One of Mother Nature’s favorite party tricks in the Midwest is the polarizing spring weather. One day, it might be sunny and 75 degrees F, only for the next day to scatter cold rain or even flurries across the countryside.
Knowing that weather conditions can be unpredictable, having the tools and knowledge to weatherproof calf health is essential.
Communication with all farmworkers and the local veterinarian is an important aspect of a successful calving season. Do your employees know who to call first during an emergency? Having these conversations with the veterinarian about herd health plans is always a good starting point when thinking about protecting the new calf crop.
Kacie McCarthy, Nebraska Extension beef cow-calf specialist, shares her top six tips for prioritizing calf health this spring:
1. Preparedness is key. One general piece of advice McCarthy gives producers is to refresh their knowledge on the stages of parturition and review available calving resources.
“It is always a good idea for producers to review the stages of parturition, consider how long the process should normally take and which positions are considered normal or abnormal,” McCarthy said. “Maybe that calf is backward; what would I need to do? Knowing how to approach those situations keeps stress levels down while still being able to get that calf out.”
Aside from brushing up on literature before calving, it is essential to build your toolbox of supplies and shelters to protect the calf after birth.
2. Provide colostrum as soon as possible. McCarthy emphasized that calves should ideally consume colostrum within the first four hours of life, and the first 12 hours are critical from an absorption standpoint. This first milk sets the calf up for success with essential antibodies.
“Keep in mind, colostrum is better than no colostrum,” McCarthy explained. “The best source is going to be from the dam, with the next best being from a donor cow from the herd. There are also alternative sources that can be used and are great to have on hand if you don’t have any straight from the cow.
“Colostrum can be saved in the freezer for up to a year. Just make sure you aren’t overheating it when thawing, as that can denature the proteins.”
3. Manage the calving area. With a relatively dry winter, mud hasn’t been a significant issue at the start of this year’s calving season. However, as spring progresses, ensuring that the calving area is dry and warm is critical to prevent sickness.
“If we have opportunities to get those calves out of inclement weather, that’ll be key,” McCarthy said. “Also, thinking about reducing incidents of scours and transmission will be important in these areas.”
She recommends that producers consider the Sandhills Calving System, which involves keeping cattle born within the same one- to two-week period together, which helps prevent the direct and indirect transmission of pathogens from older calves and reduce pathogen load in the environment.
4. Provide shelter. Providing a place for calves to escape the elements can significantly reduce the impact of weather on their health. Ranches can get creative with shelter options.
“If we have opportunities for calves to get out of the weather, whether it’s heat, cold or mud, along with heavy traffic areas, that’s going to be helpful,” McCarthy noted.
Some options she recommends include windbreaks, extra bedding and calf huts.
5. Don’t skip navel dipping. One simple way to protect calves from harmful bacteria is by navel dipping. This should be done with a 7% iodine solution, which can either be dipped or sprayed on the navel.
“We see this more in the central and eastern parts of the state, where there are more drylot scenarios,” McCarthy said. “If we can reduce the incidence of bacteria getting into the navel, that’s going to be huge.”
Clean bedding is another effective way to prevent bacteria from harming calves in their early stages.
6. Monitor the cow’s body condition. When weather changes rapidly, it can impact the body condition of the cow. Ensuring mature cows maintain a body condition score of five, and first-time cows closer to six, can benefit both the cow and calf.
“We know that adequate body condition increases immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations and provides better quality colostrum,” McCarthy said. “This also sets females up for reproductive performance as we move into the breeding season. It’s been fairly mild, so cows have been doing pretty well, but as we start to see swings in heat and cold, keep an eye on body condition.”
McCarthy reminds producers to meet the nutritional requirements for maintenance and lactation after calving.
Preparation for the calving season starts well before the first calf hits the ground. However, if you haven’t followed these steps on your own ranch, it’s not too late to prepare for the unexpected. Learn more at beef.unl.edu.