Management
Good Feed Management Helps
Prevent Weak Calves
Ellen Crawford, NDSU Extension Service
Weak calves can result from
multiple factors, but weather
and inadequate nutrition are
at the top of the list of causes.
“Bad weather and cows with
poor nutrition can lead to
stressed calves with less vigor,”
says Karl Hoppe, North Dakota
State University Extension
Service livestock systems
specialist at the Carrington
Research Extension Center.
Some calves are born weak,
possibly unable to stand, or
lack the energy to nurse. The
calf may survive if the producer
helps it nurse, provides it with
another source of colostrum,
and takes it to a warmer place
(pickup cab, barn or calf heater).
Colostrum is a form of milk
that cows produce in late
180 | JUNE/JULY 2018
pregnancy. It contains energy,
protein, fat, vitamins and
antibodies to protect newborns
against disease until their own
immune system is functional.
Weak calves can result from
disease but usually not
immediately after birth.
However, placental infections,
such as fungal infections
from moldy feed, can lead to
a reduced nutrient flow to
the unborn calf. While this