Drought continues to be a concern for farmers and livestock producers. Forage availability and quality are integral to sustaining herd numbers and health. Kim Cassida shares alfalfa management tips. For animal health pros working directly with producers, consider using this article to open new discussions about nutrition and herd health decisions. You might find a local … [Read more...]
Search Results for: calving
Who, what, when where and why of calcium supplementation
Complimentary Sponsored Content Calving sets off a series of events in a cow’s body that impacts her entire system, including a steep spike in calcium demand due to colostrum production. Most second- and greater-lactation cows cannot maintain adequate calcium levels after calving, which often triggers clinical hypocalcemia, commonly known as milk fever, or subclinical … [Read more...]
8 strategies to reduce dry period mastitis to improve reproductive efficiency (video)
Eight dry cow prevention strategies can help reduce the risk that new intermammary infections will develop post-calving, which, in turn, helps keep milk flowing on the dairy and improves reproductive efficiency. Dairy cows are most susceptible to new intramammary infections (IMIs) during the dry period.” - Brian Miller, DVM, Merck Animal Health Source: Progressive Dairy, June … [Read more...]
Udder conformation, increasing concerns for farmers
Opinion, including Complimentary Commercial Content Dairy cows are expected to last 10 seasons. But New Zealand dairy producers are culling cows that should have been in their prime. Their udders simply aren’t holding up. Udders are blowing out, and some cows have had poor suspensory ligaments which became evident when they got a bit of age, shared producer Reg … [Read more...]
Dry cows need shade to thrive, increase lifetime production
When talking about environmental impact in dairies, most would think about carbon footprint or water quality. However, a University of Florida study determined it is most ideal to cool dry cows during the entire dry period to prevent milk loss. The same should be provided for bred heifers. Researchers found reduced dry matter intakes pre-calving and weaker immunity pre- and … [Read more...]
Racing colostrum’s ticking clock
Calving season is here. Colostrum must be a top priority. We learn more each year about this important and beneficial compound. The ability to absorb antibodies steadily declines over the first few hours of life. The old rule of thumb is that calves must ingest colostrum within the first 24 hours of life, but actually, the percent of antibodies absorbed decreases dramatically … [Read more...]
Cut seasons short for more profits
Jordan Thomas tackles human nature’s influence on the cow-calf operation. He says the focus on calf numbers likely keeps cows in the herd that don’t belong. Extended calving and hay-feeding seasons are a symptom of this tendency. Long hay-feeding seasons and long calving seasons are really just manifestations of the same fundamental problem” - Source: BEEF, January 2020. … [Read more...]
Don’t forget the bulls this winter
Their seasonal work may be done, but bulls need attention to recover body conditioning and breeding soundness during winter months. Cassidy Woolsey shares information from a December Beefwatch webinar series featuring Kacie McCarthy, cow-calf specialist at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Source: Progressive Cattle, December 29, 2020. Link. “Coming off the breeding … [Read more...]
Cows put their own calcium into milk – more than half of mature cows have subclinical hypocalcemia
The demand for calcium from cows to enrich colostrum is highest at calving. This is because cows are literally drawing from their own calcium stores to put the mineral into the milk. The result is often a negative calcium balance that occurs before the mechanisms to pull calcium from the cow’s skeletal system get activated. Calcium homeostasis is fragile around calving time. … [Read more...]
Dairy workers need to be wearing gloves and aspirin increases milk production
It is increasingly important to implement good hygiene on farms. Mastitis caused by contagious bacteria on a farm is hard to cure and results in loss of milk production and money. Being proactive in preventing new mastitis infections now will help to decrease the chance of an outbreak. The opening subhead on this article says it all! Wearing gloves is a very simple management … [Read more...]
Body condition score still impacts reproduction success
Okay, we know this right? Paul Fricke and Milo Wiltbank reemphasized the BCS story at a recent, virtual Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference. According to the article, success with artificial insemination is so high that when conception rates decline, the tendency is to adjust the AI protocols. The data shows BCS is the first place to look. We have good … [Read more...]
Know calf vital signs
Jillian Bohlen, DVM, says evaluating the basic vital statistics of every calf catches sick animals early in the disease process and goes beyond visual appraisal. Her advice on measuring calf vital signs includes: Temperature: 100.0-102.5˚F Heart rate (pulse): 100-140 beats per minute Respiration rate: 36-60 breaths per minute Source: Dairy Herd Management, … [Read more...]
Manage fire ants with planning
Red imported fire ants infest pastures, hay fields, barns and equipment. They injure livestock, horses, pets and us, too. Creating a fire ant control plan helps ensure the greatest efficacy using the right products. Antixx Fire Ant Bait <link> (link to tech sheet PDF) from AHD sponsor Neudorff USA is an effective tool that fits a sound fire ant management plan. Spinosad, … [Read more...]
Accommodating cows and calves, one birth at a time
Academics summarize animal behavior research from a recent conference and suggest ways to apply it in everyday dairy operations. Dairy producers and veterinarians will find their focus on behavioral preferences of cows ahead of calving, pros and cons of group pens and adjusting weaning practices to optimize cow-calf relationships interesting and worth considering by … [Read more...]
Beef genetics not equal in dairies
Crossbreeding dairy cows with beef genetics is a growing practice. Between being able to predict calf gender and various processors refusing to buy dairy cows for meat, dairy producers are using beef bulls as a way to add value to bull calves and generate additional income. There is a misconception that all beef genetics are created equal in terms of usefulness in creating a … [Read more...]
Body condition score cows before the next winter storm
Harvest season is running behind for more than half of U.S. corn producers < link >. For those who run cows, the rain delays offer an opportunity to conduct body condition scores (BCS) on cows before turning them out on stalks. The best time for BCS work is concurrent with weaning calves. Use this information to understand BCS, manage input costs and urge producers to do … [Read more...]
October calves may come early
Warm temperatures can shorten the length of gestation for fall-calving cows and heifers. Oklahoma State University physiologists looked at two calving seasons’ worth of data on 60 Angus/Hereford crossbred cows calving in August and October. Gestation periods were nearly a full week shorter than normal for those calving in August the first year and four days shorter the second … [Read more...]
Beef bulls + dairy cows can compromise milk production
Unable to return a surplus of female calves, dairies are assertively seeking to breed and sell surplus calves for meat production. However, many strongly antagonistic traits associated with calving performance and carcass merit can be detrimental to the cows’ ability to calve and re-establish pregnancy early postcalving without any compromise in milk production. Researchers … [Read more...]
Black vultures perplex cattlemen, sometimes kill newborn animals
Missouri cattlemen have drawn attention to a little known predatory behavior of black headed buzzards (aka Black Vulture). Even Audubon describes the perplexing behavior in their description of the bird, “. . . May kill and eat young of some birds, sea turtles; sometimes eats newborn young of larger mammals.” < link > The black vultures hang out primarily during calving … [Read more...]
Synchronizing cows not as simple as a shot
Bethany Johnston and Aaron Berger explain the fundamentals of shortening the calving season using estrus synchronization. While simple in practice, producers need to remember that a number of factors affect pregnancy rate including cow body condition score, plane of nutrition, cattle health and bull fertility. Utilizing natural service with estrus synchronization requires … [Read more...]
Rushing heifers to calve diminishes lifetime value
Cargill dairy consultant Shane Holt scrutinized records and found a correlation between calving age and lower lifetime output. The “sweet spot” for age at first calving was 23 or 24 months. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, February 25, 2019. Link. I have convinced myself after five years of looking at this that there is nothing that will give you more milk than your age at … [Read more...]
Don’t let frostbite harm calves
Winter temperatures in some areas challenge early calving. Producers share their methods for fighting frostbite in these articles selected. Preventing damage to ears and tails is critical because once the tissue gets frozen, there’s little that can be done. Source: Dairy Herd Management, January 2019. Link. Frostbite is relatively uncommon in calves older than a … [Read more...]
Trick cows to calve in the daylight
Few cattle producers like to get out of bed to check the cows at 2:00 a.m. It’s cold and dark then. When late-day feeding is implemented, field studies and researchers all report 80 percent or more of cows calve in the daytime. . . . to have more cows and heifers calve in daylight hour, try to delay putting out hay and cubes until late in the day. . . The class of … [Read more...]
Condition cows now
Though we try to reduce calorie intake during the holidays, it’s the opposite for cows. They need more calories to regain good body condition and prepare for the upcoming calving and lactation period. It’s not so much that it’s needed for calving,but we want them at least at a BCS of 5 at breeding and most cows will lose body condition as long as the calf is at her side. . … [Read more...]
Dry period: important phase for dairy cows
Anna Bradmueller and Donna M. Amaral-Phillips discuss the importance of managing dairy cows during the dry period. They provide good reminders for discussions with dairy producers. Source: Dairy Herd Management, November 26, 2018. Link. Drying off cows abruptly, administering veterinarian-recommended dry cow therapy, and using a teat sealant will help protect cows from … [Read more...]
5 wisdoms that rule the herd
Raising cattle happens in many different ways. Sarah Brown shares five rules of wisdom to keep in mind: Work with a good veterinarian and be fanatic about animal health. You get what you pay for Cull out the crazy cows Good fences make better neighbors Plan for tomorrow today. Source: Drovers, November 7, 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider these five wisdoms … [Read more...]
Five dairy “do NOT do’s” in 2018
Nutritionist Mike Hutjens offers wisdom for dairymen facing low milk prices and low margins: Do not - Remove minerals from rations Cheat heifers; slow down growth Delay breeding with longer calving intervals Avoid body condition scores > 3.25 without rBST Saving a dime and lose a dollar (organic trace minerals, hoof trimming, bull breeding) Source: … [Read more...]
Top cows avoid health problems, cycle quickly
Research has shown that a good fresh period is essential for cows. Hopefully, they begin milking, avoid health problems and start cycling quickly. According to Milo Wiltbank, this task is more easily accomplished if cows gain weight during the transition period that includes the 21 days before and after calving. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, May 7, 2018. Link. According to … [Read more...]
Beef herd vaccination protocols are critical
Prepping calves for next fall’s market starts now with a herd vaccination program for cows, bulls and calves. Annual operational objectives should include 100 percent healthy cattle. Herd vaccination programs are proactive and implementing vaccines recommended by local veterinarian help protect against known viral and bacterial issues in the area. The upside of processing … [Read more...]
Dealing with calf dehydration issues
Heather Thomas went coast to coast to gather information from professors and producers about calf dehydration. Dehydration, loss of electrolytes and decrease in blood pH (metabolic acidosis) are the three biggest problems with scouring calves, says Geof Smith, DVM. “Rehydrating those calves is critical,” he says. George Barrington, DVM, says that means supportive treatment … [Read more...]