Winter Increasing Mortality

[inyati13]

I heard from two cattle producers who sit with me on the board of the Beef Cattle Asso in our county that the mortality rate for calves and even mature cows in our county is very high right now. The weather would seem to be responsible. Lucky_P offered a clue with the fact that maybe the feed during these stressful times is not of the quality to carry the cattle through the winter w/o losses.

 

[ibetyamissedme]

I heard from two cattle producers who sit with me on the board of the Beef Cattle Asso in our county that the mortality rate for calves and even mature cows in our county is very high right now. The weather would seem to be responsible. Lucky_P offered a clue with the fact that maybe the feed during these stressful times is not of the quality to carry the cattle through the winter w/o losses.

I live here in MN, granted it does not get cold here but when the ol mercury starts heading down on us, the amount of good feed cattle must eat just to maintain condition is crazy.

 

[inyati13]

I heard from two cattle producers who sit with me on the board of the Beef Cattle Asso in our county that the mortality rate for calves and even mature cows in our county is very high right now. The weather would seem to be responsible. Lucky_P offered a clue with the fact that maybe the feed during these stressful times is not of the quality to carry the cattle through the winter w/o losses.

I live here in MN, granted it does not get cold here but when the ol mercury starts heading down on us, the amount of good feed cattle must eat just to maintain condition is crazy.

In our case, it is not just temperature. These rain/ice/sleet/snow storms have been tracking right up the Ohio Valley on about a 9 day schedule. Like a train, you just wonder when the last car is going to pass. The ground is wet, then it freezes. The cows get soaked, then they get iced. You could not manufacture a more sadistic torment!

 

[Stocker Steve]

Why are they calving now?

 

[inyati13]

Why are they calving now?

SS, many have moved their calving to February due the the mild winters. One guy was telling me back in the fall, that February is what March use to be. Not this year. I bet some of the producers move their calving dates to March or even April after this winter.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Why are they calving now?

SS, many have moved their calving to February due the the mild winters. One guy was telling me back in the fall, that February is what March use to be. Not this year. I bet some of the producers move their calving dates to March or even April after this winter.

We will.

 

[Bigfoot]

I've put my bulls in May 15th for 40 years. Never had a problem till now. Somehow I haven't lost any. My brother lost 3 last night. That was to the cold of course. I don't know what to tell a guy that has them just starve out with a ring full of hay. Supplement is cheap, for what you get for money this time of year. I also think a lot of people in our area were counting on stockpiled fescue long after the sugar was gone. I think they let them pick too long, and went into December a little down on body reserves. I almost made that mistake.

 

[plumber_greg]

I think the whole thing go back to the fact that you don't have cattle that are, for generations, acclimated to what is going on. Whadda' you think some South Dakota cattle would think of your weather? Best time they have ever had. If things keep goin' on like they are now, you will slowly get cattle that will work where you are. I personally think it is stupid to change things, calving dates, cattle types, just because we had trouble this year. gs

 

[highgrit]

Might not be so stupid if we go into a cold winter cycle for the next 10 years or so.

 

[Bigfoot]

A snow here traditionally in late February to early march is a dusting that burns off the next day. It's drifted so bad this time, I couldn't even guess how deep it is. It's going to get close to single digits 3 nights in a row. Bad weather for as many as I have springing.

 

[Bigfoot]

Cold cow

 

[Lucky_P]

Coldest winter we've had here in well over 15 years. I know folks out west - like in MT/WY/KS, etc. - consistently get colder weather with more snow -but 'drier' winter conditions than we typically get here in the Southeast - but I also suspect that they aren't trying to overwinter cows on the same sort of (often poor quality) hay that a lot of folks in our area feed, often with no additional energy or protein supplementation.

For every degree below 18F, a dry(not wet) cow has to expend 1% more energy just to maintain body temp/condition. If they're not being provided with adequate calories, they lose body condition, and can 'starve to death' with belly full of (poor quality) hay. If they're wet, they burn through even more.
If dietary protein is deficient during the last trimester of pregnancy, colostrum quality & quantity can suffer - and calves born to those protein-deficient dams will have a hard time generating enough body heat to get on their feet, nurse, and absorb colostral antibodies. They may well freeze without getting up - and even if they do get up and nurse, those slow-starters may not get the colostral protection they need - and it will impact them throughout their growth period.

Additionally, birth weights are generally increased if temperatures have been COLD during the last trimester - and especially the last month - of pregnancy. I'm seeing that in the calves currently hitting the ground here; much bigger than has been the case in the past.

We moved to March calving from Jan/Feb a number of years ago, but are looking pretty hard at holding these 'spring' calvers over to a June calving season, and backing the Fall calvers up to June calving as soon we can - but that may take several years to accomplish.
Cold rain yesterday, changing over to freezing rain/sleet around 3pm, then to snow after dark. About 6" of snow on top of a sheet of ice. Cows were all festooned with icicles hanging off of them today - 'jingled' when they walked, and big balls of frozen ice/mud hung up in their tailswitches, whopping 'em as they walked.

 

[tom4018]

Why are they calving now?

SS, many have moved their calving to February due the the mild winters. One guy was telling me back in the fall, that February is what March use to be. Not this year. I bet some of the producers move their calving dates to March or even April after this winter.

I feel some of the reason is to try to get them bred back before the hot humid weather. Some of these hot summers make it hard to get them bred back.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Cold cow

All I can say is brrrrrrrrrrr! But she sure looks good sportin those icicles! Nice cow!

 

[Lucky_P]

greg,
Those SD cows might scoff at our piddly cold temps - but they might not like the cold, soaking rain and sleet that tends to accompany that nearly so much as the dry dusty snow they were accustomed to. And they'd surely not cotton to the Southern heat/humidity and high-endophyte fescue, carrying those thick winter coats well into June/July.
lol.

Have had 8 calves born in the last 5 days. One born last night was up and around, but pretty icy this morning; dry and fine by this afternoon. But the cow that delivered twins(69#heifer,92# bull) this afternoon wasn't doing much of a job getting 'em cleaned, dried, and fed, so they're in the laundry room tonight; milked a gallon of colostrum from the cow & tubed 'em. First one is up walking around, second has made a couple of attempts, but not quite there yet. If they're doing OK tomorrow, they can go out in the corral with the dam - but I'm betting the farm manager pulls 'em back into the house tomorrow night, with the current forecast for single digit temps...

 

[John SD]

We're not really kidding when we in SD say it is a "dry" cold. At least most of the time.

In SD we seldom have storms where rain turns over to ice turns over to snow. Yet, that is precisely what happened during the early October winter storm Atlas that the state veterinarian estimates killed 40000+ cattle in western SD.

Had 1-2 inches of soaking freezing rain, followed by sleet, then 2-3 FEET of snow over 3-4 days along with 50+ MPH winds which did not let up. Cattle drifted with the storm in summer pastures with calves still on.

Casualties were higher among adult cows than calves. Cows did not have a winter coat of hair yet while the calves had a good start on a winter coat.

I have never seen anything like Atlas in my lifetime, and hope never to see it again. I sold my cattle to my neighbor along with my home place. 40 of those perished in the storm, most in another neighbor's dam.

 

[plumber_greg]

Might not be so stupid if we go into a cold winter cycle for the next 10 years or so.

Stupid may have been the wrong word. Bad idea may be better.
It would be a bad idea to change a business plan, cattle types, calving dates, just because of what next winter may be like.
If the current weather becomes the norm, most will have already done that slowly. Averages are figured on the highs and lows. This is a good year for some to claim they figured it out. If next winter is mild, or even more to the average, those same people won't be sayin' they was wrong, wished they hadn't paniced and changed things too fast.
I would hate to see someone change to May 1 calving just because of this winter. Remember, studies have shown that the most econimcial time to end calving is 30 days before turn out to grass. Cows milk better, calves can utilize the spring flush of good grass. Cow bsc is easier increase after winter calving.
Our turnout is May 1, need to end calving April 1, 60 day calving season means starting Feb. 1. Just remember this winter will become a memory and in everyone's mind will become probably worse and worse. Tell our grandchildren about. gs

 

[jerry27150]

4 or 5 years ago, they had a piece on the weather, in a farm magazine that claimed we would be in a mini ice age for 12 years

 

[Black and Good]

Why are they calving now?

SS, many have moved their calving to February due the the mild winters. One guy was telling me back in the fall, that February is what March use to be. Not this year. I bet some of the producers move their calving dates to March or even April after this winter.

I feel some of the reason is to try to get them bred back before the hot humid weather. Some of these hot summers make it hard to get them bred back.

And in addition to that, if you have heifers you want to get them healed up where they will breed back with the cows. And try and keep your calves uniform. B&G :tiphat:

 

[Banjo]

A lot of farmers are like me and they have cows in their herd that are older than they realize. Time gets away....fast. I lost a cow the other day that was probably getting old, plus she had gotten a sore foot a couple of months ago and lost a lot of weight and never gained it back. However, I had a young bull I had raised last year and let him run with the cows not thinking he was old enough to breed, but he must have, because I have a field full of new calves in the last six weeks out of him. They are all doing fine...not lost any yet.