Troxel said heavy rains compound the problems. Cattle can manage well in very cold weather, but if it rains and their hair coat gets wet, temperatures in the 40s can have a chilling effect. Cold, wet weather hits newborn calves especially hard. It can cause them to have scours and respiratory diseases, according to Troxel. Colostrum in the cow s milk contains antibodies that protect the calf from diseases.
Proper nutrition is critical for the cow and the calf.
A cow in good body condition produces more colostrum, which translates into more pounds of gain at weaning. Cows that calve in good body condition also tend to rebreed sooner. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The mention of any commercial product in this web site does not imply its endorsement by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service over other products not named, nor does the omission imply that they are not satisfactory.