Scours and other illnesses during calf-rearing season are costly and time-consuming to manage, but can be avoided.
Every year during calf-rearing season, the same questions pop up over the vet clinic counter, says Kathryn Sigvertsen from Vet Services Hawke's Bay.
"Many of these relate to calves with diarrhoea, or scours," Dr Sigvertsen said.
However the common problem could be avoided, or kept well under control with strict
management and hygiene, she said.
"Management in the first few days of life has a big influence on the health of a calf right out past weaning and even into the second year of life.
"If the calves being reared are going into dairy herds, this can mean more milk through to the second lactation, and beef animals will have better potential growth rates."
