Less stress means more success with high risk

Starting high-risk cattle can be challenging but rewarding, if managed well. Many incoming calves arrive with a long list of stressors. They may be lightweight, unweaned, unfamiliar with a feed bunk or water source, or have experienced significant shrink during transport. While these cattle require additional attention, a successful receiving program can set them up for improved health and performance.

A few key management considerations can make a significant difference in how these high-risk animals perform over the long term.

Ensure good water access.
Along with providing fresh water, a source of electrolytes can be helpful because the calves are likely dehydrated. If cattle don’t drink, they won’t eat. Getting newly arrived animals to consume water is one of the best things you can do to increase feed intakes, stimulate rumen function, and reduce cattle stress. These calves may not know how to use an automatic water tank, so consider overflowing it so they know where to drink. It may also be helpful to equip the pen with a water tank, to which you can also add electrolytes. The cattle will eventually learn how to use an automatic waterer, but the immediate concern is getting them hydrated.

Provide clean hay in the bunk.
Transportation is notoriously hard on rumen microbes. You can help the microbes out by providing a quality source of hay to get a good fiber mat back into the rumen. The next day, you can top-dress a total mixed ration on the hay, but don’t shock the rumen of these incoming calves with excessive starch right away. “Excessive” is dependent on intake. There are extremely high-starch receiving products that work well because the intake is low. A common choice is to include 1 to 3 pounds of a medication such as CTC-sulfa (a combination of chlortetracycline and sulfamethazine) with a corn carrier and MFA Cattlepult feed. Giving them clean hay will also lower their respiratory and metabolic issues.

Consider vaccinating the group for bovine respiratory disease and other illnesses they may contract upon arrival.
While some cattle may have already been vaccinated, some might not have been. Work with your veterinarian to determine how to improve or maintain cattle health through such treatment. That said, antibiotic resistance continues to be at the forefront of issues facing animal agriculture. As policies and regulations become more restrictive, we should prepare to use fewer antimicrobials.

Have a plan for when to pull, evaluate and treat calves.
Stressed, high-risk cattle can be demanding on managers, and you can expect more treatment and potentially higher death loss. Ensure your treatment protocols are sound.

Work with your nutritionist.
The specifics will be different for each situation, but sound feeding programs and careful diet transitions are incredibly important to helping high-risk cattle succeed. Be sure to provide only fresh feed. Don’t put moldy hay, moldy silages or questionable feedstuff in starter rations, even if they’re diluted. The calf is working hard to get off to a good start, and the interactions among rumen digestion, liver detoxification and immune system defense are complicated and easily overwhelmed at first.

Delay implanting cattle until they are fully on feed.
In my experience, implanting too early can lead to trouble. If cattle don’t have the calories to support additional growth, undesirable behaviors often increase. Personally, I don’t mind missing a little early performance if it means avoiding a whole new set of problems.

What do cattle want? Not much. They want to eat, drink, rest and be comfortable. When cattle can focus on those basics instead of dealing with stressors, they generally stay healthier and perform better. Boring is good when it comes to cattle management.

Visit with your local MFA livestock experts to help develop a receiving and nutrition program tailored to your operation. 
Have a topic you want Dr. White to address? Email him at livestock@mfa-inc.com.