Calf Scours - Stopping an outbreak

BIOSECURITY (prevent new cases)

• Isolate sick calves into a separate airspace as soon as possible (e.g. different shed). Keep the sick calves separate until they go outside (infected calves continue to shed pathogens after clinical recovery).

• Install solid partitions between sick and healthy calf pens (1.5m high).

• Feed sick calves after healthy calves with separate equipment.

• Scrub feeding equipment between uses with hot soapy water (e.g. dishwashing liquid).

• Wear clean clothing and footwear to tend to calves.

• Disinfect gumboots. Consider a spray bottle with disinfectant or separate calf gumboots. Remove gross contamination with a scrubbing brush first. Disinfectant footbaths will also work but these MUST be changed at least daily and kept CLEAN.

• Wear gloves to reduce transfer of pathogens carried on skin of hands and change gloves regularly, especially between handling sick and healthy calves.

• Disinfect calf pens daily with an approved disinfectant (should be licensed to kill oocysts, e.g. products containing stabilised glutaraldehyde and ammonium).

• Rear bobby calves separately. Keep them in a separate shed, or at least in dedicated pens that are closest to the calf shed entrance (so people don’t need to walk through all your calf pens, spreading infection, to access the bobbies at pickup), with solid partitions.

• Provide same level of care to bobby calves. Bobby calves should receive the same standard of colostrum management as replacement calves since they are a potential source of infection.

• Establish an all-in, all-out system. When newborn calves enter a pen, keep them in the same pen until they are put outside. Do not rotate individuals or groups around the shed or between sheds.

• Quarantine new calves sourced from other properties for 7-10 days, ideally in a separate building, or at least in a separate pen with a solid partition. When calves are sourced from multiple farms, consider grouping the calves on source and age (calves < 2 weeks old are most susceptible) to minimise transfer of infectious disease.

TREATMENT (hasten recovery of existing cases)

ELECTROLYTES

Electrolytes are the mainstay of therapy since the predominant cause of death in scouring calves is dehydration. This therapy should continue until the scours have resolved and the calf is rehydrated.

Example protocol