Since the 2017 implementation of the veterinary feed directive, beekeepers and veterinarians are learning from one another. It was a surprise to the bee community. They did not anticipate the rule, which restricts beekeepers from using certain antimicrobials in honeybees without a veterinary feed directive or prescription from a veterinarian. It won’t take many years to get us … [Read more...]
Void in urban livestock veterinary care due to lack of facilities, interest or experience
Research results indicate an increasing demand for veterinary services for poultry and livestock in cities and suburbs and a need for ongoing continuing education of practitioners, as well as the animal owners according to UC Davis research. This segment of agriculture has been largely overlooked by the veterinary community in North America.” - Dr. Alda Pires “The health and … [Read more...]
Choosing a backup generator
Weather events are the most common reasons for the power to go out. Aging power grids in the U.S. are susceptible to outages as more and more electricity is demanded. Daniel D. Chapel shares factors to consider when making an electrical backup generator decision. Source: DVM 360 Hospital Design, June 2020, page 6. Link. . . . the average duration of an electrical power … [Read more...]
Keeping eyes on African Swine Fever
Although it seemed like diseases like African swine fever (ASF) took a backseat during the pandemic, the Covid-19 crisis taught the industry an important lesson about disease outbreaks: more work is needed, writes Jennifer Shrike. She shares four lessons shared during a June webinar. We need: more research and funding at the federal level effective … [Read more...]
Beef industry paradigm shifts should continue
Seven innovations offered progress in genetics, efficiency and profitability in the beef industry also provide a “paradigm shift philosophy” for future management decisions, according to Bill Rishel, Nebraska Angus producer. He cited these innovations that helped everyone from ranchers to beef consumers: Performance record systems Artificial insemination Boxed beef … [Read more...]
Helping cattle stand the heat
Every summer, livestock media sources of all types feature piece about heat stress in cattle. Whether cow-calf, feeder or dairy cows, heat can damage their ability to maintain their rate of gain or milk production. The combination of hot temperatures, high humidity, and lack of air movement can result in severe cases of heat stress for cattle. When temperatures remain above … [Read more...]
Watch for resistance when controlling flies on cattle
It’s no secret horn flies cut cattle performance. Each fly pierces its host 20 to 30 times a day drawing blood each time. Insecticide ear tags and pour-on products are easy to use and cost-effective. It is important to monitor for resistance because it can cause entire classes of insecticides to become useless. The practical tips will help producers monitor fly populations and … [Read more...]
Quiz: Boost your fly warfare expertise
Whether on the farm, in the stable, near the kennels or backyard patio, flies are a nuisance. Barb Crabbe, DVM, offers a 10-point quiz followed by the answers and some facts about each question. It’s likely there will be few perfect scores! Source: Horse and Rider, June 15, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: At least half of the answers can be used in social media posts, newsletters or … [Read more...]
USDA forecasting largest annual increase in grocery prices since 2011
Grocery prices will rise by a higher-than-average 3 percent this year, due largely to the coronavirus-propelled surge in the cost of meat, poultry and fish at the supermarket, according to the USDA forecast released June 25. At the same time that grocery prices are rising, the food insecurity rate has doubled since the coronavirus struck. Source: Successful Farming, June 26, … [Read more...]
Cattle health, drones and thermal imaging
Visualize a cowboy on a horse or 4-wheeler near cattle. His attention is not focused on observing them, rather he’s staring into a screen he keeps moving back and forth, tipping and dipping. Drones using thermal imaging coupled with artificial intelligence is nearly here. It is early, but technology similar to satellite imaging is coming soon to help monitor cattle health and … [Read more...]
Hardware, plastic disease still found in cattle
Fifty five percent to 75 percent of cattle slaughtered in the eastern U.S. have hardware in the reticulum. Cattle don’t usually sort their food, which means they can ingest foreign matter when eating hay or processed feed. This include pieces of fencing, nails, metals and more recently, plastic fibers used to bind hay. Magnets are used to remove metal objects, but plastics are … [Read more...]
Wildlife among us
Commentary A fecal deposit on my deck and a latrine under a tree recently are stark reminders that suburban backyards are frequented by an ever-increasing citified wildlife population. Animal health pros immediately think of rabies and ideally have been able to keep vaccinations current in pets that go outdoors. Beyond deer eating in our yards and predators like foxes, … [Read more...]
Dang those flies!
Flies are a nasty nuisance. Whether on the farm, acreage or in the backyard, they are an insidious challenge for animal owners and people alike. It’s summer. When the temperatures go up, fly numbers rapidly increase. If not controlled, adult flies continue to lay eggs and increase the fly population. Managing larvae and adult flies should be a continuous process. Every … [Read more...]
Why dog import legislation is important to animal health pros
Commentary Art Parola, a pet industry consultant, recently wrote the column, Why Cattleman Should Care About Dog Import Legislation, for Drovers. He highlights the real risk of Bont ticks being imported while attached to dogs coming into the U.S., especially those from the Caribbean region. It is highly infested with heartwater for which hont ticks are vectors. Heartwater … [Read more...]
Raising Gallons video part of dairy month effort (video)
Dairy Management Inc. and state and regional checkoff teams around the country are showcasing dairy’s resilience and community impact during the Covid-19 pandemic in celebration of National Dairy Month. The efforts began on World Milk Day, June 1, with a Raising Gallons video < link > DMI created in partnership with state and regional checkoff organizations. The video … [Read more...]
Iowa DVMs offered free training on foreign animal diseases
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering a free, online, continuing education program for veterinarians licensed in Iowa titled IowaFADefense. The focus of IowaFADefense is to increase the state's ability to rapidly detect, respond to, and contain foreign animal diseases. The diseases covered in the program are: African swine fever, classical swine … [Read more...]
The life of a fire ant queen (video)
Speaking of fire ants, here’s a short animation from TED-Ed that explains the lifecycle of a fire ant queen. From mating to death, it details the queen’s life in a way that is memorable for adults and youngsters alike. Source: YouTube, January 16, 2020. Link. Mating frenzies, sperm hoards, and brood raids: the life of a fire ant queen – Walter R. Tschinkel. Also see: … [Read more...]
Dairy topics: cow lying time, evaluating colostrum and virtual dairy tours
Keeping cows resting, improving measurements for failure of passive transfer and preparations for June Dairy Month are all actionable topics for animal health pros working with dairy producers. The Undeniably Dairy educational resources may interest people in your networks who plan to extend home education during summer. Take a few minutes to watch this virtual tour. < … [Read more...]
Beef topics: anaplasmosis, water and pandemic processing
Anaplasmosis, availability of water and its quality, and keeping processing teams aligned to limit coronavirus transmission concerns were among recent beef production discussions. Producers may have skimmed this information and need help with answers. It is also important to support the National Cattlemen’s Association’s Beef Quality Assurance trainings to help raise the … [Read more...]
Hand hygiene is an EVERYDAY practice
We should know this, right? Ginger Fenton shares handwashing reasoning for dairy farms, but her message is a One Health message, too. Developing and implementing hygienic practices can be beneficial for all involved in protecting humans from diseases carried by animals and the reverse as farmers protect their animals from diseases that are spread by humans. Source: Dairy Herd … [Read more...]
FFA: $2 million in 2020 scholarships, 103 sponsors, 1,323 recipients
2020 marks the 36th year for the scholarship program, which began in 1984. Since then, more than $50 million has been awarded in scholarship funds through the National FFA Organization. Congratulations to all the recipients and thank you to supporting sponsors. Source: Rural Marketing News, March 11, 2020. Link. Approximately one in every four students who applied was … [Read more...]
Somatic cell counts spike in spring
Bacterial and somatic cell counts are used by dairy farmers and processors as indicators of milk quality. In general, the higher the counts, the lower the milk quality. Warm, wet spring weather provides the perfect opportunity for bacteria to breed and wreak havoc on milk quality. In order to stay ahead of a springtime spike, producers should focus on cow comfort, cow … [Read more...]
Anaplasmosis, here to stay
Often forgotten anaplasmosis is now in 48 states. It is a bacterial pathogen that lives within the red blood cells of cattle and is spread by Dermacentor species ticks, the American dog tick and the Rocky Mountain wood tick. Cattle who survive the first round of infection become persistent carriers and therefore a reservoir for additional infections. Source: BEEF, April 6, … [Read more...]
Open-field calving box keeps newborns warm
Like its own miniature windbreak, this Canadian producer’s idea has merit for inclement weather conditions anywhere. It is an idea to consider sharing with cattle producers directly or by newsletters and social media posts. Source: Drover’s, March 30, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: Calves are often born in the worst weather regardless of seasons. Something about those changes in … [Read more...]
Pork Checkoff adjustments seek to improve trust and value
Reflecting the changes in pig production in the last 20 years, the Pork Checkoff program is undergoing a transformational shift. In rebuilding the checkoff program, the National Pork Board is putting a laser beam-like focus on the priorities and things that matter the most to our industry: trust and value. Source: PORK, March 5, 2020. Link. David Newman, president of the … [Read more...]
Swine disease management and COVID-19
THANK YOU, Jennifer Shike and Cassandra Jones, PhD, for sharing the challenges of managing swine PEDV and PRRS in the context of our current COVID-19 pandemic. Jones believes suppression should be the strategy. “Even then, we’re looking at June or July as peak of this thing, and 8X more critical care beds needed than we have available.” Cassandra Jones, PhD, Kansas State … [Read more...]
Cowcohol – a “wheyle” of a good idea
Leave it to entrepreneurial, small-herd dairy producers and an assistant professor of distilled spirits, AKA a guy with the most fabulous job on the planet, to create a novel way to use whey, the byproduct of cheesemaking. Todd Koch, owner of TMK Creamery in Oregon, now ferments his whey and makes a vodka-like liquor they call “Cowcohol.” The dairy is overwhelmed by … [Read more...]
Isolation, distancing and PPE protocols ‘old hat’ to livestock production
It is easy to marvel at how under-appreciated, yet familiar and expected biosecurity is to the livestock community: Swine producers learned to shower in and shower out of facilities years ago as part of their efforts to reduce swine disease and stop massive death losses due to farm-to-farm fomite exchanges < link > Progressive dairies manage mastitis incidence … [Read more...]
Wet hay, straw and grains create risk for animal owners
If you’ve ever dunged-out straw, shavings and manure-filled stalls or a chicken coop after a rainy week, you will recognize how easily mold, fungi and bacteria could be present in that substrate. Rob Riley, MD, shares how an allergic reaction to mold and bacteria in the lungs causes inflammation. This health issue is known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis or farmer’s lung. … [Read more...]
Rural Media Group announces new streaming service, RFD-TV Now (video)
Complimentary Sponsored Content RMG has just announced expanded streaming service under a new name: RFD-TV Now. It offers improved searchability, increased security, and added features such as the ability to “favorite” shows or binge watch them by season. This is good news for animal health pros who enjoy FarmHer, rodeos, horsemanship features, cattle topics like DocTalk, … [Read more...]