February 15, 2008

BEEF takes a look at calving

Calving time is when the rubber hits the road in the cow business. After all, without a live – and thrifty – calf, all the anticipated payoff of expenditures in genetics, cow health, facilities, feed, labor, etc., are just wasted dollars.
That’s why BEEF editors decided to devote our 2008 Cow-Calf Issue to the topic of calving. Each mid February, BEEF editors produce a special issue devoted to one topic of interest to the cow-calf segment of our readership. Entitled, “Fixing Calf Health,” this issue takes a HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) approach to the calving season.
Kicking off the coverage are the results of a survey of bovine practitioners on the status of calf health in the U.S. That’s followed up with articles offering practical advice on genetic selection, passive immunity, calving issues, the first 12 hours, the first two weeks, branding and weaning, and preconditioning.
It’s a package we hope will provide useful, practical and profitable information for you as you plan and prepare for this all-important annual ritual.
— Joe Roybal, Editor