Planning and preparing for the calving season can help not only minimize calf losses, but also improve their productivity, experts in animal husbandry at the University of North Dakota say.
The nutritional status of the broodstock is one of the issues that must be considered when preparing for the upcoming spring calving.
“Although you need to worry about this in advance, during the last trimester of pregnancy you still improve the body condition of the cows,” says a specialist in beef cattle breeding.
“Cows calving with poor body weight may have difficulty giving birth to calves, and they may produce lower quality colostrum,” he notes.
“In addition, calves may be weak, which may delay maternal feeding. In this way, a multi-tier power management system can improve calves' viability and reproductive ability. ”
On the nose of the cows there are lines similar to the patterns on the palms of a person. Like our fingerprints, each individual they are strictly individual. Indiana herders in the United States use the nose print method to track abducted cows.
The preparation of hotel rooms is another key issue. For producers who keep their cows in open areas for calving, it is important to ensure that part of the territory is protected from the wind. Producers should be concerned about extreme weather conditions that are dangerous for newborn calves.
Producers who keep calves in a barn or open pens should check and repair gates, pens, plumbing, feeders and walkways. A cowshed or calving pen requires a significant amount of straw for bedding, about 5-7 pounds per cow per day. Continuous bedding is important to keep calves clean and dry to minimize infection problems and affect overall health.
Producers should also have an adequate supply of calving supplies, including plastic sleeves, grease, obstetric chains or belts, calf feeding bottles, leashes and ropes.
Calves that are too little maternally fed or experience reduced absorption of passive immunity in colostrum are at greater risk of illness and / or death.
Producers should also be prepared for problems during calving. Experienced growers may be able to correct abnormal calves presentation and help cows during labor. However, manufacturers 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.
“The calving season, which is not rich in events, is what calf producers strive after the long winter season,” Montagnoli says. "Having a plan and readiness for the calving season is the key to its successful completion."
- Experts from the beef cattle institute believe that difficult labor and low-energy calves can disrupt the connection between the mother and the cub.
- The Vologda cow Dauria broke a regional record - the horned beauty from the Soyuz breeding plant, located in the Sokolsky district of the Vologda region, was immediately accommodated by four babies.
- Earlier, we wrote about how calving at home occurs: symptoms, taking a calf, postpartum care
