Calf Scours Electrolytes: When and How to Treat at Home

Name: Calf Scours Electrolytes: When and How to Treat at Home
Creator: Dr. Zubair Khalid

By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD · 2026-09-27

Oral electrolytes are the backbone of calf scours treatment for any calf that can still stand and suckle. A calf with diarrhea loses water, sodium, chloride, potassium, and bicarbonate in the manure, and it also stops absorbing fluid normally from the gut. Oral electrolyte solutions replace that fluid and correct the acid-base disturbance that develops alongside dehydration. Home treatment works when the calf is alert, has a strong suckle reflex, can stand, and has no fever, no blood in the feces, and no signs of systemic illness. When any of those conditions fail, the calf needs a veterinarian and likely intravenous (IV) fluids.

This article explains what causes scours in calves, how to grade dehydration with your hands and eyes, what a well-formulated oral electrolyte contains, why milk should keep going into the calf, and exactly when to stop home treatment and call for help.

This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.

Key Takeaways

Calf scours is a syndrome with infectious and nutritional causes, and oral electrolytes are the backbone of treatment for any calf that can still stand and suckle.
Infectious scours in neonatal calves is most often caused by Escherichia coli, rotavirus, coronavirus, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Salmonella species, which damage the intestinal lining and reduce fluid absorption.
A calf is a candidate for home oral electrolyte treatment when it is alert, has a strong suckle reflex, can stand, and has no fever, no blood in the feces, and no signs of systemic illness.
A good oral electrolyte contains sodium to drive water absorption, glucose or dextrose for energy and coupled sodium transport, and an alkalinizing agent such as bicarbonate, acetate, or citrate to correct metabolic acidosis.
Milk should keep going into a scouring calf because withholding milk deepens the energy deficit and impairs gut repair, but bicarbonate-based electrolytes should be separated from milk by at least two hours.

At a Glance: Home Treatment Versus Call the Veterinarian

Assessment finding	Home oral electrolytes	Call the veterinarian
Suckle reflex	Strong, drinks eagerly	Weak, intermittent, or absent
Standing ability	Stands and walks normally	Down, or stands only with help
Eye position	Normal or only slightly sunken	Clearly sunken into the socket
Skin tent (neck or eyelid)	Snaps back in 1 to 2 seconds	Stays tented about 4 seconds or longer
Mouth and gums	Warm and moist	Cold, dry, or tacky
Feces	Loose to watery, no blood	Blood, mucus with blood, or very foul dark stool
Rectal temperature	Normal (approximately 101.5 to 103 F)	Fever or below-normal temperature
Attitude	Alert, interested in surroundings	Depressed, droopy ears, lying flat
Abdominal shape	Normal	Distended, painful to press

Use this table as a triage tool, not a diagnosis. A calf that scores well on every line can usually be managed with oral electrolytes and continued milk feeding under a plan you have discussed with your veterinarian. A calf that fails any line in the right-hand column needs veterinary attention the same day.

What Causes Scours in Calves?

Calf scours is not one disease. It is a syndrome with infectious and nutritional causes that often overlap. Knowing the likely cause helps you understand why some calves respond to oral electrolytes alone and others need specific veterinary treatment.

Infectious Causes

The major infectious causes in neonatal calves are Escherichia coli, rotavirus, coronavirus, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Salmonella species. These organisms damage the lining of the small intestine or colon, which reduces the surface area available for absorbing fluid and nutrients. The result is a net loss of water and electrolytes into the gut lumen.

Cryptosporidium parvum deserves particular attention because it is common and because it is a zoonotic pathogen, meaning it can infect people. A global meta-analysis of dairy calves found that the pooled prevalence of C. parvum was 21.9 percent overall and 33.6 percent among diarrheic calves [1]. Cryptosporidiosis is a leading cause of calf diarrhea worldwide and is associated with substantial economic losses in dairy farming [2]. The parasite is highly resistant to many disinfectants and spreads easily through contaminated bedding, water, and equipment.

Colostrum quality matters for cryptosporidiosis specifically. A study of 50 dams and their calves found a negative correlation between the level of anti-C. parvum IgG antibodies in colostrum and the development of clinical cryptosporidiosis, which highlights the importance of adequate colostrum intake in the first day of life [3].

Rotavirus and C. parvum frequently appear together on farms. A cross-sectional study of 62 commercial dairy herds in Germany found a positive association between the occurrence of watery feces and detection of C. parvum in pre-weaned calves [4]. The same study found that farms which continued feeding milk to calves during periods of diarrhea had lower six-month mortality than farms that did not, 6.9 percent versus 12.4 percent [4].

Nutritional Causes

Nutritional scours results from feeding errors rather than infection. Overfeeding, inconsistent mixing of milk replacer, cold milk, abrupt diet changes, and poor-quality milk replacer can all produce loose manure. A study of 758 calves over six years found that feeding deliberately acidified (soured) colostrum and milk products was associated with a diarrhea rate of 22 percent compared with 41 percent when normal milk products were fed [5]. That study also found that a dietetic powder shortened the duration of nonspecific diarrhea to one or two days, while calves with poor general health needed specific treatment [5].

Feeding technique matters. Calves are functionally monogastric for the first weeks of life, and milk that enters the rumen instead of bypassing it through the esophageal groove can cause indigestion and diarrhea [6]. Cold milk and fast drinking are often blamed for poor groove closure, but a radiographic study found no milk in the rumen even when calves drank milk as cold as 8 C (46 F) quickly [6].

Age Patterns

Most infectious scours occurs in the first two to three weeks of life. E. coli tends to strike in the first few days. Rotavirus and coronavirus typically appear from about five days to three weeks. Cryptosporidium commonly appears from four days to three weeks. Salmonella can appear at any age and often causes more severe systemic disease. The German herd study sampled calves from 7 to 21 days of age, which reflects the peak window for rotavirus and C. parvum detection [4].

How Dehydration Develops in a Scouring Calf

Understanding the physiology explains why oral electrolytes work and why timing matters.

A healthy calf absorbs most of its fluid, sodium, and chloride in the small intestine and reclaims bicarbonate to keep blood pH in a narrow range. When the intestinal lining is damaged, absorption falls and secretion rises. Water follows sodium into the gut lumen and leaves the body in the manure. The calf loses bicarbonate at the same time, which pushes blood pH down and produces metabolic acidosis.

Metabolic acidosis is the reason a scouring calf can look weak before it looks severely dehydrated. Acidosis depresses the calf's willingness to drink, dulls its suckle reflex, and reduces muscle strength. A study of 31 diarrheic dairy calves found a mean blood pH of 7.26, mean base excess of minus 4.93 mM, and mean strong ion difference of 38.59 mM, and the clinical assessment score correlated strongly with pH, bicarbonate, and base excess [7]. In other words, the sicker the calf looks, the more acidotic it usually is.

This is why the electrolyte solution must do two jobs at once. It must replace lost fluid and sodium, and it must supply an alkalinizing agent to correct acidosis. A solution that only replaces salt water without addressing acid-base status will leave the calf weak and slow to recover.

Assessing Dehydration at Home

You do not need a laboratory to grade dehydration. Four physical checks, done in the same order every time, give you a reliable picture.

Eye Recession

Look at the calf from the front and from the side. In a well-hydrated calf, the eyeball sits flush in the socket. As dehydration worsens, the eye sinks back and the space between the eye and the eyelid becomes visible. Mild dehydration produces a slight gap. Moderate dehydration produces a clear hollow. Severe dehydration produces a deeply sunken eye that is obvious from across the pen.

Skin Tent

Pinch a fold of skin on the side of the neck and release it. In a hydrated calf the fold flattens immediately. In a dehydrated calf the fold stays raised. The longer it stays tented, the worse the dehydration. You can also tent the upper eyelid, which is more sensitive to small fluid deficits.

Suckle Reflex

Offer a clean finger or a bottle. A healthy calf sucks firmly and immediately. A mildly dehydrated calf sucks but with less enthusiasm. A moderately dehydrated calf sucks weakly and may let the nipple fall. A severely dehydrated calf does not suck at all. The suckle reflex is one of the most useful single indicators because it tells you whether oral therapy is still an option. A calf that cannot suckle cannot be rehydrated by mouth.

Standing Ability and Attitude

Watch the calf stand and walk. A calf that stands and walks normally is a candidate for home treatment. A calf that stands but is unsteady, or that stands only when encouraged, is borderline. A calf that cannot stand, or that stands with a hunched back and a tucked abdomen, is a veterinary emergency.

Cold Mouth and Extremities

Feel the inside of the mouth and the ears and legs. A warm, moist mouth suggests adequate circulation. A cold, dry mouth, cold ears, or cold lower legs suggest that blood is being shunted away from the periphery to protect the core, which happens with significant dehydration and shock.

Combining the Signs

No single sign is definitive. Use them together. A calf with a slightly sunken eye, a skin tent that snaps back in two seconds, a strong suckle, and a warm mouth is mildly dehydrated and can usually be managed at home. A calf with a clearly sunken eye, a tent that holds for four seconds, a weak suckle, and cold ears needs a veterinarian.

What a Good Oral Electrolyte Contains

Not all electrolyte products are equal. The formulation determines whether the calf actually absorbs the fluid and corrects its acidosis. Look for three components.

Sodium

Sodium is the primary driver of water absorption in the gut. Without adequate sodium, water stays in the lumen and the diarrhea worsens. Sodium also helps restore circulating blood volume. The optimal concentration and the balance of ions matter. A study comparing three oral rehydration and buffering solutions with different strong ion difference (SID) concentrations found that the highest SID tested, 230 mM, produced significant increases in blood pH, bicarbonate, base excess, SID, and sodium at 6 and 24 hours after treatment, while solutions at 100 mM and 170 mM produced no significant changes in any blood gas parameter [8]. That study concluded that the optimum SID concentration for treating diarrheic calves is likely higher than previously recommended [8]. It was a small study of 18 calves, and extension guidance still points to products with roughly 90 to 130 mmol/L of sodium and an SID of about 60 to 80 mmol/L.

Glucose or Dextrose for Energy

Glucose does two things. It provides energy to a calf that is not eating well, and it enhances sodium and water absorption through a coupled transport mechanism in the small intestine. A hypertonic oral electrolyte solution with glucose was shown to raise plasma glucose, lactate, and insulin concentrations in diarrheic calves, confirming that the glucose is absorbed and used [9].

An Alkalinizing Agent

The alkalinizing agent corrects metabolic acidosis. Common choices are bicarbonate, acetate, citrate, and propionate. A randomized trial comparing three electrolyte formulations, each standardized to provide 50 mmol/L of blood buffers, used sodium bicarbonate, a mixed buffer of bicarbonate plus citrate plus acetate plus potassium citrate, and sodium acetate alone [11]. All three approaches can work, but they are not interchangeable in every situation.

A classic review of oral fluid therapy in neonatal ruminants recommended products containing 40 to 80 mEq/L of alkalinizing agent for best results, with higher concentrations possibly more effective in older calves [12]. That review also made a practical distinction that still guides feeding schedules today. Products containing bicarbonate or a metabolizable base can be used when the calf is held off milk, but only solutions that contain a metabolizable base should be used if the calf is fed milk that day [12].

Why the Bicarbonate and Milk Interaction Matters

Bicarbonate raises abomasal pH. When milk is present in the abomasum, a rise in pH can interfere with curd formation and digestion. A study of diarrheic calves fed different levels of milk alongside oral electrolytes found that electrolyte solutions containing bicarbonate reduced growth rates in milk-fed calves [10]. The same study concluded that continued milk feeding was beneficial and that bicarbonate-containing electrolytes should be avoided when milk is fed to diarrheic calves [10].

The practical rule is simple. If you are using a bicarbonate-based electrolyte, separate it from milk by at least two hours. Feed milk first, wait, then feed electrolytes, or feed electrolytes first, wait, then feed milk. If you are using an acetate-based or other metabolizable-base electrolyte, you have more flexibility, but separating feedings by an hour or two is still good practice.

Why Calves Should Keep Receiving Milk

The old advice to starve a scouring calf is wrong. Withholding milk removes the nutrients the calf needs to fight infection and repair the gut, and it deepens the energy deficit that acidosis already creates.

A study of 19 diarrheic calves fed either a full milk ration, half a ration, or no milk found that a full milk ration allowed uninterrupted weight gains of 1 percent body weight per day, while calves fed no milk developed pronounced thymic atrophy, a sign of immune suppression [10]. The same study found that milk feeding increased the mitotic index of the duodenal mucosa, indicating better mucosal regeneration [10]. The authors concluded that continued feeding of milk to diarrheic calves was beneficial [10].

A large herd-level study supports this. Farms that continued feeding milk to calves during diarrhea had lower six-month mortality than farms that withheld milk, 6.9 percent versus 12.4 percent [4].

An older review acknowledged that withdrawing milk for up to 24 to 36 hours is not necessarily harmful in a calf that is in good condition, but noted that milk withdrawal is most likely to be beneficial only in calves that are losing their sucking reflex [12]. That is a narrow exception, not a general rule. For the typical scouring calf that still suckles, keep feeding milk.

How to Schedule Milk and Electrolytes

The goal is to deliver both milk and electrolytes without overwhelming the calf or interfering with milk digestion.

A practical schedule for a calf that is still suckling:

Continue the normal milk or milk replacer feedings at the usual volume and frequency.
Add electrolyte feedings between milk feedings, not mixed into the milk.
If using a bicarbonate-based electrolyte, leave at least two hours between the electrolyte feeding and the milk feeding.
Offer small, frequent electrolyte feedings rather than one large one. A common approach is 2 liters per feeding for a calf that is still on milk, with total daily electrolyte volume adjusted to the severity of diarrhea.

A review of oral fluid therapy recommended feeding oral electrolyte solutions at 4 to 6 liters per day when diarrhea is profuse or the calf is depressed, and reducing the volume as the calf improves and the diarrhea lessens [12]. The same review suggested continuing at least 2 liters per day as long as the calf scours [12]. In a study of newly transported calves, giving oral electrolytes for one, two, or three days after arrival did not affect lying time, and calves given two days of electrolytes had less moderate dehydration than untreated calves [13].

Feeding Technique

Use a clean bottle or esophageal feeder. If you use an esophageal feeder, follow your veterinarian's instructions exactly, because improper placement can deliver fluid into the trachea. Warm the solution to body temperature. Cold solutions can chill a weak calf. Feed at a steady pace and stop if the calf coughs or struggles.

Treating Scours in Calves at Home: Step by Step

This is the home protocol for a calf that passes the triage table on the left side.

Isolate the calf. Move it to a clean, dry, well-bedded pen away from other calves. This reduces pathogen spread and gives you a quiet place to monitor it.
Assess hydration. Record eye position, skin tent time, suckle strength, standing ability, mouth temperature, and rectal temperature. Write it down so you can compare at the next check.
Start oral electrolytes. Use a product that contains sodium, glucose or dextrose, and an alkalinizing agent. Follow the label for mixing. Do not mix it stronger than directed.
Keep feeding milk. Continue the normal milk ration. Separate electrolyte feedings from milk feedings by at least two hours if the electrolyte contains bicarbonate.
Reassess every 4 to 6 hours. Repeat the hydration checks. A calf that is improving will have a stronger suckle, a less sunken eye, and a faster skin tent. A calf that is not improving, or that is getting worse, needs a veterinarian.
Keep clean water available. A calf that is drinking water on its own is a good sign. Do not force water.
Record everything. Note the time, the volume of milk, the volume of electrolytes, the fecal consistency, and the hydration findings. This record is what your veterinarian needs to make decisions.

What Not to Do at Home

Do not give human sports drinks. They are formulated for human electrolyte needs and do not provide the alkalinizing support a scouring calf requires.
Do not give homemade salt and sugar solutions unless your veterinarian has given you a specific recipe. Getting the sodium concentration wrong can worsen dehydration or cause sodium toxicity.
Do not give antibiotics without veterinary direction. Antibiotics do not treat viral or cryptosporidial scours, and inappropriate use drives antimicrobial resistance.
Do not withhold milk from a calf that is still suckling.
Do not use a bicarbonate electrolyte and milk in the same feeding.
Do not continue home treatment if the calf fails any red flag.

Red Flags: When to Call the Veterinarian

Call your veterinarian immediately if any of the following are present.

The calf is down and cannot stand, or stands only with help.
The suckle reflex is weak or absent.
The eye is deeply sunken or the skin tent holds for more than four seconds.
The mouth is cold or the ears and legs are cold.
There is blood in the feces, or the feces are dark and foul-smelling.
The calf has a fever or a below-normal rectal temperature.
The abdomen is distended or painful.
The calf is depressed, with droopy ears and no interest in surroundings.
The calf is not improving after 12 to 24 hours of correct oral electrolyte therapy.
The calf is younger than 24 to 48 hours old and scouring.

A calf that is down, has a weak suckle, or is severely dehydrated needs IV fluids. Oral therapy cannot rescue a calf that cannot absorb from the gut or that is in shock. A study of dehydrated, inappetent diarrheic calves found that treatment with hypertonic saline or hypertonic bicarbonate followed by oral electrolyte solution corrected dehydration within 18 hours and acidosis within 24 hours for saline and 6 hours for bicarbonate in successfully treated calves, but treatment failed in calves with more severe metabolic acidosis [14]. That study also found that calves with slight metabolic acidosis, defined as a base excess greater than minus 10 mM, could be treated successfully with hypertonic saline, while bicarbonate was more appropriate for calves with more severe acidosis and no respiratory problems [14]. The decision between these options belongs to your veterinarian.

Another study compared IV acetate Ringer, lactate Ringer, isotonic sodium bicarbonate, and small-volume hypertonic 7.2 percent sodium chloride, each followed by 2 liters of oral electrolyte solution, in 32 calves with moderate dehydration and metabolic acidosis [15]. The hypertonic saline plus oral electrolyte combination produced faster improvement in plasma volume and sodium and a faster drop in serum total protein within 30 minutes than the other three groups [15]. This is the kind of decision your veterinarian makes based on the calf's specific presentation.

Veterinary Examination and Diagnostics

When your veterinarian arrives, expect a structured assessment.

Physical Examination

Your veterinarian will confirm the hydration findings you recorded, check for fever, palpate the abdomen for distension or pain, assess lung sounds, and evaluate the calf's mentation and posture. The posture matters for treatment decisions. A study of 121 calves with neonatal diarrhea found that many calves were able to stand after being lifted despite base excess levels below minus 20 mmol/L, and that acidosis was undercorrected in those calves with a standard bicarbonate dose intended for calves standing insecurely [16]. Posture is a treatment guide, not just an observation.

Fecal Diagnostics

Fecal testing identifies the pathogen and guides specific treatment. Enzyme immunoassay and PCR can detect rotavirus and Cryptosporidium species [17]. Identifying the pathogen helps your veterinarian decide whether specific anticryptosporidial treatment is warranted.

Blood Gas and Electrolytes

Blood gas analysis measures pH, bicarbonate, base excess, sodium, potassium, chloride, and strong ion difference. These values tell your veterinarian how severe the acidosis is and whether IV therapy is needed. A study of diarrheic calves found that clinical assessment scores correlated strongly with pH, bicarbonate, and base excess, which means your physical exam findings are a reasonable proxy when laboratory testing is not immediately available [7].

Specific Treatment for Cryptosporidiosis

Halofuginone and azithromycin have efficacy against Cryptosporidium parvum in calves, and their administration should be considered in calves documented or suspected to have cryptosporidiosis [18]. These are prescription treatments. Do not attempt to source or use them without veterinary direction.

Antibiotics: Only Under Veterinary Direction

Antibiotics are not a routine treatment for calf scours. Most scours in calves is viral, cryptosporidial, or nutritional, and antibiotics do nothing for those causes.

Antibiotics have a role in calves with systemic signs of illness. A review of ancillary treatments for calf diarrhea concluded that adjunct treatment should be routinely undertaken in all calves with systemic signs of illness, manifest as fever, inappetence, or lethargy, and that ancillary treatments with documented efficacy include parenteral antimicrobials with a predominantly gram-negative spectrum, parenteral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as meloxicam and flunixin meglumine, and continued feeding of cow's milk [18].

That is a decision for your veterinarian. The choice of drug, dose, route, and duration depends on the calf's age, the suspected pathogen, local resistance patterns, and legal withdrawal requirements. Using antibiotics without direction wastes money, exposes the calf to unnecessary risk, and contributes to antimicrobial resistance.

The waste milk issue is related. Feeding waste milk from antibiotic-treated cows exposes calves to subtherapeutic antimicrobial levels. A study that simulated waste milk by adding amoxicillin and neomycin to milk replacer examined the effects on growth, health, fecal microbiota, and antimicrobial resistance in dairy heifer calves [19]. The concern about resistance is real and is one more reason to use antibiotics only when a veterinarian prescribes them for a specific indication.

Biosecurity and Zoonotic Risk

Calf scours pathogens do not stay on the farm. Cryptosporidium parvum and Salmonella are zoonotic, which means they can infect people, especially children, elderly adults, and immunocompromised individuals.

Cryptosporidium

Cryptosporidium parvum is a significant zoonotic pathogen that commonly occurs in dairy cattle [1]. The global prevalence in dairy calves is 21.9 percent overall and 33.6 percent in diarrheic calves [1]. The dominant zoonotic subtype family is IIa, which accounted for 72.2 percent of typed isolates in the meta-analysis [1]. This means the parasite circulating in your calf pens is often the same type that causes human illness.

Salmonella

Salmonella is also zoonotic and can cause severe human gastroenteritis. It spreads through fecal contamination of feed, water, and equipment. A calf with bloody diarrhea and fever should be handled with extra care.

Practical Biosecurity Steps

Wear disposable gloves when handling scouring calves, especially when cleaning manure.
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after any contact with a scouring calf or its bedding. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not reliably kill Cryptosporidium.
Keep children away from scouring calves and from manure-contaminated areas.
Use dedicated boots and coveralls for the calf pen, and do not wear them into the house.
Clean and disinfect feeding equipment between calves. Cryptosporidium oocysts are resistant to many common disinfectants, so use a product labeled for cryptosporidiosis and follow the contact time.
Remove manure promptly and keep bedding dry.
Do not feed waste milk from antibiotic-treated cows without veterinary guidance.
Isolate scouring calves from healthy calves.
A study of herd management found that routine shifting of calves from the calving box into calf boxes was associated with less C. parvum detection compared with individual moving of calves, which supports consistent, planned calf movement rather than ad hoc handling [4].

Colostrum as Prevention

Colostrum management is the single most important preventive measure. The level of anti-C. parvum IgG antibodies in colostrum is negatively correlated with the development of clinical cryptosporidiosis, which means calves that receive good colostrum in the first day of life are better protected [3]. Work with your veterinarian on a colostrum protocol that measures quality and ensures adequate intake.

Prevention on the Farm

Prevention is cheaper than treatment and far cheaper than death loss.

Colostrum. Feed adequate, high-quality colostrum within the first hours of life. This is the foundation of calf immunity.
Vaccination. Scours vaccines given to pregnant cows before calving, against rotavirus, coronavirus, and E. coli K99, raise antibody levels in colostrum, so they protect calves only if the calves drink that colostrum. Work with your veterinarian on a vaccination program appropriate for your herd.
Consistent feeding. Mix milk replacer accurately, feed at a consistent temperature, and avoid abrupt diet changes.
Clean environment. Dry bedding, clean water, and clean feeding equipment reduce pathogen load.
Consistent calf movement. Planned, routine movement of calves from the calving area to calf pens was associated with lower C. parvum detection than individual moving [4].
Monitor and record. Early detection of scours allows early oral electrolyte treatment, which is far more effective than waiting until the calf is severely dehydrated.

Prognosis

The prognosis for a scouring calf depends on how early treatment starts and how severe the dehydration and acidosis are at the time treatment begins.

Calves treated early with oral electrolytes while they still suckle and stand generally recover well. A study of diarrheic calves treated with a European Commission-compliant oral rehydration and buffering solution found that the mean clinical assessment score dropped from 1.7 before treatment to 0.38 at 6 to 18 hours after treatment and to 0.03 within 24 to 48 hours, with 98 percent of calves scoring 0 at the final assessment [7]. That is a strong recovery curve for calves treated while still in reasonable condition.

Calves that are down, inappetent, or severely acidotic have a more guarded prognosis and require IV therapy. A study of dehydrated, inappetent calves found that treatment failures were associated with more severe metabolic acidosis before treatment [14]. This is why the red flags matter. The earlier you call, the better the odds.

Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian

This article describes general principles of oral electrolyte therapy for calf scours. It cannot replace an examination of your specific calf. Individual calves differ in age, hydration status, acid-base status, pathogen exposure, colostrum history, and concurrent disease, and those differences change the treatment plan.

Contact your veterinarian if your calf is down, has a weak or absent suckle reflex, has a deeply sunken eye or a skin tent that holds for more than four seconds, has a cold mouth or cold extremities, has blood in the feces, has a fever or a below-normal temperature, has a distended or painful abdomen, is not improving after 12 to 24 hours of correct oral electrolyte therapy, or is younger than 24 to 48 hours old and scouring. Contact your veterinarian before starting any antibiotic, before using any prescription anticryptosporidial drug, and before changing a milk feeding program for a sick calf. If you are unsure whether your calf meets the criteria for home treatment, call. A phone call is cheaper than a dead calf.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I treat calf scours at home with electrolytes?

Yes, if the calf can still stand and suckle and has no fever, no blood in the feces, and no signs of systemic illness. Oral electrolytes are the backbone of treatment for these calves. A calf that is down, has a weak suckle, or is severely dehydrated needs a veterinarian and IV fluids.

What should a good oral electrolyte for calves contain?

Look for sodium, glucose or dextrose for energy, and an alkalinizing agent such as acetate, bicarbonate, or citrate. A study comparing electrolyte formulations found that a higher strong ion difference produced better correction of blood pH and bicarbonate than lower concentrations [8].

Should I stop feeding milk when a calf has scours?

No. Continue feeding milk to a calf that is still suckling. A study of diarrheic calves found that a full milk ration allowed uninterrupted weight gain and supported mucosal regeneration, while calves fed no milk developed thymic atrophy [10]. Herd data also show lower mortality on farms that continued milk during diarrhea [4].

How do I separate electrolyte feedings from milk feedings?

If your electrolyte contains bicarbonate, leave at least two hours between the electrolyte feeding and the milk feeding. Bicarbonate raises abomasal pH and can interfere with milk digestion when the two are given together [10]. Acetate-based electrolytes are more flexible, but separating feedings by an hour or two is still good practice.

How much oral electrolyte should I give a scouring calf?

A review of oral fluid therapy recommended 4 to 6 liters per day when diarrhea is profuse or the calf is depressed, reducing the volume as the calf improves, and continuing at least 2 liters per day as long as the calf scours [12]. Follow the product label and your veterinarian's instructions for your specific calf.

How often should I check a scouring calf?

Check every 4 to 6 hours. Record eye position, skin tent time, suckle strength, standing ability, mouth temperature, and rectal temperature. A calf that is improving will have a stronger suckle, a less sunken eye, and a faster skin tent. A calf that is not improving after 12 to 24 hours needs a veterinarian.

Can I give my calf antibiotics for scours?

Only under veterinary direction. Most scours is viral, cryptosporidial, or nutritional, and antibiotics do not treat those causes. Antibiotics have a role in calves with systemic signs such as fever, inappetence, or lethargy, and the choice of drug and dose belongs to your veterinarian [18].

Is calf scours contagious to people?

Yes. Cryptosporidium parvum and Salmonella are zoonotic and can infect people. C. parvum is common in dairy calves, with a global prevalence of 21.9 percent overall and 33.6 percent in diarrheic calves [1]. Wear gloves, wash hands with soap and water, and keep children away from scouring calves and contaminated bedding.