Calving

Matching Forage to Fertility: How to Choose the Right Calving Window

Wed, 13 May 2026 17:49:11 GMT

There is no single “best” calving season in the beef industry, but there is a “best” system for your specific resources. While the choice between spring and fall calving often sparks debate at the local sale barn, the real driver of profitability isn’t when you calve — it’s how tightly you control the window.

“One of the most important management decisions in a cow-calf operation is determining when cows should calve,” says David Lalman, Oklahoma State University professor and Extension beef cattle specialist. “Yet, there is no single ‘best’ calving season for every ranch. The ideal system depends on forage resources, labor availability, weather patterns, marketing plans and overall management goals.”

He explains regardless of whether producers choose spring calving, fall calving or even a combination of both, having a defined and controlled calving season is one of the most effective ways to improve efficiency and profitability.

The Economic Power of a 75-Day Window

Research and standardized performance analysis (SPA) data collected from nearly 400 herds in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico demonstrated that longer breeding seasons increased cost of production. In fact, each additional day in the breeding season increased cost per hundredweight of calf weaned.

“Herds that reduced breeding seasons from year-round exposure to approximately 75 days substantially lowered production costs while also improving calf uniformity,” Lalman says. “Uniform groups of calves are generally worth more at sale time because buyers prefer cattle that are similar in age, size and management background.”

Controlled breeding and calving seasons also simplify management. Vaccination schedules, nutritional management, pregnancy diagnosis, weaning and marketing can all be streamlined when cows calve within a relatively short window. In contrast, year-round calving often creates nutritional and labor challenges because cows are in different stages of production simultaneously.

Spring Calving: Lower Costs, Higher Weather Risks

According to Lalman, spring calving remains the most common system in Oklahoma and much of the Southern Plains.

“One advantage of spring calving is that cows are typically dry, not producing milk and pregnant during winter feeding,” he explains. “The dry, gestating period represents lower nutritional requirements compared to post-calving when cows are producing milk. Thus, wintering costs are generally lower for spring-calving cows.”

He adds calving too early, for example in January or February, in Oklahoma offsets some of this advantage.

“Spring-calving systems are not without challenges,” he stresses. “Severe late-winter and early-spring storms can result in newborn calf losses. Another disadvantage is that cows can slip in body condition during early-spring forage green-up.”

High-moisture “washy” grass lacks the dry-matter density needed to meet the requirements during lactation. Cows tend to burn a lot of energy “chasing” bits of tender green forage and ignore available low-quality standing forage or hay provided, resulting in inadequate forage intake and weight loss. This challenge is exacerbated when the early green-up period coincides with peak lactation.

Lalman says delaying the calving season too long can expose females and herd sires to extreme late-summer heat stress during the breeding season.

Fall Calving: Better Body Condition, Higher Feed Bills

Fall-calving systems offer a different set of advantages and disadvantages.

“Fall-calving cows are usually in excellent body condition at calving because they have recovered body reserves during summer grazing,” he explains. “Calves are also generally older and heavier at weaning. However, on most ranch operations in Oklahoma, winter supplementation costs are greater in fall-calving cows. Increased nutrient requirements for lactation in combination with lower-quality winter forage or hay results in a dramatic gap in nutrient supply.”

Without proper adjustments in the nutritional program, cows can experience rapid weight and body-condition loss during the breeding season. In addition, if calving starts too early, extreme heat during late summer can lead to weak or even stillborn calves.

The Silent Profit Killer: Heat Stress and Conception

Heat stress deserves increasing attention in Southern beef systems.

“Breeding cattle during periods of high heat and humidity can reduce conception rates, lengthen the postpartum interval and negatively impact bull fertility,” Lalman summarizes. “In some regions, pregnancy rates may decline substantially when cows are bred during late July through early September. Adjusting breeding and calving seasons to avoid predictable periods of extreme heat may improve reproductive performance.”

The BCS Benchmark: Setting the Stage for Rebreeding

Regardless of calving season, body condition management remains critical. Lalman says mature cows should generally calve in a body condition score (BCS) of approximately 5, while first-calf heifers should be closer to a BCS 6.

“Long-term data consistently show that pregnancy rates decline dramatically in thin cows,” he says. “Producers should evaluate whether their calving season aligns with forage availability and allows cows to maintain adequate body condition economically.”

Adoption of synchronization and artificial insemination (AI) is gradually increasing in the commercial beef cattle operations. Lalman says recent research indicates that pregnancy rates to AI are improved when cows are slightly gaining weight and condition during the breeding season. This is most economically achieved through timing of the calving season and selection for cattle that are a good match to the forage system.

One Season or Two? Balancing Management and Market Risk

Lalman summarizes there are also trade-offs between operating one calving season versus two.

“A single calving season simplifies management and creates larger, more uniform groups of calves to market,” he says. “Multiple calving seasons may spread marketing risk and increase bull utilization, but they also complicate labor, nutrition and herd health programs.”

Ultimately, the “best” calving season is the one that best matches the ranch environment and available resources. Producers should design systems that minimize purchased feed, maintain reproductive efficiency and fit local forage resources.

Your Next Reads:

What Percentage of Beef Cows Need Help Calving?

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:23:20 GMT

Much like in human childbirth, not every delivery in cattle goes exactly as planned. While many calves are born without issue, some require extra help due to factors beyond a producer’s control.

On a recent episode of the Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute’s “Cattle Chat “podcast , K-State veterinarians and beef cattle experts say a portion of calvings will naturally require assistance.

“Studies have shown that about 10% to 20% of calvings may require some assistance, and that is usually due to a mismatch between the pelvis of the cow and the size of the calf,” veterinarian Todd Gunderson says.

Another contributor to calving difficulty is malpresentation, which occurs when a calf is not positioned correctly for delivery. In a normal birth, the calf enters the birth canal front feet first with its head resting between its legs. Malpresentation can include calves that are backward, sideways or have their head or limbs positioned incorrectly, often requiring intervention.

Gunderson notes certain situations can increase the likelihood of these complications.

“When there are multiples, I would see more malpresentation cases in practice,” he says. “There is also some research suggesting the sire of the calf may influence the probability of malpresentation, but that has only been observational research — we don’t know for sure.”

That observation may help explain why producers sometimes see calving issues grouped together within a herd.

“That is why we may see some of these cases in clusters,” Dr. Bob Larson, K-State professor of production medicine, says. “If they share the same sire, the physical structure of that animal could play a role as well.”

Veterinarians say understanding these risk factors — calf size, pelvic structure, multiples and potential genetic influence — can help producers monitor more closely and intervene when necessary, especially during calving season.

Your Next Reads:

Calf Survival Tips For Before, During and After Birth

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:13:10 GMT

Most discussions around calf loss begin at calving. But by then, much of the outcome has already been set in motion.

Across veterinary perspectives from different production environments, a consistent picture emerges. Calf outcomes are shaped over time, influenced by a series of decisions and conditions that build on one another.

It is important to note these patterns may look different depending on region — whether driven by cold stress, heat, drought or mud. The underlying process, however, remains consistent across systems.

Before Birth: Build Resilience Early

Calf outcomes begin to take shape during gestation. Nutrition, stress and overall maternal management all contribute to how the calf develops before it is ever born.

“Poor nutrition of the cow is a stress on the fetus … any stress on the cow can affect the development of the placenta and also of the calf,” says Dr. Katie Waine, veterinary pathologist at the University of Calgary. “Maternal stress around breeding and pregnancy can also have much longer-term effects on calf health, production and reproductive performance way off into the future.”

This concept, known as fetal programming, highlights how early conditions influence organ development, immune function and long-term performance. Calves may appear normal at birth while still benefiting from stronger developmental foundations established during gestation.

Key risk factors before birth include:

Inadequate maternal nutrition or poor body condition
Environmental or physiological stress during gestation
Inconsistent feed quality
Health challenges
Gaps in vaccination or biosecurity planning

Nutritional management during gestation plays a central role in setting the foundation for calf health. Cows entering calving in appropriate body condition are better positioned to support both fetal growth and colostrum quality. Reducing stress during pregnancy further supports placental function and fetal development. Consistent feed quality, stable environments and proactive health management all contribute to a stronger starting point for the calf.

At Birth: Support a Strong Transition

Calving represents a key opportunity to support the calf’s transition into early life. While it can reveal existing vulnerabilities, it also provides a chance to reinforce resilience.

“The effects of a difficult calving don’t stop at birth — they carry forward into immunity, vigor and overall survivability,” says Dr. Lisa Freeze, field veterinarian supervisor with the Government of New Brunswick.

A smooth calving process helps calves stand, nurse and absorb colostrum more effectively. Timely intervention when needed can prevent minor challenges from becoming larger setbacks.

“When calves are delayed during calving or we have to intervene late, they’re already starting life at a disadvantage,” Freeze says.

Key risk factors at birth include:

Prolonged or difficult calving (dystocia)
Delayed standing or nursing
Inadequate or delayed colostrum intake
Early-life stress or trauma

Focusing on calving ease, monitoring progress and ensuring early colostrum intake all support a stronger start. These early actions directly influence immune transfer and overall vigor.

“What we see with the sickness and death of calves all depends on how much pathogen they get exposed to and how resistant they are to it,” says Dr. Van Mitchell of Metzger Veterinary Services.

Supporting resistance through colostrum and minimizing early stress helps calves respond effectively to their environment.

After Birth: Manage Exposure and Reinforcing Success

After birth, management focuses on maintaining the balance between exposure and resistance. Even well-prepared calves benefit from environments that support their continued development.

In practical settings, multiple factors often interact. Recognizing these interactions allows producers to stay ahead of potential challenges.

“It’s rarely just one thing. A calf that struggles at birth, doesn’t get enough colostrum, and then is exposed to a challenging environment — those risks stack on top of each other,” says Dr. Allison Pylypjuk of Beausejour Animal Hospital.

Dr. Lauren Wilson of Peterborough Veterinary Services agrees: “Those calves that don’t receive adequate colostrum are much more susceptible to disease, and when you combine that with environmental exposure, that’s when we start to see problems like scours and pneumonia.”

The same principle applies in a positive direction. When calves receive timely colostrum, experience minimal stress at birth and are raised in clean environments, those advantages build as well.

Key risk factors after birth include:

High pathogen load in calving or housing areas
Overcrowding or poor stocking density
Mixing age groups, especially older calves with newborns
Delayed identification and isolation of sick animals

Clean calving areas, appropriate stocking density and thoughtful grouping strategies help limit pathogen exposure. These practices support calves as they continue to develop immunity and resilience.

“We can eliminate a lot of exposure to the pathogens by keeping our calving areas clean, keeping the sick animals away,” Mitchell says.

Managing these factors helps maintain momentum established earlier, allowing calves to continue on a positive trajectory.

A Proactive Approach to Calf Survival

Viewing calf outcomes as a cumulative process creates more opportunities for intervention. Each stage — before birth, at calving and after birth — offers a chance to support the calf’s success.

Rather than focusing only on problems after they appear, this approach emphasizes building resilience early and reinforcing it over time. The goal is not to eliminate all challenges, but to create conditions where calves are better prepared to respond. Consistent management, early attention and thoughtful decision-making all contribute to improved outcomes.

Calf survival is not determined in a single moment. It develops step by step, shaped by a series of actions that build on one another from gestation through early life.

9 Tips to Ensure Calving Season Success

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:40:40 GMT

Early preparation prevents last-minute stress during calving season. From equipment checklists to mastering observation, veterinary collaboration and proactive intervention, calving season success starts before the first calf hits the ground.

AJ Tarpoff, Kansas State extension veterinarian, encourages producers to prepare for potential calving challenges through inventory assessment, tool and supply readiness, facility checks and mindful observation.

From years of hands-on experience, cattle producer and extension educator Shad Marston from Canton, Kan., says the key to a successful calving season is: “Just being prepared so you don’t have those unexpected problems.”

Marston highlights the importance of preparing earlier than expected.

“We have to prepare, not just the time that the breeding book predicts they’re going to calve, but maybe a week or two ahead of that,” he says.

Review breeding notes and pregnancy forms in advance to identify which cows are due first. He says shorter gestations (especially with calving-ease bulls) can result in females calving a week or two early. To prepare, he separates heifers into a dedicated pen for better monitoring and exercise as calving approaches.

Marston adds another step in preparation is having contact information handy for your veterinarian and neighbors to call during emergencies.

To help mitigate the potential of calving problems, Tarpoff suggests producers make educated genetic matings.

“Use proper selection tools such as calving-ease sires on heifers,” he stresses. “We have better tools than ever — use them.”

Tarpoff and Marston share these nine tips to ensure calving season is a success:

1. Build a Reliable Calving Kit for Every Scenario.

Ensure all tools, equipment and supplies like chains, straps, gloves, lubricant and colostrum replacer are cleaned, organized and ready before calving begins. Store crucial items in a portable, easy-to-access tote.

Check out Tarpoff’s Calving Checklist:

Your Calving Prep Starts Here: The Essential Checklist

2. Prioritize Facility and Equipment Maintenance.

Inspect calving facilities and restraint tools ahead of time to make sure everything is in good repair — fix or replace anything left undone from last season before calving starts.

Tarpoff reminds producers to determine how they will restrain animals in the pasture setting.

“Whether it’s a rope, whether it’s a portable corral or whatever that might look like, is everything in good working order?”

Marston encourages producers to walk their facilities: “Are your lights working? Do your gates latch? Bedding down?”

He says cameras are also excellent if your barn connectivity allows.

“Whatever the cost, saving just one calf … would pay for a camera system,” he says.

Learn more about calving camera systems:

Is a Calving Camera System Your Next Essential Ranch Investment?

3. Cleanliness and Biosecurity Matter.

Maintain clean, segregated feeding equipment like esophageal feeders to prevent disease transmission among calves.

Tarpoff encourages producers to have two esophageal feeders — one for colostrum and one for sick calves.

4. Collaborate with Your Vet.

Have proactive conversations with your local veterinarian about regional risks, health products and intervention protocols well before calving season begins.

5. Observe Females Closely.

Watch for subtle physical and behavioral cues such as herd separation, changes in appetite, vulva swelling or locomotion changes that signal impending calving. Tarpoff suggests producers train their eyes to watch for subtle changes.

(Illustrations: Oklahoma State University)

6. Understand Intervention Timing and Have a Plan for Emergencies.

Knowing the stages of parturition is crucial for timely intervention. It is also important to have a plan so you can safely restrain and assist cows. Don’t hesitate to seek veterinary help when needed for complicated or high-risk situations.

Offering assistance is a matter of judgment and good judgment is the result of experience.

Know the “rule of an hour”: Intervene if a mature cow hasn’t made progress within one hour of the water bag breaking. For heifers, the process can take a bit longer.

“It can normally take a heifer two hours to go through the normal birthing process,” Tarpoff adds.

If you don’t know when Stage 2 began and process seems to be slow, it might warrant a vaginal exam.

He says it is important to understand when to call for extra help or veterinary support. Visual red flags to intervene immediately include: head-only presentation, head with only one leg, backward calf with hocks visible but not progressing.

When intervention becomes necessary, safety and assessment come first.

“Proper restraint is very, very important,” he says. “When it’s time to intervene, take your time and get a diagnosis of what’s missing.”

Tarpoff instructs producers to diagnose quickly and protect mom.

Marstons adds, if possible, have the cow up on her feet, restrained in a well-lit area that is safe for both you and the cow. It is much easier when both you and the cow are standing.

Start by cleaning the cow’s vulva, rectum and surrounding area, as well as your hands and arms with soap and water. Cleanliness is important.

Wear protective sleeves. Gentleness and lubrication are important.

“Hair causes an enormous amount of friction,” Tarpoff explains. “I regularly use large amounts of lubricant to reduce inflammation and swelling.”

Feel for the cervix. If not dilated it will feel as if your hand passes through or along a firm, tubular or circular structure. Once fully dilated, you should no longer feel the cervical ridge.

Can you feel the calf? A normal anterior presentation will permit you to feel the calf’s feet and nose with the spine of the calf resting just under the cow’s spine. If the presentation is normal and the water bag is still intact around the calf, you can allow up to an hour to permit the cow to calve unassisted. If the water bag has broken and the cervix is fully dilated, the calf needs to be delivered sooner.

If you detect an abnormal presentation, encounter something that doesn’t feel right or a situation you can’t manage, you will need to contact a veterinarian for assistance.

Tarpoff tells producers if they are not making progress correcting the scenario in a half hour, it is time to call for help.

“The earlier, the better outcome for the cow, the better outcome for the calf,” he says.

Tarpoff reminds producers if a calf is not breathing not to hang it by the legs; instead, place it upright, clear mucus from nose/mouth and stimulate.

“It’s the physical stimulation that tells the brain it’s time to start breathing,” he says.

Tarpoff also suggests using the Madigan squeeze for non-thrifty or “dummy” calves. He says the procedure is an option within 48 hours of birth that can “pop” some calves into normal vigor.

7. Minimize Environmental Stress.

Be proactive about shelter, windbreaks and bedding to protect calves from wind, moisture and cold. Remember that wet, windy conditions can be just as dangerous as extreme cold.

“During the winter, our No. 1 thing that robs heat is wind and moisture,” Tarpoff says, “so if we have a nice wind protection or a windbreak, calves can stay comfortable.”

Body temperature matters more than outdoor temperatures.

“Once you get below 100°F internal body temperature, that begins the stages of hypothermia,” he explains. “Once we get into the mid 90s, we see blood shunting from the extremities, leading to frost bit ears or tails.”

He says outside temperature can be a poor indicator.

“Forty to 50°F and rain can cause hypothermia quicker than 17°F and dry,” he says.

Warming options range from calf warmers/hot boxes to safe heat-lamp setups (non-sparking units) to improvised pickup-floor “heat box” arrangements. Warm-water immersion can work but must be done carefully.

Tarpoff instructs to start with lukewarm water then gradually increase toward 101°F to 102°F. It is important to disinfect bathrooms thoroughly after use to protect families from pathogens.

8. Prioritize Nutrition.

Ensure cows are in proper body condition, not too thin or obese, to promote easier calving and healthy, vigorous calves.

Marston says feeding strategy can help shift calving to daylight. Feeding late at night can concentrate births in early morning.

“I feed in the evenings … open the gate later … they want to eat,” he says. “Then, once they get full, they lay down and have a calf … a lot of the time, it’s six, seven o’clock in the morning.”

Read more about the importance of nutrition prior to and post calving:

3 Nutritional Questions to Consider Prior to Calving

Does Supplementing Bred Heifers Increase Calving Difficulty?

Feeding at Dusk: How Does This Affect Calving Times?

From Calving to Conception: Nutrition Strategies to Keep Cows on Track

9. Don’t Forget the Colostrum.

Following calving is key to get colostrum in the calf within the first two to four hours. By nine hours after birth the calf will have less than 50% of absorption.

Tarpoff encourages producers to keep quality commercial replacer on hand. If a producer freezes on-farm colostrum, this should be used the same season and thawed under warm running water, not microwaved.

If a calf is cold and has not nursed, Tarpoff says it is important to “warm first, then colostrum.”

Gut absorption improves after warming.

Read more about colostrum:
How Important is Colostrum?

Tarpoff suggests producers assess calf vigor especially after a pull or C-section: “Use the suckle reflex — good suction and jaw tone suggests the calf will get up and nurse.”

Marston adds: “If I have that cow down or standing in the chute, I’ll milk her out right then and tube the calf. Then I know it’s got colostrum in its belly.”

He stresses this is especially important if you must leave and can’t monitor nursing.

Marston shares this simple mantra as calving season approaches: Get mentally prepared, be ready and be observant.

“Be prepared because it’s not going to happen when you’re home all day, it’s going to happen when you’re busy,” he says.

Your Next Reads:

From Calving to Conception: Nutrition Strategies to Keep Cows on Track

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:15:57 GMT

The goal for every cow is to have a calf every 365 days. To achieve that goal, producers need to be proactive and focus on prevention‑minded nutrition and management.

Anne Koontz, Alltech research manager for publications and communications, and Shelby Roberts, Alltech beef technical support, agree producers need to treat the first 100 days as a critical stress window. Management and nutrition in this window largely decide whether a cow breeds back on time.

Koontz says after calving the cow must simultaneously:

Recover from birth
Ramp up lactation, peaking at approximately 60 days
Resume her estrus cycle

To stay on a one‑calf‑per‑year schedule, she must be rebred within about 82 days of calving. “That’s hard,” Koontz says. “That’s a lot of stress all at once.”

Koontz and Roberts suggest these five nutritional strategies to help cows be successful in their role as a mother plus return to estrus and breed back on schedule:

1. Prioritize Energy and Body Condition

Roberts stresses BCS is the main driver of return to estrus. She says the targets are:

Mature cows: around BCS 5
First‑calf heifers: closer to BCS 6 for a cushion

She encourages weekly BCS checks — ribs, hooks, pins and “gutted-up” look — so you can adjust early. It is important to start supplementing before cows get thin.

“Don’t wait until they’re at a 3,” Roberts says. “You should have started when they slipped to a 4.”

Make sure the diet — forage plus any supplement — delivers enough energy to support both milk and reproduction.

For most beef cows on decent forage, energy is more limiting than protein.

“In those days post‑calving, we need to be far more focused on energy and mineral nutrition than protein,” Koontz stresses.

She says the goal should be to keep cows from losing too much body condition so they can:

Milk
Recover
Still cycle and conceive within that short window

“If grass or forage doesn’t meet needs, add an energy supplement,” Roberts says. “Inadequate energy leads to cows losing BCS which leads to delayed estrus and poorer conception.”

She also reminds producers it is important to know forage quality — testing if possible.

Heifers have higher nutrient requirements because they are still growing.

Roberts suggests producers manage heifers separately from mature cows until they are rebred, then merge them back into the main herd.

2. Ensure Adequate Water

Roberts says lactating cows need substantially more water — roughly 20 to 30 more gallons per day. Water intake optimizes milk yield, supports feed intake and enhances overall performance, all of which affect breed‑back.

3. Get Trace Mineral Nutrition Right

Use a good-quality, bioavailable trace mineral program in this 100‑day window; don’t just put out the cheapest mineral.

Koontz says the real leverage for reproduction is trace minerals. Five key trace minerals drive reproductive leverage:

Zinc: Supports uterine tissue repair.
Copper: Essential for hormone production and cycling.
Manganese: Influences conception rates.
Selenium: Critical for early embryo survival.
Iron: Supports overall metabolic health.

4. Match Minerals to Your Region and Forage

Region‑specific mineral management beats one‑size‑fits‑all tags.

Koontz says selenium, copper and iron can be too low or too high depending on soils and forages. Her advice to producers is to lean on local extension and nutritionists who know the area. Forage and sometimes water testing help fine‑tune the program.

5. Mineral Programs Can Directly Influence Uterine Readiness and Embryo Survival

The mineral program isn’t just “insurance”— it can actively support the biology of conception and early pregnancy.

Roberts encourages producers to use whatever form of mineral that fits the operation — loose mineral, tubs or cake with minerals.

“The form matters less than consistent intake of a good program,” she stresses.

Koontz explains Alltech’s research shows mineral programs can change gene expression in uterine tissues to make the uterus “more ready to conceive.” It can affect how well the conceptus — early embryo — develops and survives in the first weeks.

Koontz summarizes getting cows rebred comes down to feeding enough energy to protect body condition and using a high‑quality, region‑appropriate trace mineral program that supports uterine recovery, hormone function and early embryo survival during the first 60 to 100 days post‑calving.

In addition, Roberts encourages producers to use BCS as their dashboard, give heifers special attention, match supplements to forage quality and be proactive with energy, protein, water and minerals so cows are ready to cycle and conceive on schedule.

Understanding and Preventing Calf Scours

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:26:14 GMT

Neonatal calf diarrhea, or scours, is a common concern among cow-calf producers. Understanding why scours occurs is the first step in preventing the problem.

What Causes Calf Scours?

Calf scours outbreaks are the result of a contaminated calving and nursing environment. This environmental contamination develops following a period of pathogen (germ) buildup or amplification.

Cows shed relatively small amounts of these bacteria and viruses into the environment, often without showing any clinical symptoms. Other scours-causing pathogens, such as coccidia, can persist in the environment year after year.

As calves are born, they are exposed to these pathogens and begin the cycle of replication and shedding of disease potentials. They shed many times more germs than they were originally exposed to, which is why we call this “amplification.”

The first calves born may not show clinical symptoms of scours because the pathogen load may not be high enough to overwhelm the immune system. However, as more calves are born and stocking density increases, the pathogen load can become too much. This is when a scours outbreak occurs.

How to Reduce the Risk of Scours

Reducing the risk of scours can be accomplished by addressing different areas of management. One way to do this is by following the Sandhills Calving Method, or a modified version of it.

The concept is to place calves into similar age groups, calving on clean environments with each group. Ideally, calves should be within 10-14 days of age in each calving area. Late-gestation cows will then be moved away from new babies to calve in a fresh environment and begin another age group, and so on. This will allow reduction of pathogen shedding and exposure dose. The original concept can be modified to fit most operations by having an idea of calving dates and a little creativity.

Limiting stress during calving is another preventive measure. One example of stress includes weather concerns. Having a place for calves to get out of storms and mud may help. This can be accomplished by utilizing shelters or creating a calf escape area by adding a hot wire in the corner of the lot where calves can freely enter but cows remain outside the space.

Shelters can become sources of contamination if left unclean and wet. Because ventilation and sunshine are vital factors in keeping calves healthy, moving shelters or utilizing open-air concepts has been shown to be beneficial.

Testing is necessary to get a final diagnosis on what pathogens are causing problems, and often the condition contains two or more species of bacteria, viruses or protozoa. Age of calf is helpful in knowing what may be causing the problem as each pathogen affects calves at different time frames.

Understanding crucial management areas and establishing prevention protocols with your veterinarian are essential for your operation’s calf health plan.

Your Next Reads:
How Should Scouring Calves be Treated?
How Important is Colostrum?

5 Tips for Grafting Calves

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:18:30 GMT

There’s more than one way to encourage cow-calf bonding, but hormones and smell are key to creating the bond.

Multiple scenarios, both cow and calf centered, can lead to the need to graft a calf on a different cow:

Calf dies during birthing process, don’t want to sell the cow
Cow dies during birthing process, don’t want to sell the calf as a bottle calf
Cow doesn’t milk or has a bad udder
Older cow calves, and she’s near the end of her productivity. At the same time a younger cow loses her calf
Twins

Kansas cow-calf producer Shad Marston summarizes grafting can take time, patience and sometimes money.

“It’s a management decision,” he explains regarding the choice of grafting a calf or letting a cow dry up. “I do think it is beneficial for a cow that loses a calf that you plan to keep to raise a calf, but grafting can be hard.”

Marston and two veterinarians — Dr. Lacey Fahrmeier of Stillwater Veterinary Clinic and Dr. Tony Hawkins of Prairie Valley Vet Clinic — share tips to help producers create the bond and successfully graft a calf onto a different mom.

1. Catch or Confine the Cow

To get a cow to let a calf nurse, Hawkins explains many times it is necessary to catch the cow in a chute or calving pen and help the calf latch on or nurse.

“Properly restraining the cow in a chute on the initial introduction is critical,” Fahrmeier adds. “This allows you to safely administer some pharmaceutical agents that can be extremely helpful in the process and minimizes the risk of the calf getting injured.”

2. Convince the Cow the Calf is Hers

Hawkins says a major hurdle many times for grafting is convincing the cow the calf is hers.

“Our goals are to get the cow licking the calf to create that bond and get the cow to let the calf nurse,” Hawkins summarizes. “There are some commercial products, such as Calf Claim or Orphan-No-More, which are flavored powders to sprinkle down the back of the calf to get the cow to lick. Also, dried distiller grains seem to work well.”

If you are grafting a calf onto a cow whose calf recently died, you can skin the hide from the deceased calf and tie onto the back of the calf you are trying to graft. This works well, especially for cows that had already developed a good bond with their calf that, unfortunately, didn’t make it.

Fahrmeier agrees draping the deceased calf’s hide on the orphan calf can really help trick the cow into accepting the new one.

3. Sedation Can Be a Valuable Tool

Her philosophy is “better living through chemistry” and encourages producers to use the tools available to make the grafting process less stressful for all involved — cattle and people.

“Lightly sedating the cow can be beneficial,” she explains. “My drug of choice for that would be injectable acepromazine. Consult with your veterinarian on appropriate usage of the product and dose. It is important to note that ace takes around 30 minutes to reach peak effect, so giving it in advance of introducing or nursing the calf is crucial.”

Hawkins agrees, adding: “Sedation is a valuable tool when grafting calves and should not be viewed as a last resort, especially if the cow shows any aggression toward the calf or kicks at it when it tries to nurse.”

Along with recommending Ace, he says oxytocin also works well to encourage bonding.

“An injection of the ‘love’ hormone oxytocin can also aid the cow in accepting the calf,” Fahrmeier explains. “Oxytocin is a hormone naturally produced in mammals that stimulates uterine contractions during labor and milk ejection from the mammary glands. In cattle, it is used to promote postpartum uterine involution and aid in the expulsion of retained placenta. It can also facilitate milk let-down. For milk let-down, it only requires a small dose (1 mL IM) and works rapidly after injection.”

One of the newest technologies on the market to assist with reducing stress and increasing maternal bond in cattle is the synthetic analogs of a natural maternal pheromone — Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (mBAS).

Fahrmeier says products such as FerAppease or SecureCattle can be applied topically to the nuchal skin (poll) and above the muzzle to help decrease threat perception by desensitizing the hypothalamus and amygdala and lowering cortisol.

“In my experience, treating the cow with a full dose (5 cc in both spots) and the calf with a half dose (2.5 cc) seems to help the process of grafting go smoother and quicker,” she says. “There is also some research showing increased milk let-down and production on dairy cows, so there may be benefit in that area as well.”

4. The Calf Needs to Be Hungry

Fahrmeier says after the medications have been administered, the next most important tip is to have a hungry calf.

Marston says getting a cow’s milk through the calf improves acceptance.

5. Be Patient and Give the Pair Time to Bond

Hawkins says the bonding process can be a multiple-day project until the bond is created.

Marston adds the grafting process tends to be easier with younger cows, while older cows tend to be more suspicious.

Fahrmeier suggests turning the cow and calf together and letting them continue to bond after the calf has nursed with the cow confined in the chute.

“You may need to continue to restrain the cow for a few more feedings, but usually this method results in an almost instant love connection,” she summarizes.

Marston says to know when it is time to quit trying and accept the grafting process failed. He says his rule of thumb is a day or two, but admits he has attempted the process for more than a week.

“I got pretty tired of it, but I’ve done it before,” he says.

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How Important is Colostrum?
9 Tips to Ensure Calving Season Success

Is 283 Days the Accurate Average Gestation Length?

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:34:04 GMT

The gestational length of cows is commonly believed to be 283 days. The topic of gestation length often comes up among cattle breeders during calving season.

These conversations often pertain to calving artificially inseminated (AI) cows or recipient cows carrying embryo transfer calves because exact breeding, implant and expected calving dates are known. It is the observation of many that we have shortened the gestation length of modern beef cattle over the generations.

An article from the Journal of Animal Science in 1952 reported significant differences in the average gestation length of Angus (281.7 days), Hereford (286.1 days) and Shorthorn (284.3 days). Also, bull calves tended to be carried longer, and are heavier at birth, than heifer calves. This study also reported a significant positive relationship between birth weight and gestation length.

A 2024 abstract from the Journal of Animal Science analyzed a total of 10,037 records obtained from reproductive data collected from Fall of 2011 through Spring of 2018, from 14 herds from the Virginia Department of Corrections beef cattle operations and the Virginia Tech Beef Center research herd.

Cows used to measure gestation length were all pregnant to AI and only pregnancies that resulted in a live birth were included in the dataset. The objective of this study was to perform an analysis to determine gestational length and evaluate cow and calf parameters that influence gestational length of Bos Taurus beef cows. The average age of cows in this study was 5.5 years, with a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 18 years of age. The average gestation length was 280.2 days. The shortest and longest gestation lengths recorded were 253 days and 300 days, respectively.

Here are some key takeaways from the project:

Gestation length was affected by calving season with a significantly shorter gestation length fall calvers (279.1 days) than spring calvers (281.1 days).
Calf sex also had an impact on gestation length. Bull calves were gestated almost a day longer (280.8 days) than heifers (279.6 days).

Correlation coefficients (r values) were calculated between gestation length and other variables. Cow age (r = 0.2136), calf birth weight (r = 0.3834), calf weaning weight (r = 0.1438) and calf adjusted weaning weights (r = 0.0253) were correlated with gestation length of beef cows.

In conclusion, the average gestation length of Bos Taurus beef cows was 280 days, which is shorter than the commonly used 283 days, and it was affected by calving season (fall or spring) and calf sex. Further, while correlations exist among gestation length, cow age and calf traits, these correlations were weak to moderate.

Does Supplementing Bred Heifers Increase Calving Difficulty?

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:45:09 GMT

Producers are often told supplementing bred heifers with protein prior to calving increases calf birth weight and leads to greater calving difficulty.

According to Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University (OSU) Extension beef cattle nutrition specialist, nutrition of bred heifers during gestation does have lasting consequences for both the calf and the future productivity of the cow.

“Decades of research clearly demonstrate that maternal undernutrition during pregnancy negatively influences not only the cow’s reproductive performance, but also immune transfer, calf survival, weaning weight and post-weaning performance,” he says.

Research conducted in the 1970s at OSU compared productivity of heifers managed to achieve either adequate or obese body condition from 12 months through 5 years of age. At first calving, 58% of the obese heifers required calving assistance, compared with only 8% of heifers at adequate body condition. These data are the basis for current recommendations that heifers calve at a body condition score (BCS) of approximately 6, but not reach a fleshy (BCS 7) or obese (BCS 8) condition.

Energy and protein supply during late gestation can influence calf birth weight, Beck summarizes. Research by Corah and colleagues published in 1975 demonstrated heifers restricted to 65% of energy requirements during the final 100 days of gestation produced calves approximately 4.4 lb. lighter at birth. However, these calves experienced greater neonatal mortality and reduced weaning rates compared with calves from adequately fed dams. Importantly, lighter birth weight was not associated with reduced calving difficulty, illustrating how undernutrition compromises calf viability rather than preventing dystocia.

“Restricting nutrients prior to calving weakens both the cow and the calf, increasing calving difficulty and reducing calf survival,” Beck summarizes.

Kansas State University’s Jaymelynn Farney says restricting heifer diet in the last trimester can result in potentially lower quality and quantity of colostrum , reduced absorption of immunoglobulins from colostrum potentially driven by weaker calves that were slower to nurse, an increase in calf scours and a reduction in overall weaning weights.

Birth weight responses to precalving supplementation are highly variable. Beck evaluated changes in calf birth weight reported from 24 studies evaluating late-gestation supplementation.

“The average increase in calf birth weight was only 3 lb., with responses ranging from a 3 lb. decrease to a 10 lb. increase,” he reports. “The largest increases occurred when high levels (approximately 5 lb. per day) of energy-dense supplements were fed.”

Fifteen of these studies also reported subsequent pregnancy rates. Although variable, the average pregnancy rate of unsupplemented cows was 86%, compared with 92% for cows supplemented during late gestation, with the greatest response observed in first-calf heifers.

Excessive energy intake during late gestation partitions more nutrients toward fetal growth, resulting in larger calves. When coupled with excess fat deposition in the pelvic region, this increases the risk of dystocia. Thus, excessive energy, rather than protein supplementation alone, is the primary contributor to increased calving difficulty in many heifer programs.

Ensuring bred heifers meet — rather than greatly exceed — energy and protein requirements, promoting moderate BCS gain during mid and late gestation and strategically supplementing key nutrients improves calf survival, preweaning growth, immune function and long-term reproductive performance without increasing calving difficulty.

“Avoiding maternal undernutrition remains one of the most consistent strategies for improving whole-herd productivity and profitability,” Beck summarizes.

What Causes Calving Difficulty?

Farney says there are multiple reasons calving difficulty can occur, which may include the calf being too big, pelvis too small, abnormal presentation, lack of uterine contractions, fatigue or twins.

“Abnormal presentations cannot be eliminated by genetic selection or nutritional management, so be prepared for these scenarios a minimum of three weeks before your first calf is expected,” says Farney, a beef systems specialist.

Calf birth weight is often blamed as the sole culprit of calving issues.

“Calf birth weight can be affected by several factors — genetics, gestation length and, to an extent, dam nutrition,” Farney summarizes. “High calving ease sires typically have a shortened gestation length, hence the reason that most of those calves are a bit lighter in weight.”

She says on average, calves will gain between 1.5 lb. to 2 lb. of body weight in late gestation. For example, if the average gestation length is 283 days and a calf is born a week early, it will often weigh 10 lb. to 14 lb. less.

She adds dams that experience cold stress in the last trimester may have calves that are heavier in weight.

“Typically birth weights are greater for calves born in the spring or winter as compared to fall-born counterparts,” she says. “A Nebraska study that evaluated six years of data found for each 1° F lower than the average winter temperature (December through February) calf birth weight increased 1 lb.”

The increase in birth weight is most likely due to the needed increase in nutrient flux through supplementation to offset cold stress events.

“Now you might think, it is a cold winter and I do not want to deal with calving problems, so I will just make that cow survive on the same diet she has been on and not account for added maintenance requirements due to cold stress,” Farney says. “That thought will lead to a plethora of other issues that can extend through that calf’s entire productive life.”

She stresses it is important to appropriately balance a diet for first-calf heifers.

“Don’t starve the calving difficulty out of your heifers,” Farney summarizes. “These heifers need appropriate energy to help with the birthing process or they will quit on you as they just run out of steam going through parturition. Additionally, the calves need enough energy to quickly get up and nurse, and if dam energy is restricted, calves will be lethargic. Proteins are essential for colostrum quality, which has major lifetime effects on that calf.”

Your Next Read: Feeding at Dusk: How Does This Affect Calving Times?

How Calving Season Data Drives Better Herd Management Decisions

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:44:01 GMT

As calving season gets underway for many producers, it’s not just about getting live calves on the ground — it’s about setting those calves and their dams up for a lifetime of performance.

In a special episode of “ The Future of Beef Show ” podcast, hosts Jim Johnson, of Brands and Barbed Wire , Ian Wheal, CEO and founder of Breedr , and Jessica Sperber, University of Nebraska feedlot specialist, visit with Dr. Taylor Engle of Four Star Veterinary Services about how data, nutrition, health and genetics all intersect at calving time.

Engle was also featured in episode eight .

Data at Birth: “No Better Time Than Starting Now”

From Wheal’s perspective, calving is the true beginning of an animal’s record — and missing that opportunity means giving up a lot of future insight.

“This is the start of the animal’s life,” he says. “This is when the data collection starts on this animal, if you can do it.”

He emphasizes linking each calf to its dam is pivotal. Explaining the value of tracking each cow’s calving performance make you better prepared and equipped to make culling decisions later.

By collecting birth data, you also gain an early handle on inventory, which feeds directly into budgeting and marketing.

Even if full birth data collection isn’t feasible, Wheal urges producers to at least recognize which cows have calved and assess them from a distance — especially mothering ability and calf vigor. These observations become powerful when reviewed later alongside performance data.

“There’s more to just going out and seeing that calf’s alive and nursed,” Johnson adds. “We look at things like calf vigor, you know, how quick did that calf get up and nurse? And then the mothering ability of the cow, that’s really important too.”

Collecting these details helps producers make informed sire selection and cow retention decisions. For example, if calves from a certain sire are consistently slow to get up, that’s a genetic signal that can guide future breeding choices.

Nutrition and Colostrum: Setting Calves Up For Success

On the nutrition side, Sperber explains a successful calving season starts well before the calf hits the ground — especially in the third trimester.

“Nutritional status of the cow is extremely essential in that third trimester,” she says. “So making sure she does have some overall flesh and cover on her… obviously, not too much flesh.”

She also highlights the importance of minerals to support calving, including calcium and magnesium.

Once the calf is born, the conversation returns to a familiar theme: colostrum is critical . If a cow has complications, poor milk letdown or the calf is weak, producers must be ready with alternative colostrum sources.

“Colostrum is critical,” Sperber stresses. “The longevity of that animal to perform on the rail for us starts at birth, starts in utero, essentially.”

Engle reinforces preparation for worst-case scenarios — like weak calves or dystocia — is a key part of good calf health management.

“I think that’s a big part of it, is being ready for worst case scenarios,” he says.

Johnson and Engle agree the economic reality regarding healthy calves.

“It’s hard to make money on dead calves,” Johnson says. Engle agrees, adding: “Absolutely, dead calves don’t pay the bills.”

Data Collection: Make It Simple and Standard

A recurring theme during the podcast was keeping data collection simple and consistent, so it is convenient and actually happens in real-world ranch conditions.

Engle points out even basic records — how much colostrum a calf received, what the weather was or any unusual events — can explain later performance differences.

“Just go out and take a picture,” Johnson suggests, if you are too busy to write down data. “You got a date, you got what the udder looks like, what the cow looks like, whether the calf’s cleaned off and up yet. You’ve got a lot of those things that help you remember.”

He suggests the photos can later support culling decisions, udder score evaluations and troubleshooting poor performance.

Genetics and Genomics: Accuracy Matters

From a genetics and genomics angle, Johnson and Wheal discuss when a good time is to collect tissue samples for genomic testing.

If tissue samples are taken at birth, Johnson cautions the calf must be clean and fairly dry to avoid contamination from amniotic fluid.

They also flag a common problem in larger operations and calving barns: cows switching calves. If calves are mismatched to dams or sires, genomic data and performance records lose their value.

“Part of that accuracy is also making sure that that calf’s out of the right sire and out of the right cow,” Johnson stresses. “Having accurate data is as important as having data.”

When sampling at birth isn’t convenient, branding time can be a good alternative, if identity is clearly captured and linked.

In summary, as Johnson notes, many people are in the cattle business for the joy of seeing calves “bouncing around green pastures.” Thoughtful data collection and solid management at calving help ensure more of those calves not only survive but go on to perform and pay the bills.

Feeding at Dusk: How Does This Affect Calving Times?

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:10:05 GMT

It’s commonly said among producers that feeding in the afternoon or evening means cows will calve during the day, making it easier to manage. Finding what works best for your operation is crucial to a successful calving season.

Rumen Activity’s Role in Calving Time

To ensure females are adjusted to this cycle, UNL Beef’s Rick Rasby and Kaci McCarthy say producers should start feeding at dusk two to three weeks before calving season starts.

It’s unclear what truly prompts cows to calve, other than a hormonal connection. Rasby and McCarthy explain studies show rumen contractions increase in frequency after feeding and then lessen a few hours before a cow calves. Rumen pressure drops in the last two weeks of gestation and continues to decline during calving.

Therefore, it’s concluded calving can be triggered by low rumen pressure. So, in this instance, feeding at night increases the pressure, and then by daytime it has declined, meaning cows are more likely to calve.

Originally, Gus Konefal, a rancher in Mantioba, Canada, developed and reported observations of this method in the 1970s, and this method of feeding is named after him.

Results of the Konefal Feeding Method

South Dakota State University Extension cow-calf field specialist Adele Harty explains research supports the Konefal feeding method. A study from Iowa State University used this system, feeding one time per day at 4 p.m. starting two weeks before expected calving. Results showed 82% of cows calved between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., and 91% of calves were born between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m.

In this project, first-calf heifers were separated from the data set, resulting in 90% of them calving in this same time frame.

Further studies among 15 producers in Iowa and Missouri concluded feeding once a day between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. resulted in 85% of cows calving between 5 a.m. and midnight. Data provided by UNL Beef from Canadian and British studies shows 79% of cows calved during the day when fed later. Other field trials by cattlemen showed 74.5% of calves born between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Combining results from 15 farms in Iowa, 85% of cows calved between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. when fed at dusk.

Points for Success

As a producer, you must do what works best for your operation. Harty provides some key points to consider when and if producers choose to implement the Konefal feeding system.

For this method to be most effective, it should be implemented one month prior to calving, but a shorter duration before the start of calving will have a similar effect.
Stay as close to the same feeding schedule and feed amount as possible every day. Deviating more than 15 minutes in the schedule or feeding too much will affect the results.
Still maintain regular night checks — implementing this system only means there is less calves born during the night.
It works best in a drylot setting where all feed is regulated and provided. Results may not be as effective in a grazing situation if grazing is unregulated.
Weather can temporarily change the effects, as with most systems.
Other research shows that if a first-calf heifer calves during the day, she will tend to calve during the day throughout her productive years.

Calving season is a stressful time for producers, often having longer hours. With the Konefal feeding system, producers can ensure more cows calve during the daylight hours, reducing workload and stress.

Your Next Read: 3 Nutritional Questions to Consider Prior to Calving

Frozen Calf Gets Spa Treatment and Couch Cuddles During Arctic Blast

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:00:48 GMT

With the cattle herd still at multi-decade lows, every calf counts more than ever. That’s especially true during these last few days as arctic air and winter storms poured into the lower 48.

Macey Sorrell and her family live and farm in Mt. Sterling, Ky. As the area recently experienced storms of freezing rain and sheets of ice, the Sorrells welcomed a new calf into the world.

“Whenever my husband found her, she was maybe two hours old and she was already frozen with ice all in her hair,” Sorrell describes. “Her little umbilical cord looked like a popsicle. So I took the truck back there, put the calf in the bed of the truck and brought her in the house.”

Blankets, a hair dryer, a good rub down and bottle of colostrum helped warm the new baby up.

“After she got her belly full, she was ready for a nap,” Sorrell says. “My kids had also fallen asleep, so I just piled her up on the couch with them for some cuddles.”

The pictures she snapped while the little ones slept are cute enough to warm even the coldest heart. The moment, frozen in time, is now going viral.

“The reaction has been crazy,” Sorrell laughs. “You know, anywhere around here, this is nothing new. You’re going to see a calf inside, a sheep or even a goat. Folks are going to bring the babies inside. I think what made it so special was just the calf on the couch with the babies cuddling.”

The next morning, warm and newly named baby Sally had a happy reunion with her mama.

“When her mama heard her mooing, she came running,” Sorrell says. “Sally started nursing, and they have both been really good since.”

Sorrell and her husband, Tanner, are pleased with the results and the life lessons for their little crew.

“I think, if anything, it’s not an animal. It is a life, and we’ll do whatever we can to help not only an animal but anybody,” Sorrell says. “There’s always a space in my house for a critter.”

The cold is still visiting. More snow is in the forecast. The work at America’s farms and ranches never stops. Since Sally arrived, more babies have been born in the cold.

“We actually had a baby calf born just a few days before that one, and then another one born yesterday,” Sorrell says.

And life on the farm continues, both inside and out.

It’s not just Kentucky dealing with the severe winter storm aftermath and the devastation it left behind. As of Jan. 31, 2026, it was reported over 150,000 homes and businesses remain without power across the Mid-South, specifically in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, following a severe winter storm.

Farm Journal’s Chris Bennett says it could be weeks before his area of Mississippi will have power again, as he describes the horrific scene from last week’s winter storm.

Tips to Prevent Hypothermia in Calves

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:29:19 GMT

Hypothermia, which is lower than normal body temperature, is one of the major causes of death in newborn calves. Wet and cold weather (below 50°F) accompanied by wind will take a toll on calves especially if the calving process takes longer than normal.

Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle breeding specialist, shares these four tips to reduce the chance of hypothermia:

Dry calves immediately, remove all wetness with towels or a blow dryer
Warm externally, use heat lamps, the floor board of your farm truck, a “hot box,” or a warm water bath (around 100°F, gradually increasing); remove heat source when calf’s temperature is up to 99°F and monitor to ensure they are able to maintain their temperature
Get calves off the cold ground, place calves on pallets or blankets to prevent heat loss
Get calves to a warm, dry, sheltered area like a barn, garage or shop

(Mindemann Farms)

How Can You Reducing the Chance of Hypothermia?

Johnson explains the precalving nutrition of the cow can reduce the chance of hypothermia.

“Moderate environmental temperatures aren’t typically a problem for calves produced by cows with adequate milk/colostrum supply that are in good condition,” he says describing good condition is a body condition score of 5.5 to 6. “Calves from cows that have had good nutrition during the last trimester of pregnancy have a layer of brown fat that serves as a rapidly mobilized energy reserve to make them vigorous at birth and quick to get up and nurse. On the other hand, calves from thin cows may not have the energy needed and are more susceptible to hypothermia.”

Dystocia or calving difficulty increases the amount of time a calf will take to stand and nurse, which increases the potential of hypothermia.

“Calves maintain body temperature by converting food into body heat,” Johnson says. “Calves need to stand and nurse an adequate amount of colostrum as soon as possible after birth. If there is any question as to whether a calf has ingested an adequate amount, use a tube feeder or bottle to administer warm, high fat (up to 10%) colostrum.”

A practical rule-of-thumb is to feed 5% to 6% of the calf’s body weight within the first four hours and repeat the feeding when the calf is about 12 hours old. For an 80-lb. calf, this will equate to about 2 quarts of colostrum per feeding. Calves that nurse or are given colostrum within the first two to four hours after birth fare much better throughout their entire lives.

How Do You Assist a Hypothermic Calf?

There are several ways to assist a hypothermic calf, according to Johnson, the first step is knowing when to help.

Normal rectal temperature of a newborn calf is 101.5°F to 102.5°F. A thermometer will help to know if a calf is at risk. If the temperature drops below 101°F, help might be needed.

Johnson says place a finger in the mouth to check for a suckling reflex.

“The mouth of a healthy calf will be warm and moist, and the calf will attempt to chew or suck your finger,” he explains. “Lack of a suckling reflex is a definite sign that you are dealing with a cold stressed calf that needs assistance.”

When calves are cold, the body responds in two ways: shivering and diverting blood flow to their inner core.

“Shivering is an involuntary reflex that increases heat produced by the muscle, but it requires energy,” Johnson says. “Excessive shivering, erratic behavior, confusion and clumsy movement are all signs of hypothermia.”

Mild hypothermia is a calf temperature below 100°F. Severe hypothermia, when internal organs start to cool is below 94°F.

Johnson suggests when rewarming a calf is necessary, there are two routes: internal and external.

Administering colostrum should be the first step to warm the calf internally. Warm (100°F to 102°F), high-quality colostrum is vital as it provides fat and energy that will be burned for internal heat. In some cases, administering colostrum or milk replacer might need to be repeated. Externally, the following steps should be followed to treat and prevent hypothermia in at-risk calves.

Producer Tips: Saving Ears

For producers who want to reduce frostbite and frozen ears, Kassi Werning of Jared Werning Cattle, Parkston, S.D., shares this strategy:

Werning adds a few tips forgotten in the video, include:

Dry is essential to success. “We dry every baby with a blower when it’s this cold (after mom has had a chance to do her job for a bit) focusing on neck, ears and tail.”
Do not tag at these temps.
When warm enough to remove, a good, sharp tag cutter works like magic.

Your Next Read:
How Important is Colostrum?

3 Nutritional Questions to Consider Prior to Calving

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:42:08 GMT

Supplying adequate nutrition to the cow is critical during the 60 days prior to calving and immediately after calving.

“Beef cattle can turn high fiber forages and food by-product residuals into protein food at a very effective rate,” says John Comerford, Pennsylvania State University professor emiritus of animal science, in a recent extension article . “For the cow herd, there is seldom a period during the year when the cow cannot meet her nutritional needs with reasonable quality grass, hay or stored forages. The exception for these nutritional needs is for the 60 days prior to calving and immediately after calving.”

Why Is There a Nutritional Challenge Prior To and After Calving?

Comford explains there are three major reasons why cows are challenged prior to and right after calving:

The initiation of lactation
The return to a fertile reproductive state
The production of colostrum

He adds the cow’s age has an impact on these factors, and younger cows have more critical nutritional needs.

Lawton Stewart, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant dean for extension, and Uttam Saha, UGA Agricultural & Environmental Services Lab (AESL) program coordinator, explain there are three nutritional questions producers should consider as calving season approaches — depending on forage availability and quality.

Does restricting feed in the last trimester decrease calf birth weights?
Do you need more protein to go with hay?
Are you underestimating crude protein and overestimating energy?

Does Restricting Feed in the Last Trimester Decrease Calf Birth Weights?

Stewart and Saha say yes, feed restriction will decrease birth weights. The problem is that birth weight is not the only thing it will affect.

Recent research has focused on fetal programming . Fetal programming is the concept that maternal stimuli or insults during fetal development have long-term effects on the offspring.

One of the most critical aspects of fetal programming involves the adequate nutrition, or lack thereof, of the dam. Research has shown minimal impact on calf birth weights; however, the restricted nutrition during the last trimester decreased weaning weights, finishing weights and hot carcass weights.

Additionally, research from Nebraska indicates heifers from nutritionally restricted cows reached puberty 14 days later than those with proper nutrition.

Do You Need More Protein to Go with Your Hay?

Stewart and Saha say possibly, however, protein is only half of the equation.

Figure 1: The nutrient requirement of a mature brood cow through a 365-day calving interval.

(UGA)

From April 1 to Oct. 1 of 2025, 773 bermudagrass hay samples were submitted to the UGA lab. The mean crude protein (CP) and energy (TDN) value was 11.1% and 55.7%, respectively. The illustration above represents the CP and TDN requirements of a brood cow throughout the production year. As cows enter the final trimester, their CP requirement is exceeded by the average bermudagrass sample, but the energy requirement falls short. More importantly, as they calve, enter peak lactation and the breeding season, the CP requirement is met, but the TDN falls tremendously short.

Do Producers Underestimate Crude Protein and Overestimate Energy?

Stewart and Saha say there is a tendency for producers to underestimate crude protein and overestimate energy.

“The cheapest money you will ever spend in a beef cattle operation is a forage test, guaranteed,” Saha says.

He explains a great illustration of this happened recently during the UGA Master Cattlemen’s Program. As part of the program, a free forage test was offered to participants along with a survey to estimate what producers thought the quality of the hay was prior to testing. This survey showed 83% of producers were underestimating the protein of their hay compared to the actual. This would result in purchasing a protein supplement when not needed.

For energy, 50% overestimated the level, resulting in depriving needed energy during late gestation and early lactation. In addition to the previously discussed fetal programming issues, this could also cause delayed breeding.

Figure 2: Actual example of over estimating energy.

(UGA)

An example of overestimation of energy is illustrated the example above. The overestimation could likely result in breeding being delayed 42 days. The resulting loss in weaning weight could easily reach 80 lb., leading to an approximate $280 decrease in value per calf.

“Through forage testing, the producer would know to feed 4 lb./day of a supplement such as corn gluten feed. Based on a 25-cow herd, this could easily return $6,325 above cost. That is a no-brainer,” Saha explains.

Brood cow nutrition is a crucial part of a beef cattle operation. Between fetal programming and maintaining the proper calving interval, it is imperative for producers to pay close attention to the nutrients available in their forages, and if they meet the requirements of their herd.

Your Next Read:
Ensuring Quality and Nutrition: Three Easy Steps For Forage Analysis
9 Tips to Ensure Calving Season Success
Your Calving Prep Starts Here: The Essential Checklist

How Do You Score an Udder?

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:04:11 GMT

Anyone who has ever attempted to milk out a sore balloon-teated cow can certainly relate to the need for quality udders. A key to good udders is documenting udder quality at calving and using that data in culling, selection and mating decisions.

While collecting and reporting udder scores to breed associations is important for the calculation of expected progeny differences (EPDs), the practice and analysis of data also benefits herd improvement and profitability.

For seedstock producers, collecting teat size and udder suspension scores can improve the accuracy of the EPDs in their herd. Likewise, commercial producers can see herd improvement with decreased labor, increased cow longevity as well as improved calf health and performance.

Commercial cattleman Rick Busch, Busch Brothers Farms, Washington, Mo., records individual udder scores at calving. When tagging a calf, he also scores the cow’s udder using the universal BIF (Beef Improvement Federation) scoring system , which scores both udder suspension and teat size.

BIF recommends scoring udder suspension and teat size annually within 24 hours of calving. These numerical scores can easily be assigned in the pasture.

“A two-score system allows independent evaluation of teat size and suspension characteristics,” explains Bob Weaber, Kansas State University professor and head of the Eastern Kansas Research and Extension Centers. “While there is a general trend for cows with large teat size to also have poorer suspension, this is not always the case. The independent scoring of the two important udder quality traits allows more precise measurement of each trait. Even though these scores are subjective, they’ll do a better job documenting variation in udder quality than a single-score system. When the two scores are used, the heritability estimates for each trait should be higher due to increased precision of measurement.”

Weaber suggests producers make udder score collection a routine part of performance data collection at calving.

“Until you get comfortable with the scoring system, tape a scoring guide to your clipboard or reduce on a copy machine and tape in your ‘red book’ for use in the field; try to get as close as you can to the guide and be as consistent as possible,” he suggests. “Once you do it for a while, you’ll start picking out the really good ones and really bad ones easily. Be honest with yourself and use as much of the scale as needed. If she’s a 1 on suspension and 1 on teat size, give the scores.”

Weber explains there is no perfect score, but it is the ranking and the differences within the herd that are important.

Scores should be assigned according to the worst quarter of the cow’s udder. To ensure consistency and facilitate comparison of records, preferably one person should evaluate all cows each year and across years. Written notes about abnormal shapes or characteristics other than udder suspension and teat size can be useful.

Rick Rasby, University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor and cow-calf Extension specialist, says udder conformation will decline as the female ages, but do not take age into account when assigning an udder score.

The BIF scoring system doesn’t account for teat and udder pigmentation.

“Pigmentation is desirable as it is a guard against sunburn of the teat and udder that can be caused by direct sunshine or reflection of the sun off snow,” Rasby adds.

BIF and multiple breed associations have tools available to help with the scoring process. Here are a few resources:
BIF Guidelines
Angus Udder Scoring
Hereford Udder Scoring
Red Angus Udder Scoring

How Do You Score Udder Suspension?

Udder suspension cores range from 9 (very tight) to 1 (very pendulous) and represent assessments of udder support. Weak udder suspension results in pendulous udders that make it difficult for a calf to nurse.

Weak suspension in the udder indicates a lack of support in the ligament that ties the udder to the cow’s body wall. Over time, weakness in this ligament will allow the udder to hang down too far from the body and could subject the udder to serious problems and increased potential for injury

“The tighter to the body cavity that the udder is placed, the more desirable,” Rasby summarizes. “This allows for the calf to more easily to locate the teats, and it is less likely for the teats to drag in the mud.”

How Do You Score Teat Size?

Teat scores range from 9 (very small) to 1 (very large, balloon shaped) and are subjective assessments of teat length and circumference.

Oversized teats are difficult for newborn calves to nurse and the calf might not receive adequate colostrum, which could lead to a higher incidence of scours or decreased immunity levels in the newborn calf. In Canadian studies, cows with more desirable teat scores had calves that nursed sooner after birth.

4 Tips for Effective Udder Scoring

Collect within 24 hours of calving
Use weakest quarter to score both teat size and udder suspension
Score both teat size and udder suspension on 1–9 scale, independently
Best if one person scores all females in each management group

Examples of Udder Suspension and Teat Scores

Udder suspension score 9, teat score 9

(American Hereford Assn./Hereford World)

Udder suspension score 8, teat score 7

(UNL Beef Watch)

Udder suspension score 7, teat score 7

(UNL Beef Watch)

Udder suspension score 5, teat score 5

(UNL Beef Watch)

Udder suspension score 3, teat score 3

(UNL Beef Watch)

Udder suspension score 1, teat score 1

(American Hereford Assn./Hereford World)

Is a Calving Camera System Your Next Essential Ranch Investment?

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:08:43 GMT

As the spring calving season approaches for many producers, tools like barn cameras have helped decrease labor of checking cows and lower calf mortality due to catching issues sooner. With a variety of options and features, cameras allow producers to check cows and calves from their phone, iPad, computer or TV.

Norman Angus Ranch in Crawford, Neb., is a commercial and registered Angus operation with a focus on selling weaned steer and heifer calves in October and yearling bulls in their April bull sale. With about 300 cows calving between January and March, they began using CowCam cameras for calving more than four years ago.

With their barn set up, cameras are mounted to ensure there aren’t any spots that can’t be seen. They also have cameras mounted to view the outside pens.

“We did the first set of cameras here at the home place and then a year or two years later we asked the guy if there was a way we could sync our cameras to our other place that’s just south of our house like an eighth of a mile,” Erin Norman says. “We set up a bunch of cameras there too.”

Erin also notes the cameras are especially beneficial in the fact you can monitor a cow calving without disturbing her by walking into the barn.

“When you put something in the barn that’s calving, it kind of speeds up the process instead of checking every 30 minutes by walking out there and getting an animal up and disturbing her,” she says.

Luke Norman likes being able to replay the cameras and closely monitor calves for complications.

“We can see the sack the over the nose or if she won’t stand up and break the sack off the calf, and so we can make a mad dash out there and get her up in time and get the sack off the nose and save the calf, which has totally already paid for the cameras themselves.”

These specific cameras have zoom features, black and white or color features, and the ones in the barn have audio. For more rural ranches, the downside to these cameras is the need for stronger internet service.

Chris Clark, Iowa State University field beef specialist, says he would venture to guess that some of the unknown causes of death, some of the infectious diseases and injuries would go back to calving-related and weather-related problems.

“So to me that that really speaks to the point that if we do a good job of managing the calving process, and if we can protect those neonatal calves from weather extremes, we should be able to save a tremendous number of calves, and, especially in today’s market, that brings great value,” Clark says.

Approximately 10% of heifers require assistance when calving, and 4% of cows require assistance according to the National Animal Health Monitoring System. They also reported most producers check cows two times per day.

“That’s where camera technology may become helpful,” Clark explains. “Can we make it easier and more efficient to check those females so that you can do it more frequently?”

What to Look for When Buying a Camera

What Clark recommends considering when looking at camera brands is the type of area will you be monitoring, how big that area is, how many pens, how many head and if it is an indoor or an outdoor area.

Then, he says to evaluate your goals for the camera system. Do you want just a livestream or a system where you can playback the footage?

“Maybe you want a very simple live-stream-only system where you just want the ability to periodically check in, and maybe it’s just for doing night checks so you don’t have to get up and get dressed and get out into the cold, but you can log on to the office computer and get that snapshot in time, assess what’s happening right now and then come back and check again in a few hours,” Clark says.

He adds if you happen to log on and find a female in Stage 2 of labor, but you don’t know exactly how she’s been progressing over the last hour or two, could you go back and watch footage from that previous time frame and kind of see exactly where we’re at in her calving process.

“Maybe we want to know if a calf has nursed,” he says. “So we want to know if the calf has received colostrum. I think there are things like that that can be really useful and valuable.”

Benefits Beyond Calving Season

Barn cameras don’t have to be used just for calving. While monitoring calving is the the most popular reason for installation there are many other benefits. Once a system is installed, they can be used year-round for heat detection, monitoring feeding habits, monitoring behavior, health management and security.

Your Next Read:
Your Calving Prep Starts Here: The Essential Checklist
What You Should Know About the 3 Stages of Calving
9 Tips to Ensure Calving Season Success

2 Veterinarians Share Their Tips for Keeping Calves Healthy

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:29:41 GMT

Health issues during calving season are high on the list of nightmares for ranchers. Veterinarians Troy Dutton and Joe Hochhalter from the Steele Vet Clinic in Steele, N.D., share several of their tips and strategies to help ranchers stay ahead of illness and health challenges this calving season.

Prevention is Key

Calves might get an official ID in the spring, but other factors throughout gestation impact the health of that calf before they hit the ground. This starts by focusing on challenges or risks your unique operation may experience throughout the year.

Dutton says: “It’s a lot easier and more rewarding to help people prevent problems than help them work through problems like scours and pneumonia in baby calves.”

Be honest with your veterinarian so you get the most accurate and timely advice.

“If you’re dealing with a specific problem, discussing that issue with your veterinarian before we get to calving season gives us a chance to intervene early,” Hochhalter says.

Year-round nutrition also plays a role in keeping calves healthy.

“We start all the way back prebreeding to make sure nutrition-wise they’re set up properly,” Dutton explains. “Work with a nutritionist to make sure your herd’s energy and protein needs are being met as well as provide mineral year-round.”

Additionally, monitor body condition scores throughout the year.

Hochhalter adds: “Those cows that are in good body condition at the time of calving are more likely to birth a healthier calf, have better quality colostrum for that calf and be in a better condition to breed back.”

Keep in mind the unique needs of your operation.

“Every rancher is different. You really have to work with your local veterinarian to help address those issues that the ranch is having,” Hochhalter says.

Get Them Off to a Good Start

Once calves hit the ground, a good start sets them up for the rest of their lives.

Hochhalter explains: “Calves that have some kind of calfhood disease never do catch up to their herd mates that have been healthy their whole life.”

Colostrum is a key component to this good start.

“Growing up, I was always told that calf needs colostrum within 24 hours. However, recent research shows us calves need colostrum sooner than that,” Dutton says. “Calves need colostrum within 6 to 12 hours of birth to get the most out of the antibodies it provides.”

Adequate colostrum impacts more than just health, too.

“Calves with adequate colostrum have better rate of gain and feed efficiency all the way through to the end,” Dutton says.

Dutton and Hochhalter encourage producers to know the difference between colostrum replacement and colostrum supplement in situations where the dam cannot provide colostrum.

Dutton says: “There are colostrum supplement products and colostrum replacement products. Colostrum replacement products have greater than 150 immunoglobulins.”

Sanitation and Calving Barns

Sanitation and calving areas look different depending on the time of year, herd size and geographical area of the ranch.

Regardless, keeping cattle clean and dry is non-negotiable.
For those using calving barns, know when to change out the bedding.

“In a perfect world, we’d like to see each new pair get fresh bedding, but that’s not realistic,” Hochhalter says. “The next best option is to change that bedding once it becomes damp and spoiled to reduce the exposure of pathogens to calves with naïve immune systems.”

Clean pens between pairs reduces the risk of disease spread along with proper ventilation.

“One overlooked factor that plays a role in the spread of disease is ventilation in calving barns,” Dutton says. “Ventilation issues present a real challenge even in the beef industry — especially for those early calvers.”

Sanitary equipment also can’t be forgotten in the calving frenzy.

Dutton says: “Equipment sanitation is also important — especially if you’re running around giving a bolus to a calf or using needles and syringes.”

For producers not using a barn, be aware of how mud impacts calf health.

“Weather plays a huge role. If those calves are really muddy, it increases the risk for navel infection or scours,” Hochhalter says.

Try to change bedding around shelters and find dry areas for cattle. Spreading cattle out also helps reduce disease transmission.

“We have some clients who sort pairs by age or keep pairs separate from cows left to calve, and we know reducing that calving density reduces the spread of illness,” Dutton explains. “However, this can be challenging depending on labor and resource availability.”

Remember the basics this calving season and don’t forget to ask your veterinarian for help when you need it. You can listen to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast .

For more tips, check out Drover’s Calving Preparation articles.

Does Udder Quality in Beef Cattle Matter?

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:37:21 GMT

The conformation of a beef cow’s teats and udder are important in a profitable cow-calf enterprise.

“Females with poor udder and teat conformation are a management challenge for commercial cow-calf producers,” says Rick Rasby, University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor and cow-calf Extension specialist. “Cattle producers do not have the time or labor to manage around cows that need intervention at calving to physically ‘milk-out’ a quarter so that the calf can suckle or to save the quarter from infection.”

Bob Weaber, Kansas State University professor and head of the Eastern Kansas Research and Extension Centers, agrees adding udder quality represents one of the most important convenience traits in the beef industry.

While animal scientists refer to udder quality as a convenience trait, many producers argue it represents an economic trait, as poor udders require additional labor and thereby decrease profitability.

Rasby explains selecting and culling based on conformation of teats and udders may be considered convenience trait selection, selecting against poor teats and udders increases profit potential by:

Increasing calf performance
Reducing calf sickness
Increasing longevity of the cow
Reducing labor inputs

Cows with good udder quality not only take less labor but also may have improved longevity due to lower incidence of mastitis or injury.

Robert Wells, Robert Wells, King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management professor of practice and endowed chair in ranch management, further explains: “The udder is how the cow produces milk and colostrum for the newborn calf. Without a well-formed udder that has all four quarters functioning, calf health, performance and vigor may be compromised.”

Poor udders, especially large teat size, may delay timely colostrum intake, resulting in poorer transmission of passive immunity.

(Sara Brown)

How Does a Producer Describe a Good Udder?

Bill Tucker of Tucker Family Farms, Amherst, Va., says: “To me, udder quality so often is overlooked as not just an unattractive udder, but an underlying reason for poor calf production later in life.”

Tucker compares the functionality of cattle udders to the utility of well-designed equipment. He explains just like a producer wants a tractor or piece of machinery to be maintenance-free, long-lasting and easy to use, a cow should possess an udder that is functional and durable.

“You want that piece of equipment to be functional. You want it to be as maintenance-free as possible and you want to own it for a long time so you can amortize your upfront cost most effectively. The functionality piece means that when she freshens, she has the right size bag with the right size teats. That’s properly supported so that she can milk at her particular level of milk production, with the calf having access to the factory without any hassles. Pretty simple,” he says.

He adds the maintenance-free piece is if the cow sustains udder shape, and when the time comes to wean, she dries in an effective manner that minimizes risk of mastitis.

“If the upper udder structure is right, you should be able to achieve great longevity,” he summarizes. “Then you’ve got your amortization schedule working with you across a long period of time, and the female stays in the herd for a very long time.”

He explains overlooking udder quality can lead to subtle but serious issues, such as subclinical mastitis that diminishes calf growth even when outward signs aren’t obvious.

He says proper udder structure is both a genetic and management priority. He points out breed associations are increasingly using expected progeny differences (EPDs) and data to address it.

(File Photo)

Is Udder Quality Just a Seedstock Producer Problem?

Weaber stresses good udders are important for both seedstock and commercial producers and encourages producers to manage udder quality closely.

In a message to seedstock producers, Weaber says: “Your commercial customers expect trouble-free cattle when they make a purchase at your farm or ranch. Don’t give your customers a reason to buy genetics from another source to ‘clean up’ udders produced by your bulls.”

Commercial cattleman Rick Busch, Busch Brothers Farms, Washington, Mo., learned the hard way what happens to a cow herd when you use a bull with poor udder quality.

He explains his family purchased a bull 35 years ago that was phenotypically outstanding, but his poor udder quality traits passed onto his daughter and caused significant problems in the Busch herd.

These bad udders led to more labor — helping calves nurse, increased risk of calf health problems and poorer calf performance. This experience motivated the Busch family to adjust their breeding practices, selecting sires based on proven udder quality, using artificial insemination and ensuring strong maternal lines for udder traits to systematically improve udder quality in their herd.

What Steps Can Producers Use to Improve Herd Udders?

Wells encourages producers to evaluate the cow while in full lactation to determine if the cow is a candidate for culling before the next breeding season.

“Make sure the suspensory ligament is still holding the udder tight to the cow and that the teats are appropriately sized,” he says. “Heavy milking cows or older cows will break down, thus causing the udder to be malformed and lower than needed. Additionally, make sure that all four quarters look to be functional. A cow that has had mastitis typically will have a quarter that is non-functional.”

He also says udder evaluation can start as a heifer.

“One that already had a large udder or an udder with excessive fat is determinantal to long-term success,” Well explains.

Tucker encourages producers to keep detailed mental or written notes about individual and group calf performance to help spot and manage issues early. He particularly recommends simply classifying udders as acceptable or unacceptable at birth when tagging a new calf.

“You can get as detailed as you want into what you view as being unacceptable,” he explains. “More often than not, that’s teat size and shape. The calf can manage a pretty poorly supported udder that’s a longevity issue, but it’s definitely teat size and shape that can be a problem.”

The Busch family also records individual udder scores at calving. When tagging the calf, they observe and score the cow’s udder, using the BIF (Beef Improvement Federation) scoring system , which scores both udder suspension and teat size.

Learn more about how to score udders:

How Do You Score an Udder?

According to BIF, udder characteristics are highly heritable and therefore can be efficiently changed with selection.

Busch says they typically aim for a score of six or seven out of nine. They document these scores for each cow as part of their management process.

This data can be used at weaning to determine if you want to keep a heifer out of a poor-uddered cow. You can also use the information when making breeding decisions and mate the females to bulls with better udder EPDs to improve the next generation. This can include using bulls from the same breed or a different breed.

“We’re mixing breeds all the time,” Tucker says. “Often that’s the fastest solution, is to jump to another breed that has an excellent choice to solve that particular problem and pick up the added benefit of the hybrid vigor at the same time.”

Bottom line: Tucker says EPDs work when selecting bulls to improve udder quality.

“The EPDs work without question,” he explains. “You can use those EPDs with confidence.”

An udder with a suspension score 3 and teat score 3.

(UNL Beef Watch)

How Does Poor Udder Quality Affect Your Cow-Calf Operation?

Weaber summarizes four concerns if a cow’s udder is not sound:

Labor associated with extra costs and reduced convenience.
Longevity, which may be reduced because of injury or mastitis.
Calf performance, affected by a reduction in milk flow, or lower colostrum intake by newborn calves having difficulty nursing oversized teats.
Udder and teat characteristics are heritable. Change can be made through selection.

Your Next Read:
How Do You Score an Udder?
How Important is Colostrum?
9 Tips to Ensure Calving Season Success

How Important is Colostrum?

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:08:15 GMT

A make-or-break moment for the future potential of a calf is within hours of them being born . Receiving colostrum — the first milk produced by a cow after birth that is rich in antibodies, energy, vitamins and minerals that the calf cannot obtain before birth — is essential to a calf’s future.

South Dakota State University Extension beef specialist Julie Walker says the timing of colostrum consumption in calves is critical.

“At birth they should receive at least 5% of the calf’s body weight,” Walker says. “After 24 hours, the calf’s intestine tract cannot absorb the antibodies intact.”

If the calf does not receive colostrum, Walker says you could see an increase in risk of disease, making them more susceptible to pneumonia, sours, septicemia and joint issues.

“Since they lack passive immunity without colostrum, they might be a poor doing calf,” she adds. “This can be seen later in their life. When everything goes right, calves receive colostrum from nursing on the cow.”

North Carolina State University beef Extension veterinarian Tomas Gonzalez agrees that in a normal birth, the calf should be on its feet within about an hour and nursing the cow on its own soon after.

“Most beef operations rely on this natural nursing, and when the cow has good maternal behavior and weather conditions are favorable, this approach works well,” Gonzalez says. “Still, having a colostrum management plan available as a backup is critical, as not every calf nurses adequately in the first few hours.”

Colostrum Replacement

Having a replacement plan prepared before calving helps producers manage abnormal situations quickly and effectively. Walker and Gonzales agree there are three options to replace colostrum: milking the dam to collect the colostrum, colostrum from another cow or commercially available products.

“If a newborn calf is not nursing, the first step is to milk the dam and feed her colostrum to the calf using a bottle or an esophageal feeder [after proper training by your veterinarian],” Gonzales explains. “If this is not possible, colostrum [not milk] from another healthy, properly vaccinated cow in the herd can be used.”

Walker adds that you want to only obtain colostrum from healthy cows, preferably in their third lactation.

“If you have the opportunity to pick the cow you would collect colostrum from, ideally it would be a cow in its third lactation or greater, since this would provide higher-quality colostrum than two-year-old cows,” she says. “It can be difficult to get colostrum from beef cows, so some producers may work with a local dairy producer to get colostrum and freeze it until needed.”

The third option when neither of the above is available is a colostrum replacer. Gonzales says to be sure it is a true replacer, at least 100 g IgG per dose, and not just a supplement. While colostrum replacer is not the same as colostrum from a cow, it can sometimes be the only option and is better than not receiving anything.

“When it is needed, it provides immunoglobulin that helps with passive immunity coverage,” Walker says. “Follow the label when preparing the replacer and get it into the calf as soon as possible. Our best substitute is milking another cow in the same herd, but if you can’t get that, a colostrum milk replacer or substitute is certainly the way to go, and there’s producers that will just keep that on hand just in case they need that.”

Tips For Calving Season

It is often hard to tell if a calf has nursed or not, especially on an older cow. Gonzales recommends watching every newborn long enough to see it stand and actually latch onto the teat. If it hasn’t been nursed within 1 to 2 hours of birth, then step in.

Another tip he shares is to record problem calvings and assisted colostrum feedings. This helps make cull decisions down the road and better prepare for future calving.

Have a colostrum plan before the first calf is born and keep a basic calving kit ready to be prepared before a problem occurs. He says to be sure to identify your high-risk calves, use records to spot problems and work with your veterinarian closely.

“During the calving season , remember that colostrum management is critical to giving calves a strong start and preventing avoidable losses,” Gonzales says.

Your Next Reads:
Your Calving Prep Starts Here: The Essential Checklist
What You Should Know About the 3 Stages of Calving
9 Tips to Ensure Calving Season Success

As Screwworm Inches Closer, When Could the U.S. Reopen the Southern Border to Cattle Imports?

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:49:09 GMT

A newly confirmed case of New World screwworm (NWS) in northern Mexico is renewing concern among U.S. cattle producers and policymakers, as the parasitic fly continues to inch closer to the U.S.-Mexico border.

As reported by Drovers, on Dec. 27, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) reported a case of NWS in a 6-day-old calf with an umbilical lesion in the municipality of Llera, located in the state of Tamaulipas. The location is approximately 197 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border, and a reminder that NWS is still a high threat to the U.S.

Critical Timing with Calving Season Approaching

NWS, which was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s through an extensive sterile fly program, poses a serious threat to livestock. The larvae infest open wounds, feeding on living tissue and often leading to severe injury or death if untreated. Calving season is considered a particularly vulnerable period due to natural points of entry such as navels and birthing injuries.

Seth Meyer, director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) and former chief economist for USDA, says the new case raises a tremendous amount of concern as USDA remains vigilant on keeping NWS out of the U.S. But Meyer says the growing proximity of NWS complicates already difficult decisions for cattle producers at calving season , which is a critical time of the year.

“There are concerns not just from a consumer standpoint, but also about whether southern producers are willing to retain heifers during calving season if there’s a risk of fly exposure,” he says. “Calving is a point of access for these animals, and that risk matters.”

Those decisions could have longer-term implications for herd expansion and cattle supplies, Meyer notes. If producers decide the risk is too great and opt against retaining replacement heifers, it could tighten supplies further down the road.

“That’s the last thing you want,” Meyer says. “You don’t want people giving up on retaining heifers and turning away from herd rebuilding.”

The Possibility of Reopening the Southern Border

The U.S. most recently closed its southern border to Mexican cattle imports in May of 2025 due to the rapid spread of NWS in Mexico. There were additional closures and reopenings in July 2025 as the situation evolved ultimately halting trade again to protect U.S. livestock.

Here’s a timeline so far:

November 2024: NWS was first detected in southern Mexico, leading to initial border closures and trade disruptions.
Feb. 1, 2025: A temporary ban was lifted after agreements for inspections.
May 11, 2025: U.S Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins ordered an immediate suspension of imports due to NWS spreading closer to the border.
July 2025: A phased reopening began but was halted again after new NWS cases were found farther north, leading to another immediate closure of southern ports to protect American livestock.

Considering the cattle just south of the border are being vigilantly monitored and inspected, the bigger threat of NWS crossing the Southern border could be through wildlife . Still, as NWS gets closer, USDA is keeping the border closed and remaining cautious.

When could the U.S. reopen the border? That’s exactly what Farm Journal asked economists in the latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor and the responses were extremely mixed. It’s important to note the survey was sent out prior to the most recent detection of NWS.

33% of economists say USDA could reopen the border in February 2026
25% say it could happen April through June
17% think the border could reopen July through September
And 17% were unsure.

For policymakers, the situation adds another layer of complexity as they balance animal health, trade and producer confidence. While officials stress that there is no immediate threat to the U.S. herd, the latest detection underscores the importance of surveillance, rapid response and continued cooperation between U.S. and Mexican animal health authorities.

As Meyer puts it: “There are a lot of balls in the air right now,” and preventing NWS from crossing the border remains a critical priority for the livestock industry on both sides.

Follow Farm Journal’s extensive coverage of the ongoing NWS situation.

What You Should Know About the 3 Stages of Calving

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 13:29:26 GMT

Parturition, or the birthing process, has three stages. Understanding the stages is critical to know when to provide assistance.

Kansas cow-calf producer Debby Lyons-Blythe shares on her “ Kids, Cows and Grass ” blog a step-by-step explanation of how a cow calves. Although her blog’s target audience is non-ag folks, it is a great reminder for anyone in the beef industry.

According to AJ Tarpoff, Kansas State University Extension veterinarian, the stages of parturition, or calving , are divided into three main phases.

Stage 1: Initiation of Labor and Appearance of the Water Bag

This stage involves hormonal changes and physical preparations for calving, including the start of uterine contractions, relaxation of muscles and the cow showing behavioral changes. You may notice switching of the tail and a thick clear mucus string hanging from the vagina. A cow’s appetite may decrease, and it may separate themselves off from the herd.

“Stage 1 ends when we get loosening and dilation of the cervix, the first fetal membranes get pushed through the birth canal, and what we see on the outside is the water bag,” Tarpoff says. “That’s what everybody talks about it, but it’s the first fetal membranes that come through.”

This stage may take hours or days to complete and can easily go unnoticed.

“If you see an animal acting a little bit uncomfortable in the morning ... we give her a few hours with close observation, and we look for the water bag,” he adds. “Once that water bag breaks, however, that’s when we start our time.”

Stage 2: Delivery of the Calf

This is the action stage when the cow pushes and the calf is born. Contractions are strong and coordinated. This stage officially begins with the appearance of the water bag at the vulva. This is the time to start your clock.

“Once that water bag breaks, it’s the rule of an hour, and that’s an hour that they should make adequate progress through the birthing process, because once that water bag breaks, that’s the beginning of Stage 2 of calving,” Tarpoff explains.

“During Stage 2, she’ll have a high tail, she’ll hold her breath ... the true delivery portion of the process,” he adds. “Once that water bag breaks, after an hour, if it’s a mature cow and there’s no calf, then we would intervene.”

In heifers, not only is the pelvic opening smaller, but the soft tissue has never been expanded prior to that first birth. Older cows have had deliveries before and birth often proceeds quite rapidly unless there is some abnormality such as a very large calf, backward calf or twin birth.

Stage 3: Expulsion of the Placenta

After the calf is delivered, the cow’s body must expel the placenta, commonly referred to as afterbirth. If retained, do not forcibly remove it.

“The third stage is passing of the placenta,” Tarpoff explains. “The uterus continues to contract after birth, and that helps with the process of detachment. It can normally take up to 12, even 24, hours for that placenta to pass. It’s after that time that it may be a concern. That’s when I highly recommend working with your local veterinarian.”

Shown is a cow in Stage 3 with placenta being expelled.

(Grant Dewell, Iowa State University)

When Is It Time to Intervene?

Tarpoff says offering assistance is a matter of judgment, and good judgment is the result of experience.

He reminds producers to remember the “rule of an hour”: Intervene if a mature cow hasn’t made progress within one hour of the water bag breaking. For heifers, the process can take a bit longer.

If you don’t know when Stage 2 began and the process seems to be slow, it may warrant a vaginal exam.

For more tips regarding intervention timing, see Tip 6 in: 9 Tips to Ensure Calving Season Success

(Illustrations: Oklahoma State University)

When Is It Time To Call for Help?

Tarpoff says don’t hesitate to seek veterinary help when needed for complicated or high-risk situations.

It is important to understand when to call for extra help or veterinary support. Visual red flags to intervene immediately include: head-only presentation, head with only one leg, and backward calf with hocks visible but not progressing.

Tarpoff stresses when intervention becomes necessary, safety and assessment come first.

Your Next Reads:

Your Calving Prep Starts Here: The Essential Checklist

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:03:46 GMT

Preparation sets the tone for a stress-free calving season . K-State Extension veterinarian AJ Tarpoff says preparation starts before the first calf hits the ground.

Ensure all tools, equipment and supplies like chains, straps, gloves, lubricant and colostrum replacer are cleaned, organized and ready before calving begins. Store crucial items in a portable, easy-to-access tote.

Tarpoff uses a cooler for his calving tool kit.

“It is easy to grab and keeps supplies nice and warm on cold calving nights,” Tarpoff says.

Keep items like chains or straps in clean bags and have extra supplies on hand.

“Preparation starts with inventory,” Tarpoff explains. “Calving season always sneaks up and nothing’s more stressful than reaching for a piece of equipment and either being out or can’t find it.”

He reminds producers not to neglect the “usables,” which often run out at the worst times. This includes OB gloves, lubricant and colostrum replacer.

Don’t forget the thermometer and make sure it is in working order.

“A digital rectal thermometer belongs in every calving kit,” Tarpoff stresses. “It’s your best tool to assess hypothermia and determine if a calf needs warming help right away.”

(Photo: AJ Tarpoff)

Tarpoff shares this checklist for producers as they prepare for calving:

Cooler or tote
2 sets of OB chains/straps
Two OB handles
OB sleeves
Spare nitrile gloves
Towels
OB lubricant
Disinfectant (betadine)
Halter
Rope
Head light
Esophageal feeding tube
Calf feeding bottle
Colostrum replacer
Bucket
Water
Ear tagging equipment
Castration bander
Rectal thermometer

When Is the Best Date to Calve?

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 19:14:53 GMT

When is the best date to calve? Well, it depends. Several factors help determine the best time to calve including geography, forage availability, weather, labor, marketing and the cow herd type, and producers should consider the trade-offs for the operation.

If I was a calf, I think the perfect day to be born would be May 5. It’s beautiful weather and forage is about coming on, so mom’s going to hit peak milk when there’s plenty of good forage out there in a short or tall grass prairie.

— Bob Larson

“When you ask this relatively simple question of when’s the best time to calve, it is complicated and needs to be thought through,” says Bob Larson, Kansas State University DVM.

Larson considers the optimum weather for both calving and breeding, and for optimum price value of 500-lb. weaned calves and for yearling calves kept post weaning to determine when would be the best breeding and calving seasons.

The conclusion? Everything is a trade-off.

“There’s probably no one perfect time, but I think you have to look at productivity,” Larson says. “I don’t want dead calves. I want my feed cost to be low, but I want to at least consider the marketing window of when those calves will hit the market that I want to hit. There’s a lot to consider.”

Considerations for best calving dates:

Geography, weather and forage availability
Labor
Cow herd and marketing

“Really low temperatures, cold and wet are hard on newborn calves, and extremely hot temperatures with a high fly load can be hard on newborn calves in the middle of the summer,” Larson says.

Asking when forage is greening up and when forage turnout needs to be is a big part of the decision, says Phillip Lancaster, K-State cattle nutrition specialist.

“If you’re in a fescue belt where you get a good forage regrowth in the fall, I like fall calving,” Lancaster says. “If you’re in a warm season type of situation, then I like a late spring calving. I’m not a proponent of this kind of late-winter calving type of stuff. I want to be later in the year than that.”

Lancaster adds research shows calving later in the spring is beneficial from an economic standpoint and from a cow reproduction standpoint.

“That cow is getting that peak forage quality during early lactation and helps her rebreed better, maintain body condition score better, and I’m not feeding a lactating cow on a hay and supplement through late winter,” he says.

Avoiding feeding cows a hay-based diet through late gestation and early lactating is the goal for Larson.

“I would much rather have that be based on a grazing forage,” he says. “That depends on how far north or south we are and also what forage type.”

Labor is another consideration.

“We have a lot of people that have corn, soybean, wheat and cattle,” Larson says. “I might really prefer calving in April and May, but that’s a lot of labor on the crop side of the operation.”

Marketing and the cow herd type plays a role in when to calve. Oftentimes seedstock producers calve in January or February because they are selling yearling bulls and want them ready for breeding season.

“If a bull calf is born in February, and I expect him to go out and start breeding in May, that makes him a long yearling,” Larson says. “That’s an appropriate decision for the maturity that I need that bull to be for his first breeding season.”

For commercial producers, calf prices change at different times of year and producers can modify when they wean and market calves without changing calving seasons.

On the Drovers Facebook page, producers shared their responses and why they chose their calving season. Katy Jones of Rocking J Ranch, who raises cattle north of Homer, Alaska, shares her example of assessing a combination of factors to determine when she calves.

(FJ)

She says she’s typically calved in February and March, but is looking at moving it back to January and February.

“March can get wet and we have what’s called breakup season, and everything is sloppy,” she explains. “The ice is there, but it’s melting, so you end up with mud. So you’re fighting mud and ice, which is not a good combination.”

Mud also harbors bacteria.

“You end up with your joint ills, your navel ills, your pneumonia issues, all your respiratory issues, all of that stuff in trying to calve in those months,” she adds.

While January and February typically sees the coldest temperatures, wind and snowstorms, Jones says she only has to worry about cold and piling up snow. To combat that she uses calving sheds and monitors her small herd of crossbred cows with cameras.

Katy Jones of Rocking J Ranch prefers calving in the cold of winter than waiting to March when the wet season hits her area of Alaska.

(Katy Jones)

“I would rather check my cows every two hours for two months and have every calf alive and well, then not have to worry about checking them and have dead calves,” she says.

Jones markets all her beef direct to consumer as there are no auction markets or packing plants in Alaska.

“From weaning through the summer our calves are putting on 3 lb. a day on grass pastures,” she says.

Brad White, K-State Beef Cattle Institute director, says producers might not dramatically change their calving seasons, but they can tweak and consider trade-offs to be more effective.

“It’s not set in stone,” White says. “Sometimes we get into momentum, and we calve at this time of year and get into that cycle of, I don’t really like calving in March or February, and you can tweak that a little bit, but there are trade-offs the more I slide towards spring. If I’m in a place where it gets really hot during that time of year, breeding can be more challenging. So, look at all of the trade-offs all the way through.”

Upside of a Short Calving Season

Tue, 27 May 2025 12:46:24 GMT

There are several benefits to a short calving season including simplifying cow management, gaining efficiency of labor management, increasing weaning weight and improving uniformity/marketability of the calf crop. Collectively all these advantages lead to one positive potential impact: improved profitability.

CattleFax survey data of cow-calf operations sorts participants into three groups: high, average and low profitability. The high profitability group had a shorter calving season with a higher percentage of cows calving in the first 45 days. The shorter calving season creates opportunities to gain efficiency in several areas of management and these operations were able to sell more pounds of while keeping expenses down.

Obviously, more calves born earlier in the calving season equates to more pounds at weaning. What is the value of a single cow calving one heat cycle earlier? If calves gain about 2 lb. a day from birth to weaning, in the current market with a pound of weaning weight valued in excess of $3, the added 40 lb. of weaning weight is worth at least $120 per cow.

The added benefit of uniformity also improves marketability of your calf crop. Calf buyers prefer to buy load lots of uniform calves so they can be managed similarly. Calf crops with substantial weight variation will be discounted in the market place.

Address the following questions to achieve a shorter breeding season in 2025 and a shorter calving window next spring:

Do you have ample bull to female ratios in each breeding pasture?
What is the age of your bulls and the number of females they should be expected to cover?
Are you managing your 2-year old pairs separate from your mature cows to insure proper development, body condition and potential to breed back quickly?
Have all your bulls passed a breeding soundness exam prior to turn out?
Is your cow herd in adequate body condition? Is supplemental feed needed?
Have you considered an estrous synchronization protocol to tighten your breeding season?

Your Next Read: Unlocking Success with Cow Herd Health Metrics: A Scorecard Approach

Cow Herd Scorecard: Evaluating Performance Post Calving

Wed, 14 May 2025 14:27:24 GMT

Tracking performance and evaluating herd success is a year-round process. Similar to tracking athletes, consider developing a scorecard to monitor your herd.

Understanding how your herd is performing throughout the year is important when considering management, nutrition and culling decisions.

For spring-calving herds, now is the time to evaluate and review calving success and failures.

“This is a good time of year to review your records, and if the numbers aren’t where you want them to be, you can make management adjustments under the guidance of your veterinarian, nutritionist or another adviser,” says Jason Warner, Kansas State University cow-calf Extension specialist. Warner was a guest during a recent K-State Beef Cattle Institute Podcast .

A herd’s postcalving scorecard should include:

pregnancy percentages
death loss
calving ease/calving complications – prolapse or retained placenta
udder scores
body condition score
mothering ability and disposition
calving interval

Two areas Warner tells producers to focus on are the number of live calves born compared to the number of cows exposed to bulls at the start of the breeding season; and the number of cows that became pregnant early in the breeding season.

A top priority for Bob Larson, K-State veterinarian, is to have calves born early in the calving season.

“The goal is to have 65% of the calves born in the first 21 days, and 85% to 90% of the calves born within the first 42 days of the season,” Larson say. “If that happens, I know that the cows were in good body condition at the start of the breeding season and the bulls were fertile.”

Larson references USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring Service (NAHMS) for national averages on abortion and calf death loss.

“The national average is between 1% to 2% for calf death loss and that will vary from year to year within the same operation,” Larson said. “If the producer is calving out a high percentage of heifers, that can influence the calf death loss percentage.”

Scorecard Prep
Ron Lemenager, Purdue professor and beef Extension specialist, suggests producers consider creating a spreadsheet to calculate important percentages, prior to filling out their postcalving scorecard.

He encourages producers record and monitor these numbers each calving season:

Number of cows exposed
Number of cows pregnant
Number of cows pregnant / Number of cows exposed = % Pregnant
Number of pregnant cows kept to calve
Number of cows that calved
Number of cows that calved / Number of pregnant cows kept to calve = % Calving
Number of Live Calves
Number of Live Calves /Number of cows that calved = % live calves born
Number of live calves after one month
Number of difficult or assisted birth (dystocia, prolapse)
Number of cows with bad udders
Number of cows BCS 5 or 6
Number of cows with poor disposition and poor mothering ability
Number of cows that calved in the first 21 days
Number of cows that calved in the second 21 days
Number of cows that calved in the third 21 days
Number of cows that calved after 63 days

Lemenager explains using the spreadsheet to calculate the percentages can help producers identify specific problem areas in their calving and breeding processes and allows them to troubleshoot their herd’s breeding performance.

“Tracking herd performance allows producers to zero in on their problems and determine what issues are really facing the herd,” he summarizes.

Understanding the challenges facing a cow herd can help producers determine what nutrition or management strategies can be used to improve their herd’s postcalving scorecard in future years.

Your Next Read: Spring Cattle Processing Tips to Enhance Herd Health and Diminish Stress

Calving Tips: Dealing with Protective Moms

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 14:48:26 GMT

As spring calving season continues, producers continue to monitor and assist when needed as their next calf crop hits the ground. Dealing with protective moms can be a challenging situation, two industry leaders and a producer share their tips on how to prevent and cope with the situation when faced with an unruly cow.

The first 24 hours is a key time in the newborn’s life. Ron Lemenager, Purdue beef specialist, says calves older than 24 hours are typically hard to catch, so if you plan to process the newborn, it should be done as soon as possible after birth.

“Outside of colostrum, I don’t often talk about some of the other chores that might need done in that time period,” says AJ Tarpoff, Kansas State University Extension veterinarian. “Simply because it’s different for every operation.”

Work as a team: It’s hard to know if you are in danger without someone watching your back. One person can entertain the cow, while the other can tag or accomplish what is needed.”

(Angie Stump Denton)

Depending on your management program, producers may choose to perform some of these tasks in the first 24 hours: tagging, castrating, dehorning, taking birth weights, giving selenium injections or recording calf information in a calving book.

It might be necessary to use nutritional supplements/injectables depending on the operation and cow status. Tarpoff encourages producers to discuss proper products and protocols to use at calving with your veterinarian prior to the first calf hitting the ground.

Commercial cattle producer Tyler Tobald, JTAC Farms, Glasco, Kan., shares his process for newborn calves.

“In the first 24 hours after calving, I will usually put ear tags into the calf,” he says. “If the calf is a bull, I band it. Then, I give the calf some oral vitamin A, D, E, B12 gel while I use a leg band to get its weight. We rotate our calving areas in different parts of the pasture and attached field. After I’m all done tagging, I enter the calf into CattleMax and record any other notes about the cow and calf that I deem important to know for the future.”

Obviously, cow behavior can be a factor when processing a newborn. Just like the video published with this story, sometimes a protective mom decides she is not happy with a producer touching her calf. Tobald says his goal is to keep a cow’s stress levels down as much as possible.

“I check the pair out on a side-by-side,” he explains. “When I roll up, I try to be as quiet as possible and not just zoom up on them. After that, I try to be as quiet as I can. I don’t hoop, holler, talk or anything that will add stimulation to an already stressful situation. I also always keep the cow in front of me as best as possible. The last thing I want is for an amped up 1,300-lb. animal behind me where it can sneak attack me.”

Tobald says his philosophy on dealing with cows, even the over-protective ones, is using the most important of the Roadhouse Rules: Be nice until it’s time to not be nice.

“Thankfully this is a very rare occurrence,” he says. “I make notes of any cow that is over-protective, so I know what I’m dealing with when I approach them in the future. But if the cow gets more aggressive the next year, then the calf doesn’t even get tags and gets loaded into a trailer with the cow and they go to the sale. Life is too short for crazy or mean cows.”

Lemenager explains that right after a cow gives birth, her hormones are raging.

“That’s part of the process that helps her bond to that calf,” he says. “She also needs to stimulate the calf, so it gets up and nurses. If any part of that natural process is interrupted, the cow can become very aggressive.”

Tarpoff shares these tips for dealing with overly protective mother cows.

Have some type of physical separation from mom. This might be a fence, panel, gate, truck, side-by-side. “The only truly safe location is to have a physical barrier between you and the cow while working with the calf”
Work as a team. “It’s hard to know if you are in danger without someone watching your back. One person can entertain the cow, while the other can tag or accomplish what is needed.”
Be efficient and thoughtful with the calf manipulation. “It only takes one painful bellow from the calf to set the cow off. Save potentially painful manipulations until last (ear tags or castration).
Be smart. “Don’t assume cows are faking a threat. When in doubt, always take the safe approach. The chore can always be completed later if the cow is on the fight. Keep records and plan to handle the situation when she calms down.”
Stay safe. “If we get injured, we put stress on the rest of our family and operation.”

Different strategies can help keep the producer and calf safe during newborn processing.

“Some ranchers use a cage on the side of their ATV,” Lemenager explains. “This allows for bringing that calf into the cage while handling it. Another option is to have two people working with the calf. One to care for the calf and the second to keep the cow away.”

If you are going to try to move a calf to another location, an option is a polypropylene plastic sled or a calf carrier on an ATV (calf sling). Lemenager says a cow will typically follow because she can smell and see her calf.

“Ideally, when working with a cow-calf pair, I try to keep the calf between me and the cow,” Lemenager says. “Most, but not all cows, are calmer and less aggressive when they can see and smell their calf.”

Lemenager summarizes a key to improving your cow herd behavior is to consistently use low-stress handling to help desensitize cattle to the presence of people.

Follow Tobald or JTAC Farms on Facebook or TikTok for more examples of low-stress handling and cow management.

Your Next Read: Calving Signs in Cows and Heifers

Avoiding The Calfcicle: Calving in Winter Weather

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 18:32:59 GMT

Calving season is just around the corner or has already arrived for many. Preparing in advance, particularly for those facing inclement weather , will position producers to successfully address the needs of calves and avoid “calfcicles” in frigid temperatures.

Even before delivery, evaluating calving locations and facilities is a good place to start. Areas should be clean and dry. Consider providing shelters for animals to escape the weather. However, remember that as animals congregate, there can be an increase in disease contamination and transmission. Excellent on-site facilities or the ability to transport to a veterinary clinic is essential when addressing calving problems.

Remember to discuss your calving plan with your veterinarian. Build a relationship with your veterinarian well before a 2 am emergency calving call. Due to high demand, many veterinary practices will only accept emergencies from existing clients. Your veterinarian can work with you and your team to develop protocols for handling calving issues, especially during the cold.

At calving, heifers that labor in Stage 2 of parturition for longer than an hour, and cows that labor longer than 30 minutes, should be examined immediately. Be certain that calving equipment is clean, functional, and readily accessible. Your veterinarian can also help you develop essentials for a calving kit with critical items and medications.

Following delivery, the goal is to see the calf up and nursing as soon as possible. Delays in a calf receiving colostrum have both short and long-term impact on the immune system and in many cases set calves up for failure. Ideally, a calf should receive colostrum within the first two hours of life. Administering colostrum to calves without a suckle reflex using an esophageal feeder should be done with extreme caution due to the increased risk of aspiration pneumonia. Milking the dam or maintaining a supply of frozen colostrum are the best options for colostrum replacement.

Although recent arrivals are potentially most susceptible, even older, sick calves fail to tolerate extreme temperatures. Calves should be evaluated at least daily for signs of illness. The best way to monitor a calf’s temperature is with a rectal thermometer. Inexpensive digital thermometers work well and make it easy to evaluate progress when warming the calf is needed. If a calf’s temperature falls below 100 degrees F, gradually raise that temperature. Bring the calf indoors and out of the elements if needed. When used appropriately, warm water baths, blankets, and warming boxes are all options to rewarm a calf.

Be careful not to damage the skin of the animal by either rubbing too vigorously or placing the animal close to heaters. Additionally, if the calf is brand new, do not wash off the odor of amniotic fluid. This helps prevent rejection by the dam. Treatment of “calfcicles” often goes well beyond just warming.

Evaluating and correcting the underlying cause of a calf’s low temperature is key, especially if there is an infectious agent, such as those that can cause diarrhea, contributing to the condition. Oral or intravenous fluids, as advised by a veterinarian, can assist in warming and addressing internal fluid deficits. The metabolic state, including glucose levels and acid-base balances, should be considered. Medications to treat symptoms and nutrition for calves should not be overlooked. Intensive care of some calves and veterinary hospitalization may be needed depending on the value of the animal.

Early detection and interventions of frozen “calfcicles,” along with working with your veterinarian to develop protocols before calving season, can reduce stress and lead to more successful outcomes during calving season.

Your next read: BREAKING: USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Sen. Roger Marshall to Join Farmers At Top Producer Summit