navel treatment

[uscangus]

since my bred cows started to calve, i tried to get close to the new born calf to place iodine. by mother nature defense, the calf got spook and took off. he cleverly hop or walk through five wires of four point barb wires. during that day, it rain heavily, and the grass and ground were muddy. by emulating the calf through the barb wire, i did not successfully make it and lost my putting. look all over for the calf in my four section of pastures but no luck.

what puzzled me is that the cow did not ball for several days or walk endlessly along the fence in search of her new calf. i assumed that the coyote took her or the mother is hiding her. i was not able to check her udder for two weeks since i work in the city. by friday's afternoon, i saw the cow standing along the fence near the creek for several hours and repeated on saturday. by mid-saturday, the calf was stood up on the other side of the fence, next to the creek with long grass for him to hide. boy, was i happy since he was my first calf to see being calve. he has healthy conformation.

anyway, i gave up placing iodine since they are being calve in the pasture. i know that the pasture is pretty clean and not in the mud or in the barn where the manures. I clean the stall every week, and cow are usually in the pasture except feeding time. these bred cows are hardly in the barn except for water or only feeding time at early evening-less manure to clean and more fertilizer in the pastures.

from this incident, the cows are very protective in their new calves and some are hiding their new calves. eventually, when the new moms and new calves are mixing together, it is a beautiful sights to behold. seeing them nursing with their mom, it is a great pleasure and fun. seeing the little blank angus calves hopping or running around, they are beautiful.

 

[LoveMoo11]

Glad you are enjoying your new calves. It is definitely a good idea to try to apply iodine, but sometimes you just can't. I'm not saying you should quit trying but it was not something my grandfather ever did with his pasture beef (did with the dairy calves indoors) and he never had a problem. I was watching a show on TV the other day and they suggest rather than trying to grab and tackle the calves like we usually try to do, we should try to work with them more calmly and let the mother keep touching the calf while you're tagging or whatever so she's less likely to give you problems. This way we seem less like predators. It was a a pretty interesting program. Hope the rest of your calving goes well. :cboy:

 

[angus9259]

Glad you are enjoying your new calves. It is definitely a good idea to try to apply iodine, but sometimes you just can't. I'm not saying you should quit trying but it was not something my grandfather ever did with his pasture beef (did with the dairy calves indoors) and he never had a problem. I was watching a show on TV the other day and they suggest rather than trying to grab and tackle the calves like we usually try to do, we should try to work with them more calmly and let the mother keep touching the calf while you're tagging or whatever so she's less likely to give you problems. This way we seem less like predators. It was a a pretty interesting program. Hope the rest of your calving goes well. :cboy:

Gently working with the calf while momma watches on . . . . that's when the predator becomes the prey.

Seriously - sounds great on paper - hate to be there on that 1 time out of 100 when momma decides you are a predator no matter how gently you're treating the calf.

Back on subject - I don't iodine navels. Probably should. Never had a problem not - certainly doesn't mean the problem won't find me one day - they all seem to find me eventually.

 

[Double R Ranch]

We used to use Iodine however several vets and readings I have done has found Novalsan (sp?) to be better. Can't remember why. If I find the articles (I know there here somewhere) I will post it.
We got in the habit of doing it to every animals of any species born here. Have yet to have an umbilicle problem. Would be very costly if we did so we just play safe. We are already there weighting and tagging so whats one more step.
As far as working calmly with the calves. I feel it depends on the cattle. Most all of my moms if I stay with the calf between the cow and me im relatively safe. However when a mom has decided I was a threat she plowed over her calf and charged me. Don't think I have ever ran so fast in my life. Had a time finding my equipment throughout my path of mad running. :lol2: Just be careful. Anymore I just load the calf up in a wheelbarrow or a calf dolly that we made or the back of the quad if its out back and haul it up to the squeeze. There I can safely allow mom to watch and calf and me to be safe. Calf is returned and all is well. Just be careful. Even the nicest cow can turn on you when calves are at "risk".
Double R

 

[uscangus]

thanks for everyone generous responses. my dilemma is that getting access to the calves is very hard. each section of pasture is about 25 acreages. by the time is see them from work in the city, they are already 5 days old. i worked two and half hours away from my farm and end in the evening. usually, the best time to get the calves is just few days from birth. but after several days, they are hopping and running like a gazzle. i am pretty fit but they are very fast.

the cows are usually appear nice and disposition is usually calm but when they have a calf-mother nature kicks in with its defense mode. usually, i feed most the cows with my hand but with a new calf-it is different.

i might have a problem with a cow who is having a problem by loosing his BCS. i have a two 3-1 proteins with my winter feed and replaces them every two weeks plus mineral salts. i am thinking that i might have to worm the cow, check for parasites, and short of proteins. I thought that with my pasture hay for winter feed (about 7% protein) would be enough. with the 3-1 protein with molasses,mg,se, and copper, i thought that it should be enough. the other 14 mixed bred cows and cows do not have the same problem.

i will probably call a vet or my friend who has extensive years of beef cattle. i am still puzzle for her lost of bcs. do anyone have any ideas what causing this dilemma. i am up for any advises. this newbie is "stump." anyway, thank you once again.

 

[LoveMoo11]

Glad you are enjoying your new calves. It is definitely a good idea to try to apply iodine, but sometimes you just can't. I'm not saying you should quit trying but it was not something my grandfather ever did with his pasture beef (did with the dairy calves indoors) and he never had a problem. I was watching a show on TV the other day and they suggest rather than trying to grab and tackle the calves like we usually try to do, we should try to work with them more calmly and let the mother keep touching the calf while you're tagging or whatever so she's less likely to give you problems. This way we seem less like predators. It was a a pretty interesting program. Hope the rest of your calving goes well. :cboy:

Gently working with the calf while momma watches on . . . . that's when the predator becomes the prey.

Seriously - sounds great on paper - hate to be there on that 1 time out of 100 when momma decides you are a predator no matter how gently you're treating the calf.

Back on subject - I don't iodine navels. Probably should. Never had a problem not - certainly doesn't mean the problem won't find me one day - they all seem to find me eventually.

They were actually doing it, not just talking about it. I get what you mean, and you should always be aware, because a mama cow is the most dangerous animal on a farm; but if you keep the calf between you and mom you aren't usually going to have a problem.

 

[LoveMoo11]

thanks for everyone generous responses. my dilemma is that getting access to the calves is very hard. each section of pasture is about 25 acreages. by the time is see them from work in the city, they are already 5 days old. i worked two and half hours away from my farm and end in the evening. usually, the best time to get the calves is just few days from birth. but after several days, they are hopping and running like a gazzle. i am pretty fit but they are very fast.

the cows are usually appear nice and disposition is usually calm but when they have a calf-mother nature kicks in with its defense mode. usually, i feed most the cows with my hand but with a new calf-it is different.

i might have a problem with a cow who is having a problem by loosing his BCS. i have a two 3-1 proteins with my winter feed and replaces them every two weeks plus mineral salts. i am thinking that i might have to worm the cow, check for parasites, and short of proteins. I thought that with my pasture hay for winter feed (about 7% protein) would be enough. with the 3-1 protein with molasses,mg,se, and copper, i thought that it should be enough. the other 14 mixed bred cows and cows do not have the same problem.

i will probably call a vet or my friend who has extensive years of beef cattle. i am still puzzle for her lost of bcs. do anyone have any ideas what causing this dilemma. i am up for any advises. this newbie is "stump." anyway, thank you once again.

I think you are on track to check her for parasites, then talk to your vet or friend. A sudden loss of BCS can also mean something like hardware disease or Johne's so just don't let it go without checking it out, especially if it is happening rapidly and she is the only one i the herd affected.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

if you keep the calf between you and mom you aren't usually going to have a problem.

Don't ever get complacent enough to believe this holds true ALL the time. The sweetest, most gentle cow can turn into a killer in a heartbeat. A riled cow WILL run over her calf to get you. MOST won't - but it only takes ONE!
MOST of my cows let me handle their newborns - but - I put the cow out of the pen when I'm tagging, weighing or anything that the calf may "bawl". When we managed a farm where all the mature cows calved out in open lots, we used a jeep & put the calf in the back of it to process.
Also, cows are less agressive out in the open compared to in a pen - they feel trapped - and they are!
But, always be cautious. It only takes one.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

usc - unless you are able to apply the iodine within "hours" of birth - it doesn't do any good anyway, so don't worry about it. And you're right, after that first day, goodluck getting your hands on them outdoors!
Novalsan huh? haven't heard that. Part of the use of iodine is because it "drys" the umbilical cord I believe. A wet cord is a direct path inside the calf.
Is the lower BCS cow a young mom - 2 or 3 year old? Could she be a heavier milker than the other cows? Have one of he oldest calves? All of these things could affect her BCS.

 

[uscangus]

usc - unless you are able to apply the iodine within "hours" of birth - it doesn't do any good anyway, so don't worry about it. And you're right, after that first day, goodluck getting your hands on them outdoors!
Novalsan huh? haven't heard that. Part of the use of iodine is because it "drys" the umbilical cord I believe. A wet cord is a direct path inside the calf.
Is the lower BCS cow a young mom - 2 or 3 year old? Could she be a heavier milker than the other cows? Have one of he oldest calves? All of these things could affect her BCS.

thank you for sincere advises-"jeanne", before she gave birth, she was 5-6 on her BCS. after two week, her BCS dropped around 4-3.5. she was milking an adopted calf and her own calf. i did not notice her until this sunday. so, i gave her own square bay and able to walk to the barn with the herd and water. i thought that she may be dehydrate from milking and loosing her weight. she is about mid-age around 5-7 years old black angus.

i am hoping she was hungry and not getting winter feed hay and minerals from milking two calves. the other mother did not want to milk her own calf. then, i am thinking that she may have a parasites or need to worm her. all the other bred cows or cows are 5-6 with BCS with no bone showing except the hind legs after birth or near birth. i have ample winter hay in the barn and my pasture is okay in state of washington.

i will call my friend or the vet's friend. i don't want to loose her. i worked two and half hours from my farm. by the time i get home, it is too dark and they are in the pastures. anyway, thank you for your generous advises. if you have any question of dental problem, i am a dentist and would love to help you out for your sincere advises. thank you kindly once again being a newbie.

 

[dun]

Others will probably disagree but if she's raising 2 calves decently she needs extra groceries and deserves them.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Others will probably disagree but if she's raising 2 calves decently she needs extra groceries and deserves them.

That is correct. Having two calves suck her is literally sucking her inside out - especially if she is a decent milker. Might be the only thing you can do since you are not around to feed her seperately, would be to pull the extra calf & ship it.
You are correct to want to deworm her - but - why would she be so much more "wormy" than the rest of the herd? Worms (unless a super overload) don't usually make a cow drop BCS that quickly. MILKING more than her intake of nutrition might.

 

[LoveMoo11]

Others will probably disagree but if she's raising 2 calves decently she needs extra groceries and deserves them.

That is correct. Having two calves suck her is literally sucking her inside out - especially if she is a decent milker. Might be the only thing you can do since you are not around to feed her seperately, would be to pull the extra calf & ship it.
You are correct to want to deworm her - but - why would she be so much more "wormy" than the rest of the herd? Worms (unless a super overload) don't usually make a cow drop BCS that quickly. MILKING more than her intake of nutrition might.

Excellent point Jeanne. Now I feel silly for not thinking of that rather than thinking worse case scenario I agree with the suggestion to get rid of one of the calves, it will be much easier in the long run especially since it sounds like you are pretty busy.

 

[uscangus]

thank you everyone for your sincere help and advises. i hope to do the same if you have any dental question or problems.
there is no word to describe the comfort that you bring in this boards for your expertise, especially a newbie. uscangus

 

[Cowdirt]

I think leaving the navels untreated would be little risk. Having large grass pastures helps keep a cleaner environment for the new-born calves. I don't hold myself up as a shining example of doing all things right in the cattle business, but for approaching 20 yrs., I have never treated navels. I have to this point not had a problem caused by skipping treatment. FWIW.

 

[uscangus]

I think leaving the navels untreated would be little risk. Having large grass pastures helps keep a cleaner environment for the new-born calves. I don't hold myself up as a shining example of doing all things right in the cattle business, but for approaching 20 yrs., I have never treated navels. I have to this point not had a problem caused by skipping treatment. FWIW.

thank you and it is reassuring for your advice.uscangus.

 

[grubbie]

When mama cow cleans the calf, that is our naval treatment. Everyone does things different, but we prefer to keep it simple and let the cow take care of the calf, and herself. Haven't had any naval problems, I guess if I do I will have to change my ways. Cows can sure hide them little critters, eh? Had our first calf 5 days ago, early calf from the neighbors escaped bull. STILL haven't seen it! Mama isn't nervous, so neither am I. She knows where it is!