Cattle ranching, calving, scours questions

[eyg]

I ran across this site doing research and am impressed with the knowledgeable answers given. I'm hoping somebody will be willing to answer some research questions for me about cattle, calving and scours?

Specifically, how are calving cattle handled on a ranch--calved in barns or left on the range? What time of year do they generally calve say in Montana or Wyoming? If calves get nutritional scours, how are they treated?

It seems from what I see here, that ranchers would be able to treat their own stock for most things like this. Are there conditions under which a vet be called to the ranch to treat scours? Would you get electrolytes and maybe antibiotics from the vet? If not, where would you purchase them? What sort of calf illness other than scours would prompt a call to the vet to come out for treatment?

I know nothing about raising/treating calves and this is strictly for research on a project, so thanks in advance for any information you can give me. In other words, no calves will be harmed from my ignorance

 

[msscamp]

Specifically, how are calving cattle handled on a ranch--calved in barns or left on the range? What time of year do they generally calve say in Montana or Wyoming? If calves get nutritional scours, how are they treated?

Generally speaking, here in Wyoming, 3 year olds and above are calved out on the range because it's healtier for the calves and the pasture helps to insure the membranes break and come off the calf. 2 year olds are watched quite a bit closer and are generally calved out in the corral or a small pasture close to the house where they can be monitored as they are more prone to calving difficulties and can require help. I'm not familiar with the term 'nutritional scours' so I'm not sure how to respond. Calving in Wyoming generally starts anywhere from the middle to the end of February up until the middle of March.

It seems from what I see here, that ranchers would be able to treat their own stock for most things like this. Are there conditions under which a vet be called to the ranch to treat scours? Would you get electrolytes and maybe antibiotics from the vet? If not, where would you purchase them? What sort of calf illness other than scours would prompt a call to the vet to come out for treatment?

Antibiotics would come from the vet, generally speaking, although there are other sources available online. Electrolytes are available at most feed stores or farm type stores in my town. A vet would only be called in if an outbreak of scours resulted in several calves dying over a short period of time - and even then the calf would be taken to the vet, generally speaking, to determine the cause of the scours. A vet would be consulted for any unknown circumstance that resulted in the death of two or more calves over a short period of time, generally speaking.

I know nothing about raising/treating calves and this is strictly for research on a project, so thanks in advance for any information you can give me. In other words, no calves will be harmed from my ignorance

 

[eyg]

A vet would only be called in if an outbreak of scours resulted in several calves dying over a short period of time - and even then the calf would be taken to the vet, generally speaking, to determine the cause of the scours. A vet would be consulted for any unknown circumstance that resulted in the death of two or more calves over a short period of time, generally speaking.

Thanks for your answer. What would cause several calves to die from scours? Not catching/treating the symptoms soon enough? Dirty envirornment for the calves? Something else? Would it be a bad reflection on the rancher if he lost calves this way? Or is this something that is expected on a cattle ranch?

What sort of situation (not necessarily scours) would require a vet on site? It sounds like vet visits to a ranch are rare, so I'm interested in situation where they would make a call on site. Thanks again.

 

[msscamp]

A vet would only be called in if an outbreak of scours resulted in several calves dying over a short period of time - and even then the calf would be taken to the vet, generally speaking, to determine the cause of the scours. A vet would be consulted for any unknown circumstance that resulted in the death of two or more calves over a short period of time, generally speaking.

Thanks for your answer. What would cause several calves to die from scours? Not catching/treating the symptoms soon enough? Dirty envirornment for the calves? Something else? Would it be a bad reflection on the rancher if he lost calves this way? Or is this something that is expected on a cattle ranch?

Not catching/treating them soon enough would be a factor, also certain types of scours - such as cryptosporidium - are difficult to treat because they are not caused by a virus, they are caused by a protozoa and about all one can do is provide supportive care until it runs it course. Some breeds - such as some of the dairy types - do not seem to have the vigor to fight back and appear to be more susceptible to scours. To make a blanket statement that it is a bad reflection would be incorrect, there are two many variables involved. When one raises cattle, one is going to lose them - it just goes with the territory.

What sort of situation (not necessarily scours) would require a vet on site? It sounds like vet visits to a ranch are rare, so I'm interested in situation where they would make a call on site. Thanks again.

The turpentine found in some varieties of pine needles will cause pregnant cattle to abort their calves when eaten, moldy sweet clover produces a chemical called dicumeral and - if fed during a certain stage of gestation - will interfere with the calf's blood-clotting ability. Once the calf is born, and they start running around and playing they start dropping dead from internal hemorrage. Improperly introducing new animals to ones herd can result in disease being introduced and can cause a myriad of problems. There are a number of situtations that could potentially result in calling the vet. I hope this helps.

 

[milkmaid]

What would cause several calves to die from scours? Not catching/treating the symptoms soon enough? Dirty envirornment for the calves? Something else?

What sort of situation (not necessarily scours) would require a vet on site? It sounds like vet visits to a ranch are rare, so I'm interested in situation where they would make a call on site. Thanks again.

Dehydration is the main cause of death from scours. Secondary problems like electrolyte imbalance (like acidosis) or toxins can also kill them.

I've had the vet out for lots of little things - preg checks and bangs vaccinations (brucellosis) and looking over a sick animal. Other things that would require a vet but I haven't - thankfully - had to deal with them would be things like a cow calving but calf presented abnormally and in such a way it's too hard to fix yourself (say breech and hind legs down, head turned back, etc), or animal that's been injured and needs to be seriously stitched up, or needs surgery done for various reasons, etc.

Dog people tend to run to the vet for every little thing. Seems 90% of the dog folks out there would never ever consider giving Fido a vaccination. Cow folks...we run IVs and drench 'em orally and give antibiotics and everything else that needs to be done. If the vet has to be called out it's something for something fairly BIG.

 

[eyg]

Cow folks...we run IVs and drench 'em orally and give antibiotics and everything else that needs to be done. If the vet has to be called out it's something for something fairly BIG

Thanks, that's the sort of thing I want to know. I appreciate your input.

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[Running Arrow Bill]

Calves getting sick or diseased is not the "normal" thing. It is the exception. Clarification: IF your cattle and/or calves have proper nutrition, come from a hardy disease-free herd, your facility is relatively "clean" and "safe", they have protection (shelter of some type) from cold windy rainy snowy weather at calving time, and they don't get injured as result of an accident, they "shouldn't" get sick.

IF the bull and cow (or heifer) are matched in genetics and/or the calf is not too large at birth (due to improper mating or breed characteristics) then everything else being equal, you should have a viable, healthy calf that hits the ground running and continues to thrive.

SOME breeds (and breeding matches) can produce calves that are too large for the first calf heifer and/or a certain cow. This results in difficult births and/or having to pull calf and/or one or both die at delivery.

When people say that one should "always" expect X number of losses when raising cattle, then IMO something is not working well, whatever it is. And, it can be due to one's location (or wrong environment for that breed), and where there are "bad" predators around that kill calves. Other causes result from calves (or others) having an accident, drowning in pond or creek, getting tangled up in something and cant get loose. Other factors include livestock operations where cattle are not inspected or looked at frequently due to absentee ownership, HUGE ranches that are difficult to monitor all the stock, and other things. Then, there are always those rare "Acts Of God" that no one has any control over.

We've only had ONE calf death: Was a breech birth from a cow we acquired that was part of (an extra) a sale deal. She had one more chance...never got pregnant...she went to sale barn.

University research reported a 99.7% unassisted calving record among Longhorns. Our experience has matched this. Bulls that we have leased out to commercial herds for cross-breeding have resulted in NO calving difficulties or losses (two of these ranches had about a 20% loss using their "commercial" bulls...

There is more than one side to any story... everyone needs to make their own choices and decisions where their livestock program is and is going... ;-)

 

[buckaroo_bif]

msscamp is cryptosporidium the same thing as coccidia?

 

[msscamp]

msscamp is cryptosporidium the same thing as coccidia?

No, bif. They are both protozoa, but cryptosporidium causes cryptosporosis and coccidia causes coccidiosis.

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department ... /agdex3455

http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/cryptfac.shtml

 

[buckaroo_bif]

Thanks msscamp. I didn't realize there were protozoa that could exist in water. I guess then that's where Cryptosporidium parvum and coccidia differ? Coccidia cannot exist in water can it?