Extreme temp = sick calves

[gizmom]

Just a reminder, we have had temps in the high 70’s then dropping into the 50’s at night mornings have been foggy and cool. Tonight they are talking about snow just crazy weather. These extreme temp variations are the perfect recipe for pneumonia in young calves,we have treated four calves this week.

Izmom

 

[callmefence]

We had a rain of sick calves and a couple of cows a few weeks back when the temps when from near freezing to near 90 in about a day.
Got lucky and noticed it early. Did a ear tag check of twice a day and pulled anything as soon as it started looking droopy. Out of about a dozen head treated We didn't loose any knock on wood. I did Cull a good young cow after the antibiotics withdrawal. She was so sick for so long I figured she'd be a lunger from now on.

We had 24 hours of cold rain into snow last night. The warm up starts today but at least it's gonna be a little more gradual. They always seem to take sick on the warm up. Also it's wet now. Seems like it's always worse when it's really dry. It's called dust pneumonia here.

 

[TCRanch]

Huge variation in temps here as well and extremely dry/dusty. Gave Sustain to a replacement heifer the other day, watching her closely but looks like I caught it early and won't have to pull her & follow up with Resflor Gold. I need to wean some fall calves and all of them just happened to be in the barnyard 2 days ago - perfect, all I had to do was sort out the other cows & their mamas, but didn't want to risk it because the temps were predicted to go from 57 to 17 that night. And they did. It's 17 right now but supposed to be back in the mid 60's by Sunday. This is way worse than constant cold.

 

[Black and Good]

Huge variation in temps here as well and extremely dry/dusty. Gave Sustain to a replacement heifer the other day, watching her closely but looks like I caught it early and won't have to pull her & follow up with Resflor Gold. I need to wean some fall calves and all of them just happened to be in the barnyard 2 days ago - perfect, all I had to do was sort out the other cows & their mamas, but didn't want to risk it because the temps were predicted to go from 57 to 17 that night. And they did. It's 17 right now but supposed to be back in the mid 60's by Sunday. This is way worse than constant cold.

Agreed. With these bouncing temps and the added stress of weaning, it is sure hard on calves and cattle people trying to stay healthy. B&G

 

[BC]

Swings of more than 30 degrees between day time highs and night time lows = sick calves.

 

[cowgirl8]

I'm seeing lots of fall calving cows in others herds and thought i'm so glad I don't have cows calving right now....then, we have one calve..lol It was 70 the day before and 22 the night it was born. Bless its heart. Doing fine though.
Where I am the temp swings have been no problem because its so dry. Now add water to the mix and its a whole new ballgame...

 

[farmerjan]

Had the last first calf heifer have her calf last night after a couple of inches of our first snow of the year. She is taking care of it and it has been up and nursing so I guess we will be okay. Temps were in the 30-35 range yesterday. Sunny and 40's the next few days. Still hauling water though, as the spring can't keep up and 2 inches of snow sure ain't gonna help it much. No more precip in the forecast for another week.Way drier than we usually are for this time of year.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Temped a calf today, 105.7! Draxin on board.... we have had extreme from days to nights.... hate this weather.

 

[Silver]

Swings of more than 30 degrees between day time highs and night time lows = sick calves.

That's a daily event here, swings of 60 degrees F are not uncommon, I've seen 80 degrees. Good bedding and windbreaks are important of course, but for weaning calves it's pretty important to have them up on Somnus vaccine. Of course, you don't want to vaccinate sick calves so important to do it before it comes to that. I was a little slow this year with the weaned calves because of the weather and started to get a little sickness so ran the whole works through and gave them all Biomicin. Cleared things up pretty quick then gave the vaccinations. My bad.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Pretty typical here for large swings and wet cold weather with wind. Keep them fed helps the most, Hungry and cold will break them quickly.

Fed cold and wet will kill gains
Empty cold and wet will kill them

 

[Hunter]

Yep, we have our first sick calf to go along with one whose mother gives very little milk.
Fun times.

 

[gcreekrch]

I'm curious, are these calve all vaccinated with a live vaccine or are they naive to any vaccination program whatsovever?

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Not just the cattle,, been taking a toll on humans here too...

 

[TCRanch]

I'm curious, are these calve all vaccinated with a live vaccine or are they naive to any vaccination program whatsovever?

Mine are vaccinated at appx 3 months with Ultrabac 7, appx 6 months with Ultrabac booster & Triangle4+PHK - both killed. I have been considering Inforce 3 for newborns this year and it's a mod live.

 

[gcreekrch]

I'm curious, are these calve all vaccinated with a live vaccine or are they naive to any vaccination program whatsovever?

Mine are vaccinated at appx 3 months with Ultrabac 7, appx 6 months with Ultrabac booster & Triangle4+PHK - both killed. I have been considering Inforce 3 for newborns this year and it's a mod live.

Go to a live vaccine on your cows. Given during the open period a month before the bulls go out. Use Inforce at birth and again at a month. If possible Give the calves a live at 4 months. Your buyers will love you.

 

[gcreekrch]

And go to Vision 8S for your blackleg.

 

[True Grit Farms]

And go to Vision 8S for your blackleg.

Why?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

This will be the first year I am giving Inforce 3 at birth. My cows are vaccinated with MLV minimum 30 days prior to breeding season, calves get MLV at 3 months and again at booster time ate 4 months of age. They get another MLV after weaning. My feedlot buyer LOVES my health program.

 

[Bright Raven]

I'm curious, are these calve all vaccinated with a live vaccine or are they naive to any vaccination program whatsovever?

Mine are vaccinated at appx 3 months with Ultrabac 7, appx 6 months with Ultrabac booster & Triangle4+PHK - both killed. I have been considering Inforce 3 for newborns this year and it's a mod live.

Go to a live vaccine on your cows. Given during the open period a month before the bulls go out. Use Inforce at birth and again at a month. If possible Give the calves a live at 4 months. Your buyers will love you.

You should hide. True Grit thinks MLV Vaccines should be outlawed and the guy who developed them should be shot behind the ear.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

To each his own. Everyone can make management decisions that may or may not be the most helpful/successful. Any management is better than NO management.
My personal preference is MLV. Everything I have read or been taught is that killed is more expensive, must be boostered (which doesn't bother me because I re-vaccinate in 30 days), and does not last all year. I super prime my calves, getting 3 MLV shots before a year of age, then then get annual MLV boosters the rest of their life.