Treatment of diarrhea in bulls. Diarrhea in calves: causes and treatment at home (medication and folk remedies). Viral causes of diarrhea

Animal husbandry of any kind is potentially quite profitable business even in the face of intense competition. No exception and breeding of cattle, to be more precise - cows. However, as in any other area of ​​animal husbandry, there are a lot of "pitfalls" that beginner breeders "stumble" about. One of these is diarrhea in calves caused by diarrhoea. This phenomenon, unpleasant in every sense, is considered the most common cause of the death of young cows.

Before you begin to understand how to deal with the problem and how to stop diarrhea in a calf, it is worth understanding where it can come from, what can cause it. Such knowledge will prevent the very occurrence of the disease. Effective prevention, as is known, - the best treatment, so you need to rely on it from the very beginning. So, what are the causes of diarrhea in calves?

Weak immunity

Once in a new environment, which is the outside world, the calf can easily catch some kind of infection, which can easily cause a problem and lead to the onset and rapid development of diarrhea.

In general, the following root causes can contribute to diarrhea in immunocompromised calves:

• improper feeding with feed and milk (which will be discussed in more detail);
• poorly equipped premises for a cow with a calf;
• lack of a clear feeding regimen.

Each of these options can knock down the weak body of a small bull or cow. And to knock down so strongly that they will not rise any more.

Food poisoning

The cause that can cause death, and statistically does for more than half of all calf deaths, lies entirely on the shoulders of man. This is a feeding organization. Yes, for some time the young animals feed on mother's milk, but then it comes time for them to switch to "adult" food, and this is where the main problems begin.

In addition, even the right food (including milk) given at random times can lead to food poisoning and consequent bloody diarrhea. A calf's delicate stomach can handle the food that is only served at certain times. Then it is much better absorbed. By the way, this rule works for any type of animal husbandry.

Viruses

We have repeatedly mentioned above the weak immunity of small cows and bulls. Of course, this leads to increased vulnerability to various viruses. Separately, it should be noted one that can very quickly lead to the occurrence of bloody diarrhea. This is an E.Coli strain.

The disease is very fleeting, and causes a huge amount of discharge. Not always with blood, but general exhaustion is enough for the calf to die within a week. It occurs in the first 2-7 days of life. Without treatment, death is guaranteed due to general sepsis. For the fight, a whole set of special drugs prescribed by a veterinarian is used.

There are also rotavirus infections, which are also quite dangerous for small calves. They lose their appetite, weaken and, as a result, die. At the same time, their feces can be straw-yellow in color. White diarrhea in calves is also possible here. Its consistency in this case is watery and is accompanied by a very sharp sour smell.

Coronaviruses are similar in their symptoms to rotaviruses. The main difference is in the "palette" of feces. In this case, they become yellow with green color, and often the feces are with blood. Also, with this kind of virus, a slight drop in body temperature is possible.

If you run coronaviruses (give them more than 5 days to develop), they can form mouth ulcers and foaming saliva, as with rabies. Basically, this is observed with diarrhea in newborn calves that did not receive any immune protection at birth from their mother.

Main symptoms

Of course, the word diarrhea immediately brings to mind the most obvious symptoms, such as active fecal excretion. But in fact, diarrhea with blood can be accompanied by a number of additional symptoms, which sometimes even precede the “climax” of the development of the disease, although not only “native” sources of diarrhea can cause them.

And that is why, in order to eliminate the problem, it is so important not only to know how to treat diarrhea in calves, but also how to notice the maximum number of seemingly third-party symptoms associated with the same disease and capable of causing it.

The first is dehydration. This symptom it is not so easy to notice, because the only thing it manifests itself in is that the calf begins to absorb more and more liquid. However, when he spends two or three times at the drinking bowl longer than normal, there is something to think about and conduct at least a superficial examination.

The latter will help to identify the rest of the symptoms of diarrhea in calves. Among them:

• sunken eyes;
• dry skin;
• the calf grinds its teeth;
• lethargy (the animal lies almost constantly).

If the calf is vilifying and at least two of the above symptoms are present, it is time to sound the alarm and start treating this unpleasant disease. And here, too, it is necessary to act not at random. It is necessary to treat diarrhea in a calf wisely, taking into account various, at first glance, third-party factors and conditions.

Accompanying diseases

Diarrhea in itself is an unpleasant phenomenon, but, with the exception of the bloody "version" (more precisely, diarrhea), it is not so often the cause of death. However, it sufficiently weakens the already weak body of the calf, which opens the way for various other diseases, which can be divided into 3 subspecies:

• respiratory diseases;
• erosive and ulcerative stomatitis;
• latent infections of cows, which can lead to infection of the fetus in the womb.

The latter should be clarified a little. Here we are talking about diarrhea already in adult cows, which can be transmitted to the fetus. In this case, the calf is already born with this disease, which, of course, does not increase its chances for a long and healthy existence. And this is at best.

At worst, complications may begin even during childbirth, and the woman in labor will either receive damage to her reproductive system, or even die. The latter is rare, but also possible. That is why it is so important to make sure that both the cow and the bull are in good health before mating. This will save the life of both the parent and the calf.

Complications are also possible in the first months after calving. A sickly baby does not eat or eats little, is inactive and generally does not feel the best way. Diarrhea can help a lot with this. Here you will have to examine the calf and start treatment.

Disease prevention

The question of what to do if the calf has diarrhea is quite simple to resolve, it is enough to know what mistakes in caring for the animal could cause the disease. That is why the most effective method The solution to the problem of the occurrence of any disease is the adoption of preventive measures. In other words, prevention. In most cases, this is not only more effective, but also much cheaper than using antibiotics, pills, or even folk remedies (there is still no guarantee that it can be cured). There are a number of measures that will greatly help in this matter. They concern both the equipment of the premises, and work with the livestock itself and its replenishment.

The main methods of preventing diarrhea in calves:

• Compliance with basic sanitary and hygienic standards regarding the maintenance and care of young cows. Their cages must be clean and safe, as well as reliably protect the calves from overheating or hypothermia.
• Timely vaccination. If a pregnant cow has good health, then her calf has a much higher chance of surviving in the environment.
• Colostrum for newborns should be of high quality and plentiful. This moment also largely depends on the breeder. It is desirable that everything is controlled by a veterinarian.
• It is necessary to protect calves from possible contact with the manure of foreign animals: it can contain various sources of viral and bacterial infections for which the baby's immunity is simply not yet ready. The most reliable solution is to temporarily isolate the young and their mother from the rest of the cattle population.
• Feed quality should also be carefully checked. They must be fresh and contain a complete set of necessary vitamin supplements.
• Strict adherence to the regime in everything, including food (unless water should be nearby constantly and in sufficient quantity). Periodic feeding of calves with curdled milk or lime water will be useful.

If all of the above recommendations are followed, then the risk of bloody diarrhea in calves is reduced significantly, as well as all the problems associated with diarrhea, including increased mortality among young animals. Reducing this factor can significantly increase the productivity and profitability of livestock farms.

If all this did not help and the disease began to develop, it is time for direct treatment.

Medical treatment

Of course, with any disease, the first answer to the question of how to cure it is to use drugs. And it's a pretty good idea, because the correct use of antibiotics for diarrhea in calves can go a long way in helping to control the disease. This is also true for many other diseases. However, the key words here are correct application". Otherwise, you can only harm the calf more.

When turning to medications, especially if they will be used to cure a newborn calf, be sure to consult a veterinarian. Only after that, having received the “go-ahead” for the use of a certain drug and having learned exactly how it should be used, can one proceed directly to the treatment of a sick calf.

The most common and safe remedies, vaccines, antibiotics, serums and medicine for calf diarrhea used in this case are:

• chloramphenicol;
• tetracycline;
• trichopolum;
• ditrim;
• tylosin;
• nitox;
• catosal;
• zinaprim;
• burnt alum.

Depending on the type of ailment, different medications may be needed.

• Oral hydration medications, as the name suggests, are very effective in dehydrating a newborn calf. In addition, due to the rich composition (chlorine, potassium, sodium, glucose, sucrose), they well restore the lack of salts necessary for the baby. As a rule, such drugs are sold in the form of powders, they are fast, effective and do not have contraindications;
• If the problem is possible intoxication, sorbent preparations are ideal. According to their effect, they can temporarily slow down intestinal motility. They have little effect on the absorption of substances from food, although they can cause temporary lethargy of the animal due to some slowdown in motor skills;
• When the calf suffers from a common disorder digestive system, best solution will apply enzyme medications specially designed for this;
• When the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract is disturbed, probiotics help well. These medicines are microbial and non-microbial in origin, which is why they are so effective in this matter.

Of course, each of the purchased antibiotics for diarrhea in calves must be tested (not experimental), as well as prescribed by a veterinarian. Only in this case, the desired effect is guaranteed to occur (saline, given at random, will not benefit).

In addition, it is important to remember that they are used in different ways, and it is not the best idea to give according to one's own mind (especially in the case of dairy calves). In some cases, one tablet is enough, in others a handful may come in handy, the third are powders and solutions, the fourth need to be injected with special syringes. And there are almost as many such variations as there are drugs.

Folk remedies

Of course, not everyone and not always has the opportunity to turn to qualified specialists. The reasons may be different: lack of time or money, lack of veterinary clinic or a banal distrust of doctors (this is also common today). How to treat diarrhea in a calf in this case?

Alternatively, you can resort to various kinds of folk remedies for diarrhea in calves, which are used when treatment is carried out at home.

Medicinal decoctions

In case the calf has been snoring recently and the diarrhea is still on initial stage, in mild form, then you can get rid of it quite effectively by using various kinds of medicinal decoctions infused with herbs. There are quite a few recipes here, but it is enough to list the most popular and effective ones, according to the reviews of experienced breeders.

So, if we talk about what to give calves for diarrhea, then you should start with a decoction of flaxseeds. It is safe even for babies of one month old. For it, you need to take 50 g of dry flaxseed and boil it in water (not in milk). This "solution" is made for about an hour. Then the broth is filtered, and about 1.5 - 2 liters of boiled water is added to it. This is all set. You need to water the calf with this decoction 2 times a day, give 0.5 liters at a time.

Also, a decoction of St. John's wort and wild rose has proven itself well. A total of 50 g of leaves of the first and berries of the second are poured into 1 liter of boiling water. Then the broth is infused for 8 hours. They need to water the calf three times a day, approximately 250 ml each.

There is a more complex version of a kind of solution, which has a more complex effect. This is an onion infusion, and the onion should be with red husks. For this decoction, you first need to take a saline solution (this is a liter of boiling water with 9 g of salt dissolved). It is poured into a prepared 3-liter bottle. A siphon with a clamp and rubber tubes is attached to the cork. After that, 200 g of chopped onion is poured into a bottle and shaken gently for 3-5 minutes. Then 100 g of vegetable oil is poured inside so that it covers the entire mixture. A decoction is infused for up to 2 days and 5 ml per 1 kg of the weight of a sick calf is given. To give them enough to drink, you need to do this 5 times a day at about hourly intervals.

Mixes

Various kinds of mixtures can also be very effective means in the treatment of diarrhea in calves, even with more or less severe forms. At the same time, they are not at all difficult to manufacture and use, which is why they are very popular among livestock breeders.

How to treat diarrhea in calves, if we talk about mixtures? A tea mixture can be very effective. For her, only black tea is used in a volume of 1 liter (brewed, of course). 3 chicken proteins and 1 tbsp are added to it. l. salt and then mix well. The mixture is fed to calves with bloody diarrhea, giving in the proportion of 10 g per 1 kg of the weight of the "patient". The treatment time is about 1 month.

Also, calves with diarrhea can be given a cleaning "mixture" consisting of just one ingredient - beetroot juice. It is not at all difficult to obtain it, therefore, explanations on this topic are superfluous. But how to apply it? For this, an enema is taken, 300 ml of juice (0.5 liters for newborns and 4 liters for an adult cow), which are administered in 4 portions at a time.

The procedure is repeated every 2 hours. Even bloody diarrhea can be cured in this way, if it is not too advanced.

Conclusion

In general, diarrhea in calves is a fairly serious problem that, if left unchecked, can lead to a significant increase in mortality among young animals. Such an outcome can hardly be called positive, so livestock breeders are making every possible effort to avoid the development and spread of this disease. Those who do not do this are quickly left without calves, and without the economy as a whole.

Igor Nikolaev

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According to the consistency of feces in cattle, errors in feeding and keeping animals are determined. Normally, the stool has the consistency of a viscous porridge. The height of the pile is 4 cm. The feces lie down, forming 4-6 circles.

Deviation from the norm indicates a violation in the gastrointestinal tract, which is associated with an improper diet, diseases developing in the body. Sometimes backyards run into trouble liquid stool in cows. What to do in this case? How to stop diarrhea in order to prevent dehydration of the animals?

Causes of loose stools

There are many reasons why cows develop loose stools. Each case requires a separate study. There is no one cure for all manifestations of pathology. An examination of the animal and a deep analysis of its state of health is required.

If you do not provide first aid, do not start treatment, then dehydration may occur. Loss of 10% of fluid is fatal. The calf dies at a fluid loss of 5%.

In calves, diarrhea can begin due to the increased fat content of the cow's colostrum. The stomach of a newborn is not yet accustomed to heavy food. In order not to provoke diarrhea in a calf, colostrum is diluted, making it not so thick, or young animals are transferred to a milk replacer.

Insufficient care of the livestock, non-compliance with the rules of feeding can provoke loose stools in a cow. What to do in the first place to alleviate the suffering of the animal? If diarrhea occurred in connection with the transition to summer or, conversely, to winter feeding, then the animals are kept on a diet. They only provide hay and water. You can ask your veterinarian how to treat diarrhea in cows with the help of folk remedies.

• Gradually, within 15 days, the gastrointestinal tract is prepared for the use of green grass in the pasture. They begin spring walking on feeding grounds with very sparse vegetation. It will be better if grazing is carried out on a field with rye seedlings.
• Salt water is given as a drink. It replenishes the body with minerals and fluid. This is to prevent dehydration.
• Therapy includes the use of funds with a tannic, binding effect. Among them is a decoction of oak bark, "Thiamin". It must be remembered that it is impossible to cure diarrhea with binding agents alone. Always looking for the cause of the disease in order to eliminate it.

In case of poisoning, profuse diarrhea may develop. It happens instantly after intoxication of the body. Diarrhea is characterized by a large number liquids.

What to do if a cow has diarrhea due to an allergy? In this case, animals are prescribed antihistamines. They are given "Suprastin", "Tavegil", "Tsetrin". In order not to load the gastrointestinal tract with tablets and powders, antihistamines administered as an injection.

Plain cow's milk can act as an enveloping agent. The animal is given a diet: they give hay and water. Treatment is aimed at removing the antigen, reducing the intoxication of the body, reducing the inflammatory process in the body.

When eating the placenta, animals are prescribed the same therapy as in case of poisoning. The afterbirth can lie in the scar for a long time. He starts to rot. There is a blockage of the scar, chewing gum disappears. Gastric lavage, adsorbents, enveloping agents are carried out.

After the restoration of the function of the scar, the microflora in the proventriculus and peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract is normalized. An animal from a starvation diet is transferred to a normal diet. The consistency of the stool is restored to normal without the use of any drugs.

• To support cardiac activity, cows are injected with caffeine sodium benzoate, a solution of 20%, 10 ml.
• You need to give antibiotics. Sulfonamides are administered as antimicrobial drugs: streptocid 10 g, given every 8 hours for 7 days. Do injections with streptocide, a solution of 5%, 5 g: the drug is administered subcutaneously.
• To prevent dehydration, cows are injected intravenously with glucose, a 5% solution. Amount of solution up to 100 ml.
• Electrolytes are administered: Ringer-Locke solution - 3000 ml, calcium borgluconate 0.5 ml / 1 kg of weight, 10% saline, 5000 ml.

It is necessary to identify the symptoms of dehydration in time to prevent coma. With profuse diarrhea, the animal quickly loses fluid. There are 3 degrees of dehydration:

• mild: the animal is thirsty, the oral mucosa is sticky, the heartbeat is slightly rapid;
• medium: irritability is observed, the oral mucosa is dry, body temperature drops sharply, the skin is cold, its elasticity is lost, eyeballs sunken; pulse weakened, blood pressure decreases;
• severe: mucous membranes are dry, urine is not formed, the eyeballs are very sunken, the skin is flabby, bluish in color, cramps of the extremities are noted, blood pressure is low; the animal loses 10-14% of its weight; drowsiness is observed, coma occurs.

With diarrhea, it is necessary to constantly monitor the behavior of the animal. Be sure to treat for dehydration. If a difficult stage occurs, then it is almost impossible to save the cow. She is culled.

If diarrhea is accompanied by spasms in abdominal cavity, then the animal is injected with novocaine with an antibiotic, a solution of 0.5%. Relieves spasms and reduces pain syndrome"No-shpa" 0.8 mg/kg, "Analgin", "Baralgin", a solution of 25% subcutaneously 6 g. Calves are prescribed the same treatment as for adult animals. The dosage of the drugs is prescribed by the veterinarian.

Folk remedies for diarrhea

Diarrhea in cows is a common problem. On the forums, the palaces are constantly discussing it. How to treat diarrhea in a cow folk remedies? If diarrhea is caused by a gastrointestinal disorder due to the transition period, then folk remedies are used as a treatment.

This is allowed if there are no signs of dehydration, poisoning, helminths are not found in the feces. Folk remedies for diarrhea for cows are similar to those used for gastrointestinal disorders in humans. Animals are fed with decoctions:

• rice; 1 kg of grain is boiled for 30 minutes; the broth is filtered; give 10 ml per 1 kg of live weight; a decoction is given every 3-4 hours;
• give a sick animal oatmeal; oats are cooked longer, up to 50 minutes; the dosage is the same as for rice water; oats bind toxins well, envelop the walls of the scar, and prevent toxic substances from being absorbed into the blood;
• bread; bread is dried in the oven until dark; crackers are diluted in water to a liquid slurry; give every 2 hours, 5 liters;
• you can give a decoction of wild rose; use berries or leaves; rose hips are not steamed, as is usually done, but boiled for 30 minutes; 5 liters of broth are prepared for a cow; after 3 hours, the therapy is repeated; rosehip is a good antioxidant, contains a large amount of vitamin C, trace elements; This good remedy not only with diarrhea, but also with heart failure.

Raising cattle comes with some risks. One of them is diseases. A common problem is diarrhea in a calf. Without timely treatment, animals almost always die from dehydration and a general disruption in the functioning of systems and organs.

When the state of the animal is neglected, even treatment is not always able to save it.

There are no drugs that would 100% eliminate diarrhea of ​​any nature, and ideally, if a problem occurs, immediately contact a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis.

Causes of diarrhea

The causes of diarrhea can be non-contagious and contagious. It is important to be able to distinguish one from the other, since with the viral nature of the disease, not only one calf, but the entire herd, including adults, can be infected. Calves are most at risk in the first month of life, when their immunity is not yet sufficiently formed and the digestive system is especially delicate.

The main reasons for the appearance of loose stools are:

• lack of immunity - at birth, the calf has no immunity, and the baby must receive all the antibodies with the mother's colostrum. Own immunity will be formed only after 1-2 weeks, but will remain weak. Diarrhea in this case is a consequence of the body's adaptation to the world with bacteria. If measures are taken in a timely manner, then the problem is solved in 1 day and does not pose a threat;
• improper feeding - on farms that are unfavorable in this indicator, up to 60% of calves die due to diarrhea caused by poor feeding. In the early days, if the calf is not kept on suckling feeding, the owner must monitor the quality of the milk. It should be warm and not overdone. Even slightly sour milk leads to intense diarrhea. At an older age, digestive problems are caused by excessive salt in the feed. Of particular danger are nitrites and nitrates, as well as heavy metals, leading to dangerous poisoning, in which diarrhea with blood is observed, which is difficult to treat;
• viral lesions - the calf is practically defenseless against viruses, and therefore, in the first week of life, an E.Coli strain often occurs. The disease in this case is fleeting, leading to rapid exhaustion and sepsis (blood poisoning); but if treatment is started immediately, then the chance to save the animal is about 80%. Second dangerous virus is a coronavirus that first manifests itself as diarrhea, and then causes ulceration of the oral mucosa and profuse frothy salivation, similar to what happens with rabies. Without treatment, the calf will die;
• rotavirus infection - dangerous pathogen diarrhea in calves, due to which, against the background of general exhaustion, death occurs. The pet completely loses its appetite, becomes lethargic, and its feces have a characteristic sour smell.

There are a number of factors that predispose to the appearance of diseases, since they further weaken the immunity of the animal. Such moments provoking diarrhea in calves include:

1. Late colostrum delivery - later than an hour after birth.
2. Lack of ventilation in the barn - stuffiness for calves, like drafts, is categorically contraindicated. The lack of oxygen leads to a maximum drop in immunity and a general poor condition of the animal's body.
3. Unsanitary conditions in the barn - a cow or a calf cannot remain healthy in the mud, since an optimal environment is created for the development of pathogenic bacteria when dampness and heat are combined. Cleanliness is enough to significantly improve the condition of animals.
4. Stress - like a person, a calf during stress suffers from a drop in immunity, which can lead to damage to the body by viruses and pathogenic bacteria.

All feeders should be washed regularly before each feeding, and treated with an antiseptic once a day. In the first 10 days, calves cannot control the feeling of fullness in the body, and therefore, if the owner feeds them, he must accurately set the portion size.

What is the danger of diarrhea

When a calf has diarrhea, this is dangerous, as it leads to rapid dehydration and a general deterioration in the condition of the animal. Also, due to the disease, the growth of the animal noticeably slows down. In 24 hours of illness, a calf can lose up to 10% of its body weight, and this is solely due to fluid. Because of this, thickening of the blood and circulatory disorders occur, which is dangerous due to oxygen starvation and changes in the functioning of organs and systems. Not even long-term improper blood supply internal organs leads to the fact that changes appear in the body that remain for life. Heifers after diarrhea will never be able to give high milk yields, and bulls will be somewhat behind in growth.

If the treatment of diarrhea in calves is not started in a timely manner, the animal dies. Against the background of dehydration and exhaustion, it falls into a coma and dies after that in 6-12 hours. Once the calf has fallen into a coma, the possibility of saving it completely disappears. Fatal is the loss of 15% of the fluid, life-threatening - a loss of 7%.

Symptoms

It is not difficult to notice that a calf has impaired digestion. At home, when the animal is constantly in sight, the owner immediately sees the abundant fecal excretion of increased fluid, and sometimes with an admixture of blood. feces remain on the tail and hips, becoming immediately noticeable. Calves often walk with their tail up as if they want to empty their intestines. This is due to the constant urge to defecate, some of which are unproductive.

In addition to the main bright manifestation, there are additional symptoms. These additional manifestations include:

• sunken eyes;
• dry mucous membranes;
• dry skin;
• gnashing of teeth;
• most of the time is spent lying down;
• loss of appetite.

If signs of pathology appear, call immediately veterinarian or an experienced farmer who can easily determine the cause of the problem and advise the necessary treatment. At home, there are more chances to cure a calf, since he will receive maximum attention.

Medications for treatment

If the disease is caused by improper feeding, then it is eliminated with the help of an astringent and normalization of the diet. When the viral nature of diarrhea is established, or that it has become a consequence of poisoning, an urgent drug treatment. The following remedies help cure diarrhea:

• Oral rehydrates are drugs that help eliminate dehydration, taken orally (by mouth). They not only restore the volume of fluid, but also make up for the lack of salts in the body, which is especially dangerous. The preparations contain potassium, sodium and chlorine, which are necessary for the functioning of internal organs. They also contain glucose and sugars to support the animal in the absence of appetite and lack of food. Medicines are sold in the form of a powder for the preparation of a solution. They don't have side effects and contraindications.
• Sorbents are preparations for removing intoxication and removing toxic substances from the body. When deciding how to stop diarrhea in a calf, such remedies cannot be ignored. In parallel with the binding of toxins, they inhibit intestinal motility and thereby stop frequent bowel movements. They do not affect the absorption of nutrients from the intestines and the digestion of food.
• Enzymes - they are necessary if there is also enzyme disorder, in which there is a lack of their production by the liver and pancreas.
• Probiotics - they are necessary during the recovery period after an illness. Medicines should be given to the calf due to the fact that during diarrhea a large number of beneficial bacteria are washed out of the body with feces and the microflora must be restored. If this is not done, then either diarrhea will resume, or constipation will begin.

Milk for the period of treatment is given in a smaller volume, as it contributes to relaxation and will only worsen the situation. It is impossible to completely abandon it, since without milk the calf will not receive all the necessary nutrients and will not be able to fully recover.

If the disease is caused by bacteria, then the question of how to treat diarrhea has one answer - the use of antibiotics. Most often, veterinarians prescribe drugs belonging to the following groups:

• tetracyclines;
• chloramphenicol;
• biomycin.

An antibacterial agent is given at the rate of 20 mg per 1 kg of pet weight, unless otherwise prescribed. The drugs are administered by injection and less often orally. The second method is practically not used because of the risk of causing even more irritation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Keep the animal warm. Its thermoregulation during the period of illness is impaired due to dehydration, and the calf cannot maintain a normal body temperature.

The use of folk remedies

Folk remedies for treatment are usually used in combination with medicines. You can use them on your own only if the disease is in a mild stage and is caused by malnutrition. Also, traditional medicine can also be used as a prophylaxis to prevent stomach problems in a newborn calf.

A decoction of oats has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract of the animal and helps prevent diarrhea. Prepare the medicine by taking 150 g of grain per 1 liter of water. Cook the composition after boiling under the lid for 60 minutes. After straining the broth, it is given for prophylaxis in 1 cup, replacing part of the milk with it. If the calf is sick, then he is given a decoction 5 times a day, giving 500 ml instead of milk. What to do if the pet does not drink the decoction? We must try to force him to drink by inserting a nipple into his mouth.

It is good to feed the calf with a composition based on black tea. They give it from the very first symptoms of the disease and then for 1 month, even if the disease has completely disappeared. To obtain the composition, 1 liter of strong black tea is filtered and mixed with 3 raw proteins from fresh (no more than 10 days from the date of laying) chicken eggs. Also, 1 tablespoon without a hill of sea food salt is poured into the composition. Such a cocktail is given to drink to a sick baby at 10 g per 1 kg of weight; if there are doubts about the weight, it is better not to finish the animal than to overdrink it.

When the animal has diarrhea with an admixture of blood, it is necessary to apply enemas with beetroot juice. They perfectly stop bleeding and disinfect the intestines. They should be posted as soon as possible. The animal is injected with 500 ml of freshly squeezed juice every 2 hours throughout the day. If you want to save a cow from problems, then you need to squeeze out 4 liters of juice.

A decoction of wild rose and St. John's wort has a quick astringent effect and helps restore vitamin deficiency in the animal's body. The preparation is prepared by taking 100 g of both plant materials and filling it with 1 liter of water. Bringing to a boil, the composition is insisted for 8 hours, and, after straining, the calf is drunk 1 cup in the morning, afternoon and evening. In rare cases, a pet is allergic to such a medicine, and therefore, after its first giving, the calf must be monitored.

Water with sugar and salt helps prevent dehydration. To improve the condition of the calf, he should be given 400 ml of solution every hour. Prepare it by dissolving 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 dessert spoon of salt in 1 liter of water. The composition should be applied before the arrival of the veterinarian to maintain the relatively normal condition of the animal. After the arrival of a specialist and the appointment of therapy, the solution is used only with the permission of a veterinarian.

Prevention

Prevention can reduce the risk of diarrhea in a calf. Its foundations are:

• cleanliness;
• vaccination of calves and adults according to the accepted veterinary calendar;
• timely delivery of colostrum;
• compliance with the daily routine of animals;
• the use of only high-quality feed with a sufficient content of vitamins and minerals.

Knowing how to cure diarrhea in a calf, if it does happen, in most cases you can save the pet and not suffer damage on the farm.

Cattle breeding can be a very profitable business, but only if all individuals are in excellent health. Farmers are obliged to constantly monitor the growth of young animals and make great efforts to protect them from infections and viral diseases. Diarrhea in a calf is a constant threat to his life. Due to electrolyte imbalance, severe intoxication of the body develops, and sick cattle may die.

Causes of diarrhea

Protect young cattle from various diseases even the most experienced farmer cannot, but each owner is able to start therapy in a timely manner and save the animal by correctly determining the cause of the development of diarrhea in the calf. Based quality diagnostics a scheme is drawn up drug therapy, untimely or incorrect treatment can cause a significant deterioration in the condition of the animal.

The most susceptible to diarrhea are calves at the age of 1 month. Their body is just beginning to adapt to environmental conditions, and the smallest irritant can cause gastrointestinal dysfunction. In a 1-2 month old calf, the immune system is still very vulnerable and diarrhea can develop against the background of the body's restructuring for life outside the womb. Young individuals are more susceptible to the development of infectious diseases, because they use the immunity received at birth from a cow. Their own defenses are formed six months after birth.

Most often, diarrhea in a calf develops due to poor quality or malnutrition. Young cattle are fed differently from older cows. Their diet should include increased amount fresh milk, as well as no food with a high content of salt, nitrates and toxic metals. The young stomach is not yet strong, it is not able to digest too fatty food and large amounts of dry food. If overfeeding is constantly present, diarrhea in calves can cause serious inflammation of the internal organs.

It is very important to store feed in a moisture-proof area. Wet feed leads to mass reproduction of mold fungi, which can be fatal for a young organism. Before giving food, check the quality of the food. Even too cold milk can cause diarrhea in calves.

It will be interesting to know that 60% of young cattle die from the wrong organization of the diet, so it is very important to make an adequate diet for animals. If you are unsure of its correctness, seek the advice of a veterinarian.

Diarrhea in a newborn calf can be caused by improper housing conditions. If the barn is drafty or the owner rarely changes the bedding, young cattle may suffer from infectious and viral diseases. Among the viruses that most often cause symptoms of diarrhea, note:

• escherichiosis;
• rotavirus;
• coronavirus;
• cryptosporidiosis.

Escherichiosis provokes Escherichia coli. Once in the intestines, it causes severe poisoning, which can result in sepsis. Without timely therapy, in 100% of cases, the disease leads to the death of the animal from intoxication.

Diarrhea in a calf is caused by rotavirus, also called intestinal flu. Stale food and violation of hygiene standards in the barn can provoke symptoms of pathology. Without treatment, the animal dies of dehydration on the third day.

Only a qualified veterinarian can accurately determine the cause of a calf's scolding based on laboratory tests and study of the clinical picture.

Symptoms of a pathological condition

If the calf has been snoring, you can try to identify the cause of diarrhea yourself by carefully examining the color of the feces. Each of the shades of the stool speaks of a specific pathology in the animal's body. For example, white diarrhea in calves, it indicates problems with the liver. Diarrhea with mucus may be a consequence inflammatory processes in the large intestine. Fecal masses with blood clots may indicate poisoning poisonous plants or the presence of foreign objects in the body.

Black diarrhea in a calf serious symptom, when determining it, you should immediately call the veterinarian, since you cannot do without hospitalization of the animal. The black color of feces is a sign internal bleeding. It is strictly forbidden to treat diarrhea in calves at home in this case, this can lead to a significant deterioration in the condition or death of the animal. Most likely, with this symptomatology, surgical intervention is required.

Treatment of diarrhea in calves is necessary if the animal experiences the following symptoms:

• increase in body temperature;
• apathy;
• refusal of food;
• increased thirst;
• vomit;
• pallor of mucous membranes;
• rapid weight loss;
• drowsiness;
• impaired coordination of movements.

When you notice these symptoms in your cattle, do not rush to use folk remedies for diarrhea in calves. If the animal is ill with foot and mouth disease or pasteurellosis, then this is unlikely to help. It is necessary to call a specialist as soon as possible and provide him with maximum information about the nature of the development of the disease, as well as the most common symptoms.

Treatment of diarrhea

In a calf, diarrhea at home can only be cured by carefully adhering to the doctor's recommendations and giving the animal prescribed medications in a timely manner. Each of the drugs has its own purposeful effect on the patient's body. Diarrhea in calves is treated with antibiotics if the cause of the pathology is hidden in the infection infectious diseases However, this group of drugs is quite potent before use, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian about the advisability of antibiotic therapy. It is necessary to give Tetracycline or Levomycetin to calves with diarrhea. The dosage is calculated based on 1 kg of live weight per 10-20 mg. drug. Disparcol is used for diarrhea caused by salmonella (0.15 ml / kg).

It is better to give antibiotics for diarrhea in a calf along with enzymes. This group of drugs normalize the balance of microflora in the intestine. Strong drugs tend to kill not only pathogenic microorganisms, but also positive bacteria that support normal bowel function.

Treatment of diarrhea in calves in case of poisoning is usually carried out with the help of sorbents. They absorb toxic substances and eliminate them without affecting the normal flora of the organ. A medicine for diarrhea for calves called Polysorb has proven itself very well. This drug can be dissolved in water and given to the patient to drink or mixed into food with the calculation of 2 tablespoons per 1 dose, daily dose no more than 6 tbsp.

If the calf has diarrhea inflammatory diseases, you need to treat it with the help of Biomycin. The dosage is 10-20 mg per 1 kg of body weight. Calf diarrhea tablets are crushed and added to drinking water. If the patient's condition only worsens and an immediate result is required, it is better to use injections for diarrhea in a calf.

Thinking about what you can give an animal for diarrhea, pay attention to castor oil. It will help cleanse the patient's stomach of toxic substances (the dosage is chosen by the doctor).

Drinking milk is replaced with electrolytes for calves from diarrhea (glucose 5%, Calcium Chloride 10%, Sodium chloride 0.9%, Ringer-Locke solution). It is very useful to use Acidophilus in therapy, it inhibits the putrefactive flora in the body, which will eliminate the processes of fermentation and decay, this will also reduce diarrhea. Doctors recommend giving calves from diarrhea nutrient fluids such as glucose, glycine, bicarbonate, sodium chloride. The doctor calculates the dosage individually based on the age and weight of the patient. Rediar powder for diarrhea in calves serves as an excellent prevention of gastrointestinal disorders, it is recommended to give it once a week, 50 g per 2 liters of water. When acute diarrhea on the first day - 3-4 times, on the second day - 1-2 times a day, dilute 50-100 grams of Rediar in 2 liters of water.

Medical treatment of diarrhea in calves should be prescribed exclusively by a qualified specialist based on general symptoms and a good diagnosis. Under no circumstances should diarrhea in dairy calves be treated using drugs that have been prescribed to other animals with similar symptoms. Inappropriate use of medications can significantly worsen the condition of cattle by increasing painful symptoms.

Home treatment of diarrhea in calves with folk remedies

Traditional medicine will also tell you how to stop diarrhea in calves. Of course, it is unlikely that salmonellosis can be eliminated with herbs alone, but healing tinctures can enhance the effect of medicines and speed up recovery. Our great-grandmothers knew how to treat diarrhea in a calf at home, because once there were no veterinary pharmacies and special clinics for livestock. Folk remedies for the treatment of diarrhea in calves were carried out quite often, as a rule, a decoction of flaxseed was used. It has a tonic and tonic effect. For the treatment of diarrhea in calves, take 50 g of semen per 2 liters of water. Boil for 20 minutes, then cool to room temperature and feed sick cattle for 2-3 days.

Water for diarrhea of ​​a calf with decoctions of oats and rice. Rice allows you to strengthen the feces, and oats stop the fermentation process of food. Decoctions are prepared based on a dosage of 150 g of grain per 1 liter of water. Boil for an hour. Then the product is filtered and only its liquid part is used. It is forbidden to feed a calf with diarrhea with milk; milk should be replaced with these decoctions. They are given until the patient's body recovers and the diarrhea stops.

You can cure diarrhea in a calf at home with a decoction of hop cones and St. John's wort (100 g of raw materials per 1 liter of water). Liquid is given to animals instead of water.

In calves at home, an old recipe based on egg whites will help stop diarrhea. 1 liter of tea leaves is mixed with 3 proteins and 1 tbsp. salt. This tool is recommended to drink the calf from diarrhea at home two to three times. As a rule, this will be enough to eliminate a mild form of diarrhea, with acute form- You should definitely contact your veterinarian.

You can cure a calf from diarrhea at home with the help of beetroot juice. This recipe gives an effect even with the most severe infectious ailments. For therapy, you will need 2 liters of water, half a liter of beetroot juice and an enema can or a heating pad. An enema is made with beetroot juice for 3 days (2 times a day).

What to do if the calf scolds, now you know. Before you start choosing a suitable technique, take care of the optimal conditions necessary for the recovery of the animal. Feeding a calf with diarrhea on the first day is not worth it at all, this will only increase the unpleasant symptoms. The body is already weakened, it is not necessary to overload the gastrointestinal tract with a new portion of food. In the first days after drug therapy, do not try to overfeed the animal. His body itself will let you know when it is ready to eat food in the usual way.

The question of what to do with the development of diarrhea in calves worries every pet breeder. This pathological phenomenon belongs to the type of contagious diseases, affecting in most cases young representatives of cattle. The development of diarrhea and inflammation of the mucous surfaces in gastrointestinal tract is one of the most pressing problems of modern farming and households, as well as the cause of death, both adults and young animals. Despite the ubiquity and fairly frequent occurrence of diarrhea among households and farms, effective medicinal product, which would help to completely cure the animal, has not yet been developed.

The occurrence and development of diarrhea in young animals can be caused by the presence of the following factors:

Diarrhea in calves can develop due to keeping them in a stuffy room.

• decline immune system protection in the calf against the background of colostrum deficiency, the scarcity of its composition, or late feeding;
• stuffiness in the calf room, insufficient ventilation;
• unsanitary conditions and lack of free space;
• transferred stressful shock during a difficult birth of a cow, or during transportation.

It is important to remember that small calves do not know how to determine the level of their saturation, in other words, they do not have a measure of the volume of food eaten, so it is very important to control the amount of food eaten in the early stages of a calf's life.

Buckets and drinkers for drinking and feeding calves should always be clean, they are washed after each feeding. A poorly washed bucket or drinker can cause diarrhea with blood.

In some cases, diarrhea can be caused by improper calf diets, which in most cases can be fatal. It is quite possible to eliminate such a manifestation of diarrhea without the use of medications, but if the development of diarrhea occurred against the background of a viral infection, then it will be much more difficult to eliminate such a pathology. Traditional medicine in this case is simply powerless.

What causes diarrhea in calves

This pathological violation of the digestive processes in the body of young animals, even after the complete elimination of its signs, shows its insidiousness and affects the general health of calves for a long period of time. The development and growth of young animals after suffering diarrhea slow down.

Diarrhea in newborn calves leads to decreased appetite, lethargy and significant weight loss. During the day, during diarrhea, the baby can lose up to 10% of his entire body weight, which is lost with the excreted fluid from the body.

In order to then restore the previous weight, it will take a lot of time and careful care for the baby. Restoration of the previous weight is possible by 20-25 days of age, but the subsequent development of the calf will not be so intense.

Female individuals who have been ill with diarrhea at a young age will no longer become high-yielding cows, and the quantitative volume of milk will be slightly lower than that of a normally developing heifer.

Varieties of diarrhea in young animals

The development of diarrhea in young calves can have the following forms of flow, which differ depending on the causes of its occurrence:

1. Diarrhea in newborn calves up to 1 month old, which can be caused by the peculiarities of the calf's adaptation. Properly established diet, proper care and methods traditional medicine help to quickly put the heifer on its feet and restore the processes of its growth and development. Such a manifestation of the pathology has no danger to the life of the animal.
2. Loose stools caused in calves at 2 months of age and older by a disturbed regimen and diet. The content in food of a large amount of salt, nitrates, toxins, moldy fungi and toxic metals, when it enters the digestive system of a calf, activates the development of complex food intoxication.

In most cases, in calves with the development of the last form of diarrhea, blood streaks are observed in the stool. Treatment of such a manifestation of diarrhea is a rather complicated process, not always ending successfully.

Viral infection

As already mentioned, diarrhea in calves can be caused by the vital activity of viral microorganisms, among which the most common are:

• cryptosporidia;
• E. coli bacteria;
• rotovirus microorganisms;
• coronovirus.

Escherichosis in calves

Violation of the stool in a cub caused by the bacterium U. coli is called escherihoz.

Infection most often occurs in the first week of a calf's life and is accompanied by the following signs:

• intense depletion of the body against the background of severe diarrhea;
• the development of septicemia, that is, the process of blood poisoning;
• subsequent death.

Attention! According to statistics, 45-70% of young animals kept on whole milk are susceptible to the development of escherihosis, which, without proper treatment, leads to the death of the animal.

Rotavirus infection and coronovirus

The emergence of roto viral infection in the young body of an animal that has not reached the age of a week, the development of the following symptoms is accompanied:

• a vivid manifestation of lethargy and apathy towards the whole world around;
• refusal to eat;
• temperature increase;
• liquid stools, the consistency of which may contain yellow mucus;
• the last stage of dehydration of the calf's body can reach a critical limit.

Timely treatment of the rotovirus form of infection of the baby's body will help to avoid a fatal outcome.

Young animals from 8-9 to 21 days are susceptible to cryptosporidium damage, especially in winter or spring. It is important to remember that the insidiousness of cryptosporidium infection is that, after recovery, calves are carriers of this infection for the next 8 months.

Cryptosporidium have high level impact resistance disinfectants and are able to survive in adverse conditions up to 18 months.

The defeat of the body of the calf with this type of infection causes white diarrhea with mucus impurities. Lethal outcome occurs in 50% of cases.

Medical treatment for diarrhea

Many household breeders are wondering how to treat diarrhea in a calf and which remedy is the most effective?

It is important to remember that when the first signs of atypical behavior of young animals appear, the first violations of the digestive system, you should immediately contact a specialist.

Timely prescribed treatment will help to avoid serious consequences. In the event that the occurrence of diarrhea occurs against the background of food poisoning, or exposure to viral microorganisms, medication is prescribed.

Among them, the most effective are:

• Sorbents necessary to prevent the processes of intoxication, help to slow down the processes of intestinal motility, do not affect the ability to absorb food.
• Medicines designed to carry out oral rehydration, which consists in restoring the lack of salts and stopping fluid loss. The preparations include elements such as chlorine, potassium and sodium, as well as glucose and sucrose. have no contraindications and adverse reactions. These are some of the most effective drugs to restore the working capacity of the digestive system of animals.
• With the development of an enzyme disorder of the digestive system, veterinarians prescribe the intake of enzymes.
• Microbial or non-microbial probiotics needed to restore the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract in the heifer.

In order to reduce and prevent the process of dehydration of the calf's body as quickly as possible, it is necessary to reduce the volume of milk.

With the development of an intestinal viral infection, antibiotic preparations are prescribed, among which tetracycline, levomycetin, or biomycin are most often used, at the rate of 10 mg of the drug per 1 kg of animal weight.

With changes in body temperature in a calf, it must be moved to a warm room. You should also be aware that feeding sick calves with milk creates all the conditions for the reproduction of harmful bacteriological microorganisms.

Folk remedies: we treat at home

Among a number of folk recipes from diarrhea, the most effective are:

Only appeared diarrhea with blood impurities can be easily treated with the use of beetroot juice. To do this, prepare 300 ml of beet salt and an enema. The introduction of juice is carried out according to the following scheme: 4 enemas of beet juice are administered in one procedure, repeated every 120 minutes. Newborn babies are recommended to inject 500 ml, and to eliminate diarrhea in a cow, 4 liters will be required.

Preventive measures

Subject to preventive measures keeping pets, the occurrence of diarrhea and other equally serious pathologies in cattle can never be encountered at all.

Among the most important methods of prevention are the following:

• Ensuring favorable conditions of detention in compliance with sanitary standards.
• Proper colostrum feeding technique.
• Rationalized diet of freshly calved cows.
• Milk should not be more than 38 degrees.
• Clear feeding schedule.
• Washing and disinfection of drinking bowls and buckets for feeding after each meal.
• Limitation in the quantitative volume of food eaten, overeating should not be allowed.
• When choosing a milk replacer, it is necessary to opt for only high-quality products.

Ventilation should be provided in the cow and calf housing to ensure air circulation when necessary. Sanitary conditions of cleanliness and timely disinfection in the room will not allow the emergence of pathogenic microflora and cause various pathologies in pets.

Veterinary specialists in most cases with the fight against loose stools in calves recommend:

• Provide free access to clean water, a sick animal should drink as much as it needs.
• Replace colostrum with saline solutions.
• Follow a strict feeding schedule.
• Create warm and cozy conditions for keeping a sick calf.

In 65% of cases with the development of diarrhea in young animals with delayed treatment, a fatal outcome occurs, so it is very important to contact a veterinary specialist in a timely manner to prescribe timely and effective treatment.