Sandhills Strategy

Calf scours is caused by a long list of viral and bacterial pathogens and parasites. Infected calves are often lost in the first two weeks of life and can quickly spread the infection. There are reams of research outlining why calves get scours, but at the end of the day, what most cattle operations need is a system that helps prevent it.

Initially designed for and tested in Nebraska's Sandhills, the Sandhills Calving System began to see widespread adoption more than 10 years ago. David Smith, veterinarian and professor with the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, reports that the first seven to 14 days of a calf's life is the age of susceptibility, as well as the time the calf is most likely to shed agents of the infection. The idea behind the Sandhills System is that it segregates calves by age, reducing exposure.

The basic components include segregating calves by age and moving pregnant cows to clean calving pastures. The system doesn't use high-density calving lots but larger pastures that are contiguous. Many producers, however, find they can implement a version of the system to fit their setup with advice from their veterinarian. Here's how the Sandhills Calving System, at its most basic level, works.

Pasture 1. Cows are in this pasture when the first calves come. They all stay here for two weeks. Those that calve during this two-week period remain here.

Pasture 2. Cows that didn't calve in Pasture 1 are moved here after the two weeks are up. They stay here for one week, and those that calve remain.

Pasture 3. Cows that didn't calve in Pastures 1 or 2 are now on fresh pasture again. This pattern continues, based on the size of the herd and pasture availability. The goal is that all the calves in a given pasture are within a week of age of each other. Cow/calf pairs can be commingled after the youngest is a month old and considered low risk for scours.

Smith says the system was first tested in large, extensive pastures, but some ranchers have adapted it successfully for use in confinement systems. He adds this has been particularly useful in areas affected by drought.

University of Missouri veterinarian Craig Payne says while the Sandhills System isn't yet widely used in Missouri, he's a fan of the concept.

"A lot of producers will tell you that they can't do all the management of moving cows," he says. "The beauty of the system is that as you move cows to clean pastures, calves are born into pathogen-free or at least low-pathogen environments.

"You can use vaccines, boluses, whatever you want," he continues. "But if exposure to pathogens is really high, I believe you can still see scours problems. It just can overwhelm the immune system regardless of colostrum quality or anything else."

He advises producers who don't feel they can adopt the Sandhills System to consider some simple changes based on the principles of the system.

ACCURATE ASSESSMENT

"Evaluate what you're doing with those principles in mind," he says. "Are you feeding cows the same place every day through calving season? If so, you're building up a heavy pathogen load. Can you change feeding locations periodically so calves aren't laying in a contaminated environment?"

Payne adds that in his practice, some clients tell him they don't want to turn cows out throughout calving season because they're afraid of losing a calf. But he warns a scours outbreak can do a lot more damage.

"You'll lose far fewer calves to calving difficulties than you will to scours if you're calving in a contaminated environment," he advises. "Just consider looking at what works and what doesn't. Small changes in the way we think and what we're willing to do can yield big improvements."

(AG)

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