Calving Problems and Early Viability of the Calf

Survey of the Present Situation in the EEC.- Survey of the incidence of calving problems, calf mortality, and their economic importance: dairy and dual-purpose cattle.- Present situation of calving problems in the EEC: incidence of calving difficulties and early calf mortality in beef herds.- Discussion.- Genetic Factors and Breeding for Calving Performance. Part 1.- Selection for double-muscling and calving problems.- Reproductive performance in crossbreeding: results from a current experiment in the Federal Republic of Germany.- Influence of sire breed on calving performance, perinatal mortality and gestation length.- Breeding considerations for minimising difficult calving.- Discussion.- Genetic Factors and Breeding for Calving Performance. Part 2.- A breeding strategy for reducing perinatal calf mortality in heifer calvings.- Selection for calving ability in French beef breeds.- Relationship between performance test data and calving performance of test bulls.- Breeding for calving performance.- Sire evaluation for dystocia in Dutch cattle breeds.- Investigations on the relationships of body measurements and weight of heifer and calf to calving difficulties in German Simmental (Fleckvieh) cattle: preliminary results of EEC project no. 320 of the beef production programme.- Comparison of the main European cattle breeds used in industrial crossing on French Friesian dairy cows: preliminary results on calving difficulties.- Discussion.- Physiological Aspects of Parturition.- Hormonal mechanism involved in control of parturition in the cow.- The influence of the sire on the oestrogen production of the bovine foetus-placental unit.- Neural control of the reproductive tract in the cow as it relates to parturition.- Preliminary observations on myometrial electrical activitybefore, during and after parturition in the cow.- Discussion.- Induced Parturition.- Betamethasone induced calving: a comparison between induced and non-induced dairy cows.- Some results with induced parturition in cows and heifers.- Induction of parturition in the bovine.- Use of prostaglandins for induction of parturition in the cow.- Discussion.- Nutrition and Management of the Dam in Relation to Calving Problems. Part 1.- Effect of rearing intensity and age at calving on calving performance.- Pre-calving management and feeding of the beef cow in relation to calving problems and viability of the calf.- Problems associated with the calving and neonatal period in beef cattle.- Discussion.- Nutrition and Management of the Dam in Relation to Calving Problems. Part 2.- Effect of plane of nutrition during late pregnancy on the incidence of calving problems in beef cows and heifers.- The influence of pre-partal feeding on energy metabolism in early lactation.- The influence of pre-calving feeding and management of the cow on ease of calving and calf viability.- Clinical aspects of the nutritional status of the dam and parturition.- Discussion.- Status, Nutrition and Management of the Newborn Calf. Part 1.- Conclusions from the EEC seminar on perinatal ill health in calves.- Immune mechanisms in the newborn calf.- The effect of different methods of feeding colostrum on calf blood serum immuno globulin levels.- Discussion.- Status, Nutrition and Management of the Newborn Calf. Part 2.- Management of the newborn calf: an attempt at an economic analysis.- Treatment of the newborn calf.- Acidosis and clinical state in depressed calves.- Discussion.- General Discussion with Panel of Session Chairmen.- List of participants.