Whether you’re a beef farmer or a dairy farmer you may choose to breed your cows on a schedule that produces calves all year long—which can include the winter season. Being prepared to facilitate the birth and survival of your newborn and young calves is paramount, especially in freezing temperatures.
We’ve briefly summarized what can happen if your newborn calves experience prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures, according to Beef Magazine—a national cattle information source.
In freezing temperatures, adult cows stay warm with the help of their rumen, which is a fermentation chamber that breaks down plant compounds. It acts as a heating core that helps sustain them in frigid weather.
In newborn calves, however, the rumen is small and nonfunctional. It doesn’t begin to grow until the calf is about two or three weeks old, depending on when grain and hay are introduced into its diet in addition to the milk it receives from the cow. During the first five to six months the rumen develops rapidly.
A calf’s internal body temperature should stay between 101 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit, says Beef Magazine. When its temperature drops below that threshold the calf enters danger territory. The body of the calf will divert warm blood away from its extremities, like the skin, ears, tail, and lower legs, and prioritize it to the brain and other vital organs so that it maintains its core temperature.
When the calf’s body temperature falls below 100 degrees Fahrenheit hypothermia begins to set in. If its temperature goes below 95 degrees Fahrenheit the calf’s organs will begin to cool, and if its temp drops into the mid-80s your calf may go into a coma.
Your first step is to take the rectal temperatures of your calves to know the effects of their exposure to the freezing cold. Based on your findings consider four practical ways to warm them up, which are discussed in our subsequent posts.
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