To address this, paneists Larissa Hamel of Harmony Holsteins, Kristen Stevenson of Pendora Dairy Ltd., Dr. Jodie Wallace of Anderson Farms Silverstream Holsteins, and Rob Kirkconnell of Valleykirk Farms shared their insights on raising healthy, thriving calves at the Grey Bruce Farmers Week Beef Day in January.

WHY IT MATTERS: Investing in early nutrition boosts herd efficiency, profitability, and longevity, leading to better-performing cows, especially when combined with genetics.

Each panellist represented operations varying in scale, ranging from 60 to more than 400 cows, technology and management, but agreed on some universal priorities:

• Colostrum quality is as critical as volume.
• Prevention-first health programs
• Clean air and housing are key.
• Nutrition equals performance and shouldn’t be limited.
• Consistency reduces risk, and measurement drives improvement.
• The end goal is building a healthy, efficient, high-performing milk cow.

Building on these shared priorities, each producer reported delivering three to four litres of colostrum within two hours of birth. Delivery methods and colostrum brix percentage targets ranged from 25 to 30 per cent, slightly above the traditional standard of 24 per cent.

Dr. Wallace said modern research suggests 300 g IgG at 24 per cent Brix per four litres — well above older standards, but she aims for 28 per cent Brix or higher, enriching as needed.

“We’re pretty stringent on taking a lot of feed samples and working with a nutritionist to ensure high-quality colostrum,” Wallace explained. Her calves are free choice bottle-fed, so if a newborn wants to drink five litres, she’s not complaining.

Stevenson, who milks 400 cows through a 32-stall rotary parlour, puts an emphasis on testing each cow’s colostrum to ensure a minimum of 27 per cent Brix is met.

She initiated an enrichment program in the summer of 2025 following a cryptosporidium outbreak. The change all but eliminated the issue, and they achieved a pre-weaning death rate of 1.5 per cent.

On the economics of prevention, Stevenson cited research showing that one case of scours can cost up to $600 in a heifer’s first lactation – money she believes is better spent on prevention.

Passive transfer protection is essential, so panellists prioritize fresh maternal colostrum but also use a mix of frozen or powder-enhanced colostrum to achieve a minimum Brix of 25-30 per cent.

Immunization support

In line with the saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ a robust dry-cow vaccination program, including Scourguard and J-Vac, is considered standard by most, along with clean, well-managed calving and newborn environments.

Each bolsters calves’ early immune support with a First Defense bolus, an intranasal, like Inforce, VitaFerst Care, navel iodine spray and a coat once dry. Kirkconnell’s protocol includes selenium.

Targeted calf feeding ensures strong, consistent growth well past the weaning stage, with early-life calories translating into stronger heifers and higher lifetime milk production.

Each producer follows a slightly different milk replacer transition program, but, on average, it involves six to eight litres of milk replacer in week one, with unlimited calf starter and water access, before doubling in week two, until a step-down weaning program is initiated from day 57 to 70.

Stevenson invested in an on-farm pasteurizer and bottle sterilizer, noting that it eliminates human error, provides a consistent milk temperature, and ensures that bottles are always clean.

In 2021, Kirkconnell invested in a robotic bottle feeder, which was a “game-changer” for consistency and labour efficiency, especially through the weaning process.

Old school

On the 110-cow Anderson Farms Silverstream Holsteins, Wallace runs a data-driven, low-tech, unconventional system that relies on detail-oriented staff, joking that even their brix refractometer is optical, not digital.

Wallace uses far-off and close-up calving packs for her closed groups, including a dedicated calving corner to reduce metabolic disease, and a “cuddle box” where cows can lick and bond with a calf while she’s milked at the calving pen and the calf receives colostrum.

The cuddle box easily transports the calf to the calf barn, a former tie-stall barn converted in 2014, which includes a newborn “calf sauna” to dry coats, before being paired or grouped in threes. Wallace observed that paired calves were calmer, ate more and were easier to manage.

“(We) went four years straight with zero treatments and zero loss, and that’s for diarrhea and pneumonia,” she said. “We keep doing that, and we think it’s repeatable.”

The $150,000 barn conversion included positive-pressure ventilation, a heated centre and outer alley for humidity and draft control, with housing two feet off the outer walls, bedded daily and cleaned twice weekly, resulting in a 1,100-kilogram increase in first-lactation milk production.

Calves are fed free-choice acidified milk (pH 4.2) through continuously agitated tanks at transition, allowing the animals to regulate their own intake, while also providing free-choice hay at week one, which eliminated cross-suckling in the calf barn. However, she noted some cases in the eight to 12-month pen when pre-breeding or breeding heifers are under stress or overcrowded.

Wallace runs research trials, including weighing calves at birth, weaning, and sale, noting they routinely double birth weight by 23 days, with average daily gains between 1.17 and 1.46 kg, adding that the calf that doubled its birth weight wasn’t even the breed average for feed efficiency. She said that, with increasingly tight margins, the way to boost profitability is to improve the efficiency of gains and the quality of dairy animals.

“When we look at the new standards to double in 56 (days), I’m pretty sure we can all do better,” she said. “If you want to do better, you have to do better than the average, and we didn’t know (our benchmark) until we measured.”

Wallace’s calves undergo drastic weaning, which she doesn’t recommend broadly, but said the animals are already consuming two to three kilograms of grain and hay when the milk valves are closed and show no signs of stress.

Concluding the discussion, Kirkconnell said he plans to increase his Brix; Stevenson aims to improve tracking of birth and weaning weights; Wallace intends to move paper calf records to a spreadsheet; and Hamel will look into calf pairing.

“As the industry changes, we focus more on raising a milk cow, instead of just raising a calf,” said Hamel. “I think that doubling up and not having single calves is probably where our industry is headed.”

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The nutrition status of the calving herd is one issue to consider in preparing for the upcoming spring calving season.

“Although this should be an earlier concern, throughout the last trimester of the gestation, it is still possible to split the calving herd according to the body condition of the females,” says Yuri Montanholi, Extension beef cattle specialist.

“Females calving with poor body condition (lower than four) may experience difficulty birthing calves, and they may produce lower colostrum quality, which may impact rebreeding,” he notes. “In addition, calves may have low vigour that may delay nursing. Thus, a tiered nutritional management system may improve calf viability and reproductive ability.”

Preparation of the calving facilities is another key issue for successful calving.

“For producers who have their females in outdoor calving areas, it is important to ensure that portions of the area have protection from the wind,” advises Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist at NDSU’s Carrington Research Extension Center. “Producers should be concerned with potential extreme weather conditions that could cause frostbite in newborn calves.”

Producers who calve in the barn or uncovered pens must inspect and repair gates, pens, water supply, feeders, alleys and head catches. Barn or pen calving demands a substantial amount of straw for bedding. That’s usually five to seven pounds per cow per day for adequate bedding. Continuously adding bedding is important to keep the calves clean and dry, which helps minimize issues with infections and impacts overall health.

Producers also should have an adequate stock of calving supplies, including plastic sleeves, lube, obstetrical chains or straps, calf-feeding bottles, halters and ropes.

“For those who have a calf puller, make sure it is clean and working properly,” Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist Gerald Stokka recommends.

Producers need to have an adequate supply of colostrum or colostrum replacements as well.

“In situations where the quantity of colostrum is a concern, a colostrum bank or replacers should be used,” Stokka says.

“Due to the practical limitations of harvesting colostrum in beef cows, colostrum replacer can be a good option,” he adds. “Colostrum replacements and supplements are available for purchase. The replacements are much preferred as they contain significantly higher amounts of immunity than do the supplements.”

Calves that nurse a limited amount or experience reduced absorption of passive immunity in colostrum are at a greater risk of illness and/or death.

Producers also should be prepared for problems during calving. Experienced producers may be able to correct abnormal calf presentations and assist the females during calf delivery. However, producers should be aware of their limitations and know when they should call their veterinarian to ensure the delivery and well-being of the cow and calf, Hoppe says.

“An uneventful crop of calves is something cow-calf producers are aiming for after a long winter season,” Montanholi says. “Having a plan and preparing for the calving season will help result in a successful calving season.”

The post Prepare for spring calving appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

In addition, cold weather increases the cow’s nutrient requirements.

“Body condition plays an important role in successfully wintering beef cows,” says Yuri Montanholi, North Dakota State University Extension beef cattle specialist. “Late weaning, overstocking, late supplementation, poor parasite control programs and inadequate winter rations all can lead to cows in poor body condition.”

Montanholi and other NDSU Extension livestock specialists say the best time to increase body condition is right after weaning, when nutrient requirements are lowest. The goal is to achieve a condition score of five for mature cows and six for first-calf heifers during this period, and then maintain condition through late gestation and into calving.

“If cows are in poor condition now, it can be more challenging and/or expensive to meet increased requirements,” says Janna Block, Extension livestock systems specialist at NDSU’s Hettinger Research Extension Center. “However, numerous studies have established a relationship between adequate body condition at calving and breeding with subsequent reproductive performance. The period post-calving is less favourable for increasing fatness, as the majority of nutrients are used for milk production instead of increasing body condition.”

Proper care essential

The third trimester has a very large impact on the cows as they approach their due date. Most cows handle pregnancy well; access to the proper feed, good water and a reasonable space with wind protection will keep a cow content. She likes a little independence and has no problem marking her space and waiting for the calf. Those herds are in for a pleasant calving season, especially if the pre-calving practices have been done and no further work is needed to prep the cow, Montanholi says.

But what about cows that are less content? Are they thin, hunched up, standing in the corner, bellowing, walking or distraught? If so, get to know your veterinarian, the livestock specialists recommend. These are signs that trouble is brewing, including calving issues, poor colostrum, mothering challenges, fatigue and, later on, scours, along with associated health problems.

“Maybe some extra feed now is really worth it, especially if formulated according to herd needs,” says Gerald Stokka, NDSU Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist. “Contact your county agent for further support.”

Reducing nutrient intake prior to calving will not reduce calf birth weight or the incidence of dystocia or calving difficulty. Low planes of nutrition have been shown to have no effect or only slightly decrease birth weight.

Conversely, calving difficulty typically increases with reduced nutrient intake because the cow tends to be weaker. In addition, this practice results in weak calves that are less active immediately after birth, which can compromise their survival or productive performance later in life, Stokka notes.

Calf housing and management

Don’t overlook calf housing and dynamics as part of pre-calving considerations, the specialists advise. The second most relevant cause of calf death is calf diarrhea (also known as calf scours). Scours prevention focuses on two key areas: the health of the calf and cleanliness of the environment.

Optimal calf health is achieved through proper care of the cow prior to calving and ensuring calves have adequate colostrum intake at birth. In some scenarios, vaccination against scours is helpful. Producers should ask their veterinarian about vaccinations.

Because scours prevention is related to cleanliness, producers could consider approaches to ensure that the calving area is clean. Calves may be exposed to pathogens through direct contact with muddy or dirty teats, so calves will not be infected from the ground or even from dirtiness found in their cows’ teats.

A potential management tool to minimize the issue of scours is the Sandhills Calving System. Typically, calves born early in the calving season do not have calf scour problems. However, after several waves of calves have been born, pathogen levels reach an infective threshold and calf scours can become a major problem. The Sandhills Calving System incorporates the use of multiple calving areas on pasture.

Cows are calved in a calving area, and after seven to 10 days, pregnant cows are moved to a new area to calve and the cow-calf pairs are left behind in the area in which they calved. The next group of cows will calve in a fresh, clean environment for seven to 10 days and then move on.

Soon, the wet, struggling calf will arrive with a strong desire to nurse and receive a good amount of colostrum. Chances of survival are increased once a calf is dry with a full supply of milk. However, some cows don’t produce an adequate amount of colostrum or of desirable quality, which may be related to an inadequate nutrition plane during the pre-calving period.

“Pre-calving management is a key component for a successful cow-calf operation,” Montanholi says. “There are no shortcuts because cows have requirements.

“Management means meeting all the requirements in a cost-effective manner,” he adds. “This will pay dividends in terms of cow performance and calf health. Are the cows content? They should be, and the results will be evident when pregnancy checking them and when weaning their good-looking calves.”

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That’s the message that Dr. Craig Dorin of Airdrie, Alta., had for producers as the early calving season gets underway. Dorin was one of two veterinarians to touch on colostrum during a recent Beef Cattle Research Council webinar.

The Alberta veterinarian identified a critical four-hour window after birth, in which a calf should get at least two litres of colostrum, either through nursing or human intervention. Heavy milk breeds may need more than two litres within the first four hours, Dorin said, although he added that colostrum could be separated into multiple feedings.

Why it matters: Calves that don’t want to suck are at risk of not getting enough colostrum, along with all the health problems that implies. A test minutes after birth may let you know that calf is going to need intervention.

Dorin cited work by Alberta veterinarian Elizabeth Homerosky, which found that calves with a weak suckle reflex were 41 times less likely to get enough colostrum on their own.

Farmers should make a suckle reflex test part of their usual calving routine, he argued, and a calf should latch onto a finger brushing the roof of its mouth within minutes of birth. If that reflex is weak, the producer may have to start looking at supplements or tube feeding.

That test may be particularly important in the case of a hard pull, according to Homerosky. Her work found that the amount of calves that nursed normally within four hours of birth went down, and both bottle-fed and tube-fed calves increased, as births became more difficult. Under 40 per cent of the 14 hard pulls in the study went on to nurse on their own, compared to over 80 per cent of the 22 unassisted births.

Not all feeding types are made equal, attendees also heard. Producers were urged to nurse if they could, but failing that, were told that bottle feeding will give better colostrum delivery than tube feeding. The latter comes with both the risk of aspiration and relies on overflowing a calf’s digestive system until fluid reaches the final stomach, Dorin said. In contrast, suckling uses the esophageal groove to shunt milk to that final stomach, and requires less product.

Dr. Lisa Freeze, of Moncton, N.B., also warned producers to consider the source of their colostrum, if it’s not coming from the mother. A rancher can source colostrum from another cow in the herd before turning to supplements, she said, or get milk from another farm. Freeze regards that last option with a degree of caution. Although she has heard of farmers running to a neighbouring dairy farm for extra colostrum, that farm may have different micro-organisms or may not be clean, she argued.

“Colostrum from your own herd is the best,” Dorin also said. “A second choice would be the commercial products that are available. We’re reluctant to recommend dairy colostrum, partly because you need a higher volume to get the same amount of IgG (the main immunoglobulin in cow milk) because it’s a more dilute product. And then, of course, there’s always the potential of introducing outside disease into your herd.”

Freeze also warned producers to watch the label if they turn to commercial products.

“Is the product you’re using a complete replacement, which means that calf will be perfectly fine if it gets zero other colostrum other than that packet of powder, or is it a supplement, which means that your calf is still supposed to receive some sort of colostrum from the cow or it probably needs multiple packages of that product in order to completely replace the antibodies it would get from its mother?” she said.

A producer may want to look ahead to buffer against future nursing problems, according to Freeze.

Colostrum can be harvested from a farmer’s own herd and frozen for a year, she said, although it should be carefully warmed before use.

“You do have to make sure that when you’re thawing it, it’s a slow thaw, that it’s not in hot, hot water, because you are going to cook the antibodies that are in that colostrum,” she said.

Microwaving colostrum will do similar damage, she warned.

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Several things have led to this change. Colostrum substitutes have become higher quality and are more convenient than using frozen colostrum. As well, with fewer cows needing help during calving and more producers calving later on grass, heavy producing cows are not around to save colostrum from. (It was always considered best to have colostrum from your own cows, which are on your nutritional and vaccination program.)

The colostrum we get from the Saskatoon Colostrum Company (with such names as Headstart and Calf’s Choice Total) are pasteurized in a spray dry process, mainly to ensure diseases such as Johne’s are not passed on. All batches are also tested in calves as well as in the lab before being released on the market. All the other products sold in Canada are imported from the U.S. These other companies take out some of the fat, as well as some of the antimicrobial and immune factors. There is a big market for these other factors in the human health supplement field. Our local company here in Western Canada does not do that, so all the more reason to shop locally.

Heat treatment makes this commercial supplement safer than getting colostrum from, for example, a dairy where you don’t know the health status. There is nothing wrong with getting colostrum from the first milk of a productive cow in your herd and freezing it for another day. Hopefully she doesn’t have Johne’s disease. When you collect the colostrum, do it carefully to prevent any manure contamination. Use it during the current year or hold over until you can secure more the next year if it goes unused.

I find with today’s busy farmers and the reasons cited above, colostrum is not as convenient to get anymore. You can easily save lots of time by being able to rehydrate the colostrum replacers quickly in warm water versus thawing out the frozen colostrum carefully.

One of the keys to using them involves recognizing how many grams of immunoglobulin are in the product. We have always preached getting at least 100 grams (100 IgG) of immunoglobulin into the calf — ideally four to six hours after birth and, really, the sooner the better.

If using a product such as Headstart (60g IgG), it is critical that the calf receive extra colostrum from the cow as this product is designed as an immediate feeding and the calf should still be encouraged to suckle the cow in the first few hours of life. (Calf’s Choice Total provides the 100g IgG.) These products may seem expensive but the old adage, you get what you pay for, holds true. The better-quality colostrum supplements — that is, those with higher levels of immunoglobulin — are generally more expensive.

Beware of the very cheap colostrum supplements, or should I say those touting themselves as a colostrum substitute. I have often cited the example of colostrix boluses, which were touted as a colostrum source years ago. Each bolus contained 0.3 gram of immunoglobulin, meaning in order to get the full 100 grams the dose would be 300 boluses. Somehow I don’t think that was ever done.

Inexpensive colostrum sources may also not absorb as well into the calf as they have a lower percentage IgG compared to the high-quality complete colostrum product. Look at the label first — the only ingredient should be colostrum. Buy the good substitutes and store them well and follow the mixing directions closely.

Producers can also think of using colostrum supplements more as partial substitutes. An example of this is twins from an average cow where both calves have sucked somewhat. Splitting a 100-gram package between the two calves ensures they both have had enough colostrum. With calves born to poorer milking heifers, make the decision as to how much supplemental colostrum to give. It never hurts to give colostrum if in any doubt even if they have sucked (such as a weak calf, a wild mother, calf from a hard pull, or a calf whose mother has very big teats). Give the whole package (100 grams of immunoglobulin) to ensure their entire colostrum needs have been met.

Colostrum substitutes made from actual colostrum from western Canadian dairy cows seems like a good idea to me. The more local, the better prevention from diseases you are more likely to have show up in your own calves.

At our clinic, we used to acquire frozen colostrum from reputable dairies, which had vaccinated their cows. Now most of these dairies contract to the Saskatoon Colostrum Company because its products offer convenience to the farmer with a product that can be kept at room temperature and can be easily rehydrated and fed when needed.

New research is revealing how taking in colostrum sets the calf up for the long term in terms of how fat is metabolized and how this improves the productivity of the animal. In that critical first few hours of life, colostrum uptake has been proven time and time again to benefit the calf for the rest of its life. Let’s ensure our newborn calves get that vital amount of colostrum in the first four to six hours of life. If there is any doubt on whether the amount was adequate or the quality high enough, don’t hesitate to give the colostrum replacer. It is an investment worth making and will produce many benefits down the line both for that particular calf and for the herd in general (if for instance a herd outbreak of scours could be avoided).

This spring have a supply of colostrum replacer on hand because when you need it, you need it now and I mean right now (within the first four to six hours of life). You should always have some on hand and it is available at most veterinary clinics, feed mills, or farm supply stores. Make sure and clean and disinfect where appropriate the nipple bottles or esophageal feeders between usages. Keep one feeding device exclusively for newborn calves.

Have a great calving season everybody.

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Initial stages of illness in young foals are subtle and unfortunately can be easily overlooked. Therefore a checklist of 10 relevant questions can be a valuable resource when evaluating the newborn foal.

Each question represents a significant milestone in the life of a healthy foal and therefore the answer to each of the 10 questions must be a definitive “YES.” Each point on the list only requires keen observation skills and does not interfere with the activities of the foal.

1) Is the foal standing within one hour of birth?

2) Has the foal nursed colostrum within two hours of birth?

3) Has the mare passed the placenta and/or cleaned within three hours of the foal’s delivery?

Most healthy foals are high achievers and easily make the first two checkpoints. Ingestion of colostrum, or the mare’s first milk, within a critical time frame is crucial to the foal’s short- and long-term health. This colostrum is energy and nutrient dense, most renowned for its ability to “jump-start” a healthy immune system. Although the third checkpoint does not require anything of the foal, its answer can be vital to the survival of the foal. Generally mares will “clean” within three hours of delivery. Mares that retain their placentas beyond eight hours are at serious risk for systemic illness and are considered a veterinary emergency.

4) Has the foal passed its meconium?

The meconium or first feces passed by the foal is a dark-green, very sticky/tacky mass that accumulates in the bowel during fetal life and is discharged shortly after birth. It is not uncommon to see tags of sticky greenish meconium on the foal’s hindquarters within six hours of birth. This is a good sign and is often evidence of a healthy ingestion of colostrum. A foal with retained meconium will experience abdominal discomfort, strain to defecate, swish its tail, act colicy and will eventually become reluctant to nurse. An enema is indicated in foals that have not passed their meconium within 12 hours of birth.

5) Does the young foal nurse often — very often?

Milk demand and flow from the mare is stimulated by the asking of a hungry foal. Young foals nurse frequently keeping the mare’s udder stripped, often nursing more than 20 times a day.

6) Does the young foal “shadow” the dam?

Healthy foals are alert, aware of their surroundings and have a strong affinity for the mare. They play and move a lot — even if at first only moving in tight circles around the mare. Foals lacking a vigorous, vibrant attitude or that wander from the mare or appear detached from her are a cause for concern.

It is not uncommon for a foal to begin life with weak legs. The foal may have laxity in the pasterns or fetlocks, contracted tendons or deviations of the distal limbs. These generally self-correct with moderate and modest exercise within the first few days of life as the soft tissues strengthen and adjust. Severe deviations, those not improving, or ones that prevent the foal from properly following the mare may require veterinary consultation.

7) Does the young foal lay down to sleep?

Young foals lay down and sleep a lot, most commonly in lateral recumbency, however, upon occasion in sternal. Foals that are fading, appear sleepy or hang their heads while standing are not resting properly and are showing early symptoms of illness.

8) Does the young foal urinate and urinate correctly?

When the young colt or filly postures to urinate, urine must come from the penis or the vulva. If urine is seen to drip or stream from the navel, veterinary attention will be necessary. Infrequent urination is not normal and may indicate that the foal is not nursing adequately or that the bladder has ruptured.

9) Is the young foal alert, sensitive and responsive to its surroundings?

Healthy foals are curious and inquisitive, constantly engaging in their environment. Whenever they become dull or lose their focus on the mare there will be a problem.

10) Does the foal keep the mare’s udder relieved?

Often one of the first “red flags” regarding the foal’s health will be the distended state of the mare’s udder as the foal falls behind in nursing. Weak or troubled foals that lose strength nursing will also have “milk nose” or dried milk on their face.

Other not-so-subtle signs of distress in a newborn foal are abnormal nasal discharge (including milk), abnormal respiration, coughing, watery diarrhea, lameness, and abnormal swellings of the umbilicus or navel or around the genitals. These are indications for veterinary involvement.

Since the health status of a young foal can change rapidly, recognition of both normal and abnormal signs of health during the first days of life are essential to a successful outcome.

The post A 10-point checklist for the newborn foal appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

You all remember products such as synergistin, gentomycin and baytril which have either been discontinued or they are highly frowned for us as veterinarians prescribing them for a number of reasons I won’t get into here. Some newer veterinary products allow us to be effective in our treatment, they generally have a wide spectrum of effectiveness, most times are subcutaneous and most recently much longer-acting products have been developed.

It can never be stressed enough the importance of that calf’s first suck in the first six hours of life for the transfer of immunoglobulins and natural protection from disease. We all know calves that get sick for any reason in early life even if they don’t carry forward chronic problems are often 100 or so pounds lighter than herdmates at weaning.

In the past most products (antibiotics) given for sickness were daily intramuscular shots. This often meant to complete the treatment calves had to be run down and snared, cornered, trapped, leg snared, jumped or whatever means possible to give the final treatment. This alone can be stressful enough and impede the calf’s recovery.

Today by selecting the right treatment regime most times the initial treatment is all that is given. If a second treatment is necessary it is given several days later depending on the efficacy of the initial treatment. Less handling results in the calves doing better and it is much easier to control biosecurity. You as the medicator are not spreading disease by handling the calves so much.

Depending on the disease situation your veterinarian may or may not recommend segregation or isolation to minimize the risk of spreading it to others. Calf scours would be an example of a disease where isolation or segregation would be practised whereas navel infection is often an individual event and the calf is treated and left with its herdmates. Navel infection could point to a problem in the calving area where cleaning and disinfection could be necessary.

Most of the longer-acting products give at least four days’ protection and are given subcutaneously. Newborn or young calves are often hard to find much muscle on anyways. Giving shots subcutaneously supports “Verified Beef Production” guidelines and we avoid the muscle damage intramuscular shots cause. Even some of the injectable selenium is approved for subcutaneous application nowadays. One antibiotic product “Excede” has seven days of effectiveness and for now is approved in Canada for application at the base of the ear. One must talk to your veterinarian as with all these products it is an extremely long time before they would enter the food chain and the risk of residues affecting meat withdrawal. Meat withdrawals are then really a non-issue when treating these young calves.

Specific conditions such as coccidiosis require a diagnosis as treatment is fairly specific consisting of sulfa products and intestinal protectants such as kaopectate or activated charcoal. Keep a good veterinary client-patient relationship with your veterinarian so they can keep you updated on the latest products for treating calf issues so survival rate can be kept high. One case may lead to prevention on the rest of the herd. There are now vaccines for certain diseases such as pneumonia or scours which can be used on penmates to prevent spread.

Good bedding and keeping the calves from being chilled also helps to ward off disease. Calves having a creep area allows them to avoid stress and find a quiet place where they can rest when the need arises. Your veterinarian may or may not prescribe prophylactic antibiotics at birth. This will depend on the disease prevalence, the confinement the calves are born under, weather conditions and many other variables too numerous to mention here.

This is why you and your herd veterinarian are the best to collectively come up with prophylactic medication if it is necessary. The most common antibiotic given prophylactically is tetracycline to try and prevent navel infection if it is a problem. As with all disease conditions of neonatal calves if incidence rises you and the herd veterinarian need to look at forms of prevention. This may encompass such things as disinfection, stricter biosecurity, immunizing the cow so protection is passed down in the colostrum, moving the calving area and/or starting a new location for recent pairs.

The big issue of calves getting sick besides the obvious death loss is, as already mentioned, calves’ weaning weight will be much lower than herdmates and that is dollars lost. They may have permanent lung or intestinal damage and are much more likely to reoccur with the same disease at a later date.

This has been proven time and again with colostrum-deficient calves. Watch closely those first few weeks as many major infectious problems have been eliminated by recognizing the clinical signs early followed by aggressive treatment.

The reward is healthy salable large calves come weaning time.

The post Beef 911: Easy treatments for young calves? appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Immunologists debate this but as situations on farms changed and herds got larger, trends changed. Herd owners no longer boostered vaccines at four to six weeks apart, as was often recommended.

Summer pneumonias cropped up on young calves and these are often caused by the respiratory viruses such as BRSV (bovine respiratory syncytial virus) or the shipping fever bacteria such as pasteurella or mannheimia. Because it was always recommended the booster needed to be four to six weeks apart, producers left the initial vaccination to before weaning and then boostered it at weaning.

Older calves in the spring were given blackleg of course, as we knew for sure colostral immunity would wear off, but the other vaccines were left out.

Summer pneumonias increased in incidence and to try and avoid this during a time when calves were hard to spot and check, vaccination was initiated much earlier.

Even though the second booster shot was months later, producers noticed morbidity and mortality seemed lower. When immunologists looked, they found the booster response from the second vaccination (even though months later) was very good.

Over time they discovered that protection was good with many months between booster shots. This was great, as vaccinations could be more co-ordinated with other management procedures and in most cases did not require a separate pass through the chute. Whether it was weaning, implanting or deworming, the second shot of vaccine can be given at the same time as these procedures.

There was also a feeling there may be a maximum number of diseases or antigens calves could be vaccinated for at any one time. The analogy is the normal young animal — or human for that matter — is exposed to almost countless antigens on a daily basis and develops an immune response. It is very hard to overchallenge the immune system.

There was always the worry about vaccinating calves too young because of the blocking from colostral immunity. The calf ingests colostrum in the first few hours of life and the immunoglobulins in the colostrum contain antibodies against the diseases the cow has been vaccinated for or exposed naturally too. This blocks the humoral immune response of the calf.

What has only been discovered fairly recently is when calves were vaccinated at a very young age they were still protected many months out. This is what we call cell-mediated immunity. This also ties into when it is best from a management perspective to combine this with other procedures.

Many producers are calving later so calves are either born on grass in some cases, or go to grass at a very young age. The opportunity to administer protective vaccines is only at a very young age, otherwise the next opportunity to process calves is later into fall when they come in off grass.

If not vaccinated at a young age calves can be susceptible to the calfhood diseases, including the blackleg organisms. It is better to do it then, rather than leaving it till fall. Some companies are now testing their vaccines on younger and younger cattle. If we read the labels of many vaccines it will say not approved for use in calves less than three months of age. That is because at the time of approval those were the youngest calves the vaccines were tested against hence the recommendation.

I know for a fact there are companies where testing has been done on calves as young as three days of age, and others that have tested at a week old. In the foreseeable future it might make sense to be able to vaccinate calves as young as one day, while we process them with the shots at birth and apply their ear tags. That would save considerable labour and calves then have the ability to acquire protection against certain neonatal diseases right away.

The only dilemma with very young calves, if using modified live vaccines, is you need to use the low-dose bottles and group the calves together in multiples of 10 so you can vaccinate them all within two hours of rehydrating the vaccine. Some vaccines are made in individual doses and that helps. See what your vet advises as to the best vaccination protection for your young calves.

Vaccine-producing companies are using more and more intranasal technology, which is very easy to administer to inquisitive young calves and less stressful, as there is not the pain of a needle. These intranasal products are being tested on very young calves and that is a great indication of their safety. There are now a few intranasal vaccines for IBR PI3 one in which BRSV is also included. A brand new intranasal vaccine has just been released that works for the bacterial causes of pneumonia mannheimia and pasteurella and tested on week-old calves.

This allows you as producers to give protection for all the main respiratory pathogens except BVD in two intranasal vaccines. It eliminates giving needles to the very young calves and protection with the intranasal vaccines occurs very quickly (in about 48 hours).

Take advantage of the times you handle young calves as to whether vaccinations are warranted and check with your herd veterinarian as to which vaccinations they recommend for young calves in your area.

We always find the naysayers who have never vaccinated but all they need is a blackleg or respiratory outbreak to make them believers. Vaccination is still the simplest and effective form of biosecurity you can do for your cattle and will cut down antibiotic usage on young calves in most herds.

Happy calving… and remember to vaccinate.

The post Beef 911: Vaccinating young calves appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

“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 much about the agent, it is going to be around, it is going to be in your feedlot. It is the nature of the beast. What we can control to some extent is the host and the environment.”

Tomlinson, who also has 22 years in private practice, presented to a group of beef producers at the Manitoba Beef Background and Feedlot School presented by MAFRD in Brandon on October 28.

“Seventy-five per cent of illness in calves in the feedlot is due to pneumonia, which we call bovine respiratory disease or BRD,” he said. “And, not only are three-quarters of them getting sick, we also know that BRD kills 30 to 70 per cent of them.”

Looking at the dynamics of the feedlot, Tomlinson stresses the importance of having the appropriate amount of well-trained staff who are able to handle calves quietly and efficiently to maintain a low-stress environment.

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“We know now that stress is a huge factor contributing to animals getting sick. The low-stress handling in cattle does make a difference to their immune systems and how they survive.”

Receiving pens should be clean, dry and offer a decent amount of space that is wider rather than deep.

“A wider pen means more bunk space and the calves can’t hide in the back of the pen. Other pens in your feedlot can be different, but your receiving pen should be shallow,” said Tomlinson. “When calves first arrive we want low stress, we want to get these guys eating and to make sure that they have had their vaccination prior to arrival. All of these things are going to make a difference in their ability to stay healthy.”

Sourcing calves

When looking to bring calves into the feedlot, producers should try to purchase the animals from a known source that offers preconditioning.

“Preconditioning works. If you bring in preconditioned calves that have been vaccinated prior to coming into the feedlot, they’re bunk broke and they have had all the processing procedures done, we will see a lower death loss.”

It is also beneficial to know the health history of the cow and, if possible, the history of the herd.

Tomlinson also notes that older and larger calves, 700 pounds or more, tend to do better.

Raised at home

A key factor in raising a calf to be strong and healthy in the feedlot is to ensure adequate colostrum early in its life.

“We all know that colostrum is really important for a calf in the first six weeks of its life. We know that they are born with a naive immune system and they have no antibodies and if they don’t get that first milk, they are going to get sick,” said Tomlinson. “We also know calves that receive adequate colostrum do better in the feedlot than calves that do not get adequate colostrum. It carries on that long. It will make a difference in the animal’s health for two years.”

Tomlinson suggests producers aim for a tight calving interval through proper nutrition, as this will aid in the calves reaching a similar size by weaning.

“Older calves do better. So, if you have that tight calving interval and can wean all of your calves at the same time that is going to give you an advantage over the bugs.”

Weaning once the calves’ rumens are developed at about eight months of age and using low-stress weaning techniques is ideal. It may also be beneficial to introduce calves to the feedlot feed while they are still on their moms.

“If you can’t do the low-stress weaning techniques, at least put that cow-calf pair in the pen together for a while so that the calves can find everything and get comfortable. That will make everything easier for them.”

Calves that receive pre-weaning vaccinations have also shown reduced mortality rates.

Tomlinson said monitoring the calves is also critical, especially when they first arrive in the feedlot. Pre-illness symptoms to watch for: depression, anorexia, dull eyes and temperatures over 104°.

“When in doubt, pull the calf out. Just because you pulled a calf, if you pull him with low-stress methods, walk him up into the chute and have a look at him. If he’s not sick you can always send him back, but you should pull anything you’re not sure of,” said Tomlinson.

The post Keeping calves healthy upon entry to the feedlot appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Recognizing healthy behaviour and development of the young foal is critical to identifying when something is amiss. Initial stages of illness in young foals are subtle and unfortunately can be easily overlooked, which is why early detection of problems is critical to a favourable outcome. It is an emergency if a foal that initially appears healthy suddenly deteriorates, and no matter the cause, quick intervention is vital.

At birth a normal foal is bright and alert to its surroundings. It will quickly assume a sternal position and attempt to rise. Ideally a vigorous foal stands and nurses easily within two hours. Foals that have not nursed within two to three hours may need assistance or medical attention. Ingestion of colostrum, the mare’s first milk, within a critical time frame is crucial to the foal’s short- and long-term health. This colostrum is energy and nutrient dense, most renowned for its ability to “jump-start” a healthy immune system.

Colostrum also has laxative properties which assist the foal in passing his first stool, called meconium. The meconium is usually dark-greenish brown or black, and sticky. It is typically passed in the first three to four hours after birth. Meconium which is retained causes the foal to express abdominal discomfort, straining to defecate, swishing its tail, and eventually becoming reluctant to nurse. An enema is indicated in foals that have not passed their meconium within 12 hours of birth.

The young foal will lay down and sleep often. It will nurse frequently, sometimes nursing 20 or more times a day. This is normal. Within days the newborn foal “fills out” from its gangly newborn state, continuing to grow and strengthen daily.

Scours

Generally foals develop diarrhea or scours seven to 12 days after birth. As this timing often coincides with the mare’s first heat cycle it is often referred to as “foal heat diarrhea.” This normally runs its course with no apparent ill effects towards the foal and is speculated to be a natural reaction as the foal’s digestive tract matures. Many foals begin experimentally eating manure at around 10 days. This practice does not seem to be harmful to the foal.

It is not uncommon for a foal to begin life with weak legs. It may be down in the pasterns/fetlocks, having contracted tendons or deviations of the distal limbs. These generally self-correct with moderate/modest exercise within the first few days of life as the soft tissues strengthen and/or adjust. Severe deviations or ones not improving may require veterinary consultation.

Early activity is essential to the foal’s physical development. The practice of keeping foals safe in stables for the first few weeks may be detrimental to the adult horse. Muscular and hoof development benefits from many steps on varied terrain surfaces. Naive hooves expand fully with weight bearing, keeping the frog in contact with the ground. This stimulates development of the caudal part of the young horse’s foot which provides a vital pillar of support as the 100-pound foal matures into a 1,000-pound horse.

Healthy foals are curious and inquisitive, constantly engaging with their environment. Whenever they become dull or lose their focus on the mare there will be a problem. Weak, troubled foals lose strength nursing and will have “milk nose” or dried milk on their face. As healthy foals keep the mare nursed and her udder relieved, whenever the mare’s udder is distended the foal is not thriving. Other not-so-subtle signs of distress in a young foal are nasal discharge, abnormal respiration, coughing, watery diarrhea, lameness, urine leakage from the navel, and abnormal swellings of the umbilicus or around the genitals. These are indications for veterinary involvement.

Since the health status of a young foal can change rapidly, recognition of both normal and abnormal signs of health during the first few weeks of life is essential to averting a crisis.

The post What to watch for in the early days of a foal’s life appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.