Enhance Calf and Lamb Health with Vermate

Raising orphaned babies or calves poses a significant challenge, particularly when it comes to adapting them to surrogate milk. Common issues include diarrhea and overall weakness due to the lack of essential microorganisms needed to digest the “sterile” milk properly.

By adding Vermate to their milk, you introduce a vital diversity of microbial species, transforming the milk into a digestible, “alive” source of nutrition. Farmers have reported astonishing results: lambs and calves become noticeably more lively and playful. In many cases, sick and dying animals show remarkable improvement within 12-24 hours of receiving Vermate.

Preventative Care

Prevention is always better than cure. Administering Vermate daily can prevent diarrhea and general weakness in young animals. For routine maintenance, simply add 10ml of Vermate per 1 liter of milk.

Treatment for Diarrhea

If diarrhea occurs, follow these guidelines.

Calves  Start with a loading dose of 80ml. Continue with 10ml per 1 liter of milk. For very weak calves, a second loading dose can be given after 12 hours, with up to 100ml administered twice daily in extreme cases.

Lambs Begin with a loading dose of 20ml. Follow with 10ml per 1 liter of milk. If needed, administer a second loading dose after 12 hours.

Helpful Tips for Calf Rearing

Obviously, it is most favorable to have a system as close to nature as possible. Letting the calf stay with the mother for as long as possible is best, but in most cases, this is not possible.

Allow the calf to get some colostrum for 2 or 3 days to give the immune system a kickstart. Start with Vermate as soon as the calf is taken from the mother, as Vermate helps the calf deal with the stress and maintain gut health during the transition period.

When feeding the calf, it is crucial to encourage a strong sucking motion to activate the milk groove, ensuring the milk goes to the milk stomach. If the milk lands in the rumen, it will rot, and a crypto infection is inevitable. The rumen doesn’t contain the enzymes needed to digest the milk.

If the milk does land in the rumen, dose the calf with 40ml of Vermate to introduce organisms that can break down the milk.

It is critical for calves to have space to move from a very young age. The digestive tract is designed to work and develop optimally when the animal has the opportunity to move and play. It is also a great way to assess if a calf is well, allowing for early treatment if needed.

To prevent lung infections, don’t let calves sleep on concrete floors. Soil is much better as it has a better insulation effect than concrete, especially in winter. It is crucial to keep bedding dry at all times to prevent pathogenic organisms from getting the upper hand. Let groups of calves sleep together to keep each other warm.

The digestive system of a calf is designed to drink at the level of a cow’s teat. Place the bottle at the same height and angle as the teat of a cow. Drinking out of a bucket is totally unnatural and should be avoided completely.

Give the calf access to a limited amount of water in the first 4 weeks. If they drink too much, they will get a bloated belly. This will also affect their appetite for milk, which they need for nutrition. Having access to water will help prevent dehydration, especially on hot summer days.

If a calf has diarrhea, is dehydrated, and is not willing to drink milk, dose the calf with 40 to 60ml of Vermate diluted with 500ml of water in a bottle. This will ensure that the organisms are replaced to digest the milk in the stomach. When the organisms are present, the calf’s appetite will return, and it will take the bottle with milk again.