11/16/2009 12:30PM
Several factors influence the quantity and quality of colostrum that the calf receives from the dam.
11/13/2009 03:32PM
Although February and March are still several months away, looking
ahead to the spring calving season requires that producers be prepared
for those situations where mother-nature needs a little boost.
11/13/2009 03:25PM
Only 8 or 9 months ago the spring calving cows were calving, the
temperature was cold and the calving pastures were muddy. Experience
would say that you do not want to ask cow calf operators how "calving"
is then, because the response would be less than objective, reflecting
bone-chilling cold and not enough sleep.
05/06/2009 09:39AM
AMES, Iowa -- Once one calf begins scouring, the illness can spread through a beef herd like wildfire, causing major animal and financial losses for producers.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," the old adage says. However, not all cases of calf scours can be avoided. Any number of
04/28/2009 02:33PM
Calf scours can cause a large financial loss to cow-calf producers. With scours, the intestine fails to absorb fluids and/or secretion, and the material is passed into the small and large intestines. These higher fluid levels in the manure result in a watery discharge. Death loss can be upwards of 50
04/03/2009 10:42AM
This spring's snow, rain and floods have severely hampered the ability of calves to survive.
"These weather conditions have been a real setback for our 2009 calf crop," says North Dakota State University Extension Service veterinarian Charlie Stoltenow.
"We can expect to see an increase in scours
03/23/2009 08:42AM
Overeating of milk, grain, fruit, or any other carbohydrate-rich substance can cause diarrhea in individual animals of any age. As mentioned, intestinal bacteria can cause fermentation of intestinal contents and the subsequent osmotic pressure draws fluid into the bowel; severe diarrhea can result. Non
03/12/2009 03:10PM
There are several management strategies to help prevent scours from infecting your calf crop.
Calve heifers in a separate area from older cows. Their calves' immunity levels are typically lower than calves from older cows.
Avoid wet calving barns and areas if possible, try to calve on pasture
03/11/2009 08:45AM
E. coli (colibacillosis or 'white scours') and Clostridium perfringens type C ('bloody dysentery') usually cause diarrhea in the first 10 days of life, and research has shown that colostrum from properly vaccinated cows will usually protect their calves from these infections. Not all farms have problems