Recognizing and Treating Calf Scours: What We Wish We Had Known

Disclaimer: We are not veterinarians. This blog post is based on our personal experiences and what we’ve learned from dealing with calf scours on our farm. Always consult a qualified vet for medical advice and treatment.

Our First Experience With Calf Scours

If you’re new to raising cattle, there’s a good chance you haven’t come across calf scours yet—but when you do, you’ll want to act fast. Our first experience with scours was a hard lesson, and we lost a calf because we weren’t prepared. If we had known then what we know now, things could have been very different. That’s why we’re writing this—to share what we’ve learned so that if you ever face scours on your farm, you’ll be ready to respond immediately.

What Is Calf Scours?

Calf scours is essentially severe diarrhoea in young calves. It can be caused by a number of things-bacterial infections, viruses, parasites, or even stress and poor nutrition. No matter the cause, scours is dangerous because it leads to rapid dehydration, which can be fatal if not treated quickly.

Recognizing the Symptoms

Early detection is key to survival. The first and most obvious symptom is watery, yellow diarrhoea. When scours is severe, it can look like liquid pouring out of the calf. Because calves are small, they lose fluids fast. If you don’t intervene quickly, they become lethargic, weak, and unable to stand.

Other signs to look for:

- Sunken eyes

- Cold ears and mouth

- Loss of appetite

- Weakness or inability to stand

By the time a calf is severely dehydrated, the chances of survival drop drastically. That’s why recognizing the symptoms early and responding fast is so important.

Immediate Action: Hydration Is Key

Dehydration is what kills most calves with scours, so rehydration is the number one priority. If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this: always have calf electrolytes on hand.

We didn’t.

When our calf, Scottie, got sick, it was a Sunday. Every local farm supply store was closed, and we couldn’t get our hands on electrolytes in time. We called a vet, but in rural areas, vets are often overwhelmed—especially during calving season. They couldn’t get to us quickly enough, and we lost valuable time.

Had we been prepared with electrolytes, we could have started treatment immediately.

How to Treat a Calf With Scours

If you suspect your calf has scours, here’s what you should do:

Get Electrolytes Into Them Immediately

- Use a calf feeding bottle or, if the calf is too weak to suck, a stomach tube.

- Stomach tubing is faster and requires less energy from the calf, so we highly recommend learning how to do it.

Separate the Calf If Necessary

- Ideally, they should stay with their mother, but if they’re too weak to nurse or need closer monitoring, you may need to intervene.

Avoid Feeding Too Much Milk

- It’s often recommended to pause milk feeds for a short period and focus on electrolytes, as milk can sometimes worsen scours.

Use Probiotic Paste

- Available at most farm supply stores, probiotics can help restore gut health and give the calf a boost.

Call a Vet

- Even if you start treating at home, always call a vet for advice. Some cases of scours require antibiotics or other medications.

Lessons Learned

Scours moves fast. If you don’t act immediately, the calf may not survive. Looking back, we wish we had:

- Stocked up on calf electrolytes before calving season.

- Learned how to use a calf stomach tube ahead of time.

- Had probiotic paste on hand as an additional tool.

It’s an awful feeling to lose a calf, especially knowing that early intervention might have saved them. That’s why we want to stress: be prepared.

Final Thoughts...

Raising cattle is a constant learning curve. We aren’t perfect farmers—we started out with minimal experience, and everything has been a lesson along the way. That’s why we started this blog—to share what we wish we had known when we first began.

If you haven’t already, check out our previous post on essential farm medical supplies. Having the right tools on hand can make all the difference.

And if you’re currently dealing with a sick calf - act fast, keep them hydrated, and don’t hesitate to call a vet. Always remember to trust your gut! You can advocate for further treatment if you believe it to be necessary. You know your animals better than anyone else!

If you take away just one thing from this, let it be this - always be prepared.