed diatamatious earth in the mineral feeders in the shelters. I know there are two trains of thought on it, the vets pooh pooh it but I find it keeps the calves from eating dirt and they don't seem to get coccidiosis.

[cowman]

Emerald: You should try living in my area where the darned moles out number every living thing in the world! The little buggers start pushing up the dirt before the frost goes out!
Now I don't know what it is about calves but they just love to eat that fresh pile of black dirt? And they just love to slurp that old scuzzy water!
The moles are so feroscious around here that you can only leave alphalfa down about four years before they have ruined it! They are a true joy when you are cutting hay? Especially with a sickle haybine!
There is a constant battle to keep them out of the garden and you get to be a good trapper or you don't eat!