# Help--Calf with scours



## Siouxqie (May 7, 2012)

I just bout a bottle calf on the 5th of May. He a jersey (possible jersey/guernsey cross), and was born April 25, he weighs approsimately 65 lbs now (gaining around 20 since birth).  He is still a bull.  I have almost NO experience with cattle, but was told it is common for them to scour after transport.  We are using the same milk replacer as the farm we got him from.  As expected, he was nervous and upset when we brought him home on the 5th, and did not take his evening feeding well.  He also started scouring.  It was transparent brown and liquid.   I spoke to a friend who has cattle, and she said to buy scour pills and electrolyets at the feed store.  His temperature is 101 even, he has been running and playing with my 8 year old.  His eyes and nose are clear, no discharge/redness/running.  I checked the skin on his neck for dehydration, and the skin snaps back into place just fine.

The dosage directions on the bottle of pills said 1 pill per 100 lbs of body weight per day, divided over 2-4 doses.  I gave him the pill in 2 doses because I could not successfully cut it into 4 pieces.  

The electrolyes said 1 packet per 2 quarts of warm water, I had to add about 1 cup of extra water because it became too think for him to take from the bottle.  I gave him that in place of his morning and evening feedings yesterday (per package directions).  

I have been checking his poop, and now, instead of brown liquid, it is this nasty (REALLY NASTY) smelling yellow goo with about the consistency of jelly.  (Imagine what metamucil would look like if you added way too much to a glass of water and let it sit for a while only yellow instead of orange).   

My plan is to continue the scour pills for at least today, and continue him on the electrolytes for today, getting him back on milk replacer gradually.  The electrolytes say 2-3 days of electrolyte solution only then on day 3 or 4 start mixing the packet into a 1 quart water/1 quart milk replacer blend.

I apologize if this isn't a true "emergency," but being new to this, I don't know how quickly they can go downhill.  I don't know if the yellow goo-poop is because of the electrolytes or what, or if this is normal or not.  Any help/advice you can offer me would be fantastic.  Thank you!

I also have probios I can give him.


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## ksj0225 (May 7, 2012)

You might find some info on this page: http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2952-calves-scours


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## Cricket (May 7, 2012)

Hi, if you go to the Cattle section under the first section, there is a really good link to scour treatments.  The electrolytes with pysillium in it will make goopy poop.  If his poop starts improving, I don't go 3 days on just electrolytes, but I also re-introduce the milk replacer 1/3 cup with 2 qts water at a time, then slowly increase the milk ratio.  And yes, things can go downhill fast if you just keep giving them milk--sounds like you are on the right road.  A really good poop for a new calf can smell really bad--that might not be a problem!


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## Siouxqie (May 8, 2012)

Thanks for the advice, both of you.  I gave him a last dose of scours pills last night.  He had a nice, "normal" consistency poop last night, confirmed by my mom (she grew up on a cattle farm).  She came and took a look at things yesterday, and she said he seems to be doing ok.  She told me he was a tiny bit dehydrated, but she thinks it is because of the weather going from the 60's and raining to 85 and full sun.   She said, I should watch him close, and change his feedings (as I'm rre-introducing milk) to three times a day instead of two.  

She wasn't sure what to do as far as electrolytes and scours pills because they never used that stuff in the 50's when she was growing up. The only problem we seem to be having is getting him to take milk/electrolytes/whatever in the evening.  He does great, drinks it right up in the AM, but the evening feeding, he doesn't want to touch it.  Shereccomended I get a tube-feeder, and start using that if he continues to not take anything at his evening feeding.

So at this point, we are gadually switcing him back to milk replacer.  
Upping his feedings to 2 qt AM, 1 qt midday, and 2 qt pm.
He is off scours pills.
Poop is a normal consistency, but still gross-colored and stinky.

I think we're going to be ok.

You do all this reading, trying to educate yourself, trying to ask all the right questions BEFORE you have a problem, and then something goes wrong and you realize you don't know poop. (Literally.)

Thanks again guys!


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## Cricket (May 8, 2012)

That's exactly what I did with my now 2 week old calf!  You can also get electrolytes without psyillium in it--I like the thick stuff for when they're really 'blowing' and then went back to the cheap stuff that stays thin.  Maybe a hint of molasses in the pm feeding to get him to drink.  Maybe the afternoon feeding is filling him up?  Don't know!  Half the time it seems like with animals that you can study on things until you're cross eyed and it'll be some weird thing that bites  you in the butt.  Even Ag Universities lose really expensive calves to scours--just do your best.  I don't think I'd want to get into tubing if he's getting 3 qts of liquid.  Good luck!


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