Question - 4 day old Jersey calf and hot weather

heinola honey · #1 07/30/06, 02:03 PM

Should I be doing anything special for her?
She is with her mom still and in the barn which is cooler than the outside temp of 98 degrees and heat index of 103. Her mom is doing fine but I am new to little calves / hot weather.
Thanks
Ruth

john in la · #2 07/30/06, 06:12 PM

As long as the air is not still or stagnet from a closed barn; or over heated by to many animals per sq foot there is not much else you can do.
If you have trees on your pasture let them out as they are smart enough to settle in the shade if needed and they are more likely to find a cool damp spot to lay in a field.

agmantoo · #3 07/30/06, 07:44 PM

As long as the calf is with moma and both are in the shade all will be fine. Calves survive in much hotter weather than we experience in this country.

heinola honey · #4 07/30/06, 09:24 PM

I have a fan going in there and its just mama and baby. I just didn't know how supceptible(sp) little calves are to the heat.
Thanks,
Ruth

JulieLou42 · #5 07/31/06, 02:25 AM

Our temps have been in the mid-90's and above since July 10th when Ginger's little 1/2 Jersey was born, and he's survived it just fine even tho' he hadn't any shade at all till his second week, when I thought he could handle the steeper, hilly terrain of the smaller pen where the loafing shed is located. Ginger's practically made it in to a ramada by pushing off the sides of it so now what air is moving really flows through it!