By definition, scours is complex: a complex clinical symptom associated with multifactorial diseases that prevent the intestine from absorbing fluids and nutrients. Don’t throw up your hands and assume there is only so much you can do.

While it may be tempting to raise every heifer calf, especially when replacement rates are high, it is essential to your profitability to identify when and why culling is necessary.

Combating the pathogen that causes scours, providing for the calf's physiological demands (hydration, energy and acid/base balance) and restoring intestinal health are the three main objectives of calf scours therapy.

Looking at return over feed numbers is an excellent way to get a quick snapshot of how a dairy farm is performing from a production and cost standpoint, however it doesn’t account for and is not impacted by duration of cows in the herd.

Many producers turn to a custom calf raiser because they want to offload heifer-raising challenges. You might have other reasons for sending calves away, such as saving forage and labor for the milking herd or the lack of updated calf facilities.

Giving calves a good start can be expensive. However, not investing in your calf operation can cost you in the parlor. Too many dairies chase after pennies of efficiency on the cow side but trip over dollars of missed opportunities in their calf program.

If you are consistently having problems with your calves, consider having a third party complete a calf hygiene audit and ask about using an ATP meter.

Due to improvements in reproductive efficiencies, dairies can now be more selective in raising future herd replacements. This elevates the importance of reducing preventable diseases such as scours or diarrhea in newborn calves.