Six common but subtle signs of diarrhea in calves

Cows suffering from digestive disorders such as abomasal displacement are increasing every week, as are cases of mastitis. The only thing that hasn’t really started yet are the sick calves.

Every year it follows the same pattern. We move on, weave through calls and routine work, and let ourselves be lulled into a false sense of security.

“Maybe this year won’t be such a bad year for sick calves,” he was told last week by one of the more naïve farmers. Unfortunately, it will soon be fixed.

There are more cows calved in less time this year than ever before. However, a shortage of skilled labor combined with rapidly filling up calf sheds means the health of calves on many farms is delicately at stake.

It only takes one event to tip it in the wrong direction and last Friday was one of them. Storm Eunice brought with it rain, sleet and even snow.

The dramatic drop in temperature combined with a vicious wind whistling through every gap in a door or tarp put many calves to the test. Inevitably, by the time you read this, sick calves will have started to appear.

We constantly talk about preventing disease in calves, but we also need to focus on treating sick calves because even with the best facilities and health plans, a calf can still get sick.

As with all sick animals, early detection is vital, so we will first look at early signs of illness in calves, as this will ultimately decide the success of treatment options.

The main causes of illness in young calves are diarrhea and pneumonia. When it comes to diarrhea, I know many of you will be thinking, “Of course, if you can’t spot a calf with diarrhea, you shouldn’t farm at all.”

Yes, it is very easy to spot a runaway calf when it raises its tail and what looks like colored water squirts through the shed. However, at this point, this calf has probably been sick for a few days and it will take a lot of time, effort and attention to make sure it recovers.

There are more subtle signs which, if detected, can allow for much earlier treatment and much faster recovery.

1. The first sign will be visible at the calf feeder. A calf that begins to develop diarrhea will come to the feeder and latch on to the teat like the others in the group. However, after a few feedings, it will often move away from the teat before closing. It will repeat this behavior until the magazine is removed. Phrases like “he had fun with the teat” or “she drank her food, but barely” will set off alarm bells that the calf in question is getting sick. Calves on an automatic feeder are easier to spot because the daily report will show that the total amount of milk was not drunk that day.
2. The following sign will be visible when the calf stands up. In the middle of the day, when all the calves are comfortably lying down, it is worth standing them all up. A healthy and comfortable calf should stretch to the point where you think it is about to drop. A “half stretch” or no stretch means the calf deserves attention. Another sign that a calf is developing diarrhea may be a hunched appearance. Scouring will cause abdominal discomfort and a calf will stand upright with a slightly arched back and tucked abdomen.
3. Assuming there is a supply of fresh water in the pen, a calf that develops diarrhea will be seen to drink more water than normal.
4. A calf that develops pneumonia will show many of the signs already mentioned along with a few other important signs. An increased respiratory rate will be a sure sign that an affected calf will take shorter and much faster breaths than normal. Normally a calf will take between 20 and 30 breaths per minute – set the timer on your phone or watch for 30 seconds and count the breaths – it’s really, really easy. Temperature is the parameter that everyone knows best when it comes to pneumonia. Any calf with a temperature above 39.5 C or 10.5 F requires immediate attention.
5. We are all also familiar with pictures of calves with obvious discolored nasal discharge, but there is a much more subtle type of nasal discharge in the early stages of calf pneumonia. A clear discharge will be visible from the nostrils of affected calves. As veterinarians, we are often called upon to care for a sick calf, but when we get to the farm, multiple calves in the same pen will show the subtle signs of a small, clear nasal discharge. You will look at one of these calves and he will lick his nose and the discharge will be gone. If you spend time observing all the calves in the pen, you will certainly see many of them doing this.

Other less common signs include a calf lying in an unusual area of ​​the pen, holding one ear lower than the other (a lobed ear) and holding its head lower than normal or with its neck slightly extended.

This may all sound very basic, but experience has shown us all that the sooner a sick calf is treated, the better the results. For example, when it comes to pneumonia, if a calf is not treated in time, not only is the chance of recovery reduced, but the chance of a pneumonia relapse also increases dramatically.

It has been shown that a calf that has more than two cases of pneumonia at the start of its life develops less well throughout its life. If this calf is a dairy heifer, its milk production in its first lactation will be lower and it will have less chance of becoming a calf again and remaining in the herd.

Ultimately, detecting a disease a day earlier this spring can add years to a cow’s life in the future. A little effort just to watch the calves over the next few weeks could yield a massive return for years to come.

Eamon O’Connell is a veterinarian at Summerhill Vet Clinic, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.