With lots of evidence of warmer summers, water access is paramount in most of our eyes. There’s more capacity for access by all classes of cattle, including from newly designed water troughs being fed by solar pumps.

It may be wise to have a look at all your watering bowls, how much capacity they have and the space for the cattle to drink water.

Cattle, especially slaughter cattle, are getting bigger, so watering the same number of animals today means more weight — and more demand for water. The future may see more measurable parameters when it comes to water output. We all know warmer summers with 35 C days really increase thirst and water consumption.

Colostrum

There’s always more and more talk on colostrum and its role in healthy calves. More than any drug, colostrum is vitally important to the newborn calf. Not only the time at which it’s ingested but also the amount and quality factor into whether a calf gets its necessary immunoglobulins.

I have heard of many a producer giving a bag of commercial colostrum substitutes. Colostrum substitutes can vary in quality; as well, females are exposed to organisms on your place so should have decent-quality colostrum. If in doubt, get some checked, but always have a supply of commercial colostrum substitutes and use the advice your veterinarian gives you.

Spending the time at this early stage of development is critical to success.

Get all the necessary supplies lined up for calving and practice good biosecurity by at least using a boot dip or disinfectant mat and stressing visitors are off-limits until after breeding season.

Preventives

The use of intranasal vaccines near birth has been a rising star in cattle production. They are being adopted by many producers seeing pneumonic-type issues early in a calf’s life.

Clostridium perfringens A, or hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS), is more diagnosed in the beef cattle population whereas previously it was only being seen in dairy cattle. There is hope on the horizon as Merck, the pharma company, plans to have a new product available for this. It will be called Covexin 10 and is a multivalent clostridial disease vaccine that covers Clostridium perfringens A. We don’t need to get an EDR (emergency drug release) to bring it in. This product should be available in Canada by the end of the summer — so, good news.

At a recent cattle show I was impressed how many purebred producers were relying heavily on temperature before treating and, in really grey cases, were using the approach of treating initially with NSAIDs before jumping to antimicrobials. I foresee a day where fewer antimicrobials will be used because of resources such as preventive vaccines, soft weaning and other de-stressing agents I will talk about next.

Keeping cattle chill

Reducing stress on cattle should reduce morbidity and mortality of calves such as at weaning or in transportation over long distances. Even injuries or lameness from slipping or tripping can be reduced with calmer cattle.

In the old days, if we really wanted to calm down fractious wild cattle, we could sedate them, which would last several hours. Now a few products have come on the market that may be game changers for the cattle industry.

One is DeStress, a nutritive supplement containing, among other things, an amino acid that calms animals. It was developed primarily to decrease shrinkage on shipping to market and its effects last about a day. It’s proved economically viable, especially on long hauls.

Now a newer product, which relies on a calming or appeasing substance for cattle, has been developed. There are similar products for swine, horses and small animals, so if you have an interest in those species, definitely look up the appeasing products for them. The cattle product, called FerAppease, is applied topically in two locations in the head area, and will essentially calm cattle down for up to 14 days.

I’ve tried FerAppease for calming cattle down for weaning, for showing, for shipping and even for introducing bulls together. If this gets the response it is supposed to, the beef industry may find many uses for it, including for traumatic procedures such as castration, dehorning or branding. You should be able to see the effect it is having on cattle yourself. It could be a real win for the entire cattle industry.

Always watch for future developments in the cattle industry, as many could have a huge benefit to your cattle operation. Time will tell the real impact it will have.

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As humankind evolved from a nomadic hunter-gatherer society into agricultural-based settlement populations, there is a reason domesticated bovine played a major role as a farmed species. Cattle are hardy and resilient, defending themselves against many potentially harmful viruses, bacteria and parasitic burdens.

There are scenarios, though, where beef cattle producers can help ease that burden, by implementing some simple barriers against disease to keep their herds productive and healthy.

1. Grazing leases and shared pastures

Producers can play a proactive role in community grazing situations by ensuring animals with a poor body condition score, or showing signs of possible illness, are not shipped to a community pasture.

Pasture staff should have a standardized protocol for vaccination, disease identification and treatment while animals are at the community pasture, and they should work closely with a veterinarian when things aren’t looking right.

Remember, cattle coming out of community pastures or grazing leases can bring unwanted diseases home, such as those that cause fetal loss such as bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVD) or infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), even if they appear healthy. To avoid spreading these to the main herd, it is recommended to manage them separately for three to four weeks before they rejoin the core group.

2. Wildlife contact

Identifying key areas on the farm where beef cattle potentially comingle with wildlife is a key factor when considering the risk of transmission of infectious diseases to a herd. For example, when cattle share pastures and water sources with other cloven-hooved animals such as deer and elk, diseases such as tuberculosis can spread between cohorts. Close contact with wild birds and other wildlife and their droppings should also be limited as much as possible to prevent cross-contamination between species.

3. Shared trailers and equipment

Farmers often work together in busy seasons to be more efficient with time and resources. When agreeing with a neighbour to work together, consider having a conversation about the risk factors associated with cross-contamination between farms, and make every effort to minimize those risks. Some jumping-off points include ensuring both herds have a similar vaccination and health status and thoroughly cleaning the shared equipment between uses.

4. Horse lending

When lending a hand to the neighbours we often think about cleaning our trailers and washing our boots, but what about horses? When a horse has spent time in a neighbouring herd, there should be adequate time and measures taken to ensure they are not bringing home pathogens on their feet or in their respiratory tracts, so some level of quarantine is recommended.

5. Livestock shows

The comingling of people, equipment and animals at 4-H events, local fairs, livestock shows and markets poses a significant risk to farming operations. Any animals or equipment returning from these events must be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and quarantined.

6. Raw colostrum from other farms

Cows from within your own herd will have the best antibody profile in their colostrum to protect your calves from the diseases persistent in your environment. Raw colostrum from other farms, especially dairies, may not include all the antibodies to protect against the diseases that threaten your herd.

Worse than that, it could also contain dangerous viruses, bacteria or parasites that are not part of your environment already. Introducing pathogens such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, Johne’s disease, cryptosporidium, and scours-causing organisms can cause devastating results. If you have calves that require colostrum but have none from your herd on hand, opt for pasteurized powdered colostrum instead.

7. Custom operators

Custom workers often travel from farm to farm to provide services. While this is convenient and often timesaving for a producer, it also creates a risk if the contractor is not following biosecurity recommendations. Ensure all contractors are aware of your biosecurity protocols and that they are responsible for complying. This can include spraying tires, boot baths and wearing booties on-farm.

8. Farm visitors

Off-farm family and friends are often excited to experience the farm, and beef producers are welcoming and enjoy sharing a glimpse into their lifestyle. When offering access to farm visitors, it is equally important to ensure simple steps are taken to protect the animals on the farm. These may include boot washes, clothing changes and hand washing.

9. Orphaned calves

The economic consequences of having a dry cow for the season are significant. Because of this, it is tempting to adopt a calf from another operation onto a willing mother cow. However, the risks outweigh the reward.

Orphaned calves will carry all the pathogens they have been exposed to on their farm of origin. These pathogens may not harm the orphan calf, as they will have exposure immunity from their herd of origin. Those same pathogens, however, may be novel to your herd and could have devastating consequences for your cows and calves in the forms of scours outbreaks or reproductive wrecks.

10. Service providers

Veterinarians, feed consultants and nutritionists have the best intentions in providing critical advice to help your herd stay healthy and remain profitable. They often travel between farms, so it is crucial they follow biosecurity protocols when entering and leaving the farm.

11. Leased livestock

Custom feeding and leased livestock can help bolster income when needed. Animals that do not originate from your herd will need to be quarantined and placed on the same vaccination program as the rest of your herd, in consultation with your veterinarian, before fully integrating into your herd.

12. Purchased stock

Bulls, replacement heifers and any other newly purchased animals will not have the same immunity as your home herd. They must be properly vaccinated and quarantined to ensure they don’t introduce disease to your herd, or vice versa.

13. Borrowed or purchased nurse cows

Nurse cows can pose a significant threat to the health status of your herd, by introducing new pathogens to which your calves and cows could be naive. When acquiring a nurse cow from another operation, it is key to allow for an adequate amount of time to properly quarantine and evaluate the health of the incoming animal.

14. Different livestock species

Just because an animal is a different species doesn’t mean it cannot still carry or spread disease to the cow herd. Care must be taken when introducing new species onto the farm, such as hogs, horses, or small ruminants such as sheep and goats.

15. Fence-line contact and shared water

If your cows are sharing a fence line or a water source with a neighbouring herd, their problems become your problems. Any cattle that are across a fence or drinking from the same water source will need to be considered when assessing risk and developing vaccination protocols.

While it is not possible to protect your herd from everything all the time, understanding where the potential breaches are in your biosecurity plan can help identify reasonable changes in management and develop health and vaccination protocols that effectively protect your herd.

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While the biennial event was cancelled during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, it was back in business for the 2022 show. The four-day event held in Hanover drew about 106,000 people from 141 countries. While attendance numbers were down from past shows, organizers were pleased with the turnout, given the challenging circumstances.

EuroTier featured more than 1,800 exhibitors from 57 countries exhibiting at the event, some even from war-torn Ukraine, who were warmly received by the crowds.

On display was a plethora of new machines, technology, equipment and feed that have been developed to make farming just a little bit easier, at a cost of course.

From new telehandlers, to calf-feeding technology, to robots, to interesting apps that allow farmers to farm from a distance, EuroTier had them all. Here is a brief description of a couple pieces of new technology.

Colostrum Care Centre

All the way from the U.S., the Colostrum Care Centre is a processing unit designed to offer complete handling of colostrum from cow to calf. It carries out the bagging, pasteurizing, cooling, rewarming and feeding in the one machine. After the cow’s first milking, the colostrum is collected and put into one-gallon bags. The cooling zone contains a chilled water bath of 2-4 C, used to immediately chill the post-pasteurized colostrum to stop bacteria growth, then keep it refrigerated until it’s time to feed to the next calf. The pasteurizing zone uses the heat generated from the chilling system to preheat the water. When the pasteurizing cycle begins, it uses an electric element to supply any additional heat needed to achieve and maintain a pasteurizing temperature of 60 C. The rewarming zone will bring the pasteurized colostrum to feeding temperature.

Topcalf — Duo Easy Clean

New regulations for rearing calves are making their way through Europe. These include bigger rearing spaces per calf. Dutch company Topcalf displayed its Duo Easy Clean XXL unit, which gives 4.5 square metres lying space per calf. This galvanized steel calf pen is easily moved by a forklift and tilts to allow easy cleaning. The unit sits on four caster wheels, the front two with brakes. It has two-part front doors that enables easy entry into the calf hutch without disturbing a drinking calf. There is a removable partition and optional extras include tiltable bucket holders with locking system.

Sylco Hellas Sheep/goat milking parlour

Greek company Sylco Hellas showed its fast-exit sheep and goat milking parlour. This setup was a 16-point parlour idea for farms with more than 200 animals to milk. They can cater from 12 to 80 positions in a single or double row, with capacities from 200 to 550 animals per hour. There is an all-stainless steel model. The space for each animal is increased to 40cm, so that even larger animals are comfortable. The feed troughs are also stainless steel and have partitions for each animal. The whole front side is lifted by two special air cylinders, one on each side, and the entrance gates for the animals are also air operated. There is a central control box inside the milking pit, where all the controls for fast exit, and entry doors are fitted. GN

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• Position the calf in the recovery position with both front legs tucked underneath its chest or out in front, and back legs on each side of the body, pulled towards its head. This allows the calf’s lungs to expand with the least amount of pressure, making it easier for it to breathe.
• Avoid hanging calves over gates or upside down. Hanging a calf upside down causes its stomach and intestines to press down on the diaphragm and compress the lungs, making it harder for it to breathe. Although fluid will come out, this fluid is from the stomach, not the lungs. For a very good visual on how to resuscitate a calf check out the BCRC You Tube video: Calf 911 – New Video Demonstrates Effective Calf Resuscitation Strategies.
• Gently poke the nasal septum. This may cause the calf to gasp and take a deep breath in and initiate the breathing process.
• Squirt a few drops of water in a calf’s ear, which can often cause it to gasp and start breathing. Be careful not to fill the ear with water as this could cause an ear infection.
• Consider giving a pain-control product such as meloxicam to cows and calves after a difficult birth. Recent work at the University of Calgary showed this provided a slight statistical improvements in weight gain during the first week of life. Furthermore, without being told which calves had received the pain-control product, producers were able to identify them. They noted that these calves appeared brighter, mothered up faster, and were let out of the barn sooner.

It can be stressful when newborn calves don’t get off to a healthy start. However, these techniques will allow farmers to know how to respond quickly and provide timely care and attention to newborn calves that need resuscitation.

No immunity

Newborn calves are born with virtually no immunity of their own. Unlike other mammals, a cow’s placenta does not allow antibodies to pass from the mother to the calf during pregnancy, which means the calf must receive its initial immunity from the antibody-rich colostrum, or first milk, of the cow. This initial immunity is essential because it provides protective antibodies against many diseases that affect newborn calves, such as scours, navel abscesses, arthritis and pneumonia.

If the calf is at risk of not having adequate colostrum, such as after a difficult birth, is a twin, is delivered via C-section, has a weak suckle reflex, or hasn’t sucked in the first few hours of life, supplementation is recommended. If a calf requires colostrum supplementation, here are a few things to consider:

• The ideal intake is two litres of colostrum within the first two hours of life and another two litres in the next eight to 12 hours.
• Colostrum from the calf’s mother is the preferred source. Safely restrain the cow and milk her colostrum into a disinfected bottle or feeding tube. If that is not an option, choose from stored colostrum from other cattle on your farm, or a freeze-dried, powdered commercial colostrum product.
• Start a colostrum bank from mature cows within your herd that have with plentiful colostrum (or from cows that lose calves at birth).
• At the start of calving season, make sure you have a powdered colostrum product on hand that has at least 100 grams of immunoglobulin G (IgG) per package and reconstitutes to the smallest volume possible. Read the product label carefully to see if the package is a “replacement” or a “supplement” as supplements contain fewer grams of IgG.
• If it is not used within the hour, cow colostrum should be frozen. It can remain in the freezer for up to a year.
• Make sure to clean and disinfect bottles or tubes after feeding. Have separate marked bottles for colostrum for newborns versus electrolytes or medicines for sick calves.
• Thaw frozen colostrum slowly. If it heats up too fast it will destroy the proteins. Set frozen colostrum in hot (but not boiling) water. Do not use the microwave to thaw colostrum as it breaks down the protein.

Ensuring a calf has adequate colostrum at birth is one of the most important ways a producer can set that calf up for a successful and productive life.

Electrolytes may be needed

Supplementing young calves with electrolytes is sometimes necessary. Electrolytes are given to calves showing signs of dehydration, usually due to scours.Most calves that die from scours don’t succumb to the virus or bacteria causing the symptoms, but rather die from dehydration. Adequately rehydrating calves when they are sick is key for calf survival. Here are a few things to remember when rehydrating calves:

• Stick two fingers in a calf’s mouth to see if it will suck. If a calf still has a suckle reflex, it is probably only mildly dehydrated and can be revived with oral electrolytes.
• If a calf is more severely dehydrated, it will be unable to stand and their eyes will be sunken in. If this is the case, it needs veterinary intervention and IV fluids.
• Ensure electrolyte solutions include salt, potassium, an energy source like glucose, and amino acids like glycine or alanine. This will ensure the product is doing its job to effectively rehydrate the calf. Your veterinarian can help you choose an electrolyte product that will work for you.
• Have a separately marked bottle for electrolytes and medicines and a separate bottle for colostrum. Avoid using bottles or tubes interchangeably and make sure to clean and disinfect feeding equipment after each use.
• Talk to your veterinarian about a protocol for feeding oral electrolytes, as the amount needed will change depending on how dehydrated the calf is. Continue giving electrolytes until the calf has stopped scouring, even if it looks like it has recovered, because it can still become dehydrated.

Producers have invested a lot of money into a newborn calf by the time it hits the ground. Once calves have arrived, ensuring they are healthy or treating them for dehydration when necessary will help them thrive and grow.

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We can all learn from each other, and our new-found knowledge may save calves and increase productivity in our herds. There is a great feeling of accomplishment in detecting a torsion or abnormal presentation in time to save the calf, or recognizing when a cow doesn’t have enough milk (colostrum) for its calf and it is starving, or knowing where and when to increase biosecurity practices to prevent that first case of scours.

If we have an open mind, we can learn new skills or techniques that may save another calf. It is not always about economics but about doing the right thing when it comes to pain control, prudent antimicrobial usage and also telling our story to the public.

Adopting calves to another mother can be a real chore, but the almost bulletproof way is to skin the calf that was lost so you have a large cape. Make a slot in the hide and slip it over the head and neck of the new calf. Tie all the legs loosely so the cape stays in place and really that’s all you have to do. After a couple of days the hide works loose and gets very smelly and it’s time to come off. The mother should have accepted the smell of the new calf as her own and the adoption is complete. If the cow loses a calf right at calving, take the afterbirth and lay it over the calf being adopted or tie some of the tissue around the neck. I have also used a commercial product known as Calf Claim, which can be applied to the back of the adoptee calf and draws the mother to lick it. It can be effective as well.

Don’t be afraid to check

Don’t be overzealous, but watch for abnormal presentations such as breech births, torsions and even backwards calves, which can cause a cow or heifer to be in labour much longer than normal. If you suspect something is wrong, it’s time to check her out. You are never disappointed with this effort.

Put your hand in the birth canal, which is a long tunnel through soft folds of tissue with the cervix separating it from the uterus. If you can put your hand through the cervix, it’s dilated and the calf should have been starting through. Reach into the uterus to try to feel the calf and which way it’s laying. If the cervix is not fully dilated and you can only put one or two fingers through, the cow needs more time. If it’s partly open, you may be able to put your hand through and determine what’s happening with the calf, and why its feet aren’t starting through.

If you find an abnormal presentation, you may be in time to correct it and get a live calf out. With true breech births (which often happen with twins), torsions even some backwards calves, cows seem to be going through the first stages of labour but not advancing.

At times it may be necessary to provide the newborn calf with resuscitation. Have oxygen close at hand as well as Doxopram, a respiratory stimulant administered by injection. Have a needle and syringe drawn up ready to give intravenously. Your veterinary clinic can generally include Doxopram under prescription. It is very useful in my opinion to have a small bottle or one to two doses available for quick usage if need be. Also, an acupuncture point just below the middle of the calf’s nostrils has been tried with some success. Some veterinarians can show you where the treatment point is.

Colostrum is vital

Natural colostrum produced by the cow is always best for the newborn calf, but if it is not possible for the calf to nurse, an air-dried colostrum product such as HeadStart colostrum can also be very effective.

I use it in a situation with twin calves, giving a solution made a with 50-60 gram package to both. Make sure the calf receives at least one litre of colostrum to maintain enough immunoglobulins.

If the cow is a tough milker or is wild or for any reason you don’t think the calf will be able to suck directly, give it the extra colostrum without hesitation. If calves look gaunt, walk with crooked legs or contracted tendons and are generally slow, re-drench them if need be with more colostrum.

If checking the cow’s udder while it is being held in a chute, make sure all of the teats are open and milk flow is unobstructed and the colostrum quality looks good. You may find poor milkers or in rare cases mastitis or an udder full of blood. I also find backwards calves, especially after a pull, can be slow to rise so I don’t hesitate giving them colostrum. If in doubt, give the calf supplemental colostrum — the earlier the better, preferably in the first few hours after birth.

Keep calving areas clean and well bedded, as well as any carts, sleds, or anything used for handling or transporting the calves. Clean as regularly as possible with a disinfectant such as Virkon. A clean environment can go a long way to eliminating navel infection and other blood-borne diseases.

With nervous and overly possessive mothers or those rough on their calves, a dose of Acepromazine tranquilizer can work wonders for the first day. After even a moderate pull, using a painkiller such as Banamine or meloxicam can speed up recovery. These products can be purchased from your veterinarian under prescription.

We should always be trying to improve our calving management and success rate. By talking with other producers as well as with the animal health team of veterinarians, nutritionists, hoof trimmers, geneticists and A.I. technicians all have something to contribute to the betterment of your herd. All you have to do is ask. Have a great spring calving. The weather has sure been on our side at least in January here.

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Each of these antibodies or immunoglobulins has a specific role in neonate calf immunity. For example, IgG can target pathogens in the tissue of the animal’s body, while IgM destroys bacteria that enter the bloodstream. Lastly, IgA attaches to the membranes of different tissues such as intestinal linings, which prevents E. coli from attaching themselves and causing disease. High colostrum Ig levels do not last long and in a few days and subsequent milkings return to a fraction of their immediate postpartum levels. Neither does the calf’s ability to absorb these immunoglobulins intact, because its ability to ingest and absorb whole immunoglobulins is short-lived. Their intestinal cells with a specialized pinocytic feature are all replaced by more non-specific conventional cells within 24 hours after the calf’s birth. Once the calf’s gut closes, no further large immunoglobulins can be absorbed.

The on-the-farm practice to implement important passive immunity in newborn calves is to feed each calf 100 to 300 grams of immunoglobulin from colostrum within the first 12 hours of birth. Given that high-quality colostrum should contain at least 50 grams of IgG per litre, most dairy nutritionists instruct that four litres of colostrum be fed within the first two hours of life, followed by another two litres by six to 12 hours old. Consumption and absorption of immunoglobulins from colostrum following this protocol is considered successful if the calf’s IgG blood levels are over 10 g/litre to establish good passive immunity.

Ensure calves are protected

As a dairy nutritionist, I have witnessed many producers following this practice. In one example, a producer of a 350-dairy milking cow operation ensures that adequate colostrum is fed using an esophageal tube. He is very conscientious to ensure the baby calf does not aspirate any colostrum during the initial feeding (illustration) or during the second feeding a couple of hours later. He tells me that if a calf is on the small side, he reduces the amount of initial/first colostrum to about two to three litres.

In another case, I know a dairy producer that runs a 150-cow dairy and he prefers to leave the newborn calf with the cow for the first few hours of life. He watches the calf to ensure that it suckles. Afterwards, he removes the calf to a clean and straw-filled hutch and feeds the second colostrum with a two-litre bottle. Despite some concerns in the present literature about disease transfer from cow to calf, this producer assured me that he has never had such problems and it seems to only calm the mother for many hours after giving birth.

Despite both producers having different methods of feeding colostrum, they both have the means of testing colostrum of each cow with a refractometer and as a result ensure that each baby calf receives high-quality colostrum.

The first producer uses the black tubular refractometer ($30 to $50 per unit), in which he places a drop of colostrum on the glass side and reads a differentiation line between white and blue areas shown through the eyeglass.

The other producer has a digital refractometer ($450 per unit) in which he places a drop of colostrum in the centre eyepiece and receives a subsequent digital reading. It is generally accepted by both producers and research alike that at least 22 per cent on the Brix scale of both types of refractometers corresponds to at least 50 g/litre IgG, which is considered to be high-quality colostrum for baby calves.

These dairy farms are a testament that there is no real substitute for high-quality colostrum fed to newborn dairy calves. It provides immunoglobulins that can be consumed and directly absorbed across the intestinal wall only within a very short time after birth. As it happens, these antibodies give each dairy calf a seemingly magical chance at a healthy and productive life.

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Dystocia, or calving complications, pose a health risk for both the newborn calf and the cow. While dystocia can be partly managed with careful breeding choices and culling practices, proper nutrition and managing for a body condition score of three (on a scale of one to five) before calving, difficult deliveries can still occur.

Every scenario is different, however, once a water bag appears, a calf should hit the ground within one hour for cows, or up to one and a half hours for a first-calf heifer. If this doesn’t happen, intervention may be needed, especially if no progress has occurred for 30 minutes, the cow stops pushing, or there are other signs of trouble. If there is a problem, a water bag may not always appear, so observe other behaviours that signal labour, such as tail switching, restlessness, the appearance of membranes or discharge or a kink in the cow’s tail.

Calves born with assistance are less likely to drink colostrum — that first, rich milk newborns require — on their own. Assisted calves are more likely to have reduced vigour or be mismothered and need proper care and attention to increase their ability to survive.

• If a calf is born with assistance, DO NOT hang it upside down. Rather, place the calf in the recovery position to keep the airway open and better enable it to start breathing.
• Both cows and calves may benefit from pain medication following a difficult delivery. Administering an NSAID like meloxicam can help to promote cow recovery, improve her appetite, and lead to better milk production. If a calf’s pain is managed, they will be more comfortable, are more likely to get up and stay active, start nursing, and stay warm.
• Assess a calf’s vigour by testing for a suckle reflex. Place a finger or two in the calf’s mouth and gently tickle the roof of its mouth. If a calf has a strong suckle reflex within 10 minutes of birth, it will have a better chance of nursing the cow on its own without assistance. A calf with a weak suckle reflex will need monitoring and likely colostrum supplementation.
• A dazed or weak calf can be resuscitated. To stimulate a calf, rub the chest vigorously, poke a clean straw into its nostril or even dribble a small amount of cold water in its ear.

Colostrum – the sooner the better

Colostrum is full of fats, vitamins, and protein antibodies called immunoglobulin G (IgG). These antibodies are essential to help a calf develop immunity to diseases specific to the farm it is born on. Calves should suckle a recommended minimum of one litre of colostrum in the first four to six hours of life.

Producers should pay attention to whether they see a baby calf nurse its mother. Look to see if the cow’s teats have been sucked, feel the calf’s belly to see if it is full, or look at its hooves to see if the soft, rubbery capsule has been worn off, an indication that it has been standing up. If it doesn’t look like the calf has what it needs or it appears weak or dull, the following are some supplementation considerations:

• The best source of supplemental colostrum is from within your own herd. The freshly calved cow can be milked, or colostrum can be collected from another cow on your farm and frozen for up to one year.
• Never microwave colostrum. This can “cook” the antibodies and render them useless. Instead, place the bag of frozen colostrum in a bowl of warm water so it can gradually increase in temperature.
• Powdered colostrum is an option if fresh/frozen colostrum is unavailable. Read the package to determine if the product is a “replacement” or a “supplement.” Supplements contain fewer grams of IgG per litre so two packages may be required to meet the needs of the calf.
• Veterinarians recommend feeding calves anywhere from a minimum of 100 grams IgG up to 200 grams IgG.
• Avoid colostrum sourced from other farms, to prevent bringing unwanted diseases to your herd.
• When administering colostrum, bottle-feeding is better than tube-feeding. A bottle will support the calf’s suckle reflex which in turn will ensure the optimal amount of antibodies are absorbed in the calf’s gut.
• Tube feeding is better than nothing, however, it places the milk directly into the rumen, which doesn’t allow for maximum absorption.
• Use separately marked tubes or bottles for feeding colostrum and treating sick calves. This will prevent newborn calves from being exposed to disease.
• Clean and disinfect bottles and tubes after each use.

Disease prevention – keep calving area clean

The most effective way to manage disease in young calves is to manage the “disease balance”. If calves aren’t exposed to bacteria and viruses that cause common calfhood diseases such as scours, septicemia, pneumonia, or navel ill, their risk of infection is going to be minimal.

• Disease outbreaks are less common when cattle are spread out so if possible, reduce confinement.
• For producers calving on pasture, provide ample space for expectant cows, then move pairs to fresh ground. This is referred to as a Sandhills calving system.
• When calving in a corral, the principle of providing a clean environment remains the same. Provide lots of fresh, clean straw for bedding. This also helps ensure that cows’ udders are kept clean and dry.
• Clean pens regularly.
• Disease-causing bacteria can lurk in common areas such as creep feeders, wind shelters or calf huts. Ensure permanent structures are kept clean and well bedded. Move portable feeders and shelters often.
• Isolate and treat sick calves to prevent them from infecting healthy calves.
• Talk to your veterinarian and make sure your cow herd is up-to-date with vaccinations.

Planning for a successful calving season starts months before the first calf of the year is born, however, the tips outlined above can help producers navigate the calving season now.

Providing effective support for difficult deliveries, ensuring calves receive adequate colostrum, and keeping calving areas clean, will allow producers to optimize the health, wellbeing, and profitability of this year’s calf crop.

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The post Getting newborn calves off to a good start appeared first on Grainews.

For the spring calver, great observation skills combined with the right decisions and the ability to go the extra mile will generally be rewarded. I hope everyone preg-checked their herds and removed the open and very late cows well before calving season. This eliminates a lot of the unnecessary labour of checking open cows and removing cycling cows from the calving area. Cycling cows can raise havoc, fighting, pushing and stepping on newborns. Late cows need to be in a separate pen or sold.

First off and without question, new cow-calf pairs should be removed to a separate quiet area as soon as calving has occurred. This makes checking easier and keeps the calving ground less contaminated.

I wish more experienced producers could share or teach the little things they do when checking cattle. For example, questioning if blood from the vagina indicates a problem or if meconium (earliest stool of newborn calf) in the water bag is an indication the calf is stressed and needs to be extracted. Has one been nesting with no progress?

Calving cameras are also useful. Cameras positioned on the calving herd can reveal how many cows will try and steal a newborn. Particularly in the purebred business, it is critical to find out and confirm who belongs to who. Cross-adoption or abandonment by heifers that are not closely watched is another issue.

Confused mothers

Also, cows just going into stage one of labour will often claim a newborn and drive the real mother off. Good producers will let both cows follow the calf into the barn, knowing one is the real mother and the other should calve right away.

With a good maternity chute, you can rectal-exam the cow you think hasn’t calved to feel for a full-term calf in the uterus. If you feel nothing, check the other cow. One has to have a calf in it. If intervention is not done, the calf can get claimed by the wrong mother, her labour stops and she finally delivers a stillborn calf later in the day.

In cold weather, one simply has to get the cow-calf pair into their own pen and the calf dried off and warmed up. It is amazing how quickly most calves will suck once warmed, so the more we pair up cows with their calves directly after birth the calves will get up nurse suckle and pass meconium. This extra care to ensure mothering up will reap huge health benefits down the line. The colder it gets the more critical this warmup time is.

While running through the barn, use good observation skills to notice bad feet, lame cattle, and teats that aren’t sucked or could have mastitis. While the cow is close to the maternity chute, other issues including eye problems can be closely examined and treated if necessary.

I haven’t seen any hard data on this, but I believe if possible there are benefits to keeping a newborn calf and its mother in a separate standalone pen for close to 24 hours. It will reap huge benefits. That calf will have less susceptibility to pneumonia or scours because of a good suck of colostrum. If the calf is any bit slow to rise or doesn’t have a good suckle reflex by about 10 minutes, don’t delay, take action. Give the calf a colostrum replacement product such as Headstart. Check any colostrum replacers for quality. You usually get what you pay for and this is not the place to cut costs. If needing to tube with the colostrum, have one feeder for newborns (a new one), another for sick calves and still another for scouring calves. Have a plan for where sick and scouring calves (hopefully you don’t have any) can be isolated. This is critical to help prevent spread of disease in your herd.

I like to insist on boot dips by the maternity pen to keep producers aware that biosecurity on your farm is the most critical at calving time. Get all supplies ready, stocked and the calving area as clean as possible. Make sure the maternity pen calving jack has had a proper preparatory cleaning.

In Part 2, I will follow the progress of the calf into the bigger pens in the yard. I hope calving season goes well, and weather is on your side.

The post Pairing up is critical at calving — Part 1 appeared first on Grainews.

Our family enjoys science. It is exciting being able to understand how things work and do experiments to better our animal husbandry. On a trip to the feed mill, my son noticed a promotion for a free refractometer.

Refractometers are optical instruments which measure the amount of light refracted, or bent, as it passes through a liquid. We have been curious about them for testing feed but Mapleview Agri, the company supplying these meters, wanted them used by farmers to test colostrum.

There is another tool called a colostrometer. While some scientists find it more effective than the refractometer to visually test colostrum quality, it has disadvantages — the major one that they were designed for use in a lab. The results are tied to the temperature of the colostrum and require one cup of colostrum to test. The refractometer requires only a drop, which is much handier when milking a first-time beef heifer.

As result, as a commitment to helping their customers improve calf health, Mapleview Agri was promoting the use of refractometers to ensure quality colostrum. The video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vixnjh1SJrE) has visuals to show how to read the refractometer and make sure it is calibrated properly. The package insert also has detailed instructions.

My research showed this is not a new idea. According to researchers at Penn State University, the Brix scale works to measure colostrum on the theory that antibodies represent a large portion of the protein in colostrum, so the level of antibodies in the sample is highly correlated to the amount of light refracted.

Readings of 18 to 21 per cent indicate colostrum that can be used for second feedings and readings 17 per cent and lower should not be used without colostrum supplements.

The experiment was done on older cows as well as first- and second-calving heifers. We were thrilled to see that our Brix reading was consistently above 22 per cent. It was interesting to see it really didn’t vary much from cow to cow which we thought it might. Further reading into this kind of research found that Penn State also used the refractometer for published formulas for evaluating milk solids. Unfortunately scientists are of the opinion using the refractometer to test milk replacer batches is not reliable. The meter is a reliable tool to check the solids of waste milk being fed to calves.

Evaluating milk quality

The Brix meter can be used to evaluate waste milk fed to older calves to ensure it is of a consistent quality. Guidelines established say normal milk should measure 12.5 to 13 per cent total solids. Although the Brix refractometer measures the amount of sugar in a sample, the result can be converted to estimate total solids in milk. This is the equation developed by Penn State:

Total solids=(0.9984 x Brix reading) + 2.077

For example, a Brix reading of 10.4 equals 12.5 per cent total solids, while a reading of 10.9 equals 13 per cent total solids.

Pasteurized waste milk can be checked before feeding with the solids concentration adjusted by adding milk replacer.

This is the kind of technology that will help us to be better farmers. The fact that we can use these refractometers on farm to instantaneously test each and every female, or even your grass, without waiting for results, is a huge help.

The post Using meters to measure feed quality appeared first on Grainews.

There is no doubt twins can be a positive if they both arrive alive, are the same sex and you have an extra cow to foster one of the calves. But we all know the opposite — twins coming malpresented (mixed up), then you finally get them out (with or without veterinary assistance) both are dead and the cow doesn’t clean and becomes a problem to rebreed. If we can minimize the bad scenario and come up with more positives, twins would be welcome. Keep in mind they will always require more care, attention and management skills.

The original British breeds rarely twinned but with the advent of the exotics, better nutrition and other factors, twinning occurs about eight per cent in Simmentals, Charolais and Holsteins. This creates a lot of extra calves, which if they reach weaning, can definitely improve the bottom line. The key is getting them out alive, grafting one to another cow and then getting the cow rebred. Fortunately twinning has decreased with the red and black Simmentals, and even the traditional ones have fewer twins than previously. Twins happen more often than we think in bison. Most orphan bison calves were most likely born as twins.

Dystocias from fetal malpresentation are the biggest reason twins have a lower survival at birth. Twin or triplet lambs and kids are seldom mixed up at birth, yet calves commonly are. When one ponders all the permutations and combinations of all the legs and two heads coming backwards and forwards, it is no wonder mixups occur. In U.S. twinning research, they selected and kept cows with a propensity to twin resulting in more than 60 per cent of cows delivering twins. They knew to watch these cows closely and jump in when problems developed.

In a commercial or purebred operation there are a few clues to help us. Twins can often drag down a cow’s condition so not only should the cows be pulled from the main herd and fed with the heifers where there is less competition but they can also be observed when closer to calving.

Cows produce twin calves because they have ovulated two eggs or an egg has split, resulting in identical calves. Genetically these cows have a high likelihood of doing it again. You often hear farmers say a cow has had three sets of twins in the last four years or she twins every second year. These are very common scenarios. These cows with any past history of having twins likewise should be monitored closer when they calve. If you observe any unusual behaviour at calving, don’t hesitate to get that cow in and check her out. If cows are ultrasounded early at say 50 to 60 days, twins can be picked up by the test and these should definitely be noted and referred back to come calving season.

Common presentations

The most common presentation for twins is one backwards and one forwards. With the backwards presentations the likelihood of a full breech (tail first) is increased and these often require veterinary intervention. These are a great loss if the breech birth is first preventing the second calf from being born and both are born dead.

With breech births, the cows appear in first-stage labour for a long period and often don’t initiate calving quick enough. In calving twins out, remember to follow the legs back to make sure they are from the same calf and the top calf is the one that must come out first. If assisting at calving, remember to routinely check the cow for a twin, especially if a calf is backwards. Twins have a shorter gestation by about a week than a single birth so it is not uncommon to have a higher percentage of twins early on in the calving season. It never hurts to start observing cows one week to 10 days before the first one is due to avoid missing twins.

Having an extra calf earlier is great because there will be opportunity to foster one. If a cow loses one right at calving, rub the placenta on the twin calf to be grafted. If this fails any of the other tricks including placing the skin of the dead calf over the live one can be attempted. This method works very well if an older calf dies and its smell is transmitted to the transplanted calf.

Half the time twins are mixed sex and about 90-95 per cent of these heifer calves will be freemartins (very little development of the female reproductive organs) and will be sterile. Some freemartins you can definitely tell as the external genitalia are different with a real prominent clitoris. Others look normal and may even cycle but will not breed. Because they possess more male influence freemartins will grow very well (like a bull calf). Producers generally will graft the freemartins, often with the fact they were a twin getting lost in the shuffle. A common mistake is selecting a freemartin for replacement status as they will be in the upper 25 per cent for growth in the heifers. Mark their tag well with “Twin” written on it or use a different-colour tag to avoid this mistake. When they are identified in the feedlot, freemartins do better if implanted with the steer implants.

Cow issues

Any cows that deliver twins are more prone to certain clinical diseases. Retained placenta and metritis are the obvious ones. Because they are generally more run down, the immune system is compromised and conditions such as mastitis and ketosis are increased. If the cows are raising both calves at least for the first few days, provide the cow with better-quality feed as well as extra vitamins E, A and D. A selenium shot may help with retained placenta. As mentioned, a higher number will be treated for retained placentas and also watch for signs of depression and/or a fever, which may indicate metritis. Twins often extend the stretching limit of the uterus and it does not contract as well or as fast after calving. This results in fetal membranes not being expelled and the accumulation of micro-organisms in the uterus. This combination combined with intervention at calving can lead to metritis.

With twins being earlier in gestation, the fetal membranes are immature so don’t release as quickly. This is why retained placentas are common in almost all abortions . Research several years ago showed using Gnrh or prostaglandins at two weeks after calving may get these cows cycling earlier and allow them to get bred on time. There will be more open cows after twins or often they will take another cycle to get bred so it is imperative to provide this extra care post-calving.

I would be remiss to not talk about colostrum supplementation with twins. Postnatal survival is lower with twins due to insufficient consumption of colostrum. Perhaps the cow only mothers the first or second calf or simply has not produced enough to supply both calves. During a slow birth, oxygen-deprived calves may be kind of stupid and have a poor suck reflex. This is where an extra supply of colostrum either saved from your herd or using the good-quality commercial colostrum such as Headstart from the Saskatoon Colostrum Company is a real benefit to improving the survival of twins. Even if they both have nursed vigorously, it’s a good practice to split a bag of high-quality colostrum between the two calves.

More pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed are definitely possible if more twins are saved. Many of the negatives can be counteracted with good management and a little more work. If purchasing twin bulls for breeding, keep in mind birth weight is not relevant and they will not have more of a propensity to twin but their heifer offspring will.

It’s better to pamper twins as we can’t really prevent them and saving them results in more pounds of beef. Here’s to a great calving season and no lost twins.

The post Problems and benefits of twin calves appeared first on Grainews.