Every spring in West Texas, there’s a point where calving is mostly behind you, and things finally start to settle down. Calves are on the ground, pairs are turned out, and after a long winter, it feels like you’ve made it through the hardest part of the season. The grass is starting to green up, cows are grazing again, and from a distance, the herd looks like it’s in good shape. This is often when producers feel like they can take a breath and let things run.But this is also when spring calf health problems start to appear, often quietly and easy to miss at first.
Calves born in February and March go through a tough transition. They deal with changing weather, cows getting used to new grass, and more activity and exposure. These challenges can lead to respiratory issues, navel infections, and nutritional stress. Often, problems begin as small changes in behavior or performance that are easy to miss until they turn into bigger setbacks.
This is why doing a simple, focused spring calf health check is one of the best things you can do right now. Catching issues early helps protect calf health, improve growth, and prevent bigger problems later. Let’s look at why small problems matter so much in the spring and how you can stay ahead of them.
