The Rural Voice, 1983-11, Page 32Simmental Sale
Grey -Bruce Simmental Club
Saturday, Oct. 29
1 p.m.
Walton Sale Arena
Durham, Ont.
Selling 52 Lots: Fullblood,
Purebred & Percentage Females
Preview: Fri. Oct. 28, 6-10 p.m.
For catalogue, contact: Pearl
Bumstead, R.R. 2, Holland Cen-
tre. 519-986-2467.
11 T .6 T l
SIMMENTAL
PRODUCTION
SALE
at
Gleason Lake Farms
5 miles east of Wiarton
In co-operation with
four North Grey -Bruce
Breeders
Saturday,
November 5, 1983
Viewing from 10 a.m.
Auction indoors at 12:30 p.m.
Lunch provided
50
Cow/Calf pairs
Cows
Heifers
Bulls
Purebred and percentage
Free listed
Sale managed by
Sydenham Auction Services
Elwood Snider
519-376.1907
Jim Snider
519-376-8317
For catalogues contact:
John Reynolds, R.R. 2, Wia,ton
519-534-2854
ANIMAL SCIENCE
Neonatal calf diarrhea:
Dairy and Beef
In this discussion of calf scours, let
us restrict ourselves to calves up to
6-8 weeks of age. Beyond this age
group we are usually dealing with an
animal with a fully developed rumen
which no longer has a functional
suckling reflex. These older animals
also scour for different reasons and
almost always have much lower mor-
tality in diarrhea outbreaks than
neonates.
The bovine neonate can come
down with a bewildering array of
clinical problems, but three major
ones account for at least 75 to 80 per
cent of their problems. These include
respiratory disease, navel and joint
infection and diarrhea. The first two
problems are quite responsive to
preventative management measures.
The problem of diarrhea, however, is
not as amenable to simple manage-
ment changes. It requires a greater ef-
fort and often does not show as
dramatic improvements as, say,
respiratory problems do. As well, it
appears that the more we know about
diarrhea, the more complex it
becomes.
Clinically, the scouring calf picture
is familiar to every producer and this
picture hasn't changed in years. It is a
cold, wet little creature with sunken
eyes, a soggy tail and a skin over
bones appearance. More scientifical-
ly, the calf is dehydrated, acidotic,
emaciated and may be in shock. The
losses incurred by the calf include loss
of fluid, electrolytes and body condi-
tion including muscle and fat. The
fluid and electrolyte losses occur
directly through the intestinal system.
These losses are due to both decreas-
ed digestion and absorption of food
and increased secretion of fluids into
the intestines. Loss of body condition
occurs as most scouring calves are in
a negative energy balance, i.e. they
expend more energy than they are
taking in. Incidentally, the extent of
body condition loss is very useful to
judge a prognosis for a particular
calf. 'Skin over bone' calves are very
fragile and lack all energy reserve.
They can dehydrate very rapidly even
after intravenous rehydration and
they do not improve to the point of
adequate suckling strength to survive.
q . Turning out attention to the causes
PG. 30 THE RURAL VOICE, NOVEMBER 1983
of calf diarrhea, we can immediately
see that these are complex, multiple
and not completely understood.
Among the common causes are
bacteria such as E. coli and
Salmonella. Viruses involved include
rotavirus, coronavirus, B.V.D. virus
and I.B.R. virus. The protozoal
organism called cryptosporidia has
shown up more recently in scour out-
breaks. Let's not overlook the fact
that a significant portion of scouring
calves has more than one of these
agents present.
To specifically diagnose the cause
of scours in a calf, then, takes some
laboratory work in addition to
clinical, historical and epidimiologic
considerations. Bacterial cultures and
sensitivities on fecal swabs or in-
testinal sections are often used in
bacterial scours. Examining a manure
sample with the electronmicroscope
and/or virus culture can be used for
viral scours. Without fail, submitting
a manure sample of an untreated calf
in the first 4-6 hours of scour is your
best sample. Also at autopsy, sections
of intestine can be examined in the
lab to check for characteristic lesions.
Obviously then, simply looking at the
manure will be of great help in arriv-
ing at an answer for the cause of
scours.
Treating scouring calves encom-
passes several different items. First,
we have to replace the fluids and elec-
trolytes lost. If the calf is suckling,
this can be done orally. If the calf is
no longer able to suckle, intravenous
rehydration will be necessary.
Several good commercial products
are available for mixing with water
and can be given by nursing bottle.
Letting the calf suckle the fluids and
electrolytes is very much preferable to
drenching or tubing the calf. The
suckling reflex ensures that the fluids
reach the small intestine almost im-
mediately whereas drenched or tubed
liquids end up in the undeveloped
rumen from which it is not absorbed
and only get to the small intestine
very slowly. These fluid/electrolyte
mixtures should be well mixed, warm
and offered several times per day.
Multiple feedings per day are par-
ticularly important when dealing with
a very weak calf that can only drink
one pint at a time. Remember that 4-6