Calf jackets? Yes or no…

[Rmc]

A good way to screw up animals own regulatory system , why cover the part of the body with the most mass ,best able to maintain heat , while leaving the spots most prone to frostbite uncovered?
Makes as much sense as going out side to feed cows in the same temp. In a huge thick 50 below vest . No hat ,no gloves shorts and flip flops .

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Where I live it rains a lot part of the year. Not beef calves but I keep a calf jacket for newborn Jersey bottle heifers for the first few days. They live in calf hutch type pens in an open barn. Even the dairies here put heat lamps for their new calves sometimes but I don't want to mess with electricity.

 

[Nesikep]

A good way to screw up animals own regulatory system , why cover the part of the body with the most mass ,best able to maintain heat , while leaving the spots most prone to frostbite uncovered?
Makes as much sense as going out side to feed cows in the same temp. In a huge thick 50 below vest . No hat ,no gloves shorts and flip flops .

Because if your core temperature drops, your circulation to your arms and legs stops, and then they get cold. Keep the core warm and more, warmer blood will flow to the extremities and keep them warm

 

[angus9259]

I'm all about the get em dry and bedding concept, but in my world, letting them lay on spilt hay or even intentionally spilling it would pay for a lot of calf coats. Ergo - I fall calve to avoid the issue altogether - which, yes, has it's own challenges - I don't want to hijack the thread with a fall calving turn....

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Here's mine.

 

[Dave]

Once again it depends a lot on your area, operation, and the cattle you are dealing with. Putting a calf blanket on a bottle calf would be nearly dead easy. In an operation with a couple hundred range cows calving a large pasture first you have to capture the little guy. Next install the blanket while mom is blowing snot up your rear. Then however many days later capturing said calf to take the blanket off will most definitely be an issue. It might require a fast horse and a long rope. It has been said here many times, it is a big world out there with many different issues.

 

[Silver]

We barn calve in cold weather and there has been occasions where I have blanketed a new born but licked off calf, and / or put a head cover on it overnight in a small loafing shed pen. I can't imagine putting a blanket on a healthy calf with any age on it, but that's me.

 

[TCRanch]

I don't even own one. If they're wet and cold, I'll bring them to the workshop to warm up or move the pair to the barn. As long as they have bedding and an attentive mama, they're generally just fine.

 

[farmerjan]

Because if your core temperature drops, your circulation to your arms and legs stops, and then they get cold. Keep the core warm and more, warmer blood will flow to the extremities and keep them warm

Exactly. That is the purpose of the calf coats, and calves will curl up with their legs tucked and their head/nose around to actually cover their legs in a fashion.
Thank you @Nesikep for reiterating what I said in my first post/answer to this question. IN the real cold climates it helps them to maybe get a little better/faster start... NO, not necessary in most cases... but a boost. Calves that are on cows will also suck frequently which keeps food in the abomasum, which is the "milk stomach" ... and that keeps their body heat up because it is constantly digesting the warm milk. The difference with bottle fed calves they get fed twice or 3 times a day, so more of a "glut" of milk and the digestion slows down as the stomach gets emptied. So between not getting warm fluid consistently during cold spells, they also do not have a somewhat constant flow of milk to aid in continuing digestion... that contributes to keeping the core warm on calves on cows, more than calves on bottles. The same idea of having a fire... heap it all on and it will burn out a little quicker in the middles... as in bottles feed alot at once... or starting a smaller fire and feeding constantly to keep it burning at a consistent flame...

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I don't own one. But, I have had newborns born unexpectedly outside during the night and they froze to death. No protection where the close up pregnants are. They are supposed to be put in barn for calving at night. Miss some sometimes! Once born, about 24 hours in barn then turned out. All calves have a shed they can get into, but usually takes a newborn a little bit of time to FIND them.

 

[Rmc]

Exactly. That is the purpose of the calf coats, and calves will curl up with their legs tucked and their head/nose around to actually cover their legs in a fashion.
Thank you @Nesikep for reiterating what I said in my first post/answer to this question. IN the real cold climates it helps them to maybe get a little better/faster start... NO, not necessary in most cases... but a boost. Calves that are on cows will also suck frequently which keeps food in the abomasum, which is the "milk stomach" ... and that keeps their body heat up because it is constantly digesting the warm milk. The difference with bottle fed calves they get fed twice or 3 times a day, so more of a "glut" of milk and the digestion slows down as the stomach gets emptied. So between not getting warm fluid consistently during cold spells, they also do not have a somewhat constant flow of milk to aid in continuing digestion... that contributes to keeping the core warm on calves on cows, more than calves on bottles. The same idea of having a fire... heap it all on and it will burn out a little quicker in the middles... as in bottles feed alot at once... or starting a smaller fire and feeding constantly to keep it burning at a consistent flame...

Sounds like a great story .
But this study found no advantage of using them.

The effect of calf jackets on the health, performance, and skin temperature of dairy origin beef calves - PMC

Variations and extremities in climatic conditions can result in cold stress for dairy calves during the preweaning period. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of calf jackets on the health, performance, and skin temperature of ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[topstock]

Once again it depends a lot on your area, operation, and the cattle you are dealing with. Putting a calf blanket on a bottle calf would be nearly dead easy. In an operation with a couple hundred range cows calving a large pasture first you have to capture the little guy. Next install the blanket while mom is blowing snot up your rear. Then however many days later capturing said calf to take the blanket off will most definitely be an issue. It might require a fast horse and a long rope. It has been said here many times, it is a big world out there with many different issues.

We have a small herd(30 cows) We calve in a barn with deep bedding. Mud is our biggest enemy, but this winter has been perfect- snow cover and frozen ground. Temps have been below zero - 25 usually with windchill. Our cows are pretty docile. Calves would only have a jacket the first 2-3 days until nursing well. Im probably a little more concerned with ears freezing but I have calf hoodies for that.

 

[farmerjan]

Sounds like a great story .
But this study found no advantage of using them.

The effect of calf jackets on the health, performance, and skin temperature of dairy origin beef calves - PMC

Variations and extremities in climatic conditions can result in cold stress for dairy calves during the preweaning period. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of calf jackets on the health, performance, and skin temperature of ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

And this study specifically stated that the temp may not have gotten low enough to get accurate results... the low temp was barely 20*F.... I didn't put calf coats on the little twins that I had last year until it was in the low 20's with a biting cold wind.... and because the calves would stand there shivering.... I mean their little bodies would tremble so much it was the focus of what I saw in the calves while feeding them bottles... I was taking them off when it got to where the ice on the water troughs was melting around the edge of the black rubber tub; unless there was a cold wind...
One study, done in temps that many of us would not consider exceptionally cold... does not impress me. AND, who in god's green earth would use them in the summer months????
If my little calves could get enough warmth to stop shivering hard enough for their teeth to practically fall out, and want to run around out in their lot while the wind was 30-40 mph and so cold that I had to keep my back to it, and keep gloves on while feeding their bottles... then I will disagree with that study. I never said they would gain better, or more... just that it would help to keep their core warmer... and make them comfortable.

 

[Rmc]

can cause as many or more problems then it helps. Reduces blood flow to the extremities because the core temp is fine but extremities are below temp they should be at .

 

[farmerjan]

Okay, @Rmc ... you don't believe in calf coats... Many do.... you are entitled to your opinion as are others of us who have used them and like them for certain occasions.
I don't need a study to tell me what I saw and experienced in my own small operation with some very small calves and twins that were bottle fed babies.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

"only calves that were healthy and of a minimum age of 10 d were purchased. " dairy origin beef calves - were these beef on dairy calves as in half Angus?

Husky, weeks old half beef calves not the same as neonate purebred dairy heifers.

 

[Nesikep]

And this study specifically stated that the temp may not have gotten low enough to get accurate results... the low temp was barely 20*F.... I didn't put calf coats on the little twins that I had last year until it was in the low 20's with a biting cold wind.... and because the calves would stand there shivering.... I mean their little bodies would tremble so much it was the focus of what I saw in the calves while feeding them bottles... I was taking them off when it got to where the ice on the water troughs was melting around the edge of the black rubber tub; unless there was a cold wind...
One study, done in temps that many of us would not consider exceptionally cold... does not impress me. AND, who in god's green earth would use them in the summer months????
If my little calves could get enough warmth to stop shivering hard enough for their teeth to practically fall out, and want to run around out in their lot while the wind was 30-40 mph and so cold that I had to keep my back to it, and keep gloves on while feeding their bottles... then I will disagree with that study. I never said they would gain better, or more... just that it would help to keep their core warmer... and make them comfortable.

Yep.. and a lot of the time you don't need it for 2 weeks... 2 days is enough. The calf is going to find the cozy spots to lay down anyhow, it'll know where to get milk, etc. Most beef calves don't need it, but if you have one that's a little slow, it can sure help them out.

The methodology of that research is fundamentally flawed in so many ways

I know it's not possible for a lot of people with ornery cows to do it (and catch the calf to take the jacket off after).

RMC, that is just not how it works, calf coats do not decrease blood flow to the extremities at all.. When their core is warm the blood vessels to the extremities dilate and they get more, warmer blood

 

[Travlr]

RMC, that is just not how it works, calf coats do not decrease blood flow to the extremities at all.. When their core is warm the blood vessels to the extremities dilate and they get more, warmer blood

I have a down vest that I like to wear if I'm working outside in cold weather. It doesn't restrict movement like a full jacket does and it keeps me warm even when my arms are bare.

 

[farmerjan]

Yep.. and a lot of the time you don't need it for 2 weeks... 2 days is enough. The calf is going to find the cozy spots to lay down anyhow, it'll know where to get milk, etc. Most beef calves don't need it, but if you have one that's a little slow, it can sure help them out.

The methodology of that research is fundamentally flawed in so many ways

I know it's not possible for a lot of people with ornery cows to do it (and catch the calf to take the jacket off after).

RMC, that is just not how it works, calf coats do not decrease blood flow to the extremities at all.. When their core is warm the blood vessels to the extremities dilate and they get more, warmer blood

Thank you.... for some common sense. It is known that in people that when the body gets cold the blood flow slows to help contain the warmth to the core... when the core warms up the blood flow increases... and especially with a little movement/exercise.
And yes, they learn real quick where to go to lay so they are warmer and out of the wind... sometimes it is just on the side of a little rise in the ground...
I think I left the coats on those twins and 2 other small calves for maybe 2-3 weeks... we had gusty biting wind, temps in the teens and low 20's with wind chills way lower. On a couple of nice windless days it hit 30 and the coats were off those babies..
No they are not practical for most beef producers, but that one cited study was not done on calves being born, LICKED DRY, and on their moms right away getting their first colostrum in 0 degree temps.
Yes, we have lost a few over the years to being born in a snowstorm and never having a chance to get up and get dried off and all before getting chilled too badly. If a calf coat will save a calf, then I am all for it...

 

[Rmc]

RMC, that is just not how it works, calf coats do not decrease blood flow to the extremities at all.. When their core is warm the blood vessels to the extremities dilate and they get more, warmer blood

Put on a heavy warm vest , no hat, no gloves , shorts and flip flops out side in zero degree weather then try to tell me it's not how it works .
If the body core is warm . The body doesn't expend energy to keep extremities warm. If entire body is cold body will expend energy enough to warm up until the core is warm . After that no more energy is wasted.
Bodies will actually reduce blood flow to extremities to keep core warm. Not the other way around .
If core is warm and extremities are cold blood flow reduces to extremities not increased .