In 2014, I asked cow-calf producers if they thought hard calvings (i.e., dystocia) were painful, and the majority agreed. Over the years, the use of pain control for hard calvings, for the cow and the calf, has increased. Calves that experience hard calvings are known to have decreased viability, taking longer to stand, walk, and…
What is cold stress? All mammals must maintain their internal body temperatures, with cattle averaging 38°C. Their body becomes stressed when environmental temperatures drop below the lower limit of the thermoneutral zone, the ‘lower critical temperature.’ Top factors that contribute to cold stress are cold weather, wind, wet weather, and lack of feed. Estimates of…
Dystocia, otherwise known as a hard calving, is a stressful and painful event for both the cow and her calf. To decrease the risk of dystocia, producers can maintain the cow’s body condition score between 3 and 3.5 and breed for smaller birth weights to reduce the risk of dystocia. However, there is no way…
What is cold stress? All mammals need to maintain their internal body temperatures, averaging 38°C in cattle. However, they don’t need to use extra energy to maintain normal body temperatures when the environmental conditions are within a “thermoneutral zone.” The thermoneutral zone is defined as the range of ambient temperatures without regulatory changes in metabolic…
Emergencies that involve livestock are complex and can progress quickly, putting people and animals at risk. Natural disasters, such as fires and floods, can pose a severe threat to a farm. Farmers are familiar with what natural hazards exist in their area and should adjust their emergency plans accordingly. For example, a farm located in…
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