Scourguard

[cowwrangler]

i been using biomoss in the mineral also,havent had a problem

 

[Farmerkuk]

Using Biomoss help around this place!

 

[101]

I sure would not tell anyone how they should run there operation, For years I had some scours in calfs, nothing to get excited about, if the weather got too cold and wet I might pill a few but very seldom ever lost any, But back in the 80's we picked up a live virus ( Rola Coronavius ) hell I don't know for sure how it got here, maybe we brought it in, or a coyote, a bird, maybe like some other Virus's maybe with the wind. All I know is if you pick it up ya might want some protection. I keep mineral out and our cattle seem do well with it. Do we only pick up a bad cold or a flu when we don't eat healthy ?? I got a really bad cold right now and I think I've gained weight all winter !!

 

[per]

Nope.... With a good nutrition and mineral we stopped scour/guarding prolly ten years ago.... And very seldom doctor for scours....

The only bad scour wreck we ever had was when we used scourgaurd. We haven't vaccinated for 30 years nor have we had a bad scour issue for 30 years.

Has anyone close to you had problems Per?

I'm convinced the crows, ravens and ducks spread them here on top of us being too concentrated.

There is only one herd relatively close during calving (1-2) miles. They have had a few tough years but I am convinced this is a nutrition conversation. We are always looking for magic bullets and overlook common sense. Where the original question came from I am familiar with his conditions and the environment deals a difficult card with lots of cold rain and mud. I think it is probably easier to raise cattle here and I might look at all the help available when there are extraordinary challenges.

I am interested in learning more about Biomoss.

 

[Larrry]

I have seen guys give the Scourgard and then think they have it made and their management of the calving cows slides to a certain degree

 

[Silver]

When the vet told us that if he wasn't already on the programme he wouldn't be on it we tossed it around a bit and quit. Nothing seems to have changed in the 7 or 8 years we've been off the programme.
They way I remember it, we gave the cows their booster shot about 2 weeks before calving. If you calve for 2 cycles like we do, there is only part of the herd that was getting maximum protection anyway.
The treatments available for scours today are far better than they were even 10 years ago, so I feel relatively confident that a watchful eye is the best insurance against a disaster.

 

[eatbeef]

Pry have a wreck someday, but I dont use it. Bought a set of bred hiefers once that had there first shot and i never boostered them and put them with my home raised and I think every one of the boughten heifers calves got scours. Used to have a little trouble with some scours every year for about a week but since switching to Vitaferm mineral havent had any trouble. Knock on wood.

Nothing worse then chasing a sick calf around trying to treat it for scours and then even after all of that having it die was no fun.

If you cant catch them then they aren't that sick.

 

[3words]

I never have treated the cows with scourguard,and very rarely have a calf that gets the scours.I use lots of straw,calves have all the free choice diatomaceous earth they want,and i will not use calf shelters anymore,because they are just scour breeding grounds.

 

[R A]

I'm embarassed to tell on myself, but it wasn't until not long ago I didn't think a calf on a cow got scours... ....just bottle calves got them. Still the only time I've seen calves get scours on the cow is from watching the Galts on The Last American Cowboy. I talked to my vet about it and he said to not worry about it unless I start having problems and I said ok.

 

[leanin' H]

We feed our cows well, have them on a mineral program and give scourguard as well. I think it comes out of the ground depending on the year and the conditions. Seems like a wet, warm year is worse than a cold, snowy one. I had a year or two that were nightmares. Since we started vaccinating, things are much better. Funny how we all have different stories and it works differently in different areas. My way works here and thats what counts. Sure can always learn new things though.

 

[EastWind]

Thanks for all the comments. We only treat with boluses one or two calves a year and I do not remember ever loosing a calf to scours ( knock on wood). We do use calf sheds lined with straw changed every couple weeks to help prevent cross contamination. We need to use calf sheds do to bad weather ( last week 65 mph winds light rain and 35 degrees.) other wise out in the fields has worked best. I was just interested it what you all thought if it would help eliminate that extra treatments. Our vet recommended scourguard 3kc if we want to vaccinate.
Calving starts in two weeks for us, Good luck to all of you with you calving this year.

 

[Ned Jr.]

Growing up it seems like we were always fighting scours. Then when scourguard came out it really seemed to help. We still had trouble with the later season calves getting it. For one it's always thawing and we have wet weather in late season plus the scourguard wears out. We were always bad about giving boosters to later calvers.

The Scour bose and Guardian vaccines are oil based and have a lot longer lasting protection. I started out switching to Scour bos first but thought it was a pain following to directions and giving Scour Bose 9 to first calf heifers and then a booster with Scour bos 4 at the same time the rest of the herd was getting their anual booster of Scour bos 9. So I switched to Guardian and have had good luck. Since then my vet said it would have been fine if I would have used Scour bos 9 both times on heifers.

I hit them with 7 way and multimin 90 also.

Keeping things dry and clean is probably the best protection along with a good mineral program.

 

[C Thompson]

Kind of a touchy subject for some. Everyone has different management styles and most of what has already been said is good advice for the ones that are calving and managing similarly. We used to scourgaurd and thought it worked but haven't used any for a few years now because we quit calving in winter. We still get the odd case of scours but they are very few and easy to treat if they need treatment at all. We didn't realize how hard we were working before until we started calving on dry stockpiled grass. Although it was an unbelievable concept for us to grasp when we started, actually the cows now do the calving and look after the calves themselves. Calves are smaller in the fall but way more profitable and less stress without all the inputs and time that went into the old system. Sure don't miss running the whole herd through icy corrals at the crappiest time of the year. Also another input we don't spend money on anymore. We quite look forward to calving now and don't miss the emotional roller coaster ride that used to come with frozen and sick calves. Having done it both ways ensures we know the difference and without arguing which is right or wrong I sure know which is easier for us.