Beef
Briefs
ENVIRONMENTAL AND
NUTRITIONAL
CONSIDERATIONS FOR
STRESSED FEEDER
CATTLE
Dr. John Comerford
Extension Beef Specialist
The Pennsylvania
State University
Introduction
The feeder calf experiences very
little stress while just following
Mom around the pasture. Howev
er, soon after weaning there are
several abrupt and disruptive
changes in his life. Separation
from the cow, transportation, min
gling with strange cattle, more
transportation, and finally, arrival
at a fecdlot to be pushed around,
stuck with a needle, and forced to
cat and drink strange feed and
water easily leads to a stressed
calf. The result is all to often one
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11 . <4l
by
John Comerford
which also becomes sick. Morbidi
ty and mortality of stressed'fccder
cattle is a $330 million loss to the
industry, and the feedlot operator
must seek ways to reduce or elimi
nate disease in the lot to maximize
returns.
However, no single cause and
effect relationship has been deter
mined between husbandry prac
tices and the incidence of disease.
The search for the answer has frus
trated veterinarians, researchers,
and feeders. Certain management
practices have been identified,
though, that influence the health of
the calf.
Transportation and
Marketing
One important variable asso
ciated with stress is the farm of ori
gin. Research has shown that, even
when calves are treated in the same
way on neighboring farms, feedlot
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While some of the differences can
be attributed to genetics and other
reasons, disease is also a primary
culprit. One study reported calves
from 7 different farms subjected to
the same stresses after leaving the
farm varied in morbidity rates
from 26 to 87%.
One reason for tins result is the
nutritional management prior to
sale. A Tennessee study found
calves that were either weaned and
fed at the farm before sale or were
allowed concentrate feeds at the
auction bam at the lime of sale had
lower morbidity rales than those
shipped directly to the fecdlot with
no access to concentrate feeds.
Daily gains for the first 70 days on
feed were also greater.
The largest economic loss to the
feeder from the point of sale to the
fecdlot is weight shrink. Shrink
results from loss of gut fill, but
almost 1/2 of the loss is accounted
for by tissue losses of water, pro
tein, minerals, and energy. The
reduction in weight is almost linear
for the first 3 hours in transit, and
can go as high as 8-9% for calves
shipped over 15 hours. Conse
quently, they enter the lot at a low
er value than at purchase and
require 15-20 days on feed to
return to their original sale weight.
Another factor related to disease
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 1, 1988-Al9
is mixing of calves. The same pat
tern of treatment for mixed and
unmixed groups has been observed
with peaks at 7 and 14 days after
arrival. However, 3-4% more of
the mixed group were treated at
each lime. A second factor is ani
mal concentration. A Canadian
study showed there was a direct,
positive correlation between the
number of calves in a pen and the
percentage of calves requiring
treatment or dying.
Nutrition and
Feeding Environment
Unload the calves into small,
shallow pens. In confined lots this
would be about 10 sq. feet per calf.
This provides an easier way to
watch the calves for eating habits
and for signs of disease. It also
helps the calf find the feed and
water more easily. Plenty of bunk
space is necessary while being sure
all of the calves can reach the bunk.
During the introductory phase
about 10-12 in. of space per calf
will be needed. Water should be
provided immediately as dehydra
tion is not only one of the first
results of transit, but also a predis
posing factor in disease. Some
operators routinely provide extra
sources of water for the first few
days. Others will allow water to
run continuously to attract them to
the sound. No additives should be
added to the water until a regular
drinking pattern has been
established.
Fresh feed should be provided
as soon as possible. Initial eating
patterns will vary among calves, so
it is entirely possible some will not
eat anything for a few days. There
fore, it is reasonable to provide
smaller amounts of feed in several
locations on a frequent basis. A
500-lb calf requires more than 10
pounds of feed dry matter daily to
gain any weight, so recovery of
shrink losses and positive gains arc
dependent on the calf eating as
soon as possible.
The interaction of the nutritional
status and the environment of the
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calf plays an important role in the
possible onset of disease. There is
considerably less rumen function
in the stressed calf. Even if the ani
mal eats regularly, the upset of
digestive action prevents the calf
from making use of feed to provide
needed resistance to disease, as
well as grow and gain weight. The
return of optimal rumen function is
a slow process; thus, even when
good eating patterns have been
established, it may still take 2
weeks to regain the shrink and
begin making positive gains. Sec
ondly, a Texas study has shown
that not all animals eat every day
after arrival. They reported only
22% of their calves ale the first
day, and this value had only
increased to 57% by the third day.
The obvious resultof this pattern is
a lack of nutrients being available
for growth and production. While
most rations will be balanced for
protein, vitamins, energy, and
minerals, they are generally based
on optimum intake levels. When
intake is restricted, as in the case of
the stressed calf, poor nutrition
results. Therefore, it is advisable to
provide smaller portions of feed
highly concentrated with protein,
minerals, and vitamins. Neither
should the feed contain antibiotics
as this will further depress rumen
function.
Stressed calves show a reversal
in eating habits compared to the
unstressed calf. When offered
diets varying in energy concentra
tion, the stressed calf will consume
one containing about 72% concen
trates, while the unstressed calf
will eat one that is only about 63%
concentrates according to one
study. However, these studies and
others have also shown that, as the
percentage of concentrates in the
diet goes up from 50 to 90%, so
docs the incidence of disease.
When comparing the cost of treat
ment versus increased production
from the higher energy diets, most
reports have found the added gains
(Turn to Page A 32)
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