Bottle fed calf timeline and targets and growing them

[greggy]

I hate to think of the many emaciated few week old calves from interstate... what a hell of a start !

 

[greggy]

I know the feeling!
I want mine to be bigger NOW!
Lol.
Next thing ya know, they'll be spitting their own babies out and we will be saying....
Where has the time went?

Yeah, your prolly on the money there MrMutts

 

[greggy]

Hi Ken....

I think I have a handful or more with BVD....either had it, or, my methods and stress induced....

1 died......2 needed an anti biotic.....but still some are effected although not chronic.

If lungs not badly damaged, and with extra attentiin, at some point, do you feel they could all be rectified....to meet potential ?

But, at same time, as long as healthy, I do not care if 25% or so smaller ,,,,, as long as it does not def induce birthing issues or pass something on to produce midgets nothing against small if breeders.....

Had no choice on buying, and lots of people lie anyways....and I cant buy stud bottle calves....do they even exist ?

Greggy, two separate things. If they get BVD after birth they get over it completely fairly quickly. What you have there are some calves with with chronic respiratory disease which is slower for them to recover from and some will have permanent damage. In this case a transient infection of BVD lowers their immunity and they get sick with a respiratory disease. Sounds like there is a very good chance that you have one or more PI's there which are the source of infection. You should identify them and cull them as a PI will only have another PI which if alive will be weak and poor doing in most cases, not what you are after.

Ken

Hi ken,

After some brief reading, your reply is better understood.

All calves, when bought, were normal size and decent condition.

They, or, any, could have been exposed to PI at various times, my expectation is they went from farm, probably in a truck used by other cattle, then to yards, then to another truck, and to another yard with high movements.....so plenty of time for exposure.

The couple with respitory disease, and a few others with occasional cough, are being managed and monitored.

I will prob discuss and with any remaining cough in next few weeks.

In relation to PI, is it a fair strategy to not bring any new animals to property from a period shortly before breeding, till say 5 months or so after being pregnant.....

It would seem it is highly likely heifers would have already all developed immunity as have highly likely been exposed....

Later when these calves are closer too breeding, see if any have persistant PI....and unload any positives.

I am unlikely to have a closed herd, so could this be managed by having periods of no new animals at that period each time ?