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Perinatal Care Methods and Precautions for Cattle

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After cattle enter the perinatal period, farms with the means should set up a calving room; at the very least, they should house them in a group and set up calving pens. The calving pens should be dry, well-ventilated and quiet. After the cattle are grouped together, a dedicated person should be assigned to feed them, and obstetric supplies should be fully stocked. Increase grazing before and after calving (this can reduce dystocia and aid recovery). However, older cattle and those with limited mobility should stop grazing to avoid falls and injuries. Cattle should be allowed to calve naturally as much as possible; if assistance is truly needed, disinfection must be carried out thoroughly. After calving, the following tasks should be done well. 1. Immediately after calving, feed warm brown sugar

After cattle enter the perinatal period, farms with the means should set up a calving room; at the very least, they should house them in a group and set up calving pens. The calving pens should be dry, well-ventilated and quiet. After the cattle are grouped together, a dedicated person should be assigned to feed them, and obstetric supplies should be fully stocked. Increase grazing before and after calving (this can reduce dystocia and aid recovery). However, older cattle and those with limited mobility should stop grazing to avoid falls and injuries. Cattle should be allowed to calve naturally as much as possible; if assistance is truly needed, disinfection must be carried out thoroughly. After calving, the following tasks should be done well.

1. Immediately after calving, feed warm brown sugar water (as above). After calving, the cow should be made to stand up. Replace the bedding straw promptly, keep it dry and soft, and pay attention to bleeding from the reproductive tract and the passage of the fetal membranes; if any abnormality is found, carry out a reproductive tract examination promptly.

2. Postpartum milking. The amount of milk expressed on the first day after calving can be 1/3 of the daily yield; from the second day onward it can be gradually increased, and normal milking can resume on day 4 to day 5 once lactation and digestive function have recovered. This can effectively prevent milk fever.

3. For cows that expel the fetal membranes naturally, uterine flushing with medication should be carried out according to changes in the lochia, and it is best to alternate the medications used. For cows with retained fetal membranes, if they calve in August to September and it exceeds 12 hours, uterine treatment should be carried out. It is best to combine this with systemic treatment to prevent other complications. Uterine recovery should be achieved within 15 days to 20 days after calving, which helps bring the first postpartum estrus earlier, reduces uterine inflammation, and maintains a normal calving interval.

4. Once digestive or metabolic diseases occur during the perinatal period, they should be diagnosed and treated promptly. During peak calving periods, a 24-hour duty system should be in place. Cattle should be observed at the feed trough during each shift, and once feed refusal occurs, a systemic diagnosis should be made. In the early postpartum period, the overall immune capacity of cattle is often relatively poor. If the milker is even slightly careless, it can cause mastitis in newly calved cows; mastitis at this time often strikes aggressively, so it must be treated early to avoid causing other diseases.

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