Livestock Notes
The Calving Toolbox
John W. Comerford
Penn State Assoc. Prof.
Dairy & Animal Science
Many beef producers are, or
soon will be. into their calving
season. This remains one of the
most important efforts of the year
for the enterprise.
Economic returns to the beef
business start with the birth of a
live calf. Now is the time to check
your toolbox to see if you have
everything ready.
The first item that toolbox
should contain is a record book.
The path to success and cost
reduction in the beef business is
paved with records. Birth infor
mation should include not only
dates and weights for the calf, but
some cow information as well.
What kind of a birth was it? Does
the cow appear to be milking
well? Did she claim the calf right
away? Did she clean the placenta
in less than 12 hours? What kind
of body condition was she in?
The next item would be some
frozen colostrum or a good colo
strum substitute. Recent research
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DALE BENNETT 1-800-724-4866
Berg-Bennett
RD #2 Box 113 C
Wysox, PA 1885 A
BERG
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P.O. Box 507 • 2700 W. Arnold St • ManhfMd, Wl 54449 • 1-715-384-2151
at Penn State has indicated previ
ously unknown benefits of feeding
colostrum to the newborn calf,
including a positive influence on
male fertility. Gel some frozen
colostrum from a neighboring
dairy farmer, but ask for colo
strum from an older, poor produc
ing cow, since the “goodies” in
colostrum can be diluted in high
producing dairy cows. Feed a gal
lon in two feedings, 12 hours apart
as soon after birth as possible,
using an esophageal tube if neces
sary to get it into the calf. Waiting,
even as little as 12 hours after
birth, will have far fewer positive
results than feeding right away.
Include ear tags, an implant
gun, and a castration device in
your toolbox. You will never be
able to catch and hold a calf as
easily as you can near birth. Iden
tification is essential to good
records. The implant can be used
for animals destined for non
breeding purposes, and you will
likely get about an 8 to 1 return for
your investment (Two implants
are currently cleared for use in
newborn calves: Ralgro and
luge, copper-bearing steel. And, if
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choice of flites to handle any manure.
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Inc.
Synovex-C.). Finally, for male
calves that will be steers at some
time, make that time now.
Remove the testicles by cutting
off the bottom third of the scro
tum, pulling them completely out,
cutting the string of tissue that is
left, and spraying the area with a
good antiseptic. This is the most
effective castration method, and is
by far easier on the calf and more
effective than rubber bands,
clamping, or surgical castration at
a later time.
Also include a set of obstetrical
chains and a lubricant such as
Ivory Soap. When cows are in
labor for more than an hour, there
is usually something wrong.
When this occurs, managers
should check for full dilation of
the cervix, for a calf in the wrong
position (such as a head or leg
turned back), a calf locked at the
shoulders (pull the legs through
one at a time with the chains), or a
hip lock. The latter can usually be
corrected by good pressure down
ward between the cow’s hind legs
and rotation of the calf to allow
the hips to pass through the widest
portion of the pelvic opening,
which is roughly a line from the
pinbone to the opposite hock. The
chains should be kept clean.
lodine dips and selenium injec
tions will be called for in most
cases for new calves. The navel
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should be fully bathed in the
iodine for a few seconds immedi
ately after birth. In many areas of
Pennsylvania, soils are deficient
in selenium, and too little sele
nium can cause white muscle dis
ease in young calves. A 2cc
injection of selenium at birth can
usually prevent this.
Calves can quickly lose body
heat after birth, and this chilling is
dangerous. Put a thermometer in
your toolbox to check body temp
erature, which should be between
98* and 102* at birth. Body temp
eratures above or below these
levels indicate a problem. Dry
towels are probably the best help
for a chilled calf right after birth,
so have a few handy.
Additional calving ideas:
Do not underfeed cows during
the last part of pregnancy to
reduce birth weight of the calf.
Although birth weight can be low
ered slightly, extensive research
has shown no reduction in calving
difficulty, increased postpartum
interval, and reduced rebreeding
rates and cow productivity.
Since the largest percentage of
calving difficulty will be in young
cows, focus your time and effort at
calving on this group. Breed these
young cows ahead of mature cows
so calving labor can be concen
trated on them.
Feed cows at night to increase
daytime calvings. The easiest way
is to have the hay or other forage
located in such a way as a gate can
be opened after 9 p.m. and shut
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252 N. Shirk Rd.
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again at 7 a.m. Using this method,
you can realistically expect 80
percent of your calves to be bom
after 7 a.m. and before 6 p.m.
Microbiology Data Results
Show Very Low Level Of
Bacteria
William R. Henning
Penn State Assoc. Prof.
Animal Sciences
Results of the Nationwide Beef
Microbiological Baseline Data
Collection Program for Steers and
Heifers released this week by
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspec
tion Service (FSIS) showed
extremely low levels of bacteria
on beef carcasses.
Of nearly 2,100 samples taken
from raw beef carcass surfaces,
only four (0.2 percent) tested posi
tive for E. coli 0157:H7, one per
cent for Salmonella, 2.6 percent
for Cloistridium perfringens, 4
percent for Campylobacter, 4.1
percent for Listeria monocy
togenes, and 4.2 percent for Sta
phylococcus aureus.
The samples were taken
between October 1992 and Sep
tember 1993 at federally inspected
establishments responsible for
approximately 99 percent of
domestic steer and heifer
slaughter.
USDA noted that the fact that
bacterial levels are still present
(although low) underscores what
die National Academy of Sciences
said in its 1985 report on meat
rCSadef W
Qoal'iV
Box 56 RRI
At glen, pa
1-215-593-2981
USDA Releases Beef
(Turn to Pag* D 5)