Beef 2

Question 1

Objectives of calving management

Answer 1

-minimize losses at birth
-minimize post-natal losses
-reduce disease in calving females

Question 2

Two cattle breeds

Answer 2

-bos indicus- hump, tropical climate
-bos toris

Question 3

Calf crop %

Answer 3

(Number of calves weaned/ number of cows exposed to bull) x100

Question 4

What results in reduction in calf crop?

Answer 4

-failure to conceive (infertility)
-failure to calve (abortions and stillbirth)
-failure to survive neonatal period
-failure to wean (calf mortality on pasture)

Question 5

Factors contributing to neonatal losses

Answer 5

-dystocia
-maternal nutrition
-maternal behaviour
-climate (hypothermia)
-infectious agents and environment

Question 6

Calf mortality linked with dystocia

Answer 6

-69% of preweaning mortality within first 96hrs of birth and most contributed to dystocia

-2.7% die within 24hrs

-calves with higher calving difficulty are 2.4x more likely to be sick in first 45 days of life

-calves that experience dystocia are 13x more likely to die within 12 hrs of birth

Question 7

Who is most likely to experience dystocia?

Answer 7

-calves born to 1st calf heifers
(5% cows assisted, 18.7% heifers, overall 7%)

-male calves more likely than females

-twins

-calves born to cows in poor body condition

Question 8

Dystocia prevention

Answer 8

Likely linked with continental breeds and small european breeds being bred together

Must select bulls for low birth weights in calves
**weights account for 30-50% of variability

Question 9

Ways to select for low birth weights

Answer 9

-use an easy calving breed especially on heifers
(eg. long horned bull)

-select bulls with low birth weights

-use Expected Progeny Difference data on purebred bulls

Question 10

Expected progeny difference

Answer 10

Pooling all genetic information of an animal into one number
-used to compare bulls within breed
-use lbs

*need to know breed average for EPD
*typically have an accuracy value

Question 11

Calving ease vs birth weight EPD

Answer 11

-CE: the higher the number predicts more calving ease

-BW: a lower EPD predicts more calving ease

Question 12

Replacement heifer rearing program

Answer 12

Ensure that heifers are mature and large enough at breeding to prevent dystocia
-need to be 65% of mature weight at breeding
-85% of mature weight at calving

-avoid over conditioning
-do not restrict nutritional intake in late gestation
-pelvic measurements are of limited value because larger pelvis often means larger calves so not necessarily better

Question 13

Adequate surveillance and early assistance

Answer 13

-Can lead up to 9% increase in number of animals cycling at the onset of the breeding season and a 14% increase in fall preg

-increases likelihood of live calf

Question 14

Stage 1 of calving

Answer 14

3hrs-72 hrs
-ligaments of pelvis relax, cervix and vagina dilate, cervical mucous plug released
-cows separate from herd
-tail raised, back arched, may strain

Question 15

Stage 2 of calving

Answer 15

-appearance of water bag
-expulsion of calf through birth canal
-30mins to 3 hrs

Question 16

Stage 3 of calving

Answer 16

-expulsion of fetal membranes
-usually expelled within a few hours of birth
-involution of uterus may take up to 40days

Question 17

Calving heifers before cows

Answer 17

-dystocia prevention
-2-3 wks before allowing owner to concentrate workload early in calving season because heifers more likely to have dystocia
-will allow heifers to calve on least contaminated calving area
-lines up timing for next breeding season because they need longer to return to estrus than cows

Question 18

When should you interfere>

Answer 18

-cow actively strains for 40mins and no progress

-90 mins have passes since the first waterbag appeared

-legs emerge with sole of hooves up= coming backwards

-head or tail only emerged

-cow with more than 5-6hrs of anxiety

-an uncalved cow mothering another calf

Question 19

When should a producer call for help?

Answer 19

-calf is too big
-can’t get hands alongside feet in pelvis
-can’t get head and feet into pelvis at same time
-heifer been actively straining for 30mins and can’t get head and feet into birth canal
-if you can’t correct the position in 20mins or less

Question 20

What % of beef heifers require assistance at calving?

Answer 20

~18%

Question 21

Weak calf syndrome

Answer 21

-in birth canal too long
-head swollen, tongue swollen, acidotic= dumb

Question 22

Calf from birth to sternal recumbency

Answer 22

-should be 2-3mins (more than 15mins than likely acidotic)

Question 23

Suckle reflex

Answer 23

-weak suckle= fail to consume colostrum= poor health
-connection between suckle reflex and calving ease

Question 24

Assessing suckle reflex

Answer 24

-10mins after birth
-two fingers along length of top of calfs tongue
-gently rub roof of calves mouth

Weak= poor jaw tone and poor suckling rhythm
Strong= good jaw tone, good rhythm, quick strong latch

Question 25

When is Abnormal maternal behaviour likely to occur?

Answer 25

-most likely in 1st calf heifers
and with heifers and cows with dystocia

-prolonged birth

-less vigorous calf (heifers)

-high incidence in poor condition cows

Question 26

Treating abnormal mothering behaviour

Answer 26

-match cow and calf correctly
-confine them in box stall with no disturbances
-tube the calf with colostrum
-restrain cow regularly so calf can suck
-make sure calf is not sick
-potential for fostering

Question 27

Hypothermia issues

Answer 27

-Calf within first 2-3hrs is unable to regulate body temp well
-even a normal calf can easily become hypothermic

Chilled calves will not get up, suckle and not get colostrum

Question 28

Climate/seasonal effects

Answer 28

Calves born from Dec-Mar were more likely to die
*Calves that were hypothermic were 4.3x more likely to die

Question 29

Hypothermia protocol

Answer 29

An electronic thermometer is essential to note the severity of hypothermia
*calves under 35 C will have cold mouth, cold limbs, no suck reflex, unable to move limbs
*check whether it has suckled- look at teat of cow

Question 30

Normal calf temp

Answer 30

More than 37.8 C
*consider duct tape to protect ears from freezing

Question 31

What to do when a calf is considered hypothermic?

Answer 31

-tube with 1-2 L of warm colostrum
-place in warm room or hot box
-hot water baths essential for calves less than 26C
-warm fluids IV, warm water enemas

Question 32

Ways to decrease infection pressure

Answer 32

-minimize confinement of the cow herd
-utilize separate wintering and calving areas
-move cows onto calving area 2 weeks before calving
-rotate calving area from year to year

Question 33

Lacombe-type calving management

Answer 33

1.Wintering area
2. Calving area 2 weeks before calving
3. Move pairs within 24 hrs of calving into two nursing areas
4. Summer pasture at 3-4weeks of age

Question 34

Sandhills calving system

Answer 34

1. Overwintering
2. Calving area 1
3. Calving area 2
4. Calving area 3
   5.Calving area 4
   6 Calving area 5

** cow calf pairs are left behind, pregnant cows moved to next clean calving area

Question 35

Ways to decrease infection pressure

Answer 35

-snow removal and adequate bedding
-separate nursery areas for cow-calf pairs
-avoid restricted feeding/bedding areas
-creep areas or calf condos
-quarantine of diarrheic calves

Question 36

How to increase immunity

Answer 36

-colostrum management
-vaccines

Question 37

Passive transfer of immunity

Answer 37

-syndesmochorial placentation so no transfer of immunoglobulins from maternal to fetal circulation
**newborn calf has no maternal antibodies and needs colostrum

Question 38

Timing fo colostrum congestion

Answer 38

-Newborn enterocytes can absorb macromolecules for first ~24hrs of life
**but optimal absorption for first 4 hours and absorptive capacity will decrease rapidly after 12 hours of life

Question 39

FAilure of passive transfer

Answer 39

-Take blood sample 1-7days old
-less than 10g/dl using Radial Immunodiffusion or total serum protein or Brix refractometer
-Turbidity test using sodium sulfite or zinc sulfate used for qualitative assessment
-other studies suggest adequate colostrum should be more than 24 g/dl

Question 40

How much colostrum does calf need?

Answer 40

1-2L for first 4 hours

-gut closure at 6hrs and continues until 24-36hrs
-calves need 80-150g of immunoglobulin (1-2L of colostrum)
-normal calves will drink between 1-2 L/feeding

Question 41

Difference in beef vs dairy cow colostrum

Answer 41

Beef has 150g of IgG/L on avg compared to 64g in dairy cows

Question 42

Ways to get colostrum

Answer 42

1. milk dam and force feed calves
2. Use colostrum from other calvings
3. colostrum replacer
   **ensure 100g of IgG, prefer 150g

**avoid buying colostrum from dairies

Question 43

Colostrum storage

Answer 43

Any cows that is handled should be milked out
-store for 7-10 days in fridge
-frozen colostrum should be stored in ziploc laid flat and thaw in warm water

Question 44

When should intervention happen for calves?

Answer 44

if they havent suckled within 2-3hrs
**give them more time in warm weather and might need to interfere sooner in cold weather
*assume all abandoned calves have not suckled

Question 45

Vaccinations of calves

Answer 45

1. Vaccinate dam pre-calving
   *e coli and rota/corona virus vaccines
   *6 weeks and 2 weeks pre calving
2. Colostrum still important