MANAGEMENT COMPONENTS

SECTION 3. CARE OF COWS AND CALVES DURING THE PERIPARTURIENT PERIOD

Proper care of the periparturient (around calving) cow and calf depends on facility design, management, training of personnel, health care programs, nutritional programs, and economics. Health and comfort of the cows and calves should be the main consideration. Calving is a high risk event in terms of cow health and is associated with most of the health problems requiring treatment. Preparation and care during this period will minimize sickness and death of the heifer, cow, and calf. Facilities should be designed to be safe, effective, and easily cleaned.

The main objectives of a calving facility are to minimize disease and stress to both the cow and calf. Convenience and employee working conditions are secondary considerations for these facilities. Properly managed sod pastures can be ideal calving areas during the summer, but they are often muddy during the winter. Additional time is required for frequent observation of cows calving on pastures.

Maternity and calving pens are an alternative to pasture calving. In large herds where calving is concentrated in a small area, sanitation is extremely important. Sanitary conditions will minimize disease and stress to both the cow and calf. Pens should be designed for ease of cleaning. Well-grooved concrete floors are preferable so the pen area can be thoroughly washed while allowing for good traction and secure footing. Clean bedding should be provided in sufficient amounts for cow comfort. The calving facility should have a roof to provide shade in the summer and protection from rain in the winter and spring.

The calving facility should be located where animals can be easily and frequently observed by the herd manager, milkers, and other dairy personnel. Calving assistance should be provided when necessary. It is desirable to have a vacuum line and stopcock located in each pen or nearby to facilitate milking the fresh cow to obtain colostrum. Access lanes to and from the facility are important for ease of cow movement and to segregate fresh cows from the rest of the milking herd.

A supply or utility room should be near the calving area to provide for safe and convenient storage of calving equipment and refrigeration of health care products and colostrum. A sink and running hot and cold water for cleaning equipment and utensils are also recommended in a well-planned calving facility.

Close-up Cow (close to calving) Pens

Cows should be moved about two weeks prior to their expected calving to a "close-up" pen where they can be frequently observed. Cow density in the close-up pen should be about one-half of the density in lactating cow pens for hygienic purposes and to allow cows in labor some space to move away from herdmates. Calving in the close-up pen should be avoided. It is desirable to have cows calve in a special maternity area. Cows should be moved to the maternity area when parturition is imminent.

Maternity Area

Cows naturally isolate themselves to give birth. The maternity area should provide a secluded area for parturition. Clean pasture is a desirable environment for calving but is impractical on most large, commercial dairies in California. Individual or small group pens are most suitable and are widely used in the southwestern United States. There should be one clean maternity pen for each calving cow. The pens should provide at least 100 square feet per cow. The maternity area should be well-ventilated but not drafty. Supplemental lighting should be available. The area should be clean, well-bedded, and free of unnecessary disturbances.

A locking stanchion should be convenient to the maternity area for cows requiring assistance at calving. The facility should be designed so that one person can move the cow to the locking stanchions area, restrain her and render obstetrical assistance. The stanchion should be designed to prevent choking if the cow falls (i.e., the bottom of the stanchion should be close to the ground). The calving stanchion should have long gates which can be swung out of the way once the cow is restrained.

Cows within 10 to 16 days of calving are normally fed as a separate group from other dry cows. A few pounds of a grain concentrate mix may be fed to these "close-up" cows in addition to forages. This practice avoids a sudden shift from an all-forage ration to a ration with a high proportion of concentrates which is typical of that fed to cows in early lactation. Feeding grain also increases rumen papillae length and reduces incidence of ketosis. A sudden shift in ration ingredients and amounts following calving can cause gastrointestinal disturbances and predispose cows to other metabolic problems. For a 1,500 pound close-up dry cow, 5 to 8 pounds daily of concentrate mix are recommended, depending on the body condition of the cow and the quality of the forage being fed. Cows with chronic mastitis, pendulous udders, a history of calving difficulty, and obese cows should receive reduced levels of concentrate before calving. Salt may be withheld from rations to reduce udder edema.

Rapid ration changes at calving should be avoided. If the postpartum cow is to be fed a total mixed ration, it may be beneficial to feed about five pounds of long-stemmed hay in the ration for at least 10 days after calving to stimulate feed intake. This will help prevent cows from refusing feed after calving and the associated digestive malady of a displaced abomasum. Large dairies may have a fresh cow string where cows remain for 5 to 10 days post-calving. These diets are formulated to promote feed intake and minimize the incidences of milk fever and displaced abomasum.

Calving Assistance

About 25 to 30 percent of the heifers require assistance at first calving. Second or later lactation cows require assistance about half as often. Assistance should not be given as long as the cow is making satisfactory calving progress. Heifers should be bred to low birth weight or calving ease sires to decrease the incidence of dystocia (calving difficulty). Knowing when to give assistance at calving comes with experience, so managers should train maternity personnel.

Personnel responsible for assisting calving cows and heifers should be trained in proper obstetrical procedures. Hot and cold water and soap, for washing the cow and ob-stetrician, and clean calving equipment should be readily available. Hygiene and lubrication are critical to cow and calf health. The cow's perineal (around the vulva) area should be washed thoroughly and the tail tied to the cow to keep it out of the way. The obstetrician should avoid contamination of the reproductive tract as much as possible by making sure that hands, arms, and instruments are clean. If extra lubrication is required, a water soluble lubricant which is non-irritating to the reproductive tract is preferred.

Gentle traction applied to the calf minimizes damage to both the calf and the cow. No traction should be applied until the birth canal is open and the calf is in proper presentation for delivery. The trained obstetrician applies traction when the cow is contracting and maintains gentle pressure between contractions, allowing the cow to rest. The person assisting should know his/her limits and call for veterinary assistance when needed. If a Cesarean section is necessary, it is best to make the decision early before the cow, calf, and obstetrician are exhausted. Under no circumstances should motorized equipment be used to extract a calf.

Postpartum Care of the Cow and Calf

After a cow gives birth and before she is released from the calving area, she should be examined to ascertain whether she has a second calf which has not yet been born. Cows that have twins or require assistance are more likely to retain the fetal membranes and/or develop a uterine infection. These cows should be observed more closely than cows that had normal, unassisted calvings. Cows normally expel the fetal membranes within 24 hours at calving.

Cows which become paralyzed during calving should be kept in a comfortable, well-bedded area with feed and water available. An early determination of the cause of paralysis will help determine if the cow should be culled or appropriate care administered to return her to health. A cow that is recumbent for more than 24 to 48 hours is not likely to recover. Appropriate care may include attempts to utilize a water tank designed to "float" cattle or periodically rolling the recumbent cow to her opposite side.

In even the most hygienic calving areas, there are millions of microorganisms which will contaminate the cow's reproductive tract and the calf. Most cows and calves are able to overcome the contamination with no clinical problems. Cows requiring treatment with antibiotics should be properly identified and treated according to a protocol designed by the herd veterinarian and dairy manager. The protocol should be designed to combat microbial infection and avoid any milk and meat residues.

The maternity area should be clean, well-bedded and free of unnecessary disturbances.