Calf jackets? Yes or no…

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At what temperature would you out a jacket on newborn beef calves? Current temp 32… real feel 26. It was single digits this morning at birth…

 

[MurraysMutts]

At what temperature would you out a jacket on newborn beef calves? Current temp 32… real feel 26. It was single digits this morning at birth…

Once they are dry and warmed up they should be fine.
Lots of folks do nothing in that type weather.
Maybe @gcreekrch or @Silver or @Jeanne - Simme Valley will be along. They like cold weather!

 

[farmerjan]

If the calves are on beef cows. then pretty much don't ever use them... They can get up and get something warm in their tummies regularly.
I use calf coats on bottle calves when it gets in the low 20's or below. Especially windy. They only get that warm up drink twice a day and the coats help them to not get their core chilled.
The very few I have ever used on beef calves on their momma's , the cows usually don't like them much either.
I will take them off the bottle calves when it is 35 or warmer, unless it is blowing with bad wind gusts. I will leave them on for days and then when we get a warmer SUNNY day, will take them off so they can get the sunshine warmth... By the time most bottle calves are a month, they are past needing the coat.

 

[Dsth]

each calf is different. my calving season starts in November and runs through January. factors like how well the cow/heifer cleans the calf, does the calf suck shortly after birth, is it out in the elements or inside out of the wind? If I am in doubt, I put one on. last week it was -15F overnight so calves less than a week old got a calf blanket on. left on until it got above freezing 3 days later. calves are inside but that doesn't mean the cow wants them to stay inside and will sometimes take them out in the cold. never had one get too hot from having a blanket on.

 

[Travlr]

At what temperature would you out a jacket on newborn beef calves? Current temp 32… real feel 26. It was single digits this morning at birth…

Okay... think about this for a minute.

There are cows out on the open range in Montana that calve in minus 40 degrees and their calves do just fine once they are dried off and have a full belly of colostrum.

Before people handled cows they evolved to survive.

Are you maybe overthinking due to your own sensibilities?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

As long as they are dry and nursing then no need to do anything.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

At what temperature would you out a jacket on newborn beef calves? Current temp 32… real feel 26. It was single digits this morning at birth…

@Jeanne - Simme Valley is in your neck of the woods and might have input. I've never seen a blanket on a cow though. Occasionally on PET horses.

I'm in agreement with the general consensus here. If they are dry and well fed, there isn't much call for a blanket.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

At what temperature would you out a jacket on newborn beef calves? Current temp 32… real feel 26. It was single digits this morning at birth…

As @Travlr indicated with his loss, they don't have to be newborn. It's really more of a sliding scale in terms of age, size and health, but under the right conditions, a fully mature 1,600 lb bull could fall victim to hypothermia. The weather conditions at the time also have an impact.

There is always a risk. One of the keys, and best prevention, is to keep the animals dry. I don't know about cattle, but I suspect there is some degree of similarity. Full grown adult humans that are healthy can succumb to hypothermia when its 60 degrees and they are ill-prepared for the weather.

Hypothermia is the loss of body heat faster than the body can generate it. Keep animals (and yourself) well fed and dry.

Follow the thread: "Calf Fell Through the Ice"

 

[RDFF]

Never use 'em... calves going on the ground right now. Make sure the calves have a dry place to lay down and get out of the direct wind, and they'll be fine. Momma has to take care of them, or she's not worth having around.

That's not to say that if it gets really nasty, you won't have some losses because of it. A few years ago, we had a Christmas Eve blizzard, -35F with wind, and we lost about 6 through that one... really tough. They had trees to get behind, but it was bad. But in the temps you're talking about (20's and above), there's nothing to be concerned about, unless you're getting a cold rain... that'll be worse than just plain "cold and wind". Be nice at those times to have a well bedded "creep shed" for the calves to be able to get into... and I think that would be much more effective and efficient than "calf jackets".

Calf shelter windbreak system

 

[Silver]

@Jeanne - Simme Valley is in your neck of the woods and might have input. I've never seen a blanket on a cow though. Occasionally on PET horses.

I'm in agreement with the general consensus here. If they are dry and well fed, there isn't much call for a blanket.

Up here horses that get used in arenas during the winter usually end up wearing a blanket. Reason being they don't develop a winter coat.

 

[Dave]

As long as the cow licked it dry and it has nursed I leave them alone. I have had calve born ins sub zero weather, no shelter, and the ground all white they do just fine. A calf that is wet and shivering gets the floor boards in the feed truck with the heater on high. But that is only time they get special treatment here.

 

[Rancher]

Never used anything, just warm towels if outside at 20f below and make sure mom lets them nurse

 

[Nesikep]

I like using them when it's cold on the newborns, if just for a few hours or a day. I'd say at least having one or two in stock is a good idea. The ones I have are Thinsulate, and that calf is TOASTY warm in there.

I sure didn't mind having it to sit on when I had to pull this calf



I don't think this little one minds being nice and warm

New video by Efrem Hug

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[whisperingpinesnh]

At what temperature would you out a jacket on newborn beef calves? Current temp 32… real feel 26. It was single digits this morning at birth…

I got my newest calf ar 2 weeks. We're up in NH, so we get real cold. I'd put one on the little bugger if it's below 45 for now. I think the LCT is 50 degrees for a month or younger.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Below 45? We get those temps in June and July.... hahaha

 

[whisperingpinesnh]

Below 45? We get those temps in June and July.... hahaha

Same here. I always air on the side of caution. Hypothermia newborns don't always come back from it. We've been well below zero here and I still put a calf blanket on my bottle calves if we get that cold. It only takes a minute.

 

[Silver]

I'd put my resources to focusing on providing good bedding and shelter, and making sure they are dry.

 

[Dave]

The way that I feed with flakes well spread out the calves will lay on the hay. It was -5 the morning this Hereford cow had her calf. Back when I was over on the coast with lots of rain I built several sheds 12x8 about 3 feet tall. The calves could go in but not the cows. Calves would be packed in like sardines. They were on skids so I could drag them with the tractor.

 

[CowboyRam]

The way that I feed with flakes well spread out the calves will lay on the hay. It was -5 the morning this Hereford cow had her calf. Back when I was over on the coast with lots of rain I built several sheds 12x8 about 3 feet tall. The calves could go in but not the cows. Calves would be packed in like sardines. They were on skids so I could drag them with the tractor.

View attachment 54002

I have had the same thing. I have a neighbor down the road who calves here in January. He provides a shelter, and bedding for the calves. It it amazing how much they can take once they get all dried off.

 

[Dave]

Not real cold out today. About 29 this morning and spiting snow. A bit of a breeze which is unusual as I am in a hole. This one was born yesterday afternoon. Already figured out to lay in the hay.