Calf scours: diarrhoea in young calves
Calf scours means diarrhoea in young calves and can quickly lead to dehydration and weight loss. Common causes include infection, too little colostrum and sudden feed changes. Early fluids help recovery, while careful notes help you follow each calf's progress.
What are the signs?
Signs of calf scours include loose or watery dung, a dull coat, sunken eyes and drinking less milk. For example, if a calf has watery dung and drinks less for two days, note when the signs started and any treatment given.
How can you prevent it?
Good colostrum in the first hours of life, clean pens and consistent milk feeding reduce the risk of scours. Note each affected calf so you can spot patterns among calves born that season.
Questions from the farm
How does colostrum help against scours?
Colostrum supplies antibodies in a calf's first hours of life. Calves that receive good colostrum are usually better able to cope with infections during their first weeks.
What should I record during a scours case?
For each calf with scours, note when it started, the signs, any fluids or treatment given and the recovery date. Comparing cases helps you see whether scours is spreading among your calves.
How HerdMobile helps
Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.
Use HerdMobile to note when each calf develops scours and what treatment it receives, making repeated cases in the same group easier to spot.
