The Cutting Edge - Article 24 - Going One Step Deeper: The Effects of Heat Stress Prior to and After Birth on Calves and Performance

Operators To OWNERS

Pre- and postnatal heat stress abatement affects dairy calf thermoregulation and performance

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Link: https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(20)30165-X/fulltext

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Big Take Away #1: Prenatal cooling had no effect on ad lib milk replacer and concentrate intakes BUT postnatal cooling significantly increased overall DMI.

This came in the form of both MR and concentrate week 3 to 8 over non-cooled calves.

Big Take Away #2: Postnatal cooling tended to reduce medication events for fever and infection.

Prenatal cooling tended to reduce the number of esophageal tube feedings required due to low milk ingestion.

Big Take Away #3: Postnatal HS calves had a statistically significant increased ADGs over the other groups weeks 2-3 with calves experiencing both pre and postnatal heat stress being the only ones to have a negative ADG during weaning.

Prenatally cooled calves were born 5.3 lb heavier than their peers and had a tendency for better ¼ lb better ADG.

Ultimate Message: Ultimately, what we can all agree on is that cooling your dry cows is a REALLY good idea and that cooling your calves TENDS TO HAVE have health and welfare benefits BUT may sacrifice feed efficiency. We are simply trying to understand millennium of complex evolutionary and physiologic biology a handful of baby calves. Realistically, only time and more research will tell the net outcome of these combined variables.

Pre- and postnatal heat stress abatement affects dairy calf thermoregulation and performance

Published by B. Dado-Senn, L. Vega Acosta, M. Torres Rivera, S.L. Field, M.G. Marrero, B.D. Davidson, S. Tao, T.F. Fabris, G. Ortiz-Colón, G.E. Dahl, J. Laporta

Location: University of Florida

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether prenatal heat stress or heat stress abatement would affect short-term thermoregulatory and productive responses in similar or opposing postnatal environments.