Hydrafast

Hydrafast is a next generation oral rehydration solution. Hydrafast was developed alongside Professor Gayle Hallowell, Professor of Veterinary Internal Medicine and Critical Care at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham.

Features of Hydrafast:

• Delivers ideal sodium levels for water absorption and rehydration.
• Provides high glucose levels for energy, and as the main co-transporter of sodium.
• Includes acetate, propionate, and citrate as acid buffers. These also act as sodium co-transporters and further energy sources.
• Contains Glycine, an amino acid which facilitates sodium absorption and speeds mucosal regeneration.
• All components of Hydrafast are carefully balanced achieving the desired osmolarity, strong ion difference and sodium: glucose ratio.

Hydrafast comes in sachets of 133g. Each box of Hydrafast contains 24 sachets.

How to use Hydrafast:

Research has shown that continuing milk feeding during calf scour is very important to maintain calf strength and aid recovery. However, Hydrafast is much more effective than milk at rehydrating the calf and preventing metabolic acidosis, keeping the calf bright, so using Hydrafast alongside milk from the onset of scour is vital.

Ideal protocol:

• At first signs of scour feed 2 litres of prepared Hydrafast solution twice daily and continue for at least 2 days.
• Also continue milk feeding the calf or allow calf to suckle as normal if possible. Ongoing nutrition from milk is important for the calf’s recovery. If milk feeding, ensure a 3-hour gap between Hydrafast and milk feeding.
• Administer Hydrafast orally, preferably using a feeding bottle with teat. Alternatively, bucket or tube feeding can be used.

Consider IV fluids if any of the following apply:

• The calf can’t maintain sternal recumbency
• The calf is extremely depressed with no suckle reflex
• The calf still appears dehydrated after 48 hours of oral Hydrafast

Mixing instructions:

Mix the contents of one sachet in 2 litres of clean, fresh, warm water and mix thoroughly. Feed immediately.

Hydrafast is a complete dietetic feedingstuff for the particular nutritional purpose of stabilisation of water and electrolyte balance. For use in the case of risk of, during periods of, or recovery from digestive disturbance (diarrhoea).