# How to beat the heat with new born calf



## shullfarm (May 9, 2012)

I bought three "3rd stage" heifers at the sale barn back on January 31st and one died calving on Feb 8th, one had a nice bull calf that same night and the other one had a bull calf last night, July 1st! Third stage my rear. 

So here is my question. It is about 95 degrees here in SouthWest Missouri right now (better than the 105 last week) and the cow does not seem too interested in staying with the calf. I have witnessed it nurse a couple of times, but I have moved the calf close to the cow then she will stay with it for a bit and let it nurse. I am not sure if I should give the calf anything to help it handle the heat or just leave it alone and see what happens. The calf can get up and move around fine, but I have to nudge it in the rear to make it get up.

Thanks for any advice.

Mike


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Confine them together in a smaller SHADED enclosure (barn?), with water and hay for the cow, and, if possible, a fan, and plenty of ventilation. Keep a close eye on them. Heat can be a killer!

I googled this quickly to give you some suggestions:

Z-N-T Cattle Co.: Calving in the Heat


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## PaulNKS (Jan 11, 2009)

They will be fine as long as there is water available. Leave the calf alone. It is in the mama cow's nature to go off and do her thing. She will come back to the calf when she know's it's time to feed him. 

Somehow a cow can "tell" a calf to stay put and that cow will go off and graze for two hours and the calf will not move. 

In herds, the mama cows will take turns "baby sitting" the young calves. You'll see one cow with several calves while the other cows are out grazing. You'll then see the baby sitter, start to gradually move away as another cow will come in to take her place....

So, leave the calf alone. Mama knows where it is when it needs to nurse. Just make sure they have access to water IF THEY WANT IT. 95 is not too hot for a cow or a calf.


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## ufo_chris (Apr 30, 2010)

PaulNKS said:


> They will be fine as long as there is water available. Leave the calf alone. It is in the mama cow's nature to go off and do her thing. She will come back to the calf when she know's it's time to feed him.
> 
> Somehow a cow can "tell" a calf to stay put and that cow will go off and graze for two hours and the calf will not move.
> 
> ...


I read somewhere not long ago that temps over 90 can cause Heatstroke in cows. So seeing this did surprise me.
If it was me ,if there is shade available (there should be) I would move the calf into the shade at least.
If you have a shed or barn they learn to go in it for shelter (sun or rain) but sometimes you have to move them there a few times. Mom will find it ,of course it shouldn't be too far away either.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

I disagree with you on this PaulNKS. Cows and calves begin to feel stressed at temperatures of about 80* F. Shullfarm is talking about a first-calf heifer with a brand new calf in extreme heat. I've yet to see a newborn calf drink water.

Yes, he can let nature take its course and risk losing the calf or he can assist by confining them in a cooler spot where they can bond and increase the chances of this calf's survival.


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## pudgypete (May 28, 2012)

I am glad to have found this thread because I have a first time heafer ready to calf the end of July. I have an eight by eight stall in the barn where she hangs out in the heat of the day. Guess I need to get her a fan today. She is a belfair by the way.


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## Sherry in Iowa (Jan 10, 2010)

In bad heat, our cows and heifers lay their calves down in tall weeds on the fence lines. Usually in the back where there are alot of trees. 

If you are positive that the calf is sucking and momma is being a good momma..I too would leave them alone. Handling them when you don't have to heats the calf up and disturbs what mom is trying to do..bond and teach her calf. 

There's nothing wrong with putting them in an enclosure though. But in the heat and humidity we are experiencing here..you would have to be very sure that the air is moving (using fans). Also, we have a couple of cows that would be excited because they got locked up away from the herd and their usual routine. That in itself would make them more prone to a heat stress incident.

Best of luck and congrats on the new calf!


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## PaulNKS (Jan 11, 2009)

ufo_chris said:


> I read somewhere not long ago that temps over 90 can cause Heatstroke in cows. So seeing this did surprise me.
> If it was me ,if there is shade available (there should be) I would move the calf into the shade at least.
> If you have a shed or barn they learn to go in it for shelter (sun or rain) but sometimes you have to move them there a few times. Mom will find it ,of course it shouldn't be too far away either.


If a cow heat strokes at 90 degrees, there must be underlying conditions. Even the 95 degrees the OP mentioned is not hot enough to hurt the cow and calf, UNLESS the cow cannot get to enough water/shade or there are underlying conditions. If it were true, you'd see millions of cattle die every summer when our heat indexes (temps + humidity) often reach 100 to 110+.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Newborn calves can handle the heat better than grown cows. Remember, they are used to their ambient temp being over 100 degrees. 

Like the others said the mama cow will leave the calf to go graze. She knows when to come back and feed it.

And agree with what Paul said. Cows have survived in nature for a very long time without our pampering.


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## Copperhead (Sep 12, 2011)

4 weeks ago, one of my Angus girls dropped a chunky new heifer. When I first found her, her coat was dry, but her cord was still wet and pink. I was able to walk up, pick her up and do all the normal checks and feels. 

I turned her loose to her mother and went back to work cutting some brush. About an hour later, I couldn't find her, so my boy and I started working through the thick brush along the creek. We eventually found her just above the brush, on the east side of the pasture, near the perimeter fence. As soon as I was within 20 feet of her, she jumped up like a black rocket and took off running due west. After a quarter mile, she ran out of pasture and shot through an electric and barb wire perimeter/goat fence. She ran another 50 yds before falling in a pothole in the neighbors yard and collapsing with exhaustion.

Fortunately, we had been working goats that day as well, so I had a 5 ft halter in my pocket. I ran up, tackled her, and haltered her before she could catch her breath. After a herculean struggle to get her BACK through the electric & barbwire, we got her over to her mother, let her walk around for half an hour with the halter ON, and let her nurse from her mother. Afterwards, we took the halter off and prayed hard!

For the next 2 weeks, she would "nap" in the waist high grass just a few feet outside her mother's rotational paddock. If we hadn't seen her for 3 days, we went looking for her. I got to be really good at spotting black ears in a green and brown pasture, and carefully positioning myself between her and the perimeter fence. I also attempted to place her between me and the herd. As soon as I got within 20 ft, she would jump and run, but every time, her "flight radius" would be less and less. From 100+ yds the first week, to barely 20 yds by the 3rd week. By the end of the 3rd week, she was pretty good about jumping up, running a little, and stopping to look for the big, black blob (Angus herd, remember  ) This entire 4th week, she has been a little angel and continually stayed with the herd. I was nervous when I moved the herd from paddock 1 to paddock 7 -- a quarter mile away and Uphill! But she was calm, fine, and a touch lazy. Just the way I like 'em. Even had to smack her butt once or twice (gently!) to get her moving.

In summary, there's hope!!!


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## shullfarm (May 9, 2012)

After watching the mother and calf yesterday she is doing exactly what several of you have described. The cow puts the calf in the tall grass in the corners and along the fence. Right before dark yesterday I watched the cow come find the calf. The.cow gave a few department low groans and up out of the grass came a calf. The calf nursed until after dark and he sure let mama know when the milk was not coming fast enough. When I went out to check the calf this morning it was in the same tall grass laying down and the cow was much more protective. I think they are doing fine. How often should I fly spray the calf?

Thanks
Mike


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## shullfarm (May 9, 2012)

That was supposed to be deep not department. Autocorrect on phone. Sheesh!


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

I'm glad they are doing well. 

Despite being in the minority on this issue, I would not hesitate to pull a new mother and her new calf out of the hot sun.


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## shullfarm (May 9, 2012)

I have been lucky. Although it is hot, 99 deg today, it is cloudy and windy. I may move them if I had a good place to put them, but that is not the case. Before calving next year I will have a shed of some kind and a corral built.

Mike


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## bama-newsteader (Dec 2, 2011)

My first calf heifer calved on July 1 also. I has been over 100degrees in Northern Alabama. I found the calf Sunday morning, obviously born a few hours before. He was in the middle of the pasture at mom's feet. She was around grazing. Left and came back later that afternoon. The calf was lying outside the fence in the woods, mom was nearby. Brought some water down in a bucket for mama because I was afraid she was not going to leave the calf to go to the pen to get water for herself. She was very thirsty and I was happy that I brought the water to her. Yesterday both she and the calf came up to the pen where I feed them them and have the water trough. There is plenty of shade in the pasture so I am not so worried about them anymore.


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## PaulNKS (Jan 11, 2009)

The worst thing you can do for a soon to be new mama and a calf is put them in a pen or corral. 

Stress can cause calving issues. Stress is the number one factor in a calf getting sick. 

If you watch a herd of cattle, when a cow is ready to calve, she will move away from the herd and find "privacy" or place where she will not be disturbed. If cattle are on pasture year 'round, the cow will sometimes hide a calf for up to a week before you will ever see it. So, when a pregnant cow is brought into a corral, it is against her nature and causes more stress for her during calving than the heat ever will. Stress can cause some calving issues and if you aren't experienced with cattle, you can lose the calf, cow, or both.

With calves, barn lots are the optimal environment for bacterial growth. Many types of bacteria live in the soil in the barn lots. It is the perfect place for them, especially coccidiosis. The number one cause of coccidiosis is a depressed immune system and the number one cause of a depressed immune system is stress. This stress can come from being penned up, relocated, or weaned. 

On most ranches, when calves are weaned, they are treated for prevention of coccidiosis because of the stress it puts on the calves and because some will inevitably succumb to it. 

You are better off leaving the cow and calf in a natural environment to eliminate as much stress as possible at calving and the near future. When she is ready to calve, you should be checking on her to make sure there is no problem, but don't invade her "personal space." Leave her to do her job unless you suspect a problem.

Just make sure she has access to shade and water. ...and yes, she will leave the calf to go drink water if she needs it.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

PaulNKS said:


> The worst thing you can do for a soon to be new mama and a calf is put them in a pen or corral.
> 
> Stress can cause calving issues. Stress is the number one factor in a calf getting sick.
> 
> ...


Like +10.

People new to farm animals often think they have to "do" lots of things to have healthy happy animals. The best thing you can "do" is provide as natural an environment as possible and then leave them alone. Nature knows best  Trust your animals instincts.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

PaulNKS said:


> The worst thing you can do for a soon to be new mama and a calf is put them in a pen or corral.
> 
> Stress can cause calving issues. Stress is the number one factor in a calf getting sick.
> 
> ...


My cattle calve year round in zone 7. I do as stated above.
More calves are stressed by kindness than by nature IMO. Just look at how many bottle calves do not make it!


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## ufo_chris (Apr 30, 2010)

Well the thing is, don't know if OP has any shade....I agree if there is shade ,especially deep shade ,cattle do fine but I have read also that in feedlots where there is no shade, thousands of cattle die each year.


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## shullfarm (May 9, 2012)

The new bull calf will be three weeks old tomorrow and is doing great! Still hotter than heck here. It is supposed to be 105 tomorrow.

On a side note we are having wild fires like crazy here is SW Missouri because of the drought. Thursday 100 acres and 700 bales of hay burned. It burned right up to the back fence on my 10 acres. Then today a fire started 1/4 mile to my West and burned several acres and a christmas tree farm. We sure are praying for some rain. 

I've been working on building a 20' x 30' corral with a cut gate and a chute with a head gate so the next time I need to get a cow caught or band a calf I have a place to do it. I also plan to have my cows AI'd in a month or so. It's just been too dry to do much welding.

Thanks for all the valuable information. I sure do appreciate it!

Mike


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## Two Branch Ranch (Aug 23, 2020)

Thanks for the posts y’all. We just had our first calf (bull) last night to a first calf heifer. It’s crazy hot down here in south central Texas, so normal August. I was worried about the calf in the pasture, but I’ve seen him walk and nurse and his mama comes back from time to time to check on him. The other heifers (5) were a little curious and pretty sweet to him. I had my kit handy and iodined his cord and kinda looked him over some. Based on the collective wisdom here, I’m leaving him alone And letting nature take its course. I’ll post progress reports. We have another due in a couple weeks (AI’d 7 days after the cow that just calved); this cow calves 10 days before her due date, so we will see soon.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

PaulNKS said:


> They will be fine as long as there is water available. Leave the calf alone. It is in the mama cow's nature to go off and do her thing. She will come back to the calf when she know's it's time to feed him.
> 
> Somehow a cow can "tell" a calf to stay put and that cow will go off and graze for two hours and the calf will not move.
> 
> ...


Agree. I birth some stragglers in the summer heat. They do fine. Nature is well thought out


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Chaos @Alice In TX/MO pure chaos


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