Beef farmers are being invited to join a practical webinar this November that tackles scour – one of the biggest causes of calf losses and poor growth on UK beef farms1,3,4.
Hosted by MSD Animal Health, the session will bring together vets and farmers to share real-life experiences and proven control strategies to help suckler herds reduce the impact of scour, and particularly cryptosporidiosis – a major cause of infectious scour in young calves¹.
Scour is estimated to cost the UK cattle industry £11 million a year² and is responsible for around half of all calf deaths¹. But the knock-on effects can last much longer, with gut damage from scour linked to slower growth rates, poorer feed efficiency, and reduced lifetime performance³.
“Scour remains a challenge in many suckler herds,” says Dr Kat Baxter-Smith, Veterinary Advisor at MSD Animal Health.
“It can be caused by multiple pathogens, but Cryptosporidium parvum is now the leading cause of infectious scour in UK calves¹ – and one of the most challenging, due to its environmental resilience and the speed at which it spreads between calves.
“The key is to focus on prevention, not just treatment. Good hygiene, the maternal ability of the dam to provide high-quality colostrum, and vaccination all play an important role – and that’s exactly what this webinar will cover.”
Research from the Moredun Research Institute and the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute⁴ found that beef calves suffering from severe cryptosporidiosis in their first few weeks of life were on average 34 kg lighter at six months old, costing around £130 per calf in lost growth and additional feed costs.
“Cryptosporidiosis isn’t just a health issue – it’s an economic one too,” adds Dr Baxter-Smith. “We want to help beef producers protect their calves and their bottom line.
“Our aim in this webinar is to help the industry move from firefighting to prevention, because scour is preventable when the right protocols and tools are in place.”
Register now:
From Losses to Lessons on Crypto Control in Beef Herds, Tuesday 25 November, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Join our webinar to learn:
- How cryptosporidiosis spreads in beef herds
- The latest research findings on its impact
- Practical steps to reduce disease and improve calf performance
Plus, hear from a Scottish beef farmer and his vet on how they’ve boosted calf health and growth through improved hygiene and dam vaccination.
Sign up here: https://view6.workcast.net/register?cpak=3158322666977244
References
- National Youngstock Survey 2020 (MSD Animal Health May 2020)
- Economic impact of health and welfare issues in beef cattle and sheep in England. ADAS 2013
- Cho YI, Yoon KJ. An overview of calf diarrhea – infectious etiology, diagnosis, and intervention. J Vet Sci. 2014;15(1):1-17. doi: 10.4142/jvs.2014.15.1.1. Epub 2013 Dec 27.
Shaw HJ, Innes EA, Morrison LJ, Katzer F, Wells B. Long-term production effects of clinical cryptosporidiosis in
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