Patrick Gottsch, the founder and president of Rural Media Group, passed away May 18, 2024, at the age of 70. He was a champion of rural America, devoting more than half his life to empowering farmers and ranchers, giving them a voice at the table. Rural Media Group, Inc. is the parent company to RFD-TV, The Cowboy Channel, The Cowgirl Channel, and Rural Radio 147. Source: … [Read more...]
USDA moves to electronic identification tags for cattle
The new rule moves USDA official identification for bison, beef and dairy cattle to exclusively EID tags that can be read both visually and electronically starting in November 2024 and moves the USDA official identification tags from the metal option to EID tags. The classes of cattle requiring official identification have not changed and does not require the mandatory tagging … [Read more...]
Is H5N1 a threat to U.S. swine herds?
Influenza is constantly changing, shared Amy Baker, DVM, PhD, in a recent webinar for swine producers. Influenza from a native waterfowl host has the potential to infect swine. Those same viruses can also interact with humans and poultry. Baker emphasized awareness, precautions and surveillance. Several species, including pigs, birds, wild mammals and humans, have the … [Read more...]
Healthy rumens start with water
It doesn’t matter if a dairy is milking 100 cows or 10,000 cows, water makes a difference, says David Reid, DVM. He shares his experiences helping producers manage water availability, temperature and quality. <Clean, fresh water> is an important part of creating a really healthy rumen which means you have a healthier immune system that is going to help with milk … [Read more...]
New York City birds found carrying H5N1
Discovering a few wild birds carrying highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza highlights that the interface between animals and humans that may give rise to zoonotic infections or even pandemics is not limited to rural environments and commercial poultry operations. It extends into urban centers, according to the American Society of Microbiology. Source: Infectious Disease … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 16, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, May 9, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the May 9th AHD Bulletin – Advances in equine disease detection. Link. Differentiating mastitis from teat sealant residue at freshening. Link. Temple Grandin, PhD, joins Fear Free as director, animal well-being. Link. … [Read more...]
U.S. to spend $200M on bird flu fight, including dairy farm compensation
The USDA is providing a range of financial incentives to help increase biosecurity and cover veterinary fees plus costs associated with sample collecting and testing. Source: Agriculture Dive, May 13, 2024. Link. Producers can receive compensation for implementing effective biosecurity plans and establishing heat treatment systems to safely dispose of milk. … [Read more...]
Cheese by-product turned into plastic
Say what? Researchers at UC-Davis have developed yet another use for dairy products. They discovered polyhydroxyalkanoates can be made at a low cost from dairy byproducts and used in a wide range of applications, such as films, rigid packaging and single-use items like straws, utensils, compostable bags, cosmetics and biomedicine. Previously expensive and in short supply, the … [Read more...]
Measuring methane from cow burps
Commentary The next time someone says cattle producers aren’t seeking to manage GHG emissions, share this article about four climate-controlled respiration chambers installed at Cornell University to quantify GHG emissions from cows. Source: American Agriculturist, May 14, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Heat abatement important for calves
Holstein heifer calf prices are reported at double to triple their values from a year ago <Link> as well as being in short supply. Optimizing their growth and development is critical to future potential, lifetime production and health. As warmer temperatures approach, investing in heat abatement is good business. Similar to mature cattle, calves have a thermoneutral … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 9, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, May 2, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the May 2nd AHD Bulletin – Why vet bills are so high. Link. 7 cleaning tips about washing pet toys. Link. AHD’s archives offer a quick way to see posts by month, see what you missed. Archives for April 2024. … [Read more...]
GEA acquires CattleEye AI solution to predict, identify lameness
Next to mastitis, lameness is a major disease in dairy cows that can lead to infertility and decreased milk yields. The CattleEye system combines a 2D camera with specialized software that analyzes cow movement and body score patterns giving farmers unparalleled insight into their herd's health. Source: Feedstuffs, April 8, 2024. Link. With the trend towards larger and more … [Read more...]
Temple Grandin, PhD, joins Fear Free as director, animal well-being
In her new role, Dr. Grandin will focus on developing innovative strategies to improve the well-being of animals to ensure lives worth living. She will begin her focus on how to bring Fear Free to farm animals. I'm especially excited about plans to give animals used for food and fiber what's being called 'a life worth living', where animals get to experience positive, … [Read more...]
Asian longhorned tick now in 19 states
Asian longhorned ticks, described by USDA as “invasive pests that post a serious risk to livestock,” are now in 19 states. The CDC says that ALT have been found in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West … [Read more...]
Rebuild or sell off? Considerations for beef producers.
The question, “What do you think about (fill in the blank)?” dominates discussions at rural coffee shops, during neighborly stops on gravel roads and during on-farm veterinary visits. Scott Brown is no stranger to these environments and shares thoughts about strategic choices beef producers are facing during high value beef markets. Source: Missouri Ruralist, May 6, 2024. … [Read more...]
Differentiating mastitis from teat sealant residue at freshening
Sharing information from Boehringer-Ingelheim, Audrey Schmitz’s article addresses some challenges at dry-off with high-producing cows. Teat sealants are frequently used to close teats in top milk producers as they are less likely to form a natural keratin plug. She shares the importance of keeping milking employees trained on identifying milk versus teat sealants, as well as … [Read more...]
Managing dry-off with high-producing cows
Abruptly ceasing milking is a widely adopted practice for low-producing cows but may not be the best method for drying off high-producing cows. Heather Dann shares approaches for reducing milk yield before dry-off to manage involution and keeping cows healthy. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, May 6, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider sharing this article with dairy producers to help … [Read more...]
FDA finalizes guidance to provide further clarity on VFD
To assist stakeholders involved with veterinary feed directives – veterinarians, VFD feed distributors (medicated feed mills, feed retailers) and clients (owners or other caretakers of the animals) the FDA has finalized Guidance for Industry (GFI) #120: Veterinary Feed Directive Regulation Questions and Answers. While the core recommendations in final GFI #120 remain the same … [Read more...]
Phibro Animal Health to acquire Zoetis medicated feed additive portfolio
Zoetis Inc. and Phibro Animal Health Corporation announced they have entered into a definitive agreement where Phibro Animal Health will acquire Zoetis’ medicated feed additive product portfolio, certain water-soluble products and related assets. Source: Feedstuffs, April 29, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Growing concerns about fescue toxicosis in the dairy industry
Producers who use fescue in grazing pastures have growing concerns about the impact of fescue toxicosis on milk production, writes Carmen Burner. Tall fescue, a perennial grass, is found in 15 states. It is grown for benefits such as drought tolerance and resistance to various insects, viruses and fungal diseases. A fungal endophyte Neotyphodium coenophialum found in about … [Read more...]
7 common threads of top-producing dairies
Dairy production is competitive although competition is strongest when dairies work to increase their own production metrics. Karen Luchterhand, PhD, shared common actions from dairies that are getting the most from their cows including milking three times per day, prioritizing heat stress abatement and stall management. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 26, 2024. … [Read more...]
CDC’s new HeatRisk tool
The CDC and National Weather Service have teamed up to roll out two experimental tools nationwide that will help public health officials and citizens to better prepare for dangerous heat: HeatRisk Dashboard and HeatRisk Forecast. Given the challenges heat brings to livestock production and companion animal safety, these tools can help animal health pros stay safe and more … [Read more...]
Crop residue grazing recommendations changing
Mary E. Drewnoski, PhD, shares how higher-yielding corn crops, with less downed corn, have changed the way beef specialists recommend crop residue stocking rates. She recommends producers think about fall grazing plans and stocking rates as they plant this year’s crop. The article includes an updated formula for stocking rate on corn ground. Source: Nebraska Farmer, April … [Read more...]
Cull cows, beef value now important for dairy profits
Cull beef cows were the topic of a recent post <Link>. For dairy producers, the value of cull cows and beef have moved from a rounding error to a critical component in profitability. This “beef value” can no longer be ignored, and producers that don’t make it part of their margin calculus may be leaving dollars on the table explains Will Babler. Source: Hoard’s … [Read more...]
H5N1 adapting, not stopping
Since the avian flu arrived in 2020, more than 90 million birds have been culled in the U.S. Unlike other avian flu viruses, H5N1 has infected a wide variety of birds and mammals, including seals, skunks, dolphins, polar bears and dairy cows. The virus continues to evolve and scientists are especially worried about pigs because they’re susceptible to human and avian flu … [Read more...]
USDA approves Pradalex (pradofloxacin injection) solution for certain respiratory diseases in cattle and swine
Pradalex (pradofloxacin injection) is a 3rd-generation fluoroquinolone ranked as a critically important antimicrobial. The labeling of the drug includes a statement that it should be used only after considering other, non-fluoroquinolone therapeutic options. Pradalex is approved in certain ages and classes of cattle for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease associated … [Read more...]
Merck launches new activity monitoring technology, SENSEHUB Dairy Youngstock
Merck announced the launch of its new activity monitoring system, SENSEHUB Dairy Youngstock <Link>, the industry’s first monitoring technology for dairy calves from birth through the first 12 months of life. The product makes it easier for dairy producers and calf managers to detect and locate calves and heifers who need attention based on animal behavior monitoring. An … [Read more...]
Majority of U.S. dairy cows live on big dairies
The big dairies are getting bigger with 834 farms having more than 2,500 cows, an increase of 120 farms versus the 2017 census. The recently released 2022 census reveals there were 24,082 dairy operations with off-farm milk sales, down from 39,303 in 2017. These herds are producing five percent more milk from 9.4 million cows, a number which remained nearly unchanged from … [Read more...]
Marketing bulls as feeder calves rather than castrating costs producers
Kellie Curry Raper shares numbers that reflect an overall increase in the proportion of bulls coming through feeder calf sales. She shares data showing that not castrating bull calves costs producers as much as $56/head on 500-pound animals. Raper also reminds us of research indicating multiple animal performance benefits linked to earlier castration* including shorter … [Read more...]
Cull cows more valuable than ever
Cull cow weight and cull cow price have always been keys to profitability for beef producers. Culls are often forgotten. Gene Johnston shares tips for getting more money for old cows. About 20% of the total revenue of a cow herd comes from cull animals.” - Patrick Linnell, CattleFax Source: Successful Farming, April 12, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: We noted Wayne Morgan's … [Read more...]