The previous saying that “an oz of prevention is price a pound of treatment” is one which generally refers back to the significance of lowering the danger for illness unfold.
And within the case of beef cattle scours, the place cows calve has quite a bit to do with how nicely the newborns can keep wholesome within the first few weeks of life, say the consultants at Kansas State College’s Beef Cattle Institute.
Talking on a “Cattle Chat” podcast, veterinary consultants outlined how calf diarrhea, also called scours, is usually a severe problem in new child calves — however one that may be minimized by rotating the pastures the place the cows calve. Scours can result in dehydration and demise in new child calves, says Bob Larson, Ok-State veterinarian.
“A new child calf’s worst enemy from a germ standpoint is a calf that may be a few weeks previous, as a result of these older calves shed extra germs that trigger scours,” Larson says.
Sandhills system
To scale back the publicity between newborns and calves which are a couple of weeks previous, Larson and the opposite consultants suggest following the Sandhills Calving System that was developed via College of Nebraska analysis achieved years in the past within the state’s Sandhills area.
“The Sandhills Calving System is without doubt one of the most impactful interventions that we’ve got for calf scours,” Larson says.
On this system, cows which are heavy of their being pregnant are moved to new pastures each two to a few weeks, and as soon as they calve, they keep in the identical pastures the place they gave beginning till the calves are sufficiently old to be commingled with the others within the herd, in line with veterinarian Brian Lubbers.
“This permits the calves to be born on the cleanest pastures, after which as soon as a sure share of the herd has calved, these cows which are nonetheless pregnant transfer to a brand new pasture,” Lubbers says.
Larson says the objective of every herd following this method could be to maneuver the pregnant cows away from cows which have already calved not less than 3 times — from the begin to the top of the calving season.
“After cows have been calving for 2 or three weeks, transfer the pregnant cows to a brand new pasture and do this once more after the following two to a few weeks of calving,” Larson says.
Lubbers provides that the micro organism and viruses that trigger scours are unfold via fecal to oral transmission, so by having a fence between the calving teams, many of the threat for scours passing via the teams of calves is minimal.
Timing to carry spring calves collectively
Concerning the timing of bringing all of the spring calves collectively in the identical pasture with their dams, the veterinarians agree that when the youngest calves are 6 weeks of age, the best threat from scours is handed — and it’s secure to carry the herd collectively once more.
“Ensure the final pasture they go to as a gaggle will not be one which was used for calving earlier within the season, in order that they’re all being moved to a clear pasture,” Lubbers says.
To listen to the total dialogue on these subjects, take heed to the “Cattle Chat” podcast on-line or via your most popular streaming platform.
Moser is a author for Ok-State Analysis and Extension.
Supply: Kansas State College Analysis and Extension Information Service
