Making a Difference
2013 - 2014
Livestock Program Focus Team
Calving Management Schools
Grand
Challenges
K-State Research
and Extension:
providing education
you can trust to help
people, businesses,
and communities
solve problems,
develop skills, and
build a better future.
Sandy Johnson
Livestock Specialist and
Associate Professor
785-462-6281
sandyj@k-state.edu
Austin Sexten
Agriculture and
Natural Resources Agent
785-457-3319
jsexten@ksu.edu
Situation
Increased demand for food and continued encroachment of the growing population
on agricultural land magnifies the need for livestock operations to increase production
efficiency. In addition, increased calf viability is critical to individual producer profitability.
Each live-born calf weaned in good health represents a step in improving profitability for
the producer and feeding the world.
What We Did
Calving management schools provided training to cow/calf producers on the sequence
of events during calving as well as when and how to provide assistance if the birth is not
progressing normally. Producers learned about improving calf health and survivability from
a herd management perspective at the school and in newsletters, radio programs, and
newspaper articles. About 435 participants attended meetings in nine Kansas locations.
Outcomes
Among respondents on the day of the meetings, 66 percent reported an increase in
knowledge; 87 or 94 percent, respectively, expected to change when or how they provided
assistance at calving; 75 percent expected to make changes to reduce the incidence of
scours; and 93 percent expected to increase the percentage of healthy calves weaned.
Six months after the meetings, 43 or 38
percent, respectively, reported having
changed when or how they provided
assistance at calving, and 32 percent said
they had made changes to reduce the
incidence of scours.
Success Story
One producer noted that he had learned
how to better monitor safely supplying first
nutrients for newborn calves and further
commented:
“I had very little calving troubles this
spring, but I felt more prepared from your
outreach. I learned to pull straight out, not
down. I learned a lot. ... My son had a school
commitment, and I wish he would have
come! Thank you.”
Luís Mendonca, assistant professor in K-State’s
Department of Animal Sciences and Industry,
guides a participant as she learns to help
deliver a calf at a K-State Research and
Extension calving management school.
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.