Recommendations for Cattle
Preventative Care
Vaccinations
Recommendations are made based on current American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) vaccination guidelines.
+++ indicates that vaccination is strongly recommended at that time point
++ indicates that vaccination is recommended at that time point
+ indicates that vaccination is acceptable at that time point and may provide protection
- indicates that vaccination is not recommended at that time point
+/- indicates that vaccination may be suggested based on the individual animal or environment
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Always consult with your veterinarian prior to implementing a vaccination protocol, no vaccine is fully protective or without potential risk.
Parasite Prevention
Parasites can cause significant production losses in the cattle industry. It's important to monitor your cattle for any changes that may indicate they could be suffering from parasites including poor growth, unkempt appearance, and lagging behind. Dewormers are most effective when administered in the fall and spring when parasite burdens are the highest.
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Rotational grazing is a great way to minimize the parasite burden in your herd. If you can, implement rotational grazing by subdividing the available pasture into multiple small pastures (ideally twelve), and sequentially moving the animals to the next pasture every seven days. This gives the eggs time to hatch and the larvae time to die before an animal is able to ingest them and infect themselves. By scraping pastures and breaking up manure piles after a group of animals have been on a pasture you’re exposing the parasites to the elements and will cause a significant amount of them to die off. An upgrade to the rotational grazing system would be rotationally grazing different species groups one after another. Many of the parasites of concern with anthelmintic resistance are species specific. So, if the susceptible species is moved to a clean pasture and a new species is put on that pasture that is resistant to the parasites on that pasture the larvae will be ingested but the parasite will move through the GI tract without harming the animal and the majority of the parasites will die.
Castration
Bull calves that are not intended for breeding should be castrated before 3 months of age. Castrating bull calves early promote a higher quality grade carcass and decrease potential for aggression and unwanted matings.
Nutrition
Mature Cattle
Mature cattle consume 1.5-2.75% of their body weight on a dry matter basis per day. Cattle consume higher quality forages at a higher rate than lower quality forages A 1,200 lb cow will consume approximately 30 lbs of feed stuffs a day, 80-95% of this should be forage (grass and hay). Cattle have different nutrient requirements based on their stage of production. Grain and minerals are an important part of the cattle's diet, it is recommended to work with a nutritionist and your veterinarian to optimize your feeding plan.
Calves
Calves receive their immunity (protection from pathogens in the environment) from the colostrum (first milk rich in antibodies) that they consume. It is very important that they consume enough high quality colostrum in a timely manner. The cells that make up the calf GI tract stop absorbing the antibodies at 24 hours after birth, the absorption at 12 hours is negligible. It is recommended that calves receive 2-4 L of colostrum or colostrum replacer containing 100 g of IgG within 6 hours of their birth. Not receiving appropriate colostrum will lead to failure of passive transfer, sepsis, and eventual death. If you are unsure if a calf received appropriate colostrum, contact your veterinarian immediately. Calves consume 15-20% of their body weight a day in milk until they are weaned.
Reproduction
Breeding Managment
Profitability and efficiency is increased substantially with a uniform calf crop that is achieved with proper breeding management. Depending on the size of your herd you should aim to have either one or two breeding seasons a year (spring and/or fall), that consists of a 65 day span of time for you to get all your cows bred. Synchronization protocols can be used to ensure cows are ovulating around the same time so that the breeding season is shortened and calvings are more tightly grouped together. Synchronization protocols are also used with artificial insemenation and embryo transfer.
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Cows should have a calf about once every 365 days. The earlier in the breeding season that the cows are bred the better you will be able to stay on schedule for the next breeding season. Heifers should be bred at 13-15 months of age and their breeding season should start approximately 30 days prior to the mature cow's breeding season. Heifers are usually very fertile and easy breeders but it tends to take them longer to breed back after their first calf. Cows will start to cycle about 45-60 days after calving, given there are no complications, once they start to cycle they will then potentially be receptive to breeding.
Cows are pregnant for approximately 283 days before they give birth. It's important to have cows checked for pregnancy 30-70 days after the start of the breeding season. The earlier a cow is checked for pregnancy the more accurate the interpretation of the age of pregnancy and her due date will be. Checking cows between 30-70 days allows cows that have failed to get pregnant to be identified so that appropriate interventions can be made.
Breeding Soundness
The soundness of your breeding stock should be evaluated prior to the breeding season and the selection of your breeding stock. Bulls should undergo a breeding soundness exams (BSE), ideally 60 days prior to the start of the breeding season and turn-out. Mature cows may undergo a breeding soundness exam if you are concerned that she may experience breeding difficulties. Before replacement heifers are chosen, all the heifers should undergo breeding soundness exams around 12 months of age. BSEs for heifers include an evaluation of the maturity of her reproductive tract and measurements of her pelvic canal. Based on the information gathered from heifer BSEs you can make a more informed decision on your replacements and will likely have more successful breeding and calving seasons.