Content
Calf constipation, especially during weaning and roughage, is not uncommon. In adult cows and bulls, this digestive disorder is most often associated with improper feeding and maintenance. Constipation is often a warning sign in the diagnosis of diseases of the digestive system of young and adult cattle.
Causes of constipation in cattle
Constipation is a pathological condition resulting from a malfunction of the digestive system, characterized by a prolonged absence of an act of defecation.
The causes of constipation in adult cattle can be as follows:
- feeding poor-quality, stale or frozen food;
- feeding on rotten, moldy or dirty food with admixtures of sand, earth and stones;
- feeding unpeeled or insufficiently chopped root crops, pumpkin, corn and other crops;
- the presence of foreign objects in the stomach or intestines (stones, pieces of tissue, plastic bags);
- development of neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal.
Cow constipation is often one of the signs of the following digestive system disorders:
- atony or hypotension of the proventriculus;
- overflow or tympanic scar;
- blockage of the book;
- traumatic reticulitis, reticuloperitonitis;
- poisoning.
In calves, digestive problems most often appear at the age of 2-3 months. The main causes of constipation in young cattle are:
- drinking too cold or hot milk;
- drinking stale, sour, contaminated milk;
- a sharp transition from whole milk to skim milk when feeding a calf;
- non-compliance with the feeding regime, daily routine;
- with overfeeding or insufficient feeding of the animal;
- lack of constant access to fresh drinking water;
- a psychological factor, such as weaning from the mother;
- a sharp transition to adult feeding without prior training in eating coarse and succulent feed.
Signs of constipation in cows and calves
The first symptoms of dysfunction of the digestive system in calves and adult animals, as a rule, begin to disturb and bring discomfort on the second day. Often, even experienced farmers do not immediately detect the presence of an ailment, as a calf or an adult cow does not show any signs of anxiety. In the absence of an act of defecation for more than 1-2 days in the animal, you can notice clear signs of the disease.
Signs of constipation in calves and cows:
- lethargy, depression;
- anxiety of the animal and frequent looking at the stomach;
- deterioration or lack of appetite;
- lack of belching and chewing gum;
- the animal lies a lot or walks from corner to corner, hits the stomach with its hind limbs (a frequent occurrence when constipation lasts more than a day in dairy calves);
- mooing when trying to defecate;
- swelling of the proventriculus, flatulence;
- with rectal examination, there is an absence of normal feces in the rectum, dryness of the mucous membranes and the presence of a fecal plug;
- partial exit of faeces with abnormal shape and consistency.
How to treat constipation in cows and calves
A delay in defecation for more than a day in an adult or young animal is an alarming symptom.Prolonged absence of an act of defecation can lead to intoxication and death of the animal within 6 hours, depending on the cause of the onset of the disease. Such a symptom often accompanies serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, therefore, the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of constipation in a calf or cow should be carried out by a veterinarian.
For constipation in dairy calves, the first step is to reduce the amount of milk fed to reduce and prevent gas and bloating. As a laxative, the animal should be given 100-150 g of vegetable oil. You can also give a laxative enema with warm soapy water, as well as heated mineral or vegetable oils, which soften the stool and make it easier to move through the intestines.
When swollen, strong rubbing with turpentine diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio is effective. In the process of rubbing the abdomen, the calf must be fixed in a standing position - otherwise the procedure will not work.
For the prevention of constipation in young cattle (especially in dairy calves), sulfadimezin can be used at a dosage of 1 g per head for the first milk drink and 0.5 g for the next two feedings.
Also, the following drugs are used to treat constipation in calves and adult cattle:
- synthomycin;
- chloramphenicol;
- phthalazole;
- norsulfazole.
The drugs are available in powder and tablet form. Before use, the drug should be diluted with warm boiled water and drunk at a dosage of 0.5-1 g per head 30 minutes before drinking milk (preferably on an empty stomach), 3 times a day.
Prophylaxis
During the period of feeding the calves with colostrum, it is necessary to strictly observe the feeding regime, to teach the calf to eat coarse and succulent feed in time. Long breaks between feedings should not be allowed, as a large amount of milk drunk by a hungry calf can get into the not yet developed mesh or rumen. Fermented milk in these parts of the stomach can cause serious gastrointestinal problems.
Calves up to 10 days of age (in some cases up to 15 days) can only be fed colostrum. The temperature of the milk to be drunk should not be below + 36 ° C and above + 40 ° C, the optimum temperature is + 37-38 ° C.
Also, for the prevention of diseases of the digestive system, it is recommended to give calves colostrum fat. This healthy product is prepared from fresh colostrum obtained in the first 3 days after summer calving and on the first day after winter.
In autumn and spring, young and adult cows should not be grazed after rain, dew, and also after frost.
Do not forget about the observance of zoo-hygienic standards for keeping cattle. The containment area and feeders should be cleaned, disinfected and checked daily for foreign objects. Dirt entering the stomach of an animal along with food from dirty drinking bowls and bedding often causes disruption of the digestive system, as well as the cause of some infectious diseases.
Conclusion
Constipation in a calf or cow is a serious reason to think about the health of the animal. Most often, constipation and other dysfunctions of the digestive system of animals are associated with improper feeding. If signs of constipation appear, the owner, first of all, should seek help from a veterinarian and carefully analyze the daily diet of the animal.
