Latest News From Calves

Providing additional heat in the form of heat lamps for newborn lambs, kids and calves inside a “hot box” can aid in newborn survivability.

Barry Whitworth, Oklahoma State University Extension veterinarian recommends cow-calf operators keep several doses of colostrum or colostrum replacer handy as calving season is underway in many parts of the country.

Plans for calving season should include how to identify and manage cold stress in newborns. Here's what you need to know.

Calf scours results in sickness, poor performance, medical expenses and death. Here's a look at the complex disease and one management method found to decrease and even prevent transmission.

Raising an orphaned beef calf can be time consuming and may require additional expense. Additionally, calves may not be thriving at the time they are orphaned so managing health and nutrition can present challenges.

When calves on grass drop like flies, have minimal gains and many carcasses are condemned on the rail, Kansas State University experts uncover the unfortunate cause.

Caffeine may help stimulate at-risk calves that are the result of dystocia (difficult birth), hypothermia from being born in the cold, or being run down from a stressful event such as disease or transport. 

While “high-risk” cattle are often given high levels of hay or forage to aid in the transition to a milled diet, a study at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researches ways to increase performance.

While there are many seasonal preparations to consider before calving season begins, calf scours prevention is not always one that comes to mind. However, the best time to mitigate the risks of the disease is now.

When a significant number of cattle died in less than two hours, a number of questions are raised. Kansas State University experts discuss this toxicology case and the answers that were found.

Whether calves will be retained and backgrounded or sold shortly after weaning, it is important to consider the impacts of weaning strategies on calf health and performance.

America's dairy industry has been robust the last several decades. Now, larger average dairies are producing more beef-dairy crossbred calves that are much higher quality for producing beef.

Shrink is a concern because it reduces sales weight, but abnormal levels of shrink is often used as a health indicator for cattle arriving in receiving facilities at stocker operations, grow yards, and feedlots.

Early weaning can help reduce the pressure on drought-stressed pastures, but ranchers should evaluate feeding, management, and marketing options prior to weaning.

Growth promoting technologies for cattle provide even more impact on net returns when costs are high.

Baxter Black, the veterinarian turned cowboy poet, storyteller and philosopher of rural life in America, died Friday, June 10, at the age of 77.

Producers can capture added value by preconditioning and weaning their calves. Along with weaning at least 45 days, preconditioning includes several practices that add value for both the buyer and seller.

Creep grazing programs can produce additional calf gains using forage rather than the traditional grain-based creep diets. There are many ways to adapt this system to each individual situation.

Young calves continue to dot fields across the country. To help offer young calves a healthy start, Tony Hawkins, DVM, and Ray Shultz, DVM, shared some tips.

Spring calving brings the promise of working calves and branding season. Each operation is set up differently with varying resources to work calves. How do you minimize cattle stress during this event?

Dr. Bob Weaber shares how the beef on dairy phenomena is a disrupter in the usual dairy and beef business and discussed research findings from a beef on dairy carcass trait collaborative project.

During the recent Academy of Veterinary Consultants conference, Dan Altena, DVM, Valley Veterinarians Inc., offered some take-home points to help veterinarians with crossbred calves in the feedyard.

Suboptimal cattle production isn't just an innocuous segment that has no effect on the rest. Poorly managed cattle are a drag on the whole system and the impacts are worsening as we look to address big challenges.

When we break sustainability down to the operational goal of optimizing resources, we realize increased productivity per cow and optimum stocking rate per acre are the actual problems we need to address. 

Along with some insightful vaccine history, Scott Nordstrom, DVM, shared specifics about the role of mucosal immunology in young calves, during the American Hereford Association’s educational forums in Kansas City.

Beef producers know grazing land is in short supply. With more acres being developed or converted to cropland, cow-calf operations may consider alternatives to traditional pasture management.

When harsh winter conditions are in the forecast, avoid being caught off-guard and consider these ways to manage your cows, calves, and bulls to help them weather the storm.

Many producers assume providing minimal protein supplementation to target approximately 1.0 pound/day gain during the winter is the most economical system. However, research data would suggest otherwise.

Colostrum plays a large role in the health of a newborn calf. Preparing for calving season starts well before the first calf hits the ground.

Cattle markets have improved significantly in the final weeks of 2021, with market analysts projecting those positive trends to continue in 2022.

The effect of winter weather in terms of frost damage to cattle and calves was less of a problem than expected, according to a survey of producers, veterinarians and feedlots conducted by Oklahoma State University.

Keep your sight on nutrition that optimizes fetal development in the final trimester.

Understanding and valuing genetic data can present a daunting task to seedstock and commercial producers. Panelists were asked to describe how they use genetic data to navigate breeding decisions and market cattle.

Budgets for growing calves at higher rates of gain always have a lower cost per pound gain, and this year budgets for growing heifers have the most profitable projection.

Early pregnancy testing helps producers make important management decisions related to nutrition programs and marketing plans, as well as evaluating the reproductive efficiency of the cow herd.

Summer pneumonia is respiratory disease/pneumonia that occurs in beef calves nursing their dams. The age range of calves affected can be as early as 3 to 4 weeks and from 3 to 5 months of age.

Managing infectious diseases in cattle involves all aspects of the cow-calf system. A systems approach includes matching genetic selection to resources, nutrition, reducing stress and the use of vaccine protocols.

The U.S. calf-raising sector now has a program to help ensure optimal calf health and welfare via the Calf Care & Quality Assurance (CCQA) program, the first, collaborative educational tool that provides guidelines.

The U.S. calf-raising sector now has a program to help ensure optimal calf health and welfare via the Calf Care & Quality Assurance (CCQA) program.

When calving in early spring with lush pastures we can find mature cows that are in otherwise good condition with unusual behaviors, unsteady gait or inability to rise—early signs of both grass tetany and milk fever.

EPDs are the result of genetic prediction, based on performance data collected by cattle breeders over many generations of beef production.

Texas A&M study aims to reduce cattle reproduction failures, economic losses.

Thanks to our readers, here's a slide show of farm-themed Halloween costumes for everyone to enjoy. Stay tuned to the end for a do-it-yourself costume that's sure to turn heads.

This rancher’s innovative calf box keeps newborn calves out of the wind and warm until they can be brought to the barn.

Three-way vaccine offers immunity against IBR.

The internet has fallen in love with Lil’ Bill, a 7.9-lb. premature calf under the care of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine (MSU-CVM).

The internet has fallen in love with Lil’ Bill, a 7.9-lb. premature calf under the care of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine (MSU-CVM).

Develop good herd health and vaccination strategies to minimize losses.

Diarrhea in neonatal calves is one of the leading causes of morbidity (sickness) and mortality (death) in North America and Europe and continues to be a major cause of economic loss to the beef cattle industry.