Give calves healthy start

Good nutrition is important to overall health, and it begins at birth, said the experts at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute on a recent Cattle Chat podcast where they discussed the importance of the calves nursing within the first 24 hours of life.

“Colostrum is the first milk that the calf gets from its mother that contains a lot of immunity to set it up for the first four to five months of life,” said Kansas State University veterinarian Brad White. “As soon as the calf starts drinking, it has 12 to 24 hours to absorb the colostrum before its gut closes.”

To help facilitate the delivery of colostrum to the calf, veterinarian Bob Larson said there needs to be selection pressure put on teat size and udder structure.

Larson said, “I want the cows to deliver the colostrum, so I am going to retain females that have a good mothering ability along with a quality udder.”

Another tip is to ensure the calf completely nurses all the quarters of the udder, White said.

White said, “Once the calf starts to nurse, make sure they get a full dose of colostrum because once milk enters their gut, the process of closing begins.”

One step that producers can do to set up the cows for success is to ensure they maintain a good body condition entering the calving season and while they are nursing calves.

Phillip Lancaster, beef cattle nutritionist, said, “Cows that are thin will produce colostrum that is of lower quality than those that are receiving good nutrition. Research has shown that a calf born to a thin cow in a stressful delivery will experience a diminished absorption of the colostrum, as well.”