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Dr. Ronald P. Rogers CHIROPRACTOR Support for your body's natural healing capabilities 270-384-5554 Click here for details 
  
Columbia Gas Dept. GAS LEAK or GAS SMELL Contact Numbers 24 hrs/ 365 days 270-384-2006 or 9-1-1 Call before you dig 
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David Herbst: Jan. 30, 2007, care of newborn calf Three pictures from January 29, 2007, Annual Adair County Cattleman's Association accompanies this article: 1) Jimmy Dale Bledsoe Award 2) Four new Master Cattlemen get farm signs, and 3) David Hutchison Cattleman of the Year By David Herbst, Adair Co. Extension Agent for Agriculture It's calving season, a critical time of the year for any cow-calf operation. Management during this phase of production must be the best. Producers must strive to 1) Get calves here alive, 2) Keep them alive, and 3) Keep them healthy. It sounds straightforward but it is often a challenge. Any dead calf is an automatic $400-500 or greater loss. Any calf that gets sick in the first 45 days will weigh 35-40 lbs less at weaning than a calf that didn't get sick. Cows that have calving difficulty will rebreed later and more of them will be open. Calves that survive calving difficulty are twice as likely to get sick during the first 45 days of life. The major causes of young calf death or illness are 1) Dystocia (calving difficulty), 2) Starvation, 3) Hypothermia (exposure), 4) Metabolic disorders, 5) Scours and pneumonia, and 6) Trauma. Most of these causes can be prevented or reduced with good calving management. Almost 50% of all young-calf deaths, birth to 24 hours old, are a result of calving difficulty. Observing cattle often and assisting cows and heifers early can reduce problems with dystocia. Cows should be checked 3 to 4 times (or more) per day. Heifers should be observed at least every 4 hours, if possible. Cows that are in active labor should make good progress or deliver a calf in 1 hour. Research from the USDA in Miles City, Mont., has determined that it is better to assist early as long as cervix is fully dilated than to allow cows to struggle. More calves survive from early assisted cows, and they are healthier. Early assisted cows bred back earlier and there were fewer open cows. Producers need to know the proper techniques to assist cows with out injuring the cow or calf. If producers have not been able to deliver a calf or make significant progress after 30 minutes of good effort, they should call a veterinarian for assistance. Calves that die of starvation are often considered to have died of other problems or metabolic disorders. Calves that don't nurse quickly (within 2 to 4 hours) after birth often die of exposure or become weak and unable to nurse and starve. In addition, the ability of a calf to absorb antibodies from colostrum declines rapidly 12 hours after birth and the calf cannot absorb antibodies after it is 24 hours old. Calves need to have there first drink of colostrum 2 to 4 hours after birth. Exposure to cold and precipitation can kill newborn calves rapidly. A study of 87,285 calves born at Clay Center, Nebraska, demonstrated that even without rain or snow the percentage of calves that die due to exposure increases rapidly below 50 degrees. Chilled calves should be brought in for warming and assisted in nursing if necessary. The most common metabolic disorders in newborn or young calves are white muscle disease and weak calf syndrome. White muscle disease is actually a selenium deficiency that results in failure of the heart and diaphragm muscles. Prevention includes proper selenium supplementation of the cow before calving and an injection of selenium solution at birth. Weak calf syndrome is a protein and energy deficiency in newborns. Calves are weak and have trouble maintaining body temperature. Calves born to thin cows are at greatest risk. Weak calf syndrome can be prevented by proper cow nutrition during late pregnancy. Extra care and tube feeding of these calves may save some of them. Calf scours can be decimating to a cow-calf operation, but proper management during the first days of a calf's life can reduce problems with scours. Making sure calves nurse or are tube fed colostrum within 4 hours of birth increases the calf's resistance to scours. Cows should calve in a clean environment. Trauma from being kicked, stepped on, run over or laid on kills a small percentage of calves every year. Trauma is usually a result of over crowded conditions in bedding or feeding areas. Cow-calf pairs need to be in pastures with plenty of room, and crowding of cows into calving areas should be avoided. The extra effort producers spend on good calving management and newborn calf care will result in more calves at weaning, higher weaning weights, and less stress for producers. For more information on care of the newborn beef calf contact the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service by calling 384-2317; or visit the office located at 409 Fairground St., in Columbia. Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. This story was posted on 2007-01-31 07:40:24
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Columbia completing 8th annexation in just over 2 years Japanese recital at LWC blends music, poetry Chamber ribbon cuttings at UCB branch, Enterprize Rent-A-Car Teen Book Club meets this afternoon Columbia wins PRIDE 1st in class. Adair County 2nd in group Three spring community lunches for women at LWC TODAY, TUES., Jan. 30, 2007: Weather warrants watch 2007 Adair Relay for Life: Kelleyville to sell knives P&Z Special Called Meeting January 30, 2007 Special called meeting Columbia City Council Jan. 30, 2007 View even more articles in topic News |
 
115 Jamestown St. Columbia, KY. 270-384-2496 
  
   
 Provided by the Adair Co Fiscal Court and the Adair Co. Emergency Mgt. Agency 
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