Scours in calves

What are the common things that cause scours in calves? We have had several this year that we have treated for scours. Thanks

Corona virus, roto virus, ecoli and milk scours.

Some are harder to treat than others. Some kill quicker than others.  Best prevention is a nice clean DRY place to calve; preferably green pasture!

There are lots of "treatments"- the most important is to keep the calf hydrated with electrolytes.  (As with humans, viruses can NOT be treated with antibiotics.) 

Did you scour guard the cows? Wet weather, crowding, lots of things can get it started. If you didn't give the cows shots to help go get the oral treatment for the calves to give the newborns. You give it too them as soon after birth you can, I use Pfizer's, Calf Guard.

Add cryptosporidiosis to the list.

Take your pick!!

https://www.google.com/#q=common+causes+of+scours+in+beef+calves%3F

I haven't had any this year but I've used about everything treating bottle calves and this was by far the most effective treatment for me:

The best prevention is dairy calf starter in the calf sheds he have found. Use the starters medicated with Deccox. It is a bit more expensive but a lot less troublesome than bolus, tubing or needling calves. after the calves get a month old we mix in a deccox medicated creep pellet just as it is cheaper and they will eat it better at an older age. We also put a lick tub in the sheds. nothing fancy just an all natural protien tub and those calves get after that thing. they lick it a lot more than the ground and stay in the shed on colder days.

Outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis Among Responders to a Rollover of a Truck Carrying Calves — Kansas, April 2013
Weekly
December 19, 2014 / 63(50);1185-1188
Lindsey Martin Webb, MPH1, Sheri A. Tubach, MS, MPH1, D. Charles Hunt, MPH1 (Author affiliations at end of text)
In April 2013, the Thomas County Health Department notified the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Response section (KDHE) of two cases of cryptosporidiosis among emergency responders to a tractor-trailer rollover. The truck was carrying approximately 350 preweaned Holstein calves. An outbreak investigation was led by KDHE with assistance from the county health department; six cases of cryptosporidiosis were identified among the 15 emergency responders. No additional primary cases with this exposure or secondary cases were identified. Disease was associated with carrying calves (relative risk [RR] = 3.0) and contact with fecal matter (RR = 4.5). The calves were aged <10 days and reportedly suffered from scours (diarrheal disease), which is often caused by Cryptosporidium spp. (1), a chlorine-tolerant protozoan parasite. Because of the age of the calves and the conditions at the rollover scene, a high potential existed for fecal contamination and subsequent transmission of Cryptosporidium. This outbreak is the first report of both law enforcement and volunteer emergency responders contracting cryptosporidiosis, with transmission of Cryptosporidium attributed solely to direct contact with animals and their feces. Human illness resulting from contact with animals during an emergency response might be minimized if 1) all responders are aware of the potential for zoonotic transmission, 2) education is provided on proper animal handling including the use of appropriate personal protective equipment, and 3) responders practice thorough hand hygiene and decontaminate clothing and equipment following contact with feces.
In the early morning of March 10, 2013, a truck carrying approximately 350 Holstein steer calves overturned in a snowstorm near Colby, Kansas. Many of the calves died as a result; many others were scattered outside of the truck. City police officers and county sheriff's deputies responded to the incident, controlled traffic, and secured the scene. The officers then contacted a towing company and community volunteers with horses and cattle trailers to assist with righting the truck and securing the calves. Because of the very young age of the calves and the injuries and stress resulting from the rollover, most calves that survived the initial impact were unable to walk and had to be carried by responders onto cattle trailers. Responders noted that most of the calves had scours. Deceased calves were loaded into the wrecked truck and towed to the local sale barn. The next day, towing company employees returned to the sale barn and loaded the carcasses onto another truck for shipment to a rendering plant.
Following the report of two cases of cryptosporidiosis in persons who responded to a tractor-trailer rollover involving calves, investigators from KDHE hypothesized that illness might be associated with exposure to calves, fecal contamination at the scene, and returning to a location without electrical power and therefore no hot water to thoroughly wash hands or decontaminate equipment and clothing. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among emergency responders to identify additional ill persons and determine risk factors associated with illness. For this investigation, a probable case was defined as diarrhea (three or more loose or watery stools in 24 hours) and either abdominal cramping, vomiting, or anorexia in an emergency responder within 10 days after the response to the rollover. A confirmed case was defined as an illness that met the definition for a probable case with laboratory evidence of Cryptosporidium infection.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6350a1.htm?s_cid=mm6350a1_e

I've seen them just pouring Pepto Bismal down their throats and they did seem to improve.
These guys also give Scour Guard shots. They also calve in January and then the calves live in a crowded mess.
Pretty comprehensive information in Calf Scours: 101
http://veterinaryextension.colostate.edu/menu2/Cattle/Calf%20Scours%20101.pdf

The list of causes is lengthy and variant. Some methods of prevention are to scour guard the cows. Use a mineral with deccox or add diatemacous earth to your mineral as well making sure you have clean dry calving area with lots of space. Avoid bringing in outside cattle during calving season. Most important form of treatment is electrolytes. To keep them hydrated. Other fos of treatment vary in effectiveness depending upon type of scours viral scour will have to run there course milk scours can be aides with kaopectate or pepto. The bacterial scours can be treated with antibiotics. The generic brand bolus from the local co-op has been most effective for us in such situations.

One thing we started doing and has helped tremendously(better than we had hoped for) is giving every calf when born a 1st Defense bolus.

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Investigators commented it was the strangest case they had ever seen.  They acquired the syndrome and were quarantined for 6 weeks with no internet connections. It was determined to have a 3 week incubation period and the cure was complete was complete abstinence from the internet.


A full health recovery is expected.


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Not sure about your pen/pasture conditions, but good bedding and no overcrowding is the best way for preventing scours. Calves will ingest the virus, bacteria, or protozoa that cause scours either directly from the ground or from a dirty udder on the cow.

Last spring after not having any problems for several years we started to have problems after a cold wet spell and we gave every calf some liquid DeCox even though some said they should not have it at two weeks of age and problem was solved.We didn't lose any but did give some electrolites to some.

I didn't read everyone's post on here but I have used Calf Guard the last few years and it has worked great. 

We've been lucky and haven't had any problem but as a preventative measure we keep a Vita Charge Stress Tub in our calf huts because it contains Biomos. Some of the North Dakota guys had really good luck with them two winters ago to get calves healthy again.