Chronicle Editor
WE have previously discussed the challenges and benefits which are brought by the generous allocation of rains which we have received this year.
We obviously majored on challenges and this week we still want to expand on those challenges as these are the issues that affect farmers on daily basis. One of the things that farmers who were fortunate enough to get calves at the onset or during this rainy season, is that of milk scours on calves. Scours refers to the diarrhoea that calves experience.
While most farmers believe that it’s too much milk which causes scours, it is actually poor hygiene which predisposes the calf to scouring.
Diarrhoea is a disease of the digestive system characterised by watery faeces and increased frequency of bowel movements. The high-water content in the feaces results in water loss from the body causing dehydration of the calf. Along with water, the body loses electrolytes, which are needed to maintain all bodily functions. The loss of electrolytes causes a condition called metabolic acidosis, which will kill the calf if it is not corrected promptly, in less than three days.
Scours commonly affects newborn calves. Young calves likely are more prone to scours because of their liquid diet, the higher water content in their bodies, and their susceptibility to certain age-specific infectious diseases of the intestinal tract.
A calf suffering from scours will show the following signs; a dirty tail due to the diarrhoea sticking on the tail area, sunken eyes as a result of dehydration, depression which is usually shown by hanging the head down, ears down, not willing to stand for a long time, the calf is generally weak and easier to catch and unstable when walking, fast or slow breathing as the calf tries to reduce carbon dioxide in its blood.
This rapid breathing is often confused with signs of pneumonia. During the final stages of the disease, closer to death, the animal will breathe more slowly and deeply. Scours are caused by three main groups of pathogens that find their way into the digestive tract of your calf as a result of compromised hygiene practices in your calf pens. Infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses can attack the lining of the gut, causing water loss through the damaged wall.
Several infectious agents have been shown to cause scours in unweaned calves. Bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella, are common in newborn calves, although Salmonella can affect cattle of any age. Viruses, such as rotavirus and coronavirus, commonly affect calves in their first few weeks of life, usually one to three weeks. You heard right, coronavirus! Parasites such coccidia and cryptosporidium parvum, can cause diarrhoea in young calves.
In order to prevent scours a farmer has to do the following: Ensure that all calves get colostrum within the first six hours of calving down.
If they don’t nurse from the cow, provide colostrum via a bottle or tube. Colostrum is a calf ’s most important defense mechanism until its own immune system is capable of providing protection.
The best prevention is to reduce pathogen exposure by providing a clean environment, beginning at birth. Those who milk their cows should adopt hygienic practices so as to avoid transmitting pathogens to the calf.
No amount of colostrum or treatment can make up for excessive exposure to bacteria and viruses in the environment.
Provide a balanced mineral programme to the mother cows prior to and after calving to assure that the cow has the foundation for normal electrolyte balance and milk production.
Treatment of scours has to be promptly as you can lose your calf in less than three days. Treatment should be aimed at correcting the clinical signs. The most important treatment is to correct dehydration and metabolic acidosis. If they are not corrected, the calf will die. Both are treated simultaneously by administering electrolytes.
Oral electrolytes can keep acidosis under control in a calf that is strong enough to stand and suckle. When the calf is down, electrolytes will need to be introduced intravenously. Intravenous fluids are necessary to correct acidosis and dehydration in calves at this stage of the disease.
A veterinary officer will be needed for intravenous injection of electrolytes. Systemic antimicrobials will help eliminate bacteria but do not work against viruses. Keep feeding the calf with milk as this is its only source of energy. If body cells don’t get energy, the calf will die. If you cannot feed milk, use a good milk replacer. You will also need to provide supportive care such as protecting the sick calf from the cold, wind, and rain. Additional information from online sources.
Uyabonga umntakaMaKhumalo.
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