Livestock Management RANCHING
treatable, the bull should go to market. Defect-free bulls can be treated for external parasites at this time and receive vaccines similar to those given to the cow herd.
Take care of external
parasites at the end of the breeding season.
The basic approach is the same whether the herd
calves in the spring or the fall, with the main differ- ence hinging on the age of the calf. In spring calving herds, there is the opportunity for early weaning of the calves because pasture conditions decline in late summer and fall. If the calves are weaned early, man- agement resources can be applied to the brood cows. “In a fall calving herd, we basically have a set
nutrition program due to overwintering rations and poor forage conditions,” says Spire, “so the decision becomes when to wean the calves. Typically, it’s when the grass comes back in the spring. The calves com-
ing off in the spring are generally a little older, so we have fewer health issues with spring-weaned versus fall-weaned calves.”
Caring for replacement heifers What about heifers being introduced to the breeding
herd? Spire says the way the heifers are bred is more critical and the group can be better fi ne-tuned through gestational dating. The heifer should have received vaccines for viral
diseases at weaning time, and then boostered pre- breeding in the spring. Once her bred status has been determined, she can be brought into compliance with the herd’s general health program. This typically means boostering lepto vaccinations and the initiation of the calf scours prevention program vaccines in those herds where it is necessary. Spire adds, “The difference between the cow and
the heifer is that typically cows will just need a single annual booster of a scours vaccine, which is best de- livered 4 to 6 weeks pre-calving, while heifers tend to need 2 doses. The fi rst one is the priming dose, which could be given at pregnancy check time, and the booster dose is given 4 to 6 weeks pre-calving.”
70 The Cattleman November 2014
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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