Beef Health Management – Things to do in Summer

Summer is the time for most of us to engage with hot dogs, ice cream, BBQs, and vacation. Ranchers have some other things to think about this season. From the Beef management calendar, here are some things to consider for summer activities:

July

Spring calving herd

If cattle are on irrigated pasture, consider mid-summer working opportunities: • Consider deworming cows and calves as needed, based on body condition, performance, and fecal exams • Re-implant calves 7 Bulls should be removed from the cow herd, grouped together in a pasture with good fence and allowed to regain condition.

Fall calving herd

At the start of calving, aim for mature cows to have a BCS of 5.5–6 and first-calf heifers to have a BCS of 6.5–7. Keep a good free-choice mineral mix available at all times and protect it from weather. Plan to have good pasture available for fall calving. Replacement heifers should gain at an adequate rate to reach their targeted breeding weight (55–65% of mature size) by about the third week in November. Consider deworming cows based on body condition or other health factors.

Observe first-calf heifers closely now, since they should begin calving next month. Expect calving difficulty and intervene if:

• No progress after 60 minutes of labor
• Calf is backwards (only the calf’s tail is visible or the dewclaws are pointed up)
• Calf’s head and two feet are not visible

Assemble, inspect and disinfect equipment for calving season. This equipment may include:

• Puller and chains, ear tags, record book, scales, disease-free frozen colostrum and commercial colostrum supplement, oral calf feeder, iodine for navels, electrolytes, injectable antibiotics, syringes and needles, injectable Vitamin E/Selenium supplement. Determine breed and type of bull needed for next breeding season. Pay attention to your fly control program and if it is working for you.

August

Spring calving herd

Consider limited creep-feeding or early weaning during late summer if pasture is running short. Three to four weeks before weaning, vaccinate for clostridial and respiratory diseases per veterinarian and label directions. If needed, deworm and implant. Weigh at weaning and record. Practice low-stress weaning. FALL CALVING HERD Calving season begins. Cows should be moved to a clean, accessible pasture for calving. Consider new calving ground every two weeks for uncalved cows. Monitor for difficult calving. Calving difficulty can result in an increased incidence of BRD in pre-weaned calves due to a reduced ability to absorb colostral antibodies; it is also associated with increased time to first heat and decreased pregnancy rates in cows. Dip newborns’ navels with disinfectant when possible. Identify calf with ear tag and/or tattoo while it is young and easy to handle. Administer injectable Vitamin E/Selenium if indicated. Record calf ID, dam ID, birth date, and birth weight if possible. Weigh registered calves during the first 24 hours following birth. Commercial male calves should be castrated and, if feedlot program allows, implanted according to product recommendations. Castration and dehorning are less stressful when performed on young animals. For neonatal calves, administer oral antibodies or early vaccination for disease-causing organisms as recommended by veterinarian. Monitor, treat, and segregate calves for scours, respiratory disease, and navel ill.

September

Spring calving herd

Consult your veterinarian on the merits of a pre-weaning working of the herd, which may 8 include implementing steps of preconditioning protocol such as booster vaccinations, deworming, etc. Pregnancy check and consider selling open cows and heifers and those weaning poor-quality calves. Deworm calves as needed if retaining more than 30 days. Creep feeding may give extra gain and prepare calves for eating dry feed at weaning, but is not cost-effective if calves have adequate milk and forage.

Fall calving herd

Fall calving continues. Consider new calving ground every two weeks for uncalved cows. Monitor for difficult calving. Calving difficulty can result in an increased incidence of BRD in pre-weaned calves due to a reduced ability to absorb colostral antibodies; it is also associated with increased time to first heat and decreased pregnancy rates in cows. Dip newborns’ navels with disinfectant when possible. Identify calf with ear tag and/or tattoo while it is young and easy to handle. Administer injectable Vitamin E/Selenium if indicated. Record calf ID, dam ID, birth date, and birth weight if possible. Weigh registered calves during the first 24 hours following birth. Commercial male calves should be castrated. Castration and dehorning are less stressful when performed on young animals.

Line up A.I. sires and/or purchase new bulls at least 30 days prior to breeding season. Choose a breed and use EPDs and visual observation to select the bull that best fits your program and budget. Quarantine any herd additions for at least 30 days. Have veterinarian perform breeding soundness evaluations on all bulls. Evaluate yearling replacement heifers for frame size, reproductive tract score, and weight. Heifers should reach their target weight of 55–65% of expected mature weight before being bred. A mature moderate frame size of 4–5 is desirable.