Control of calf scours with Stalosan F

By Jan Storgaard, Stalosan specialist

Especially in calf boxes in the housing units, where proper cleaning and disinfection is impossible, Stalosan F has shown to be able to prevent scours from developing. Also, in calf hutches, after cleaning and disinfection, where small spots of organic material leftovers can house parasites like coccidia and Cryptosporidium, Stalosan F can be used as a final treatment of all surfaces to prevent those pathogens from developing and become infectious. After introduction of calves, regulary addition of Stalosan F to boxes and hutches will keep the calf environment low in pathogens and have a preventative effect on scours.

On the picture to the left, 1 g of manure contains 142.440 Oocysts. This is more than enough to pass on the infection to new calves with following high risk of scours.

After the calves have been introduced into boxes or hutches, the main reason for calf death during the first weeks are scours. This scour period is caused by many different pathogens and therefore makes it very difficult to control. 

Scour period - week by week
In week one, mainly coli induced scours is observed. If the calf is not treated very quickly with antibiotics against E. coli, it has a very high risk of dying.
By the end of week one and the entire week two, E. coli infections are followed by viruses like Rotavirus, which there is no treatments against. At that point, calves are vaccinated to prevent disease and given extra liquid and electrolytes in case of a scour outbreak. Also, Cryptosporidium starts up in week two and here the usual treatment is Halufuginone. Even though treatments are done in time and correctly, some calves will die due to Rotavirus and Cryptosporidium.
Rotavirus and Cryptosporidium continue to infect calves in week three and to make the situation even worse, salmonella will start to infect calves and cause scours. In week four to twelwe, salmonella continues to infect calves, but also coccidia will start to infect. Treatments are antibiotics and coccidiostats, respectively.
As described above, the conventional treatment programme to control calf scours can be quite substantial and difficult. In contrast, the regular use of Stalosan F that works against all pathogens during all weeks, provides a simple and effective control of calf scours.