Calving
Calving season is a pivotal time for cattle producers, marking the start of a new generation and the future of their cow herd. From preparing for new arrivals to managing potential complications and ensuring calf health, every decision is crucial. Developing a proactive management strategy limits stress on the cow and calf while fostering optimal nutrition and health for both.
From gestation through the first weeks of life, small decisions build toward better calf health. Focusing on key risk points at each stage can improve survival and long-term performance.
Understand these timing thresholds, tools and decision points that will separate manageable pulls from preventable disasters.
OSU and KSU experts explain why restricting nutrients fails to prevent dystocia and how maintaining a BCS 6 ensures calf survival and colostrum quality.
As producers prepare for calving season and evaluate cow herd nutrition, here are some strategies to make sure cows are getting adequate nutrition.
Troy Dutton and Joe Hochhalter from the Steele Vet Clinic in Steele, N.D., give advice on everything from colostrum timing to bedding strategies.
The first milk from a cow is critical to a calf’s ability to fight disease and infection, and it also reduces calf loss before weaning and improves overall herd health long term.
With a New World screwworm case now less than 200 miles from the U.S. border, Seth Meyer says the growing threat adds risk and uncertainty for cattle producers making critical calving-season decisions.
Strategies for evaluating herd performance following calving.
The first few hours of a calf’s life are critical to its success. Sometimes when producers need to intervene, the new mom goes into protection mode.
Preparing for frigid temperatures can help producers facing inclement weather this calving season.