New to bottle calves - scours already??

[LHRanch]

I just purchased 5 bottle calves yesterday (well 3, but he gave me 2 for free and now I think I know why!) Three of the bulls are SUPER active. Bouncing around, kicking it up and head butting everyone and everything! One of the bulls will get up to eat and once he is finished go lay down. He also has really watery manure. The heifer was a male/female twin and is really tiny. I have her under a lamp with a blanket on as she is super cold and I don't think she will make it. She drank half a bottle (1 QT). She stumbles a lot... not sure how old she is, I believe 3 days now. Everyone else is 5 days old and one of the active bulls is a month old (but smaller than the others?)

They are all Jerseys.

I bought Kaolin Pectin, Bounce Back, and Calva Milk Powder; the guy sold me a bag of what they were already on. My worry is they were stressed in the trip; 4 hours drive back. I gave them each a bottle last night and again this morning.. But don't want to mess up! How do I give the Kaolin Pectin? Electrolytes?

Every one of them is already picking at the grass hay, even the little heifer. They all lay down and "chew cud" already.

Any help? Tips? I do know that I may lose some of them, but I at least want to do everything right!

[nate77]

Biomycin 200 saved my calves when they were down, LA200 is the same, and easier to find, but I guess it stings when injected.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.h...2-00b0d0204ae5

Mix electrolytes with straight water, or half strength milk replacer.

The pepto, can be mixed with half strength milk replacer too.

Make sure they have calf starter feed also; solid feed, and hay are the best thing for their bellies.

[Donna from Mo]

I take calves off milk or milk replacer immediately if they get scours and give them only electrolytes. If the calf is down, and won't nurse, I tube-feed him electrolytes. When a human baby gets diarrhea, doctors tell you to take them off milk and give them pedialyte. It's the same for calves. I haven't lost a bottle calf in years.

[stanley]

How long can electrolytes only sustain a young calf ? Is that all you feed them should you add a raw egg ?

[Donna from Mo]

I have never had to give them more than two electrolyte feedings before they are back to normal and can have milk again. Usually just one feeding of electrolytes will do it. I also give them some white pills I get from the vet at the first sign of scours. The most important thing is to catch it early.

[Donna from Mo]

I did some googling a while ago about scours and one of the articles, written by a veterinarian, stated that while the thought used be to stop giving sick calves milk and give them only electrolyte solution, that idea has changed. He said you should continue to give them their bottles but feed electrolytes during the day. I wish I had copied and pasted the link to the article.

I will continue doing what I always have, because it has always worked for me. But methods do change with time, so don't take what I say as gospel! The calves I get are always straight from a dairy and disgustingly healthy, so they are never all that sick.

[Hespa]

I alternate between electrolyte feedings and milk or milk replacer. They don't get nutrition from the electrolytes. If the scours are really bad and you are feeding milk replacer, you made need to go to milk and then gradually switch back to milk replacer.