Nursing sick calves and the role of supportive therapies

There are many reasons that young calves get sick. Calves are born without any immunity and rely solely on the passive transfer of antibodies from their mother’s colostrum in the first hours of life. Ideally, every calf should receive three litres of colostrum within two hours of birth. The calf’s ability to absorb disease-preventing antibodies starts to diminish after that until, at 24 hours old, it disappears completely.
Neonatal calf scour (diarrhoea) can be caused by a range of viruses, bacteria or parasites and is the most frequently diagnosed cause of death in calves up to one month of age in the regional veterinary labs. Up to 26 per cent of deaths from diagnosed conditions in this age group are caused by diarrhoea and the resulting dehydration and weight loss. Early intervention and attentive nursing care can often mean the difference between life and death in very young calves. The scouring calf begins to lose more fluids than it can take in and this quickly leads to a dull, depressed and dehydrated animal, often with a ‘sunken eye’. Because very young calves have poorly developed fat stores, they are especially vulnerable, so prompt action is essential.

Oral rehydration

Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is the single most important therapeutic measure to be carried out to help correct the dehydration, acidosis and electrolyte imbalance that occurs in scouring calves. Good quality, commercially available ORT powders contain optimal levels of electrolytes, bicarbonates and glucose, but it is essential they are used correctly to ensure the best possible outcome. Always follow the instructions and prepare fresh for every feed. Ensure all buckets and whisks are clean to prevent the spread of disease.
Current recommendations are that scouring calves should be fed milk alongside an oral rehydration solution. In dairy calves, feed milk as normal with supplemental feeds of electrolyte solution; beef calves should remain with their mothers.
Continued milk feeding not only provides the energy required for weight gain and growth throughout the period of diarrhoea, but also provides the nutrients that are necessary for the recovery of the intestinal mucosa.

Continued feeding of milk to diarrhoeic calves in conjunction with oral rehydration therapy has beneficial effects on weight gain, physical appearance and recovery rate. Studies show that scouring calves that remain on milk gain weight at the same rate as healthy calves.

The importance of NSAIDs

Similar to human non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like paracetamol or ibuprofen, your vet is able to prescribe an NSAID called meloxicam that is licensed for cattle. Suitable for use in calves over one week of age, it is known to reduce pain and inflammation and has anti-pyrexic qualities to reduce high temperatures. A single injection when administered in combination with ORT helps to reduce the clinical signs of diarrhoea. It is deemed best practice to use both ORT and NSAIDs together to improve outcomes and may reduce the need for subsequent intervention with antibiotics.

Nursing Care

Sick animals should always be isolated from the rest of the herd or management group to reduce the risk of transmitting infection. Ensure they have plenty of clean bedding and ready access to food and water. Keep the calves warm, using calf jackets if necessary and change bedding frequently. Hygiene is essential to reduce the spread of disease. Check on calves’ progress regularly while administering supportive therapies and call your vet if you have any concerns.