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Beef 911: Body condition scoring pays dividends
Beef cattle, Livestock

Beef 911: Body condition scoring pays dividends

Fattening thin cows and feeding less to fat ones will boost performance

By
Body condition scoring really means assessing the condition and fat cover on your cow to enable you to feed them for optimal growth and reproductive performance. It may mean separating the fat and thin groups from the main herd, which allows you to feed them separately to save feed on the fat ones and build
Beef cattle, Livestock

Beef 911: Don’t let freemartins become a management headache in your herd

Some will reproduce normally and are well worth keeping, but others need to be culled

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With better nutrition and management and a higher incidence of twins in the Charolais, Simmental, and Holstein breeds, some larger herds can have up to a 10 per cent twinning rate. With the odds of 50 per cent of the twins being mixed sexes, it is no wonder freemartins are not an uncommon occurrence. Remember
Photo: Thinkstock
Beef cattle, Livestock

Four keys to successful calf preconditioning

Veterinarian Mark Hilton shared his experiences working with an Indiana producer who co-operated with Purdue University on a preconditioning project from 1999 through 2009. When they boiled it down, four points came to the forefront as keys to success that could be transferred to other farms.
Livestock

Beef 911: Ways to reduce incidence of navel ill

You need to pay close attention to this costly problem and take steps to reduce it

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Much has been written about omphalophlebitis — inflammation of the umbilical veins also known as navel ill — in calves. The bovine species appears to be fairly susceptible to developing infection, with the incidence increasing when calves are born into wet or damp conditions and in close confinement. With more producers calving later — many
Livestock

Beef 911: When the need arises, fetotomy is the best solution

The goal is always to protect the cow from further trauma 
and hopefully give her many more productive years

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Fetotomy — a veterinarian’s fancy word for cutting up a dead calf within the cow during the birthing process — still has a valuable place in a competent veterinarian’s bag of tricks. The whole object with a fetotomy is to minimize trauma or damage to the cow. The calf at this point is a lost
Livestock

Beef 911: Calving problems are decreasing, but stay vigilant

Vets aren't called out during calving as often as they used to be, but producers need to know when to call for backup

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With genetic selection of lower birth weights and easy calving bulls, calving problems due to fetal oversize are becoming rarer and rarer. But there are still common problems, which are worth reviewing to help producers recognize and assist these deliveries to save more calves as calving season is upon us. Fetal malpresentations today are the
Cory Dalzell
Livestock, Local news

VIDEO: Calf Cage captures attention at Ag Days

Manitoba Ag Days 2016 Inventors' Showcase

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The job of processing calves in the field is often made more difficult by over-protective mother cows. To help reduce stress and keep producers safe, Cory Dalzell invented the Calf Cage. An Inventors’ Showcase exhibitor at the recent Manitoba Ag Days in Brandon, Dalzell had his invention on display for visitors. Here he talks about
Quality winter feed will promote a more successful calving season, says expert
Beef cattle, Livestock

Quality winter feed will promote a more successful calving season, says expert

For strong cows at calving time, MAFRD livestock expert says to focus on the 
content of winter feed and keep your eye on the thermometer

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Having profitable calves next fall starts with not shortchanging their mothers now, a livestock extension specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives says. “Based on research conducted by the Western Beef Development Centre, reproduction is five times more important than growth rate and 10 times more important than carcass quality when it comes to
Older, larger calves that have been preconditioned and have received 
pre-weaning vaccinations will have a better chance of staying healthy
in the feedlot.
Livestock

Keeping calves healthy upon entry to the feedlot

A career veterinarian offers production advice in keeping calves healthy in the feedlot

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Prevention is the best cure for feedlot losses, producers attending a recent backgrounding and feedlot school in Brandon were told. “Not only are we trying to keep calves alive, we are trying to keep them from getting sick altogether,” said Wayne Tomlinson, an extension veterinarian with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. “We can’t do
Livestock

Should you precondition your cattle?

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While preconditioning makes sense from a health perspective, it’s far from standard practice. In fact, a western Canadian cow-calf survey found only nine per cent of producers preconditioned in 2013. And those who do typically have a clear financial incentive, said Canfax Research Services manager Brenna Grant. “Frequently, producers consider preconditioning when they have extra

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