The ins and outs of stomach tubing calves

The ins and outs of stomach tubing calves

New calves in distress or having trouble nursing can still get their first colostrum by tubing, giving them a better shot at good health

Finding a newborn calf too weak to stand or in distress is all too common. Without intervention, calves in this condition will likely die. It doesn’t have to end that way according to Dr. Melissa Wallace of Livestock Veterinary Services, Picture Butte, Alta. Vulnerable calves can receive their first colostrum by tubing, essentially jump-starting health […] Read more

When to calve?

When to calve?

From the Ground Up with Steve Kenyon

Seeing as though I am calving out a custom herd of cows right now, that seems like a good topic for this month. I know there are lots of different points of view on the best time to calve. It is not for me to say who is right and who is wrong because every […] Read more


Once a calf is lying flat and has a very weak or absent suckle reflex, it needs IV fluid.

Scours in calves

Scours is a common illness in young calves. Understand the causes and effects of this disease to treat and prevent it

Scours can be caused by certain kinds of bacteria, viruses or protozoa, but other factors come into play as well. “It’s often the interaction between the immune system, the environment and the pathogen load. The old saying is that the solution to pollution is dilution (or) minimizing the pathogen load,” says Dr. Paul Hardes, a […] Read more

By restraining the cow, the substitute calf can nurse without being kicked, stimulating milk let-down.

Tips for grafting a calf

There’s more than one way to encourage cow-calf bonding, but hormones and smell are key

When a cow loses a newborn calf, many stockmen will graft an orphan or twin onto the cow. Sometimes it’s prudent to graft an old cow’s calf onto a younger cow that has lost a calf, so that the old cow can be fattened and sold. But what’s the best way to get a cow […] Read more


Don’t forget everyday practices such as providing clean, dry bedding during calving season.

Reducing disease in newborn calves

Calving: News Roundup from the February 2020 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Extra vigilance before and during the calving season can pay off when it comes to producing healthy calves. “Newborn calf mortality can have a significant impact on calf crop percentage and ultimately your herd economics,” said Dr. Steve Hendrick, veterinarian with the Coaldale Veterinary Clinic in Coaldale, Alta. Hendrick spoke about reducing disease in newborn […] Read more

Calving date shifting in Ontario

Calving date shifting in Ontario

The onset of calving season often depends on the individual operation, says an Ontario cow-calf producer

The vast majority of Ontario producers calve their cows either in the barn or very close to it early in the year, but the current trend is toward later calving dates on grass, according to Craig McLaughlin, a Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) board director and cow-calf producer in Renfrew County. A survey conducted in […] Read more


NSAIDs should be used for major procedures such as C-sections at the time of delivery or at the beginning of surgery.

Pain medication at calving and in the feedlot

Pain control is simply the right thing to do in some situations

Pain medication may come with adjunct treatment such as antibiotics but sometimes this is unnecessary. When veterinarians prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain, they may choose based on label claim, past experience in the field, price per treatment or per 100 lbs., duration of activity, ease of administration, advice of associates or slaughter withdrawal. […] Read more

Most cases of scours in calves occur at three days or older, meaning they are most likely viral in origin so electrolytes will do more good than antibiotics.

Lessons from a neonatal disease survey

Calving: Measuring the incidence of early calfhood diseases across Western Canada

A very comprehensive survey was completed a few years ago by Dr. Cheryl Waldner at the Western Veterinary College in Saskatoon looking at the incidence of early calfhood diseases across Western Canada. Surveys were distributed to veterinary clinics across this region and randomly distributed to their clients. Thanks should go to the participating veterinarians and […] Read more


Whiskey Creek Ranch runs 150 head of Simmental/Angus cows, which calve out in March.

Rotating pastures to reduce scours in calves

Whiskey Creek Ranch uses ’tried-and-true’ pasture-rotation system that sees calving in February and March

Solid herd management practices mitigate the threat of a scours outbreak. While rotating calves through pastures is less common than some of the more obvious measures taken, those who do use it swear by its effectiveness. One such cow-calf operation is Whiskey Creek Ranch, owned by Clay and Jesse Williams. Jesse is a past Cattlemen’s […] Read more

With meeting season well under way, the co-chair of the Alberta Beef Producers AGM shares her thoughts on discussing tough issues without being hard on people.

Keep your cattle breeding season short

Breeding: News Roundup from the June 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

It is my experience that there is no single best calving season for all operations. Each is unique in terms of labour, facilities, feedstuffs, and ultimately, the selection should be determined by the likelihood of achieving the highest conception rates and calf crop percentage weaned with your available resources. Regardless of when you calve, there is […] Read more