Trouble shooting calf disease and illness
| SYMPTOMS | POSSIBLE CAUSES |
|---|---|
| Reluctant to stand | Injury, joint ill (navel infection) Diarrhoea? |
| Swollen navel | Navel infection? Hernia? Pizzle sucking? |
| Reluctant to drink – slow drinking | Infectious disease in general, mouth injury (tubing rub), unpalatable milk or meal? Poor teat quality? |
| Scours – nutritional | White or yellow faeces, normal temperature |
| Scours – infectious | Foul smelling faeces, mucousy, watery, yellow/brown or bloody? Temperature elevated |
| Blood in faeces | Can be normal in first 3 days |
| Coughing or rapid respiration | Respiratory infection from poor ventilation or pathogens |
| Shivering | Cold, wet or draughty conditions? Feeding cold milk? Inadequate shelter? |
| Kicking at the belly | Abdominal pain, peritonitis, ulcers, twisted bowel? Indigestion – overfeeding, cold milk, gorging. Poor quality milk or meal? |
| Bloat | Cold milk feeding – milk into rumen? Overdrinking/gorging? Young fresh grass? Clostridia? |
| Salivation | High fever? Mouth lesions, injured jaw? Ulcers/abscesses? |
| Teeth grinding | Scours present? Can indicate abdominal pain? Lack of fibre in diet? Boredom? |
| Pizzle sucking | Low volume feeding, unsatisfied sucking instinct, lack of water? |
| Hair loss | Often follows scours. Excessive cold and wet? Lice in covered calves? Fungal skin conditions? |
