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Last Updated: Jan 24, 2012 - 8:21:20 AM |
Posted in:
Calf Management
Perinatal Calf Management - Colostrum & Calf Care -
Feb 22, 2009 - 3:23:50 PM
Calves are born with the proverbial “2 strikes against them.” Strike 1: It is common knowledge that cows pass no disease resistance to the calf in utero prior to birth. Strike 2: This means calves are born without resistance to antigens in their environment and in turn, all antigens have the potential to cause disease and even death in the newborn calf. Even those antigens not usually considered to be pathogens.
Posted in:
Calf Management
Colostrum is Important -
Feb 21, 2009 - 9:45:17 PM
Perhaps one of the most important things you can do for a newborn calf to insure that it gets off to a good start is feed it colostrum soon after birth. The importance of colostrum has been documented in many studies and publications but continues to be overlooked or not completely understood by producers.
Posted in:
Calf Management
Calfhood Diseases -
Feb 21, 2009 - 9:39:43 PM
No one wants to lose newborn calves, but a reasonable goal is to maintain this loss at less than 3 to 5% in the first month of their lives. Research has shown that 52% of those calves that do die are lost to diarrhea and 21% due to respiratory disease, most often to secondary pneumonia after an initial bout of scours.
