ABSTRACT
Septicaemia occurs when the infecting organisms break through the first line of defence and invade the general blood circulation. The newborn calf is particularly prone to septicaemia by two routes, the immature gut wall and the navel. The calf that does get E.coli septicaemia within the first 3-4 days of life is either found dead or in a state of collapse. The organism most commonly isolated from cases of enteritis in young calves is E.coli. Salmonellosis is the most severe of the common forms of septicaemia in young calves. Salmonellosis in calves constitutes a real threat to the stockman and to the stockman's family. A rare cause of bloody diarrhoea in calves is poisoning with furazolidone, a popular drug for the treatment and prevention of bacterial enteritis. Gassy bloat in calves can usually be relieved by inserting a stomach tube through a hole placed in a wooden gag jammed between the molar teeth of the calf.
