calf health Archives - Canadian Cattlemen

A young calf nibbles early spring growth. Calves that are raised by a cow, and receive enough colostrum in a timely fashion, are less prone to some types of colic.

Colic in beef calves can hint at serious problems

Colic in calves can be caused by several things – many of them fatal

By Melissa Jeffers-Bezan March 26, 2025

When people think of colic, they usually think of a human infant who is fussy and crying. But colic occurs in animals, as well. Horse owners are often well versed in colic, as it is a fairly common occurrence in equines. In the beef cattle world, colic can mean many things and can be a […] Read more

Scours

AUDIO: Dealing with a scours outbreak in cattle

By Lisa Guenther October 31, 2023

Scours is always an unwelcome guest during calving season, and one that can visit even the best-managed herds. In this interview, Dr. Claire Windeyer of the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine, discusses how to manage an outbreak, protecting calves and people alike from this disease and how a bit of record keeping can […] Read more

Checking for dehydration in a calf by performing a skin tent test.

Beef Cattle, Calving, Cow-Calf, News Roundup, Scours

Calf 911: How to spot dehydration in young or scouring calves

By Beef Cattle Research Council February 14, 2022

It’s a great feeling when a calf arrives on the ground safe and sound. Ideally, things go well, and cows and newborn calves thrive. However, it’s important for producers to take the time to look for signs of early illness in neonatal calves. Being able to recognize the symptoms of disease and dehydration in baby […] Read more

The veterinary term for feedlot dust pneumonia is acute interstitial pneumonia.

Animal Health, Bovine Respiratory Disease, Livestock, Vet advice

Dust a risk factor in calf pneumonia

Vet Advice with Dr. Ron Clarke

By Dr. Ron Clarke December 21, 2021

When drought and the Great Depression introduced the 1930s, the wheat market collapsed. Oceans of wheat had replaced the sea of prairie grass that anchored the topsoil into place. Once the wheat dried up, the land was defenseless against the winds that buffeted the Plains. The term “dust pneumonia” originated during the Great Depression when […] Read more

Cow-Calf, Features, Forages

Calf health closely tied to cow nutrition

Six problems you may see with calves if cow nutrition is compromised

By Dr. Ron Clarke February 2, 2018

Many cows came home in 2017 from pastures parched by drought for much of the grazing season. Without proper supplementation of brood cows through the rest of their gestation, vitamin and mineral deficiencies will show up as health issues next spring with economic consequences that often persist for several more. It is well established that […] Read more

Cow-Calf, Features

Factors that hinder calf immunity

Calving Health with Heather Smith Thomas

By Heather Smith Thomas January 19, 2018

Illness occurs when an animal’s body is overwhelmed by infection. A healthy animal with strong immunity is less likely to become sick than an animal with poor immunity. Immunity refers to the body’s ability to fight off pathogens, and this ability is developed in a complex process in which the body creates specific weapons for […] Read more

Cow-Calf, Forages, Research

Making dollars out of sense

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

By Reynold Bergen June 7, 2017

Aside from price insurance (in provinces where it is available), cow-calf producers can’t do much to control the price they receive for their calves, so managing input costs is often the biggest opportunity to improve profitability. The Western Beef Development Centre has found that annual production costs differ by at least $100 per cow between […] Read more

Cow-Calf, Features, Livestock

A simple vigour test for newborns

Give it two fingers to suck… that’s step one

By Debbie Furber January 10, 2017

Two simple observations at birth can tell you whether a newborn calf has the vigour to quickly suckle enough colostrum to achieve the protection of passive immunity. “Measuring calving ease and suckle reflex is a quick and easy method to identify beef calves that are unlikely to consume colostrum by four hours after birth,” says […] Read more

Nutrition

Stepping up the energy for newly weaned calves

By John McKinnon January 8, 2015

In the September issue we discussed formulating rations for backgrounding cattle and focused on the importance of targeting performance. The take-home message is, if one wants to target a specific rate of gain regardless of the class of cattle you are feeding, a nutrition program needs to be developed that meets the nutrient requirements of […] Read more

Cow-Calf, Features, Livestock

Case of vitamin deficiency in calves cracked

By Debbie Furber November 12, 2014

High mortality isn’t normally associated with vitamin deficiencies, but for one Alberta producer, stressful winter weather may have been the tipping point. The family lost 22 of the 70 calves born to heifers during the 2013 calving season. Getting the Viking Veterinary Clinic involved from the outset, when unexplained deaths started happening early in the […] Read more

Fifty-six per cent chance of more stable, ENSO neutral weather conditions in late summer and fall U.S. forecasters say

Europe’s illegal pesticide trade surges as farmers cut costs

Canada seeks pact with Southeast Asian countries to diversify trade

Daily Network News

Fifty-six per cent chance of more stable, ENSO neutral weather conditions in late summer and fall U.S. forecasters say

Europe’s illegal pesticide trade surges as farmers cut costs

Canada seeks pact with Southeast Asian countries to diversify trade

Tag Archives calf health

Colic in beef calves can hint at serious problems

AUDIO: Dealing with a scours outbreak in cattle

Calf 911: How to spot dehydration in young or scouring calves

Dust a risk factor in calf pneumonia

Calf health closely tied to cow nutrition

Factors that hinder calf immunity

Making dollars out of sense

A simple vigour test for newborns

Stepping up the energy for newly weaned calves

Case of vitamin deficiency in calves cracked

Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field

Blogs

Cows ain’t coal

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AGCanadaTV: In case you missed it; your national ag news recap for July 4, 2025

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