Depending on where you live, it’s calving season or soon will be. So, now’s the time to plan for common health problems.
Recently weaned calves are particularly at risk for respiratory disease. Your first step should be to look for telltale signs like coughing, difficulty breathing and a reduced appetite. Your veterinarian can get a better sense by using a stethoscope to listen to the calf’s breathing, taking its temperature or running other tests.
An established veterinary-client-patient relationship may allow some caretakers to administer certain treatments without an exam first.
Supportive care measures, like dry bedding, tasty feed and time away from competitive pen mates, are just as important.