Selecting for Calm Cattle Pays

Keeping repair costs and vet bills to a minimum is not the only reason to select for docile cattle. Animal and handler safety are two other very important reasons to cull the cows that are on the wild side. Bob Weaber, University of Missouri Extension genetic specialist, indicates that many producers make culling decisions based on disposition because typically “animals that have a better temperament have fewer injuries.” Additionally, calm animals mean a more enjoyable work experience for the animal handlers. This is important as farmers are getting older and safety may be more of a concern. Another reason folks look for animals with a docile temperament is that the whole family may be involved in the cattle operation, including younger children, and their safety is an important concern for everyone.

However, there are some bottom line considerations. Weaber says “Calves at weaning time that are more docile have heavier weaning weights than calves that are more aggressive.” Additionally, research indicated that calmer animals gained 0.8lb/day more than the less calm animals in a post-weaning period of 55 days. Feedyards indicate that docile animals have better feed intakes and better average daily gain than the wilder animals. “So there’s an economic incentive to select for animals that are better behaved,” he says. Weaber’s studies indicate that docility is a relatively heritable trait; estimates range from 25% to 40%, so the heritability is similar to that of weaning weight, yearling weight and some of the carcass traits.

However, one always has to look at the other side of the coin. Can we select for cattle that are too docile – especially on the female side? Brood cows that don’t respond adequately to a predator threat or does not exhibit good maternal bonding instincts are certainly not desirable traits. Weaber indicates there’s not a lot of research supporting those assumptions, but it’s something to think about.

A little bit of football and some cow tips......

When the weather starts cooling, it doesn’t only mean that football season is around the corner, it also means that a large percentage of cattle farms in this region are beginning one of the most intense and busy seasons: calving time. Fall calving allows for many different options when marketing, but that’s a different topic for a different article. Here we’re going to look at management and some issues to watch for.

- Pasture

o Make sure you have a pasture ready for calving. Hopefully this pasture is clean with plenty of good forage available. We need to take care of the cows and their calves need to have a good place to begin their lives. We typically designate a “clean” pasture as a pasture that hasn’t been grazed in 6-12 months. However, many farms cannot accommodate that. If we can get anywhere from 2-4 months, our pastures are “clean-er” and we can hopefully look to improve the chances of disease and heavy parasite (worm) loads on our animals.

- Body Condition Scoring

o This is a very important concern when we start looking forward to calving season. As a general rule of thumb, we prefer to see heifers in a BCS of 6-6.5 at calving time, and cows in a BCS of 5-5.5. We need to start looking at our animals at least 30-60 days prior to calving to allow for bringing them to the appropriate level if they are lacking.

- Calving Difficulty

o Know the proper presentation for a calf. Make sure you have a calving “toolbox” prepared. A toolbox should include OB chains and handles, lubricant, calf jack (optional), gloves/palpation sleeves, and a flashlight with new batteries. If you are having problems, it may be a good idea to give your regular veterinarian a call so they will be prepared to come assist you. If you haven’t had any progress within 30 minutes it is advisable to get your veterinarian to come out.

- Health Concerns

o Here is a list of some issues generally seen during the fall and winter seasons:

§ Hypocalcemia (milk fever)

· Cow will not be able to stand, if she does, she will stagger and soon fall. Advanced stages will have them down and their head and neck will be facing their back end.

§ Hypomagnesemia (grass tetany)

· Cow will stagger; advanced stages will have the cow down and displaying convulsions. This is usually put under “spring season” illnesses, but is also prevalent in the fall season because of increased grass growth.

§ Pregnancy Toxemia

· One of the first noted abnormalities is often loss of body condition over 1-2 weeks. Decreased appetite, rumination, fecal production, and nose-licking are general signs of illness. With time, affected cows become markedly depressed, and weak.

Developing a management plan for your operation can help your cattle throughout the fall calving season and into winter. Many of the health concerns listed are treatable with proper minerals and good quality forage.