Timing -
A Large Component of Life Cycle Well-Being
by Bruce Derksen
The exact health status of a specific animal anywhere in
the world ’ s beef industry , while being a time sensitive and reasonably precise measurement , is never the result of a singular
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SOUTH REGION DeRon Heldermon 405 / 850-5102 deron @ limousin365 . com event . Management forces , regulatory requirements and distinct health protocols combine to create each animal ’ s level of well-being .
Dr . Misty Edmondson , Associate State Veterinarian for the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industry says , “ An animal ’ s health is definitely ongoing . For an individual , you could say it begins at birth , but it actually goes back even before that . Research has shown the well-being of the calf is always tied to the health and nutrition of the dam . It begins with the passing on of immunity from mother to offspring in colostrum and continues from there .”
Checkpoints Along the Life Cycle
Edmondson believes whether the calf is destined for the feedlot , selected to become a replacement heifer , or chosen as a purebred breeding bull there are significant checkpoints along the way to determine its health and productivity .
Some fundamentals as she sees them-
• The dam needs to be specifically vaccinated and a member of a well vaccinated group of dams to all produce healthy calves .
• The calves must get a good start in life from the colostrum , nutrition and immunization of the dam .
• There should be preweaning vaccinations , at minimum , for the major respiratory pathogens along with a clostridial vaccine .
• Calves should be castrated and dehorned as early as possible when necessary , as research has shown the earlier these procedures are completed , the better the calves will perform due to less pain and stress .
• The process should be repeated by vaccinating replacement females , cows and bulls .
68 • OCTOBER 2020