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As I write this, we are again in a heat wave with a number of days over 30 degrees and no rain forecast. Not only does this result in a challenge for winter forage but also causes heat stress in cows and we shouldn't forget the calves either. Hot weather can exacerbate dehydration in calves quickly and we should remember this is the biggest killer in calves under 2w.

Numbers of calves showing scour are generally worse through the winter as their energy demands are higher. Also, due to the damp conditions scour bugs can more easily pass from pen to pen. However, if an outbreak hits through the summer often mortality rates can be higher, worsened by dehydration due to the heat.

Summer should be a good time to try and get a "deep clean" of the calf shed using the UV sunlight and quicker drying times. During this time ideally the whole shed should be emptied and deep cleaned for 2w. If this is not possible, doing a pen at a time is an option. Also ensure that the disinfectant that you are using is compliant with your milk contract but is also active against crypto and cocci and that you rest pens for 14d to get best results.

Making resilient calves

Rota virus and Crypto are the two most common bugs we test for in calf scour samples. Rota virus is a virus that is present on all farms and is strongly linked to colostrum management. Crypto is a single-celled parasite that can also infect people, so please wash your hands and be careful. Crypto is now present on many farms and managing it is strongly linked to hygiene of calf pens, group size and time in the calving pen. When these two bugs act together this can be disastrous on calf health and welfare as well as economics.

Making your calves more resilient against these as well as other bugs is key. Ensuring that they have adequate space and a good level of straw is key. I aim for 3m2 space per calf, however 2.5m2 is often adequate, below that disease management will always be a struggle. Straw is going to be limited this year, however, ensuring that there is a layer between the calves and the other faeces in the pen is massively important when preventing outbreaks as all scour bugs are transferred from faeces to the calves' mouth.  

Ensuring the calves have good nutrition is also important. This can be a real challenge when it comes to scours as often these calves don't want to drink high volumes. Calves at around one week of age should still be able to digest 3L twice a day of a good quality powder or safe transition milk. This will give them the energy to fight the bugs as well as trying to create their own immunity. Limiting calves at the vital age can make scours worse. 

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