Rearing dairy replacements is the second biggest cost after feed for any dairy farmer, so ensuring calves are given the best chance to reach their potential is essential.
Healthy youngstock are the future of every herd, and the right decisions made in the first weeks of life will determine their long-term productivity and profitability.
Central to producing strong, long-lived animals are good management practices across nutrition, health and hygiene. Each element can have a significant impact not only on animal welfare, but also on the farm’s bottom line.
Scour remains the most common disease in young calves, responsible for almost half of calf deaths in the UK. Pneumonia is another leading cause of losses, both of which can leave lasting impacts on growth rates and the ability to calve at 24 months. Prevention, rather than treatment, is the most effective way forward.
Kate Ingram, Virbac’s farm animal technical vet, emphasises the importance of stringent hygiene, appropriate housing, and proactive health measures. Calves should be grouped by age in well-ventilated housing, with plenty of clean, dry bedding. Pens and equipment must be thoroughly disinfected between batches to reduce pathogen load, while sick calves should be isolated immediately to avoid the spread of infection.
Preventing disease from day one
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Vaccinating dams against rotavirus, coronavirus and E. coli is one of the most reliable ways to boost colostrum quality and protect calves during their most vulnerable early weeks. As Kate highlights, colostrum management is equally important: calves need 10–12% of their bodyweight in high-quality colostrum within the first two hours of life, and no later than six. Timely feeding of clean, antibody-rich colostrum ensures effective transfer of passive immunity and reduces disease pressure across the group.
The role of vaccination and colostrum
Alongside disease prevention, correct nutrition and mineral supplementation play a vital role in setting calves up for success. Ensuring adequate levels of key trace elements such as zinc, copper, manganese and selenium helps support immunity, growth and fertility later in life. Injectable options like Multimin® provide targeted supplementation at key stress points, ensuring rapid absorption and bypassing challenges with oral uptake.
Supporting resilience through nutrition and trace elements
A proactive approach to calf health pays dividends. Preventing scour and pneumonia not only reduces treatment costs and antibiotic use, but also improves growth rates, fertility, and overall herd performance.
As Kate explains, investing in preventative measures to protect the health of calves causes less anxiety for the farm team, helps to reduce antibiotic use and is far more cost effective than treating disease.
By focusing on prevention, colostrum, hygiene, and nutrition, farmers can give their youngstock the best start in life. The return is clear: healthier calves, improved lifetime productivity, and a stronger, more sustainable dairy herd.
Long-term gains from early investment
Healthy calves are the future of any dairy herd, and so they deserve the best management
Remember, loss of appetite and not drinking milk is often a late sign of disease.
Promoting calf health
It is a legal requirement to feed calves under 28 days of age at least two liquid feeds a day
Check calves at least twice a day – are calves healthy?
Provide fresh, clean water at all times
Identify common problems early
Make preventative or corrective measures
Record and monitor early signs of disease – discharge from eyes or nose, cough, dirty hindquarters and scour
Treat if necessary in accordance with advice from your vet
It is a legal requirement to feed calves under 28 days of age at least two liquid feeds a day
Provide fresh, clean water at all times
Identify common problems early
Make preventative or corrective measures
Record and monitor early signs of disease – discharge from eyes or nose, cough, dirty hindquarters and scour
Treat if necessary in accordance with advice from your vet.
Check calves at least twice a day – are calves healthy?
Don’t leave it too late. Remember, loss of appetite and not drinking milk is often a late sign of disease.
Promoting calf health
Don’t leave it too late.
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Prevention is always better than cure: strategies for maximising calf health
Investing in youngstock to achieve target growth
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Prevention is always better than cure: strategies for maximising calf health
VIRBAC
Investing in youngstock to achieve target growth
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Focus on youngstock
Prevention is always better than cure: strategies for maximising calf health
Investing in youngstock to achieve target growth
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Vaccinating dams against rotavirus, coronavirus and E. coli is one of the most reliable ways to boost colostrum quality and protect calves during their most vulnerable early weeks. As Kate highlights, colostrum management is equally important: calves need 10–12% of their bodyweight in high-quality colostrum within the first two hours of life, and no later than six. Timely feeding of clean, antibody-rich colostrum ensures effective transfer of passive immunity and reduces disease pressure across the group.
The role of vaccination and colostrum
Alongside disease prevention, correct nutrition and mineral supplementation play a vital role in setting calves up for success. Ensuring adequate levels of key trace elements such as zinc, copper, manganese and selenium helps support immunity, growth and fertility later in life. Injectable options like Multimin® provide targeted supplementation at key stress points, ensuring rapid absorption and bypassing challenges with oral uptake.
Supporting resilience through nutrition and trace elements
A proactive approach to calf health pays dividends. Preventing scour and pneumonia not only reduces treatment costs and antibiotic use, but also improves growth rates, fertility, and overall herd performance.
As Kate explains, investing in preventative measures to protect the health of calves causes less anxiety for the farm team, helps to reduce antibiotic use and is far more cost effective than treating disease.
By focusing on prevention, colostrum, hygiene, and nutrition, farmers can give their youngstock the best start in life. The return is clear: healthier calves, improved lifetime productivity, and a stronger, more sustainable dairy herd.
Long-term gains from early investment
Reducing mastitis rates in dairy herds by 23%
Prevention is always better than cure: strategies for maximising calf health
Calf scour remains the biggest cause of disease and death in neonatal calves, along with pneumonia, with a range of short and long-term implications for health and profitability – from treatment costs and extra time caring for sick calves, to impacts on growth rates and ability to hit targets for age at first calving of 24 months.
A survey of 324 farmers by Dairy Farmer magazine showed that over half of the respondents did not carry out tests to ascertain the cause of scour in calves on their farms. Rotavirus and coronavirus are often responsible for viral cases of scour, whereas E. coli is the most commonly occurring cause of bacterial scour infections.
Rotavirus and coronavirus scour infections typically affect calves of between two and four weeks old and symptoms include watery faeces which are often green or yellow in colour, with mucus frequently present in rotavirus cases. Calves will lie down more than usual and may be reluctant to drink.
E. coli is often seen in calves from birth to seven days old and they will present a distinctive bloated abdomen.
Cryptosporidium parvum is one of the most common causes of scour and is a protozoa rather than a bacteria or virus. The risk of cryptosporidium infection is highest in calves when they are between seven and 28 days old and rarely occurs after they are six months old.
Boosting a calf’s immunity through vaccination while maintaining optimum trace mineral levels will help to guard against scour and support growth rates.
Coupled with stringent hygiene protocols, good colostrum management and well- ventilated housing; these measures can help to ensure calves have the best chance of a healthy start in life.
Kate Ingram, Virbac’s farm animal technical vet points out that it is easier and more cost effective to put strategies in place to prevent disease than to manage and treat outbreaks.
“Investing in preventative measures to protect the health of calves causes less anxiety for the farm team, helps to reduce antibiotic use and is far more cost effective than treating disease.”
So what is the solution?
Boosting a calf’s immunity through vaccination and maintaining optimum trace mineral levels will help to guard against scour and will support growth rates.
Investing in preventative measures to protect the health of calves causes less anxiety for the farm team, helps to reduce antibiotic use and is far more cost effective than treating disease
Kate Ingram, vet and ruminant adviser at Virbac
“Control of calf scour saves not only veterinary and medicine costs, but the labour and time associated with treating and nursing sick calves. Rotavirus, coronavirus, E. coli and Cryptosporidium parvum are the most common pathogens causing scour and Bovigen Scour is an extremely effective measure against all but Cryptosporidium,” Kate explains.
Research has shown that the levels of the immunoglobulins to the pathogens present in the vaccine will increase in the dam’s colostrum, protecting their newborn calf against the infections which cause scour. Irrespective of previous vaccination history, a single 3ml injection of the vaccine given to the dam from twelve to three weeks prior to calving boosts cow serum and therefore colostrum antibody levels against rotavirus, coronavirus and E. coli.1 “The good news is the cost of the vaccine compared to the cost of disease means the benefits and return on investment are high.”
For a non-antibiotic prevention and treatment option for scour caused by Cryptosporidium parvum, Virbac offers Kriptazen, a halofuginone with a twist. It can be used if calves have diarrhoea and have been diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis, but also as a preventative within 48 hours after birth, if you know you have a history of crypto on your farm.
One unique feature of Kriptazen is the pump – with many halofuginones you work out the calf’s weight and calculate the dosage needed up to the nearest 4ml, but Kriptazen can be dosed to the nearest 10kg of weight by simply twisting the pump. This is important with halofuginone as it has quite a narrow safety index, so calves can get signs of toxicity if the dosage is too high.2
“It’s just much more convenient, as you can dose up to 60kg with one pump, whereas with other products, you might have to give them multiple 4ml pumps.”
“It is important to recognise that vaccination will only be effective where it is combined with good colostrum management, as cow vaccination works via the transfer of passive immunity from the dam’s colostrum,” Kate adds.
Effective vaccination strategies
Top tips for preventing scour in calves
Hover on the images to reveal the tips
Operate an ‘all out, all in’ system for batches of calves
Maintain a clean, hygienic environment for calves by removing soiled material daily if possible and providing plenty of clean,
dry bedding
House calves in small, even aged groups and avoid nose contact between calves of different ages
Implement best practice colostrum management protocols to ensure calves receive sufficient colostrum. Aim to feed colostrum equivalent to 10 to 12 percent of body weight in the first two hours – after six hours the ability of the calf’s gut to absorb antibodies declines dramatically
Vaccinate dams from twelve to three weeks prior to calving with Bovigen Scour to protect against scour infections caused by rotavirus, coronavirus and E.coli
Maintain optimum trace mineral levels in calves to boost immunity by giving them Multimin, a combined trace mineral injection containing zinc, copper, manganese and selenium
Bovigen® Scour vaccine contains bovine rotavirus strain TM-91 serotype G6P1, bovine coronavirus strain C-19, and E.coli strain EC/17 (F5/K99 antigens) POM-VPS
Kriptazen® contains 0.5mg/ml halofuginone POM-V
MultiminTM contains zinc 60mg; Manganese 10mg; Copper 15mg; Selenium 5mg per ml POM-V
Advice on the use of these medicines should be sought from your veterinary surgeon. Prescription decisions are for the person issuing the prescription alone. This promotion is only intended for farmers in England, Scotland and Wales.
References:
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Focus on youngstock
To ensure the health and well-being of calves, a high standard of environmental hygiene should always be the starting point. This begins with housing calves in small, even-aged groups. It is crucial to provide sufficient space to prevent direct nose-to-nose contact between calves of different ages, which helps to mitigate the spread of disease.
While it’s virtually impossible to eliminate disease-causing pathogens as they are endemic on most farms, what you can do is significantly reduce the challenge calves face with good hygiene.
If you use individual pens, ensure they are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between each calf. The same applies to group housing-give it a full clean between different batches of calves. It is also vital to keep calving areas as clean as possible, as dams can carry pathogens that cause illnesses like scours.
When selecting a disinfectant, choose a product specifically effective against all target pathogens, particularly cryptosporidium, as not all disinfectants are effective. Once you have the right product, follow the instructions precisely: mix it correctly, use it promptly (as its efficacy can diminish over time), and ensure it remains on surfaces for the recommended contact time. Remember to clean and disinfect every part of the pen, not just the floor. This includes the sides, gates, feeding equipment, and even the wheelbarrow used to transport calves.
Kate adds: “Calves should always have plenty of clean, dry bedding and soiled material should be removed from pens rather than covered with clean straw. Operating an ‘all in, all out’ system is recommended.”
Hygiene protocols
“A newborn calf needs between 10 and 12 percent of its bodyweight in colostrum quickly, ideally within the first two hours of life but no later than six hours”, Kate says.
“This time limit is crucial as the concentration of antibodies in the colostrum decreases from the dam post-calving, and at six hours the calf's gut begins to stop absorbing antibodies. After 24 hours, this ability, known as passive transfer, ends completely. But not just any colostrum will do, it must be of the right quality - a reading of 22 percent or above on a Brix refractometer is indicative of good quality with adequate protein and antigen levels. “Calves which received colostrum from vaccinated dams had both reduced severity and duration of scour infection, as well as more limited shedding of the pathogens into the environment, thus reducing the risk of infection to other calves in the cohort,” Kate concludes.
Colostrum is key...
Not all scour cases are contagious and can be linked to management factors such as incorrect mixing of milk replacers and sub-optimum milk temperature. Kate highlights the multi-factorial nature of this disease that therefore requires a several-pronged approach to prevention.
“Nutritional deficiencies can make calves more vulnerable to disease, including scour, which will in turn reduce growth rates. The risk of this occurring is particularly high at times of stress for the calf, such as when it is separated from its dam, or when it is mixing with a new social group, during transportation to a new site or weaning.
“Clinical deficiencies of trace minerals are rarely seen now, but sub-clinical deficiencies may be present, and this can affect growth and the immune response.” Trace minerals can be given in either feed and licks, or boluses but problems are often associated with each of these methods, such as regurgitation and the physical challenges of bolusing. It is also difficult to ensure that all calves obtain the required amounts, Kate explains.
“Multimin is a prescription only, combined trace mineral injection for cattle, containing zinc, copper, manganese and selenium3. Giving calves these vital trace minerals in injectable form allows for rapid absorption, particularly at times of increased demand for the calf. Giving the minerals via injection rather than orally also bypasses potential mineral lock up issues in the rumen.
“Research has shown an 8 per cent reduction in the incidence of scour in treated calves and has also demonstrated a lowering of the risk of calves contracting pneumonia4. With Multimin, farmers can boost the performance of their animals by improving resilience to disease, their ability to conceive as well as reducing the use of medicines, delivering marginal gains across the herd.”
Eliminating management factors
A newborn calf needs between 10 and 12 percent of its bodyweight in colostrum quickly, ideally within the first two hours of life but no later than six hours
Prevention is always better than cure: strategies for maximising calf health
Investing in youngstock to achieve target growth
Return to homepage
Prevention is always better than cure: strategies for maximising calf health
Investing in youngstock to achieve target growth
Calf scour remains the biggest cause of disease and death in neonatal calves, along with pneumonia, with a range of short and long-term implications for health and profitability – from treatment costs and extra time caring for sick calves, to impacts on growth rates and ability to hit targets for age at first calving of 24 months.
A survey of 324 farmers by Dairy Farmer magazine showed that over half of the respondents did not carry out tests to ascertain the cause of scour in calves on their farms. Rotavirus and coronavirus are often responsible for viral cases of scour, whereas E. coli is the most commonly occurring cause of bacterial scour infections.
Rotavirus and coronavirus scour infections typically affect calves of between two and four weeks old and symptoms include watery faeces which are often green or yellow in colour, with mucus frequently present in rotavirus cases. Calves will lie down more than usual and may be reluctant to drink.
E. coli is often seen in calves from birth to seven days old and they will present a distinctive bloated abdomen.
Cryptosporidium parvum is one of the most common causes of scour and is a protozoa rather than a bacteria or virus. The risk of cryptosporidium infection is highest in calves when they are between seven and 28 days old and rarely occurs after they are six months old.
Calf scour remains the biggest cause of disease and death in neonatal calves, along with pneumonia, with a range of short and long-term implications for health and profitability – from treatment costs and extra time caring for sick calves, to impacts on growth rates and ability to hit targets for age at first calving of 24 months.
A survey of 324 farmers by Dairy Farmer magazine showed that over half of the respondents did not carry out tests to ascertain the cause of scour in calves on their farms. Rotavirus and coronavirus are often responsible for viral cases of scour, whereas E. coli is the most commonly occurring cause of bacterial scour infections.
Rotavirus and coronavirus scour infections typically affect calves of between two and four weeks old and symptoms include watery faeces which are often green or yellow in colour, with mucus frequently present in rotavirus cases. Calves will lie down more than usual and may be reluctant to drink.
E. coli is often seen in calves from birth to seven days old and they will present a distinctive bloated abdomen.
Cryptosporidium parvum is one of the most common causes of scour and is a protozoa rather than a bacteria or virus. The risk of cryptosporidium infection is highest in calves when they are between seven and 28 days old and rarely occurs after they are six months old.
Rotavirus and coronavirus scour infections typically affect calves of between two and four weeks old and symptoms include watery faeces which are often green or yellow in colour, with mucus frequently present in rotavirus cases. Calves will lie down more than usual and may be reluctant to drink.
E. coli is often seen in calves from birth to seven days old and they will present a distinctive bloated abdomen.
Cryptosporidium parvum is one of the most common causes of scour and is a protozoa rather than a bacteria or virus. The risk of cryptosporidium infection is highest in calves when they are between seven and 28 days old and rarely occurs after they are six months old.
Boosting a calf’s immunity through vaccination while maintaining optimum trace mineral levels will help to guard against scour and support growth rates.
Coupled with stringent hygiene protocols, good colostrum management and well- ventilated housing; these measures can help to ensure calves have the best chance of a healthy start in life.
Kate Ingram, Virbac’s farm animal technical vet points out that it is easier and more cost effective to put strategies in place to prevent disease than to manage and treat outbreaks.
“Investing in preventative measures to protect the health of calves causes less anxiety for the farm team, helps to reduce antibiotic use and is far more cost effective than treating disease.”
So what is the solution?
“Control of calf scour saves not only veterinary and medicine costs, but the labour and time associated with treating and nursing sick calves. Rotavirus, coronavirus, E. coli and Cryptosporidium parvum are the most common pathogens causing scour and Bovigen Scour is an extremely effective measure against all but Cryptosporidium,” Kate explains.
Research has shown that the levels of the immunoglobulins to the pathogens present in the vaccine will increase in the dam’s colostrum, protecting their newborn calf against the infections which cause scour. Irrespective of previous vaccination history, a single 3ml injection of the vaccine given to the dam from twelve to three weeks prior to calving boosts cow serum and therefore colostrum antibody levels against rotavirus, coronavirus and E. coli.1 “The good news is the cost of the vaccine compared to the cost of disease means the benefits and return on investment are high.”
For a non-antibiotic prevention and treatment option for scour caused by Cryptosporidium parvum, Virbac offers Kriptazen, a halofuginone with a twist. It can be used if calves have diarrhoea and have been diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis, but also as a preventative within 48 hours after birth, if you know you have a history of crypto on your farm.
One unique feature of Kriptazen is the pump – with many halofuginones you work out the calf’s weight and calculate the dosage needed up to the nearest 4ml, but Kriptazen can be dosed to the nearest 10kg of weight by simply twisting the pump. This is important with halofuginone as it has quite a narrow safety index, so calves can get signs of toxicity if the dosage is too high.2
“It’s just much more convenient, as you can dose up to 60kg with one pump, whereas with other products, you might have to give them multiple 4ml pumps.”
“It is important to recognise that vaccination will only be effective where it is combined with good colostrum management, as cow vaccination works via the transfer of passive immunity from the dam’s colostrum,” Kate adds.
Effective vaccination strategies
Investing in preventative measures to protect the health of calves causes less anxiety for the farm team, helps to reduce antibiotic use and is far more cost effective than treating disease
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Prevention is always better than cure: strategies for maximising calf health
VIRBAC
Investing in youngstock to achieve target growth
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Bovigen Scour SPC
Kriptazen SPC
Multimin SPC
‘TeixeiraAGV et al. (2014) Effect of an injectable trace mineral supplement containing selenium, copper, zinc and manganese on immunity, health and growth of dairy calves. J. Dairy Sci. 97:4216-4226 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2013-7625’
