46 Follow us on Twitter @BetterFarmingON Better Farming | January 2024 been advocating against that for a while. “If it’s not vigorous, we want to resuscitate it – put a finger in its ear, rub it down with a towel, poke the inside of its nose on the hard tissue between the nostrils. This can make them cough and clear the fluid from their lungs and get them breathing.” Ribey says that they make sure calves are up and drinking within the first few hours. “If everything looks good, the calf is alive and doing fine, we walk away and let them do their thing. I like them to nurse within a couple hours. Our Angus calves are usually up and sucking within about 20 minutes,” says Ribey. “Once we are at two hours, I think they get hungry and a little silly, so we go in and help.” Windeyer explains that calves should get colostrum, either from the dam or from colostrum replacement products, within the first four to six hours after calving. “After four to six hours the absorption of antibodies drops off pretty sharply,” says Windeyer. “We want them to get that first really good dose of colostrum.” While timing is important, colostrum quality also needs to be sufficient. “It’s not always that thicker is better and thinner is worse when you look at it,” explains Windeyer. Producers can use a Brix refractometer to measure coBOURBONNAIS EQUIPMENT Sarsfield • 613-835-2623 G.J.’S HARVEST CENTRE INC. Burgessville • 519-424-9374 Milverton • 519-603-8374 HAWLEY’S GARAGE Belleville • 613-969-5525 J&H SALES & SERVICE Chesley • 519-363-3510 J&J EQUIPMENT REPAIR INC Powassan • 705-724-6565 M&P FARM EQUIPMENT Almonte • 613-253-4957 MARK McCABE TRACTOR SALES Lindsay • 705-799-2868 PROFOTA’S FARM EQUIPMENT Chatham • 519-354-5100 YURKE SALES & SERVICE Comber • 519-687-2209 Livestock Ribey likes the calves to nurse within a couple hours of being born. Emily Croft photo
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