An overview of calf diarrhea - infectious etiology, diagnosis, and intervention

Cho, Yong-il; Yoon, Kyoung-Jin

for rotational calving or cow-calf segregation, a corn or soybean field can be utilized as a calving lot or for isolating sick animals in lieu of a pasture area during the off-season (e.g., after harvesting or before crop cultivation). The principle of the Sandhills Calving System for preventing calf diarrhea can be applied to dairy cow-calf operations. The calves must be immediately moved from the calving pen to an individual pen or hutch after birth to avoid contamination with pathogens. The colostrum must be immediately fed to the calf with a milking bottle rather than directly nursing from the dam. The calf pens or hutches need to be sanitized and packed with dry bed due to immune impairment of the newborn calves. The calves must be separated from each other with enough air space to prevent contact and contamination from feces and urine of other calves. Finally, all feeding facilities and equipment (milking bottles and water buckets) should be maintained with strict hygiene practices.