Beef Management Tips, March 2002

Livestock Update, March 2002

John Hall, Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, VA Tech

March Beef Management Calendar

Spring Calving Herds

• Move pregnant heifers and early calving cows to calving area about 2 weeks before due date
• Continue calving
• Check cows 3 to 4 times per day, heifers more often - assist early if needed
• Keep calving area clean and well drained, move healthy pairs out to large pastures 3 days after calving
• Ear tag and dehorn all calves at birth; castrate male calves in commercial herds
• Give selenium and vitamin A & D injections to newborn calves
• Feed cows extra energy after calving; some protein may be needed also
• Keep high quality, high magnesium high selenium minerals available
• Purchase estrous synchronization supplies; line up AI technician or AI supplies
• Order fertilizer; start getting equipment ready
• Last chance to frost seed clovers this spring (Early in month)

Fall Calving Herds

• Pull bulls to maintain a 60-75 day calving season
• Remove bulls to bull pasture and check condition
• Begin creep feeding or creep grazing calves if desired
• Plan marketing strategy for calves
• Begin feeding high magnesium minerals to prevent grass tetany
• Make first selection of replacement heifers
• Order fertilizer; start getting equipment ready
• Last chance to frost seed clovers this spring (Early in month)

Cow that loses calf at birth could save others
When a cow loses a calf at birth, it is always a great disappointment for cattlemen. However, this cow can still be useful and help save calves. The first thing you should do is get this cow up and milk her out. It takes a good head gate and a helper, but it can be done. Store the colostrum in quarts or pints in the freezer. Thaw frozen colostrum in warm water not in the microwave.

Cows will continue to produce antibodies in their milk for the first 48 hours, but the concentration will continue to decrease. So, you can milk a cow several times to get more colostrum. However, be sure to label the colostrum as first milking or second milking. Use the first milking the first time you feed a weak newborn calf. Remember they need to get colostrum within 12 hours of birth and preferably by 4 hours after birth. Calves will need 1 to 2 quarts of warm (101 °F) colostrum.

You may want to consider buying a commercially produced maternity pen. If you want to build your own maternity stall, take a look at some of the good commercial ones to get an idea how to construct the nursing panel and other special parts.

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