Cattle are typically marketed and transported several times in their lives. Marketing and transportation can be the most fatiguing and stressful events in a feeder calf’s life.

Congenital defects are abnormalities present at birth. They are abnormalities of structure or function that can result in calf losses before or after birth. These defects can be caused by genetics, environment or a combination of these two factors. In some cases, the cause of defects is unknown.