It may be hard to believe but something as simple as a humble nose flap on a calf can turn a very stressful event — weaning — into a manageable process. That matters, because stress can have significant negative impacts on a calf and impacts the animal’s ability to adjust to new feed and new… Read More
Tag: Joe Stookey
It’s time for Tuesdays with Lyndsey! (Smith, that is). On today’s show, hear from: Rachelle Murrison, on how SWAT Maps can inform management of lodging; Dr. Joe Stookey, on why weaning is so stressful on calves and how to mange that stress; and, Peggy Brekveld, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, on the loss… Read More
As evolution should dictate, there are substantial benefits to social behaviour in animals, provided that behaviour increases their fitness (or likelihood to reproduce). We see unique social behaviour in many species, including ourselves and our bovine counterparts. In cattle, social behaviours range from grooming to bonding, and witnessed accounts of cows protecting their young and… Read More
If you have cows, you’re no stranger to traditional weaning tactics and you’ve also likely heard of both fence-line and nose-flap weaning. Calves weaned in both manners have been shown to walk less, eat more and call less than their traditionally-weaned counterparts. Reducing stress doesn’t end with one magical weaning strategy, however. It’s best to couple… Read More