Comparative evaluation of rice starch mixed with barley (Hordeum vulgare) flour for supportive care of calf diarrhoea*

Abstract

Rice starch mixed with barley flour (RSBF) in 3: 1 ratio was given orally to diarrhoeic calves aged below 4 months twice daily for 3 days @ 200g/calf and 300g/calf either alone or along with oral co-trimazine. These 4 dose regimens of RSBF were evaluated for their therapeutic efficacies separately in 5 diarrhoeic calves each. Another group of 5 diarrhoeic calves received oral co-trimazine alone as the specific therapy to serve as treated control. Co-trimazine (sulphadiazine + trimethoprim) was used in different groups @ 15 mg/kg b wt twice daily for 3 days. The diarrhoea was non-parasitic origin with E. coli as the major cause. In vitro drug sensitivity showed co-trimazine to be highly effective (4+). The clinical (faecal consistency, dehydration and depression scores) and haemato-biochemical (PCV, serum total protein, albumin. albumin/globulin ratio, serum sodium, potassium, chloride and glucose) evaluations were done before and after therapy. The clinical scores revealed the presence of moderate diarrhoea. The RSBF @300g/calf given along with co-trimazine was of better therapeutic value than the other 4 dose regimens tried, thus proving its supportive value in diarrhoea when given along with specific therapy.