Scours
Beef Cattle Disease

Disease description

Scours, or diarrhea, is a common result of bacterial and viral infections of baby calves. Calves are especially vulnerable to disease because their immune systems have not yet developed, and they face many stresses in the first few hours of life. Infected calves can quickly infect other newborn calves.

Scours can be caused by coronavirus, rotavirus, K99 E. coli bacteria or Clostridium perfringens Type C. It is important to choose a product with broad-spectrum scours protection because of the many different causes.

Clinical signs

Scouring calves have diarrhea that ranges from moderate to severe, and results in dehydration, depression and sometimes death. Calves that do survive are often weak and do poorly throughout their lives, which is the reason prevention is so important. Viruses and bacteria destroy the lining of the small intestine, causing large amounts of fluid loss. Some types of scours are more prevalent in very young (0-7 days) calves, while others tend to appear later, up to 21 days after birth.

Prevention

Management of the cow, the calf and the environment are all essential in preventing scours.

The best way to prevent calf scours is to vaccinate the pregnant cow with an initial dose of Scour Bos 9 8-16 weeks prior to calving so that she can pass protection on to the calf through colostrum. Scour Bos 9 helps protects calves against multiple strains of rotavirus, coronavirus, 4 strains of E. coli and Clostridium perfringens Type C. Revaccinate with Scour Bos 4 (rota and coronavirus) 4 weeks prior to calving. In the second year and beyond, vaccinate with one dose of Scour Bos 9 at 8 to 10 weeks prior to calving.

Good management includes making sure calves get enough colostrum in the first 36 hours, separating sick calves from healthy calves, practicing good sanitation when working young calves, and providing as much protection as possible from wet, cold weather and wind.

For producers who are unable to work cattle close to calving, Bovine Pili Shield + C can be given from 8 to 16 weeks prior to calving to help prevent scours caused by E. coli and C. perfringens Type C.

If the dam was not vaccinated, or if the quantity or quality of colostrum is low, newborn calves can also benefit from Bovine Ecolizer+C20. This no-stress oral product gives calves direct protection against E. coli bacteria and C. perfringens Type C.