Latest News From Calf

Bacteria, viruses, and protozoa all have crafty methods of making preweaned calves sick. Veterinarian Don Sockett shares his advice on fighting these organisms through effective cleaning and sanitation routines.

By using precision technologies such as automated milk feeders and pedometers combined with machine learning, illnesses can be detected earlier and better informed treatment decisions can be made.

The best-quality colostrum is thick, creamy, and has a beautiful golden color, right? Not necessarily, according to Danish veterinarian and researcher Hanne Skovsgaard Pedersen.

If you want to stay ahead of calf health and catch sickness in its earliest stage, University of Minnesota Graduate Student Abbigail Prins offers a handy detection tip.

Ensuring cows are in an adequate nutritional status (body condition score of 5 or 6) and not overfed can help reduce concerns of dystocia and plays a role in determining the quality and quantity of colostrum.

Bulls passing all four parts of a BSE are set up for reproductive excellence. The best achieve a 60% to 65% conception rate every 21 days on healthy, cycling cows, says Dr. Chance Armstrong. Subfertile bulls are costly.

Though maternity pens can sometimes feel chaotic to manage, there are additional ways to help minimize stress and create a calmer calving environment for both cow and calf.

Beef-on-dairy numbers in the U.S. will reach up to 5 million head – roughly 15% of the cattle harvested annually – as early as 2026. The sexed-and-beef model of production will play a prominent role in the process.

Cattle grazing small grains pastures this time of year are susceptible to bloat which is influenced by environment, weather, forage growth stage and forage quality.

Higher prices for beef calves are incentivizing dairy producers to breed crossbred bull calves

Whether you’re building a new calf barn or retrofitting an existing structure, there are measures that can be taken to ensure the best possible calf comfort, welfare, and health.

When used correctly, growth-promoting implants can increase ADG by 20% in growing cattle. With a 100-day feeding period, 48 lbs. more of liveweight could mean $40 to $50 per head more, depending on the price slide

Calves born in extreme cold quickly utilize all body fat reserves and exposure to wind can exacerbate temperatures. Preparing in advance of inclement weather can lead to improved calf survival.

Understanding the risk factors for hypothermia will aid in developing a strategy to prevent loss. Managing dystocia and knowing when and how to assist chilled calves is an essential part of your calving plan.

No matter when beef cross calves are being sold, steps can be taken to make them more marketable.

Early calf nutrition – at the milk phase stage, in particular – is only now getting the level of attention it deserves, says Jim Drackley, University of Illinois. Now, many farms are feeding 6 to 8 liters-plus per day.

Veterinarians say every dairy operation can benefit from having a checklist to follow on how to prevent and manage outbreaks of this endemic serotype of Salmonella.

Veterinarians at Kansas State say now's the time to put together treatment plans and protocols for the upcoming calving season. Another important thing to remember: keep them consistent across the operation.

Routinely monitoring transfer of passive immunity is an effective way to evaluate colostrum management and identify calves with failure of passive transfer.

A recent survey shows that the likelihood of using pain mitigation for common procedures like dehorning, disbudding and castration was directly linked to the human managers’ perception of pain for the animal.

Cryptosporidia is one of the most common scours-causing pathogens in preweaned calves, and, unfortunately, it strikes in the early weeks of life when calves are most vulnerable.

Johne’s disease is gaining greater attention among beef cattle producers and veterinarians who work with beef cattle. Here's an in-depth look into the disease and how to best avoid it.

Heifer availability has tightened, and prices have increased substantially. One reason is the interest that has developed in beef-on-dairy calves.

In both human and veterinary medicine, we’re hearing more about the benefits of gut supplements to support health, performance, and well-being.

Disruptions to the normal flow of milk through the abomasum can cause an overgrowth of the bacteria Clostridium perfringens type A.

“Although pregnancy losses in beef cattle are a fact of life, late-term losses are likely the most discouraging,” says Gerald Stokka, NDSU Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist.

Beef cows fed at dusk or later results in more daytime births. Research indicates that to achieve that benefit, feeding at night should be started at least one month prior to calving season.

More calves born on dairies than ever before are eventually headed to feedyards these days. Performance and profitability merits sending healthy animals from the calf-rearing stage to the feedlot.

In a recent study involving 40 Holstein calves, researchers found that the calves with jackets gained an average of 11.68 pounds more than those without. Those calves also had a lower incidence of scours.

Low stress weaning techniques can pay dividends to producers adding value through a preconditioning program.

Waste milk is not necessarily the “free lunch” it is often perceived to be, and may actually be a quite harzardous and costly liquid ration option.

AABP urges practitioners and producers to contact legislators to express support for the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. Check out Dr. Fred Gingrich's thoughts on the subject recorded at the annual AABP conference.

Between 60% and 70% of U.S. dairies have mycoplasma at least as a component of the respiratory disease that they deal with, according to Geof Smith, DVM and a dairy technical services veterinarian with Zoetis. 

Preconditioning has benefits for those looking to sell their calves and to those retaining ownership. Though it is not a “one size fits all” for operations. The benefits need to be considered along with practicality.

Understanding why scours occurs is the first step in preventing the problem.

Pregnant cows and heifers should be supplemented with 30,000 to 100,000 IU/head/day of Vitamin A and 50 to 100 IU/head/day of Vitamin E when green forage is not available.

Calves coming down with illness often are very good at masking their symptoms. Use these methods to detect sickness or stress early on.

Implementing a weaning program that emphasizes quality nutrition helps give calves a healthy start and can bring more return on investment

Zelnate DNA Immunostimulant is used to treat respiratory disease due to Mannheimia haemolytica. The label recommends use at or within 24 hours after a perceived stressful event in cattle 4 months of age and older.

Feeding hay to preweaned dairy calves remains a topic of frequent confusion and debate. Should you do it at all? And if so, when, and what type? Penn State offers some answers.

The goal of any feedlot receiving strategy is to make the transition from calf origin into the feedlot or backgrounding yard as seamless as possible in order to achieve best cattle performance.

Tip 1: Within the first hour of birth, a calf needs five to six pints of high-quality colostrum, and then again within the next 12 hours. Check out the five additional recommendations from Kansas State.

Solvet Lidoband is approved for use in calves under 250 pounds and in lambs under 50 pounds. The local, soothing anesthesia works for up to 42 days, helping veterinarians and producers improve animal well-being.

While trace mineral deficiencies can vary widely by animal and region, the most common ones Jeffery Hall, DVM, PhD, DABVT, sees in cattle today are insufficient copper, manganese, selenium and zinc.

These commonly overlooked issues are holding your herd back.

Mercer Vu Dairy wanted to utilize group housing and waste milk to raise their preweaned calves with round-the-clock access to milk. Here's how they came up with their own one-of-a-kind system.

Hernias addressed in the field need to be small, and the calf needs to be young, says Amanda Hartnack, DVM, MS, DACVS. She details how to decide when in-field surgery will work and when it's best to change course.

Aside from traditional calf weaning methods, the concept of "fenceline weaning" is worth considering for cow-calf producers looking to decrease stress and maintain health in their calves.

Fall calving is in progress for many ranchers. A veterinarian offers tips to give calves the best chance to thrive and survive.

Housing calves with at least one companion can improve animal welfare, calf growth, and consumer perception. There are several options to consider.