Digestive disorders such as scours remain one of the most common and costly challenges in calf rearing. Often linked to pathogens such as coccidia and Cryptosporidium, these conditions can have a significant impact on calf health, growth rates and long-term productivity.
While early intervention is critical, effective recovery depends on more than hydration alone. A successful approach brings together fast nutritional support, gut protection, and strong on-farm management practices to help calves overcome digestive stress and continue to thrive.
Understanding the Challenge
Scours can quickly lead to dehydration, loss of energy, reduced feed intake and damage to the intestinal lining. In young calves, this not only affects immediate health but can also lead to long-term setbacks in performance and resilience.
Pathogens such as coccidia and Cryptosporidium are particularly challenging due to their persistence in the environment and their ability to spread rapidly where hygiene and biosecurity are under pressure.
As a result, managing digestive issues requires a whole-farm approach, combining prevention, early intervention and recovery support.
Targeted Nutritional Support When It’s Needed Most
When calves are under digestive stress, providing the right nutritional support at the right time is essential.
Kersia’s Hydrafeed and Diafeed have been developed as complementary dietetic feeds to help stabilise calves and support recovery during periods of digestive challenge.
Used together, they provide a complete and practical solution, supporting calves before, during and after periods of risk.
Farmer Naomi Law says; “Undoubtably the most effective calf rehydration product I’ve used. Mixes instantly, calves love the taste but more importantly they recover fast!”
Prevention Starts with Biosecurity
While nutritional support plays a critical role, it is only one part of the solution.
Environmental biosecurity remains essential to reduce disease pressure on farm, particularly when dealing with persistent pathogens like coccidia and Cryptosporidium. Key measures include:
By lowering pathogen challenge, farms can improve calf resilience and reduce the frequency and severity of digestive issues.
A Holistic Approach to Calf Health
Kersia’s approach goes beyond addressing problems as they arise. Alongside Hydrafeed and Diafeed, we offer a full range of complementary feed supplements for young calves from birth to weaning, designed to:
This integrated strategy ensures calves are supported at every stage of early life, helping them build a strong foundation for future productivity.
“Controlling digestive disease in calves requires more than a single intervention, it’s about taking a holistic view of on-farm management. Alongside robust environmental biosecurity to reduce pathogen pressure, targeted nutritional support plays a vital role in helping calves cope with and recover from challenge. Our complementary feed range is designed to support calves from birth through to weaning, helping maintain hydration, protect gut integrity and promote resilience during periods of stress, ultimately supporting stronger, healthier animals and improved long-term performance.”
Mark Atkins, Key Account Manager, Kersia
Supporting Stronger Herds for the Future
Successfully managing digestive challenges is about more than short-term fixes. By combining targeted nutrition, effective biosecurity and a proactive management approach, producers can protect calf health, safeguard performance and reduce long-term losses.
