Discussions of stress are not uncommon in cattle production. A great deal of this discussion is often focused on the stress typical for the weaned/transition calf and its common journey though the U.S. marketing system, which involves a lot of handling and transportation.

How often has the calving book been lost or accidentally destroyed by the calf being warmed in the feeding pickup? Or when has information failed to be recorded toward the end of the calving season because our attention turns to other matters that time of year?

While it may be tempting to raise every heifer calf, especially when replacement rates are high, it is essential to your profitability to identify when and why culling is necessary.

Most cows shed the placenta within two to eight hours after calving, and when a cow has not shed the placenta for 24 hours or longer, it is considered retained.

Calving season is an exciting time for us all as we gear up to welcome our newest calf crop into the world. Get some tips for making it a success.

He only called when there was trouble, and just as I had guessed, he had a heifer trying to calve out at pasture, and “Things just aren’t good, doc.” 

After a hard birth, some calves are dull or even unconscious from oxygen shortage and fail to start breathing. But there are things producers can do to help calves start breathing.