the
BEEFMASTER Pay Weight
a publication dedicated to serving commercial cattlemen and produced by Beefmaster Breeders United SPRING 2021
Vol.7, No. 1
Section 1
www.beefmasters.org
The Basics of Managing the New Calf by Dr. Stephen B. Blezinger, Reveille Livestock Concepts For cow-calf producers, there are few sights as satisfying as finding a new baby calf born early in the morning with no obvious problems for the cow or the calf. Virtually every cattleman will tell you that the success of his operation is dependent on producing healthy, productive calves. In many cases, unfortunately, producers often take health and performance of new babies for granted, until something goes wrong. In most cases producers assume the cow is minding the calf and that as long as it’s nursing and the cow is giving milk, all is right with the world. While this is largely true, the nutrition and health management of newborn calves is a significant topic of concern. Something to remember: Research indicates that 57 percent of calf death loss is seen in the first 24 hours and 75 percent within seven days of birth. This article will discuss some basics of managing the new calf to help
ensure its short- and longterm (lifetime) health and performance. Process Begins Before Birth The development, health and overall performance begins at conception. Fetal or developmental programming is a concept producers are beginning to recognize increasingly as more data emerges showing how important care of the pregnant cow truly is. Often, the producer’s focus is getting the cow bred. Once this happens, many breathe a sigh of relief and believe they can relax for the next nine months until the calf is born. Research and practice has shown that this is not the case. The care and nutrition of the cow directly effects the development of the fetus (cells, tissues, systems, processes) and it lays the groundwork for the rest of its life. A growing number of studies show that the nutrients provided – protein (particularly
amino acids), energy (from both carbohydrates and fats), minerals (macro and micro) and vitamins (fat and water soluble), all have very specific, important roles in the development of the embryo and the fetus. If even one of these is in short supply during that period, the development of the embryo and later the fetus can be impeded in some manner. This will affect how well the calf functions and performs later in life. In some cases, particularly for breeding animals, these effects may be
noted much later in its life and can affect future generations. Cow health is also a concern. The producer should work with a knowledgeable local veterinarian to establish a comprehensive vaccination program that will protect against those diseases that can negatively affect the calf and reduce the incidence of abortions. Of particular concern in many areas is Anaplasmosis, a disease caused by the organism Anaplasma marginale.
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Beefmaster Genetics Debut in Turkey by M. Doyle Sanders and Jeralyn Novak, Beefmaster Breeders United Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) and DBL D BAR Beefmaster Ranch, Industry/New Ulm, Texas have successfully delivered 67 Beefmaster embryos to Kafkas University in Kars, Turkey. The embryos will be used to develop the foundation Turkish Beefmaster herd for crossbreeding with other native cattle such as; European Limousin, Charolais, Simmental and various breeds of dairy cattle. After four years of dedicated assistance from the Ankara Office of the USDA
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the U.S. Embassy Agricultural Attaché, this project is now in full operation. On Monday, January 18 the delivery was confirmed by Sinem Duyum, Agricultural Specialist in the Office of Agricultural Affairs at the U.S Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. “The Beefmaster embryos have just arrived in Istanbul and the shipment was successfully cleared from the Istanbul Airport custom,” said Duyum.
The Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MinFAL) granted final import permit approval under European Union (EU) regulations. This will allow a new Beefmaster project to proceed under the guidance of Dr. Yavuz Öztürkler, Veterinary & Animal Science Department Professor at Kafkas University in the Kars Province of Eastern Turkey. “I would like to express my sincere special gratitude to Mr. Doyle Sanders and the BBU
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