Calf Health from Birth to Branding
The most important and critical day for any calf is the day it is born. And according to Mike Lathrop, an Oregon-based veterinarian with Pfizer Animal Health the first few hours of birth have the greatest impact on calf health, Lathrop was joined by Colorado State University veterinarian Rob Callan during a Cattlemen’s College session dealing with health in baby calves.
Consumption of adequate quality and quantity of colostrum, or first milk, will affect the risk of disease a calf faces until it is weaned and beyond, said Lathrop. It affects weaning weight and the quality of carcass produced. Colostrum even affects a heifer calf’s future reproductive performance and milk production
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Rob Callan, Colorado State University |
Cow nutrition determines her ability to provide the quality and quantity of colostrum needed by her calf. And nutrition includes the quality and quantity of energy, protein vitamins, minerals, micronutrients and even water.
Pregnant cows on low-energy rations, particularly during the last 90 days of gestation, are likely produce calves with increased morbidity and mortality rates. Cow body condition at calving also is correlated to calf serum antibody levels in colostrum. Furthermore, added Lathrop, calves born to dams receiving low-energy diets may be more prone to cold stress.
Protein is important for its role in enhancing appetite, which affects forage intake and the level of energy consumed. Protein in the diet also feeds rumen microbes responsible for digesting starches to make energy for the cow.
“Protein-limited diets may make cows slower to ‘bag up’ and they may produce smaller amounts of colostrum,” stated Lathrop.
Minerals important to colostrum quality include calcium and phosphorus. In addition, deficiencies in micro-minerals such as selenium, copper and iodine have been associated with weak calf syndrome.
Lathrop advised using the body condition score system to help manage nutritional status of the cow herd. Studies indicate that pregnant cows with a body condition score of 3 and 4, at calving, had calves that absorbed colostral antibody less efficiently than cows with higher body condition scores.
Correct and timely vaccinations administered to the pregnant mother, in late gestation, also enhances colostral immunity in their calves, added Lathrop.
Rob Callan stressed the importance of preventing dystocia, or calving difficulty, to help optimizefuture calf health and performance. Dystocia calves are 2 to 6 times more likely to become sick or die than calves born without complications.
Attention to genetic selection and nutrition are important preventative steps, as is determining when to assist a difficult birth. Once parturition is underway, the process should show signs of progression every 30 minutes. Otherwise, said Callan, it is time to intervene.
After birth, a calf should achieve a sternal position within 15 minutes, and stand within 30 to 60 minutes. Also, added Callan, the calf’s temperature should remain above 100 degrees. A calf faces a high risk of becoming sick if its temperature drops below that threshold in the first 3 hours after birth.
“Identify high-risk calves,” urges Callan. “Dystocia calves, all twins, calves showing meconium staining, or those whose temperature drops below 100 degrees are high risk calves and should be assisted. So are calves that do not stand and nurse or display suckle response.” Assistance may include manually feeding colostrums, warming the calf and providing oxygen.
Callan also advised producers to prevent scours in calves through pasture management. Removing pairs whose calves are a day or more old to separate nursery pastures will help reduce exposure of other younger calves to pathogens shed in the manure of the older calves. Scours can also be reduced by taking steps to keep pairs from congregating in small areas.
By Troy Smith
— by Troy Smith, field editor, Angus Productions Inc.
© Copyright 2005 Angus Productions Inc.
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