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Calving season is one of the most critical and demanding times on any ranch. Successful calving directly impacts the profitability and future genetics of your herd.
While experienced ranchers understand the rhythm of the season, a focused review of essentials, potential challenges, and preparation strategies can significantly boost your calf survival rates and improve overall herd health.
Recommended Action | Calf Health Benefit |
Vaccination Schedule Review: Ensure cows receive their annual clostridial booster 2–6 weeks pre-calving. | This timing provides maximum passive immunity transfer to the calf via colostrum. |
Facility Setup & Sanitation: Prepare clean, dry, and well-bedded calving pens or nursery pastures. | Sanitation is crucial to prevent early-life infections and control pathogen buildup. |
Pasture Management: Avoid grazing vulnerable animals on known blackleg endemic pastures. | Reduces ingestion risk of Clostridium chauvoei spores, especially after soil disturbance or flooding. |
Handling Practices: Implement gentle handling and transport protocols for young stock. | Minimizes bruising and muscle trauma that could activate dormant Clostridium chauvoei spores. |
Supply Checklist: Gather necessary supplies, including colostrum replacer, OB tools, disinfectant, and warming materials. | Ensures immediate readiness for interventions and calf aftercare. |
Calving is typically a natural process, but preparation is key to intervening quickly when complications arise, minimizing loss, and ensuring the health of both the cow and calf.
Understanding the normal calving progression helps you better understand when to intervene.
Timeline: This stage can last 2 to 6 hours, but may be much longer for first-calf heifers.
What to Look for: The cow seeks isolation, becomes restless, and shows signs of abdominal discomfort. Internally, the cervix begins to dilate.
Producer Intervention: Minimal intervention is needed here. This phase is vital for positioning the calf correctly before intense contractions begin.
Timeline: The calf should be delivered within 1 to 2 hours after the water bag breaks.
What to Look for: Strong abdominal contractions begin, and the water bag (fluid-filled sac) appears. Normal presentation is front feet first, with the head resting on the feet.
Producer Intervention: If the cow strains intensely for over an hour without progress, or if presentation is abnormal (e.g., tail or single leg first), intervention is required.
Timeline: The cow should pass the placenta (afterbirth) within 8 to 12 hours of the calf's delivery.
What to Look for: The uterus contracts to expel the fetal membranes. Failure to pass the placenta within 12 hours can lead to complications.
Producer Intervention: Ensure the calf consumes colostrum within the first 6 hours of life to receive crucial antibodies from the dam's recent booster vaccination.
Even the most experienced ranchers can sometimes face calving challenges. Early identification and proper handling of complications—from difficult births to disease—are critical.
Difficult Births (Dystocia): Dystocia is often caused by an oversized calf, an abnormal presentation, or a small pelvic area in the heifer. Intervene if:
The cow has been straining for over an hour with no sign of the calf.
You observe the calf’s tail, a single leg, or the head turned back.
You smell a foul odor, which can indicate possible infection or a calf that died earlier in the delivery process.
What to Do During a Difficult Birth: When intervention is necessary, implement gentle handling practices. Always use proper obstetric tools and generous lubrication. If the calf cannot be safely pulled or repositioned, immediately consult a veterinarian.
Retained Placenta: Retained placenta occurs when the cow fails to expel the fetal membranes after calving. While the placenta should be passed within 8 to 12 hours of delivery, retention leads to severe uterine infection (metritis) and negatively impacts the cow's future fertility. Intervention is needed if:
The placenta has not been passed 12 hours after the calf's delivery.
The cow develops a fever, loss of appetite, or foul-smelling discharge.
What to Do If Your Cow Has a Retained Placenta: Never manually pull the placenta, as this can cause uterine damage. Consult a veterinarian for management, which may include administering antibiotics or specialized treatment.
Hypothermia (Cold Stress): Hypothermia is a major danger for newborn calves, especially during cold weather, often occurring when the calf is wet and unable to generate enough body heat. This rapid loss of heat can lead to weakness, reduced ability to nurse, and death. Intervention is needed if the calf:
Is lethargic, shivering violently, or unable to stand.
Has a cold mouth, indicating dangerously low core body temperature.
What to Do If Your Calf Is Hypothermic: Quick action is required in this scenario. Quickly dry the calf, bring it to a warm environment (like a warming box), and provide warm colostrum or milk replacer to raise the internal temperature.
Maternal Rejection or Inadequate Bonding: Failure of a cow, particularly a first-calf heifer, to bond with her calf is a common behavioral issue that immediately endangers the newborn. Rejection leads to the calf not nursing, resulting in Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT) of immunity. Intervention is needed if:
The cow actively kicks or moves away when the calf attempts to nurse.
The calf is over 6 hours old and has not successfully nursed high-quality colostrum.
What to Do If Your Cow Rejects Her Calf: Immediate separation of the dam and calf may be necessary to bottle-feed or tube-feed colostrum to the calf within the critical 6-hour window. If necessary, consult a veterinarian for behavioral correction techniques to encourage bonding.
Diseases caused by bacteria or environmental factors pose a major threat to newborns.
Issue | Cause/Trigger | Farmer Solution |
Spores of Clostridium chauvoei are present in the soil. Ingestion risk increases during grazing or soil disturbance. | Vaccination is the only effective solution. Ensure the cow received a pre-calving booster. Avoid grazing vulnerable animals on known blackleg endemic pastures. | |
Environmental contamination, lack of colostrum, or infectious pathogens (e.g., Rotavirus, E. coli). | Ensure the calf receives high-quality colostrum within 6 hours. Maintain a clean, dry calving area. Treat with oral fluids and electrolytes. | |
Pneumonia | Viruses (RSV, PI3) and bacteria (Pasteurella) often triggered by poor ventilation, stress, or inadequate colostrum. | Ensure adequate ventilation in housing and minimize stress. Proper colostrum intake is crucial for immune protection. Isolate sick calves immediately. |
Septicemia | Spread of bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella spp.) from the gut, navel, or respiratory system into the bloodstream. | Prevention is key. Ensure excellent colostrum management and use antibiotics early for local infections to prevent systemic spread. |
Coccidiosis | Parasitic disease (Coccidia) that damages the intestinal lining, common in calves three weeks of age and older. | Maintain dry, clean bedding and avoid overcrowding. Administer appropriate medication in feed or milk if recommended by a veterinarian. |
Infection Risk | Trauma or lack of sterility during handling (e.g., castration, dehorning). | Ensure surgical instruments are sterile and clean to prevent potential wound infections that can trigger clostridial diseases. |
A proactive approach to animal health requires having the right supplies on hand. FBN provides a range of animal health products essential for calf and cow well-being, particularly those for preventing fatal clostridial diseases.
Having necessary supplies like colostrum replacer, lubricant, and tools is crucial for interventions and calf aftercare.
Product Name | Application and Purpose | Shop on FBN.com |
Colostrum Replacer | Ensures the calf receives high-quality antibodies when the dam is weak or milk quality is poor. | |
Electrolyte Solutions | Treats scours and restores fluid balance in weak or dehydrated calves. | |
Obstetric (OB) Chains and Handles | Tools used for safe assisted delivery during difficult births. | |
Disinfectant/Navel Dip | Used for umbilical care immediately after birth to prevent infection. | |
Calf Pastes and Boosters | Provides a concentrated energy surge and essential nutrients to revive weak, cold, or lethargic calves following a difficult birth or environmental stress. |
The cornerstone of blackleg prevention is a consistent, high-quality vaccination program. These multivalent vaccines protect against Clostridium chauvoei and other dangerous clostridial organisms.
Product Name | Key Protection Areas | Shop on FBN.com |
Blackleg, Malignant Edema, Black Disease, Gas-Gangrene, and Enterotoxemia (Types C/D) | ||
Blackleg, Malignant Edema, Black Disease, Gas-Gangrene, and Enterotoxemia (Types B, C, and D) | ||
All 7 clostridial diseases plus respiratory protection (Mannheimia haemolytica Type A1) |
Note: Always read and follow the manufacturer's label directions. Consult your local veterinarian before implementing any new vaccination strategy.
Set your operation up for success by understanding how to assist cows during calving. Spending a little time now educating yourself on best practices and stocking up on trusted calving essentials can help protect your ROI and the health and well-being of your cows and their calves.
In the free guide, you'll learn:
How to get the calf out more easily
3 treatments to consider when providing postpartum care to your cow
How to prevent scours and respiratory diseases that can severely impact calf survival rates
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