Page 5 - CalfCare - Management of the Scouring Calf
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5
Background information
1. Antibiotic resistance
Using an antibiotic in calves with scour may result in the antibiotic not being effective
if needed to treat a calf with a serious disease, for example septicaemia. Bacteria that
are resistant to one or more antibiotics are on the increase worldwide, and pose huge
challenges in human and veterinary medicine. Data from Irish farms have shown that
the more any given antibiotic is used on a farm, the more likely it is that bacteria
resistant to that antibiotic will be found on the farm.
2. Continued milk feeding
Veterinary technical notes
There have not been any studies that have
Antibiotic use
shown that withholding milk is of any In calves with diarrhoea and systemic involvement (marked depression,
benefit to scouring calves. However, anorexia, fever), the risk of bacteraemia or septicaemia as well as bacterial
several studies have shown that scouring overgrowth of the small intestine is increased. In such circumstances,
administration of broad-spectrum antimicrobials is recommended. As
calves that continue to be fed milk while
indicated previously, it is very likely that these drugs are only of benefit if used
scouring have not deteriorated. Neither
responsibly.
has the scouring period been protracted Antibacterials used as last resort in human medicine (e.g. fluoroquinolones,
when compared to calves where milk was 3rd/4th generation cephalosporins) should only be used in single animals for
withheld. The most important reason to a limited number of strict indications where other antibiotics fail.
continue to feed milk, as long as the calf is
Choice of oral rehydration solutions
still willing to drink, is to prevent the calf Oral rehydration solutions should contain:
from starving. • 90 to 130 mmol/L sodium
• glucose and/or another facilitator of the absorption of sodium and water
Starvation delays a speedy recovery and • an alkalinizing capacity of 60 to 80 mmol/L from bicarbonate or
continued weight gain. bicarbonate precursors (you can calculate the strong ion difference (SID)
+
-
+
to find out: SID = alkalinizing capacity = [Na ]+[K ]-[Cl ])
• 10 to 30 mmol/L potassium.
Coccidiosis
Coccidia are parasites that multiply
in the lining of the intestines. The
life cycle takes about three weeks
from the intake of the infectious
stages (oocysts) from the
environment to the excretion of
millions of new oocysts. Scour
develops during the later stages of
the life cycle, which means that by
the time scour is seen, severe
damage has already been done to
the lining of the intestines and
specific treatment at this stage is
unrewarding. However, supportive
treatment should be undertaken,
such as isolating the calf, putting it
under an infra-red lamp and giving
it fluid and milk.
The length of the life cycle means that scour caused by coccidia generally occurs in calves that are more than
three weeks of age.
Background information
1. Antibiotic resistance
Using an antibiotic in calves with scour may result in the antibiotic not being effective
if needed to treat a calf with a serious disease, for example septicaemia. Bacteria that
are resistant to one or more antibiotics are on the increase worldwide, and pose huge
challenges in human and veterinary medicine. Data from Irish farms have shown that
the more any given antibiotic is used on a farm, the more likely it is that bacteria
resistant to that antibiotic will be found on the farm.
2. Continued milk feeding
Veterinary technical notes
There have not been any studies that have
Antibiotic use
shown that withholding milk is of any In calves with diarrhoea and systemic involvement (marked depression,
benefit to scouring calves. However, anorexia, fever), the risk of bacteraemia or septicaemia as well as bacterial
several studies have shown that scouring overgrowth of the small intestine is increased. In such circumstances,
administration of broad-spectrum antimicrobials is recommended. As
calves that continue to be fed milk while
indicated previously, it is very likely that these drugs are only of benefit if used
scouring have not deteriorated. Neither
responsibly.
has the scouring period been protracted Antibacterials used as last resort in human medicine (e.g. fluoroquinolones,
when compared to calves where milk was 3rd/4th generation cephalosporins) should only be used in single animals for
withheld. The most important reason to a limited number of strict indications where other antibiotics fail.
continue to feed milk, as long as the calf is
Choice of oral rehydration solutions
still willing to drink, is to prevent the calf Oral rehydration solutions should contain:
from starving. • 90 to 130 mmol/L sodium
• glucose and/or another facilitator of the absorption of sodium and water
Starvation delays a speedy recovery and • an alkalinizing capacity of 60 to 80 mmol/L from bicarbonate or
continued weight gain. bicarbonate precursors (you can calculate the strong ion difference (SID)
+
-
+
to find out: SID = alkalinizing capacity = [Na ]+[K ]-[Cl ])
• 10 to 30 mmol/L potassium.
Coccidiosis
Coccidia are parasites that multiply
in the lining of the intestines. The
life cycle takes about three weeks
from the intake of the infectious
stages (oocysts) from the
environment to the excretion of
millions of new oocysts. Scour
develops during the later stages of
the life cycle, which means that by
the time scour is seen, severe
damage has already been done to
the lining of the intestines and
specific treatment at this stage is
unrewarding. However, supportive
treatment should be undertaken,
such as isolating the calf, putting it
under an infra-red lamp and giving
it fluid and milk.
The length of the life cycle means that scour caused by coccidia generally occurs in calves that are more than
three weeks of age.
