Oral rehydration therapy for scouring calves and lambs
Oral rehydration therapy for scouring calves and lambs
Oral rehydration therapy for scouring calves and lambs
Scour can present a big problem for farmers, providing a double hit of reduced weight gain and deaths during an outbreak but also impacting the production prospects of surviving animals.
Understanding why and how scour happens is important to make sure that the right approach is being used to tackle it, ensuring losses are minimised now and into the future.
- Calves should receive 4 litres or 10% of bodyweight (equivalent to ~20 mins continuous sucking from dam) within the first 4 (preferably 2) hours of birth. A further 2 litres should be received within 12 hours of birth.
- Lambs should receive 210-290ml/kg body weight within 24 hours of birth. The first feed should be within 2 hours of birth.
- Is the best energy source for weight gain
- Provides fluids
- Contains the building blocks (glutamine) for gut repair
- Contains immunoglobulins to help build immunity against disease
- Has antimicrobial effects
- Maintains abomasal pH levels for optimal digestion
- Increase average daily weight gain across the period until weaning and therefore increase bodyweight at weaning1
- Reduce the age at first calving*
- Stimulate mammary gland development2
- Increase yield in first lactation3
Understanding the deadly nature of dehydration and acidosis is key to choosing the right approach to tackling scour. Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) is essential to correct the dehydration and acidosis that scour causes, giving the animal the best chance to recover and maintain weight. Rehydion allows continued milk feeding during scour, so you can make Milk Matter.
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