Assessment and Impacts of Newborn Beef Calf Vigour
Abstract
Modified APGAR scores, intended to identify compromised calves with reduced vigour, yield inconsistent results and are not widely adopted. Data were collected from 77 newborn beef calves to determine calving characteristics and clinical examination parameters associated with abnormal blood parameters and a calf’s ability to consume colostrum by 4 h after birth. Calves born to primiparous dams, with increased calving difficulty, a weak suckle reflex, or incomplete tongue withdrawal, had decreased blood pH and increased L-lactate at 10 min after birth (P<0.05). Calves with a weak suckle reflex were 41.6 times more likely to fail to consume colostrum by 4 h compared to calves with a strong suckle reflex (P<0.0001). Calves that failed to consume colostrum by 4 h were 2.8 times more likely to be treated prior to weaning (P=0.03). In conclusion, good newborn beef calf vigour is a vital survival characteristic that helps ensure timely colostrum consumption, contributing to long-term health.
Description
Keywords
Veterinary Science
Citation
Homerosky, E. R. (2016). Assessment and Impacts of Newborn Beef Calf Vigour (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25026