Calf Scour Welfare and Prevention

Calf scour is the leading cause of death in calves under a month old. Prompt oral rehydration therapy saves lives and reduces welfare compromise significantly.

Key Facts

Calf scour (diarrhoea) kills more calves than any other disease in UK dairy and beef herds
E. coli, rotavirus, coronavirus, and Cryptosporidium are the most common causative agents
Dehydration is the primary cause of death, not the pathogen itself in most cases
Oral rehydration solution given early prevents the majority of scour deaths
Colostrum quality and quantity at birth prevents E. coli and some viral scours

Welfare Considerations

Calf scour causes rapid, severe dehydration and metabolic acidosis that, without treatment, causes weakness, coma, and death. The welfare impact of untreated scour is extreme. Early recognition using clinical scoring, followed by prompt oral electrolyte administration, prevents most deaths and dramatically reduces welfare compromise. Calves that cannot suckle require nasogastric tube feeding. Maintaining calf hygiene, adequate colostrum administration, and vaccination of dams reduces incidence. Every hour of untreated severe scour increases welfare harm and treatment difficulty.

What You Can Do

Learn to recognise scour and assess dehydration severity in calves
Keep oral rehydration solutions available and start treatment at first signs of scour
Administer adequate colostrum within 6 hours of birth to protect against E. coli scour
Support training in calf scour recognition and treatment for all farm staff