On-Call / Vet

Spring calving season is just around the corner. This also means calving problems and the need to intervene and assist in the delivery of the calf. While this may seem a straightforward procedure, many things can make for a more difficult and less successful outcome. Here are several mistakes made before, during and after calving that can lead to problems for the calf and the cow.

Arguably the most significant health concern regarding dairy production is that of mastitis. By definition, mastitis is inflammation of the mammary gland of the cow. This inflammation is typically a result of invasion and infection of the mammary gland by bacterial organisms. When considering the strategic treatment and prevention of mastitis, bacterial organisms are commonly divided into two groups: contagious and environmental pathogens.

Abomasal bloat, or abomasitis, is a condition seen in calves less than three weeks old. We have recently seen several cases at our clinic, and unfortunately, most cases are fatal without very rapid intervention. The good news is that good management and preventive measures can all but eliminate this disease.

May is just around the corner. Are you ready for spring bull turnout? Many of you are in the middle of calving and some may have just started. Don’t let the hustle and bustle of this calving season derail your next calf crop. The star(s) of your operation are the bulls, which are often ignored and forgotten most of the year. However, it is critical to have a plan prior to turnout as too how much bull power you will need versus how much you have. Simple questions to start the decision making process are: How many cows will need bred? How many groups are those cows divided into? How many heifers, and do you have a bull designated for your heifers? Are you going to synchronize the herd or heifers? Do you have a backup plan if your bull fails the Breeding Soundness Evaluation? What condition are your bulls in?

It is breeding season once again and we often get the question, “will heat synchronization work in heifers?” Heat synchronization will work, but before we say yes, I like to look at each individual case and see if the producer has the time and facilities to do so. Some producers want to do large numbers, other may only have a few cows, and so each case must be assessed differently.

You’ve been training the cows to come into the catch pen for the past couple of weeks. You got your help all lined up. You’ve got the vet scheduled for the exact time you wanted to work cows. Everything appears ready to go work your herd. But wait-have you taken time to give your facilities an inspection? This may not be the first thing you think about when planning fall herd work, but it may be the most critical and important thing you can do to ensure an efficient and safe working day for your cattle, your help and yourself.

Each year producers have lost several dollars in profit, either by loosing calves or in the expense of treating calves that have diarrhea problems. These problems can be in most cases prevented with good management practices. Calf diarrhea may be caused by bacteria, viral or poor nutrition.