The Importance of Calf Electrolytes and How to Use Them

Keeping calves hydrated is important to help combat heat stress/environmental changes, stress of transportation, commingling and handling procedures (such as dehorning, vaccinations, castration). About 50% of death loss in young calves is from dehydration caused by calf scours. Approximately 70-75% of the young calves’ bodyweight is water. Adequate hydration ensures calf health to help them reach their full potential. Dehydration in calves commonly stems from calf diarrhea (scours) or insufficient water consumption. During periods of diarrhea, calves can lose 5-12% of bodyweight in water. It is crucial to quickly correct dehydration to prevent metabolic acidosis, weakness, weight loss, and death. The goal of electrolytes for calves is to help maintain nutrition, provide hydration, and replace lost electrolytes through oral, subcutaneous or IV fluid therapy, while correcting acidosis.

What are Calf Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are typically formulated with a combination of sodium, glucose (energy), amino acids and alkalizing agents to hydrate dehydrated calves or to prevent dehydration. Calves need to maintain fluid balance to stay healthy and help fight stress or disease challenges. Oral electrolyte therapy is typical management practice used to prevent dehydration and renew fluid loss, combat metabolic acidosis and electrolyte loss caused by diarrhea. Injectable electrolytes (IV or SubQ) are additional options when calves are too weak for oral administration.

Can You Give Too Many Electrolytes to a Calf?

With a single bout of scours, dehydration is present. Even though the calf has no change in demeanor or clinical signs of dehydration, fluid and electrolyte loss has occurred. The amount of electrolytes needed to rehydrate is based on calf bodyweight multiplied by the percent of dehydration (see chart below). In the case of a 100 lb calf estimated at 8% dehydration, 100 x 0.08 = 8 lb water deficit. To calculate volume of electrolytes given in quarts in this case, divide 8 by 2 = 4 quarts of electrolytes for rehydration, oral or IV.

How Can You Evaluate the Dehydration Level in Calves?

Dehydration	Signs & Symptoms	Treatment
5%	Diarrhea, but no visible signs of distress; strong suckling reflex; skin turgor, 2 seconds	None
6-8%	Weak, mild depression and slight sunken eyes; skin turgor: 2-6 seconds	Oral Electrolytes
8-10%	Critically ill—depressed, lying down, sunken eyes; skin turgor: over 6 seconds	I.V. Fluids
10-14%	Calf will not stand; cool extremities; skin turgor: skin won’t flatten when tented; comatose	I.V. Fluids
Over 14%	Death

When Should You Give a Calf Electrolytes?

Calves are exposed to multiple stressors early on. When a known stressful event is coming up, such as transport, it’s a best practice to treat calves pre- and post-transportation. Giving an oral electrolyte prior to loading and promptly after arriving at the new location (depending on journey length) can provide young calves an extra boost to fight the stress of transportation and environmental changes.

During a scours outbreak, add electrolyte feedings between milk feedings. Scouring calves lose nutrients and hydration status quickly and benefit from continuous milk feedings with the addition of separate electrolyte feedings. Electrolytes should be given after the milk feeding. Provide electrolyte feedings at equal intervals between milk feedings—never mix electrolyte powder with milk. Doing so diminishes the additional fluid source needed for hydration in the electrolyte feeding and can interrupt proper digestion of milk in the abomasum.

Electrolytes do not contain the daily energy requirements calves need to reach their full potential. Milk is the most important feeding when feeding a liquid diet to calves and should be continued during electrolyte therapy. In the decision to skip a milk feeding depends on the plane of nutrition. Calves being fed more milk per day may have the resources to skip a milk feeding in place of electrolytes compared to those being fed less milk per day. However, skipping a milk feeding may be required if the calf is not eating or is bloated.

How to Choose the Right Oral Electrolyte:

Scouring calves lose more than just fluid, they suffer from a critical electrolyte loss. When selecting an electrolyte product, it is important to choose one with the proper ratio of osmolality and nutrients. If the osmolality is too high, it can worsen diarrhea and slow stomach emptying which could potentially lead to bloat. A good oral electrolyte should contain sodium, amino acid (glycine), dextrose (glucose) as an energy source, and alkalinizing agent such as acetate, bicarbonate, sodium propionate, and electrolytes.

A guideline based on research by Geof Smith, DVM, from the college of veterinary medicine at North Carolina State University recommends the following: Sodium: 90-130 mM/L, inclusion of Amino Acid (Glycine), Osmolarity: 400-600 mOsm/L, and Alkalinizing agent 50-80 mM/L. Sodium helps reestablish lost levels secreted by scouring calves and promotes water absorption. Glycine, a nonessential amino acid, enhances the absorption of glucose for a rapid energy source. Alkalinizing agents help revert metabolic acidosis, which may have occurred during the scour episode. Electrolytes such as potassium and chloride help replace lost electrolytes, maintain blood pH, and aid in metabolic behavior.

How to Mix Calf Electrolytes:

Mixing electrolytes is based on the form of electrolyte of your choice. Follow the label to ensure proper mixing and administration. For example, a powder electrolyte form is typically mixed using a wire whisk into 2 quarts of warm water and fed via oral calf feeder, calf bottle, or calf pail. Some calf electrolytes are labeled to be mixed with milk or milk replacer. Read all labels carefully.

Benefits of Feeding a Calf Electrolytes:

• When used proactively, it helps prevent dehydration due to transportation, heat stress, comingling, cold weather stress, castration, dehorning, and vaccination.
• Helps keep calves well hydrated to maintain immune function and prevent performance loss.
• Rehydrates calves with fluid and electrolyte loss caused by scours or disease.
• Prevents death loss due to dehydration.

Causes of scours in young calves can result from a variety of factors. Both infectious and non-infectious causatives such as poor passive transfer from the dam to the calf, inadequate nutrition, disease pathogens (cryptosporidium, E.coli, Salmonella, Rotavirus, Coronavirus), unsanitary conditions, weather changes and stress. Consult with your veterinarian to diagnose and treat scours. Your vet can help determine which electrolyte product will work best for the situation.

Shop Calf Electrolyte Solutions—See Our Top Picks!

• Diaque Nutritional Supplement for Calves and Other Species
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• Epic Calf Electrolyte

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