VET’S ADVICE

With calving for some only a few months away this may be a timely topic. There comes a time in cow calf production to induce cows to calve for a number of reasons. This may be because there is an abnormal pregnancy, the cow has a life-threatening condition, pregnancy has gone on too long leading to health issues. There are other specific reasons where management of the calving season may warrant inducing cows. In all the cases careful thought and examination must go into the final decision. The best outcome must be considered by yourself and your veterinarian as every case is unique and the ultimate goal is to have both the cow and calf survive.

If very close to the end of gestation, there are a few protocols to have a normal induction. The use of prostaglandins and dexamethasone in combination will give induction generally within 30-36 hours. I like to use the regular dose of prostaglandin ( 2cc of estrumate or equivalent product) and about 25 mg of dexamethasone but again your vet should have a formula they like for these prescription products. Everyone of these cases where induction has been contemplated an emergency c-section has been contemplated as well. One is often balancing the time taken to induce and the determined gestational length with the odds of both the calf’s and dam’s survival. Sometimes the dam is in grave health and our main goal is trying to salvage the calf and other times the pregnancy is abnormal, so one is trying to remove the calf to save the cow.

Conditions where I have induced cows or heard other veterinarians induce cows with success are fetal anasarca (collection of fluid in the fetus), hydrops (abnormal amount of fluid accumulation in the uterus making it life threatening), severe peritonitis, heart failure from hardware disease, severe pyelonephritis (kidney infection) and even severe pneumonia.

Cases where cows go down close to calving perhaps from getting too thin carrying twins are another example where inducing a bit early may get rid of the weight of the calves and uterine fluids allowing the cow to get up again. Downers pose their own set of management headaches. They must be on a soft well bedded area given feed and water. There are better ways to lift and transport them to a more suitable location. Management of downers is a whole other topic to discuss and as far as induction goes may be a day by day collective decision as to if, when and how induction will happen.

Viability and closeness to due date for the calf’s sake is always a big decision. Do we have a breeding date (AI date or visualized breeding) how is udder fill and what does your veterinarian think on palpation? These are all very subjective calls and even if a breeding date is known the breeds or breed classes have quite a range and variation between them in gestational length. With in vitro fertilization gestation seems to be quite variable as well. Inducing any earlier than two weeks ahead and the calf is usually not viable.

It is much easier if one is simply bringing on cows a bit earlier to tighten the end of the breeding season or for other management reasons an induction is contemplated. Here it is absolutely imperative to check the cow has good quality colostrum. The thick yellow sticky colostrum in all four teats indicates the cow/heifer is close enough to induce. If the colostrum looks like mucous it is still too early and you must wait. If inducing, you know they should calve within about the 30-36-hour window, but they may have been going to calve within the next few hours naturally so watch them closely. In other words, the induction process was too late as calving was occurring naturally. Be warned the sick, toxic, thin etc cows usually do not produce much milk so udder fill is not appropriate With all inductions observe them closely and again the ultimate goal is to save cow and calf. One must keep in mind the calf in utero is sort of mimicking what is going on with the cow. If she is short of breath because of pneumonia the calf’s blood is not oxygenated normally, if she is toxic from bad mastitis or peritonitis the calf will be suppressed. There is a big risk and reward with inducing. I have seen on some occasions where both cow and calf are lost but I have also seen live twins delivered from a downer cow and she subsequently got up so all three were saved. One never knows until you try.

are individual animal problems but sometimes as in the cases of hardware disease (heart failure), or thin from lack of nutrition herd issues may be detected. With inducing cows for management reasons, they should always be very close to their due date and have good quality colostrum. They should also not retain their placentas if done properly as we are only talking about bringing them on a few days early. Here’s hoping calving goes well and we don’t run into many cows we need to induce. If there is the need make sure and have your herd veterinarian help determine the most appropriate time unless you have lots of experience previously.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CANADIANS WHO IMPORT ANGUS ANIMALS AND GENETICS FROM THE USA: The American Angus Association has changed their regulations to recognize electronic identification as permanent identification instead of tattoos. At present there is no plan to change the Canadian Angus Association regulations. Members who import animals from the American Angus Association will need to be aware that they may need to tattoo their animals upon import prior to registration to comply with the Canadian Angus Association requirement of tattooing as the only acceptable form of permanent identification.

To date, the Red Angus Association of America has registered 12 gene edited animals. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency does not permit gene editing of animals and members need to be aware that gene edited animals are not eligible for registration in Canada