Page 31 - MWC 8-25-2022s

Summer Pneumonia in Calves a Concern: The Midwest Cattleman · August 25, 2022 · P31
What You Need to Know Stockpiling for Winter Grazing

By Ellen Crawford By Chris Teutsch, UK Research and Education Center
Dead or sick calves are calves. Late spring or sum- Stockpiling tall fescue ent NBPT. This ingredient
a scenario that is reported mer high temperatures can is one of the cheapest and has been tested extensively
every year in a number of produce heat stress in cows best ways to provide win- and proven to prevent vola-
beef herds. and calves, resulting in great- ter grazing for livestock. In tilization. Organic nitrogen
“A list of all possible caus- er susceptibility to infectious good years, tall fescue pas- sources such as broiler litter
es for this case can be very agents. Also, dry, dusty condi- tures top-dressed with 60-80 can be used for stockpiling,
confusing to producers,” says tions can increase susceptibil- lb nitrogen/A in mid-August but they tend to yield lower
Gerald Stokka, North Dako- ity because the calves’ normal can produce 1-2 ton/A hay because not all the nitrogen
ta State University Exten- innate, clearing defense mech- equivalent. The question in is immediately available to
sion veterinarian and live- anisms can be overwhelmed, drought years is does this the plant at application.
stock stewardship specialist. which allows for pathogens to recommendation work? No The last option is to stock-
“However, depressed, feverish proliferate and gain access to pasture will respond to ni- pile with no nitrogen. In well
calves with an increased re- the lungs of young calves. trogen until it rains. In addi- managed grazing systems,
spiratory rate most likely will • Mixing groups together tion, pastures that have been a strong nitrogen cycle and
fit the diagnosis of ‘summer after calving, such as mov- overgrazed during a drought higher levels of soil organ-
pneumonia.’” ing cow-calf pairs to pasture have the least potential for ic matter can be developed,
The common question or mixing groups together fall growth. Applications making these pastures less
generated by this diagnosis for heat synchronization and of nitrogen for stockpiling responsive to nitrogen ap-
is: Why would nursing beef artificial insemination pro- should target pastures where plications. I would suggest
calves in the pasture with lit- cedures, can result in cattle the “gates were closed” and testing this approach be-
tle stress in their lives come re-establishing their social overgrazing was prevented! fore applying it across large
down with respiratory dis- order and allowing the trans- The next question is when acreages. To accomplish this,
ease or pneumonia? mission of infectious agents. and how much nitrogen to apply nitrogen as you would
• When calves are sorted apply. Ideally nitrogen for normally, but leave some no
What is Summer for moving or synchroniza-
Pneumonia? stockpiling should be applied nitrogen strips out for com-
Summer pneumonia is a tion programs, they can have in mid-August at a rate of 60 parison. This will give you an
respiratory disease/pneumo- separation anxiety and nurse to 80 lb/A. In a drought year indication of the difference
infrequently, which increases
nia that occurs in beef calves stress. there are several approaches that the nitrogen application
nursing their dams. The age to stockpiling. The first is to made in both yield and qual-
range of calves affected can Viruses and Bacteria apply nitrogen in mid-Au- ity.
be as early as 3 to 4 weeks Leading to Summer gust at normal rates and In drought years, winter-
and from 3 to 5 months of age. Pneumonia then pray for rain. The sec- feed is often tight, so max-
Calves are born with lit- These organisms are com- ond is to delay applications imizing the utilization of
tle to no immunity and are monly found in summer pneu- until rain looks like a sure stockpiled grass is essential.
dependent on receiving a monia cases: thing. This option requires Strip grazing stockpiled fes-
passive transfer of immuni- • Bacterial organisms, more planning since nitro- cue can increase grazing
ty from their dam through which include Mannheimia gen needs to be applied prior days by 30 to 40%. Starting
colostrum. This passively hemolytica, Pasteurella mul- to the impending rain. As at your water source, allocate
acquired immunity declines tocida and Histophilus somni the application date becomes only enough pasture for 2-3
through time, and unless the • Viral agents including later, decrease the amount of days of grazing. This is eas-
nitrogen since the grass will ily accomplished by using a
calf develops active immunity BRSV (bovine respiratory
through vaccination or expo- syncytial virus), BRCV (bo- have less time to grow before forward temporary electric
sure to infectious agents, they vine respiratory coronavirus), frost and cool temperatures fence. No back fence is re-
eventually will become sus- IBR (infectious bovine rhino- set in. quired since plants are dor-
ceptible to pathogens that can tracheitis) and BVDV (bovine Research conducted in Vir- mant. During wet periods
cause respiratory disease. viral diarrhea virus) ginia has shown that not all feed hay in a sacrifice area
nitrogen sources are created to avoid wasting stockpiled
“This is why some calves • “Vaccination can be ef-
are susceptible at a very fective in reducing the risk equal when it comes to stock- grass and damaging pasture
young age (3 to 4 weeks) and of summer pneumonia when piling. Three years of data sod.
other calves become suscepti- caused by agents for which a found that the most effective
ble later,” Stokka says. vaccine is available,” Stokka nitrogen sources
for stockpiling in
Conditions Leading to says. “However, vaccination in late summer were
Summer Pneumonia young calves does not equate ammonium nitrate
with a 100% response rate.
Stressful conditions that and ammonium
may precipitate an outbreak Nor does it reduce the stress sulfate. Using urea
associated with weather, dry,
of summer pneumonia in dusty conditions, sorting and or urea ammonium
nursing calves: mixing. In addition, while nitrate (30% solu-
• Certain weather events tion) resulted in
can increase the risk of de- some pathogens may have significantly lower
commercially available vac-
veloping summer pneumo- cines, information to evaluate yields. If you are
nia. For example, mid to late effectiveness is limited.” using these prod-
spring blizzards or rain can Drovers ucts, treat them
deprive the calf of normal with a urease in-
nursing patterns and pro- hibitor containing Stockpiling fescue for winter grazing is a good practice
duce hypothermia/chilling in the active ingredi- regardless if there’s a drought.