Assessing calf vigor | Beef Magazine

In human medicine newborn babies undergo an APGAR test following birth. APGAR stands for appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respiration. The purpose of the test is to assess how well the baby tolerated the birthing process and how well the baby is doing outside the mother’s womb. An APGAR test for calves similar to the one in human medicine would give cattle producers a clue when to intervene in a newborn’s life. Unfortunately, most attempts to develop such a test for calves have not been successful; however, there are several studies that provide some practical advice on when…