Lon
Well-known member
3waycross":2lwu3nmj said:
so do we. i was always led to believe to not put a real pregnant cow through a chute as well.
Not a clue... please help
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so do we. i was always led to believe to not put a real pregnant cow through a chute as well.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
'Elevated white count' is pretty nonspecific, in and of itself; yes, it would make one think about a possible infection, but the magnitude of the elevation and distribution of the different populations of white blood cells would be more informative.
I'd have to know *how much* of an elevated WBC count - and distributions of the different cell types.
If normal range is, say (I'm just making up these numbers), 8,000-16000, well, a count of 16,500 is elevated, but it's not high enough that I'm going to get very bent out of shape about it - could be high 'normal' for that animal.
Terminology often gets in the way here, too. These six 'first-calf heifers' - are they bred heifers that will be delivering their first calves in the fall, or are they actually cows that have calved, bred back, and will calve in the fall? I've seen folks here (and elsewhere) refer to animals in both categories as 'first-calf heifers'. In either case, this is a production group that is still growing, 'building' a calf, and are probably less aggressive about pushing in for their fair share of the feed. That alone could be grounds for less than desirable improvement, even in the face of increased feed supplementation.
I'd have to know *how much* of an elevated WBC count - and distributions of the different cell types.
If normal range is, say (I'm just making up these numbers), 8,000-16000, well, a count of 16,500 is elevated, but it's not high enough that I'm going to get very bent out of shape about it - could be high 'normal' for that animal.
Terminology often gets in the way here, too. These six 'first-calf heifers' - are they bred heifers that will be delivering their first calves in the fall, or are they actually cows that have calved, bred back, and will calve in the fall? I've seen folks here (and elsewhere) refer to animals in both categories as 'first-calf heifers'. In either case, this is a production group that is still growing, 'building' a calf, and are probably less aggressive about pushing in for their fair share of the feed. That alone could be grounds for less than desirable improvement, even in the face of increased feed supplementation.
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
We run the herd through the chute in the beginning of the the last tri. Used to be 5-8 weeks before the start of calving, and next year it will again be 5-8 weeks before calving for scour boss. Never had a problem. We do not head gate them...unless we see a problem. Hubby made me a make shift cat walk out of metal feed bunks and plywood. That makes it easy to deworm on the back.
Just take it slow. If it means only taking a few cows and walking them up...then so be it...slow and steady
Just take it slow. If it means only taking a few cows and walking them up...then so be it...slow and steady
Lucky_P
Well-known member
rockridge,
Shoot for 8 weeks pre-calving; no closer. Colostral antibody levels are 'set' at their highest levels at about 5 weeks pre-calving - so you want to be sure that you get the vaccines in the cows with enough time to spare so that they can have the antibody factory cranked up and ready to go at that 5 week point. If you wait 'til 5 weeks prior to calving to give the vaccinations, you've missed the boat on getting colostral antibodies to the calf.
Shoot for 8 weeks pre-calving; no closer. Colostral antibody levels are 'set' at their highest levels at about 5 weeks pre-calving - so you want to be sure that you get the vaccines in the cows with enough time to spare so that they can have the antibody factory cranked up and ready to go at that 5 week point. If you wait 'til 5 weeks prior to calving to give the vaccinations, you've missed the boat on getting colostral antibodies to the calf.
