Animal health pros understand the importance of having healthy animals when implementing preventive vaccines and pharmaceuticals. After water, the quality of nutrition available is a precursor to successful animal health practices. Sarah Flack shared her definition of improved grazing during the Grassfed Exchange. She explained how each tool in a grazier’s toolbox can boost … [Read more...]
New lidocaine-infused band reduces castration pain, discomfort
Complimentary Commercial Content Lidoband, from Solvet offers veterinarians and producers a new way to reduce associated pain and discomfort when using banding to castrate calves. Each band is infused with 80 milligrams of lidocaine and stops the pain and discomfort associated with banding. It's a slow-release product that doesn’t go systemic; it stays in the local tissue … [Read more...]
Walnuts are poisonous
Walnut trees naturally produce a chemical called jugalone. It’s in the wood, fruits, leaves, roots and bark, although most heavily concentrated in the roots and fruits. Walnut: is harmful to animals; dogs, horses, cows cannot be used as mulch is poisonous sawdust is toxic can cause a rash or reaction on people’s skin Sources: Ghost Logging LLC, Facebook, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 28, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, September 14, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the September 14th AHD Bulletin – The manager squeeze: How a new workplace is testing team leaders. Link. Most-read 2023 posts by Patrick T. Malone. Link. Use caution when feeding drought-stressed corn. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary … [Read more...]
Beef-on-dairy: A revolution in American beef production?
Industry experts predict dairy farmers will produce 2.92 million beef-on-dairy calves this year and 3.22 million in 2024. And those numbers may be conservative, writes Greg Henderson. . . . sexed semen helps reduce the number of dairy cows needed to produce dairy heifers, thus allowing more dairy cows available for breeding to beef sires.” Source: Dairy Herd Management, … [Read more...]
The 7 repro mistakes dairy producers can’t afford to make
Two dairy technical service consultants provide their rundown of the top seven reproduction sins that cost dairy producers time, money and potentially future calves. Merck’s Todd Bilby, PhD, and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Jennifer Roberts, DVM, share their collective perspectives. Source: Dairy Herd Management, September 19, 2023. Link. To help prevent slip-ups and avoid … [Read more...]
Reminder. Safety first when working with cattle
Working with cattle seven or more times our size is inherently dangerous. Plus there are moving equipment parts that add risk in modern operations. Libby Eiholzer, MPS, shares six key topics and offers safety advice for each. Most accidents are not because cattle are aggressive . . . A lot of times there are things we can do to prevent accidents just by knowing a cow's natural … [Read more...]
Manure Expo featured research-backed innovation
Livestock producers are constantly challenged to improve the way manure is handled to protect land and water resources and maximize its value to farms. More than 900 people attended the North American Manure Expo to learn and discuss modern methods of improving the use and value of livestock waste. What’s really exciting is how quickly manure applicators and farmers are … [Read more...]
Acorns are bad for dogs, cattle and horses
Acorns, whether brown or green, are not safe for dogs as they contain high amounts of harmful tannins. They can even cause serious health complications, explains Lauren Krouse. In addition to being a risk to dogs, acorns are also especially toxic to cattle and horses. Source: Great Pet Care, October 21, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Consider drylotting cows this fall
As pastures continue to recover from drought, some producers who traditionally pasture their cattle are considering feeding cow-calf pairs in confinement. Drylotting can be a feasible way to allow pasture recovery while feeding grain, forage and crop stover pairs. Source: Angus Beef Bulletin Extra, August 23, 2023. Link. Here are a few things to keep in mind if intending to … [Read more...]
Decisions abound when determining who should be raising replacement heifers
Joe Armstrong, DVM, shared various factors dairy producers must consider when deciding on who will raise their replacement heifers. Karen Bohnert shares excerpts from a recent podcast discussing economies, biosecurity, risks and available space. Source: Dairy Herd Management, September 12, 2023. Link. . . . it costs on average $2,000 to raise a heifer calf before she hits … [Read more...]
Effect of calving difficulty on reproductive performance
Calving difficulty causes economic loss to operations. The loss can be immediate if the calf is lost and is extended to live calf health issues when births are challenging. Additionally, cows recovering from a tough calving can be predisposed to ovarian dysfunction and subsequent reduced fertility. Anestrous in mature cows naturally occurs after calving, and its length is … [Read more...]
Use caution when feeding drought-stressed corn
There are multiple factors to consider, especially when harvesting drought-affected crops says beef Extension specialist Beth Doran, PhD. She reminds producers that tolerance to nitrate ranges with the type of beef animal. If drought-stressed corn is green-chopped, producers should be aware of the potential for nitrate toxicity.” Feedlot cattle over 700 pounds tend to be more … [Read more...]
Surfactant from bovine lungs keeps premature babies breathing
A colleague shared this post about Bovine Lipid Extract Surfactant, a unique substance made up of fats and proteins found in the lungs of cattle. Most premature human babies are born without enough surfactant in their lung tissues to keep the tiny alveoli from collapsing. BLES works better than any synthetics to date. It has the ability to mimic the complex mixture of proteins … [Read more...]
Six signs that cow may be lame
The economic impact of lameness is significant and the second most important step for effective lameness management, after prevention, is identification, explains Carly Becker an extension educator. Practicing locomotion scoring is one way to help identify animals with gait, posture and movement issues and can easily be done when moving animals to and from pens. Becker shares … [Read more...]
Preweaning protocols during a strong cattle market
Weather and vaccine choice play roles in calf health response, writes Heather Smith Thomas. She interviewed Daryl Meyer, DVM, and Chris Chase, DVM, PhD, who shared their experiences with video sales, preconditioning vaccines, optimal nutrition and weather interference during processing. In calves over 3 months of age, most of the injectable vaccines you’d give will not have … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 7, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 24, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the August 24th AHD Bulletin – Here’s how much workers are demanding for a new job. Link. Empathy – the secret sauce. Link. The need for vigilant African swine fever on-farm prevention. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by … [Read more...]
Cryptosporidium parasite is endemic to even the tidiest dairy farms
Just one tablespoon of feces from a Crypto-infected calf contains enough oocysts to infect dozens of other calves if they consume it orally. The tiny oocysts have a hard outer shell that encloses and protects the parasite making them difficult to kill. . . . the most effective way to keep Crypto at bay is to remove moisture from calf environments and feeding utensils as … [Read more...]
Health management of early weaned beef calves
Many producers are facing rapidly disappearing forage resources. Additionally, available forage may have decreased nutritional value. Both factors are considerations in early weaning decisions shares Terry Engelken, DVM, MS, who urges producers to proactively plan to ease the transition for younger, lighter weight calves. Early weaning can be a profitable way to stretch … [Read more...]
Slick mutation keeping Puerto Rican dairy cows cool
Heat stress costs the U.S. dairy industry as much as $670 million yearly. Scientists predict it could cause a 6.3 percent drop in milk production by the end of the century. However, some dairy cows in Puerto Rico have a natural mutation recognized as “slick,” which gives them an advantage in hot humid conditions. Slick cows have a shorter coat and more active sweat glands than … [Read more...]
Fall calving in hot weather challenges calves and cows
Heat stress is actually harder on young calves than cold stress. Newborn calves have an immature “thermostat,” writes Mark Z. Johnson. He shares best practices for fall calving taking place during high temperatures. The thermoneutral zone for a young calf is between 50 – 77 degrees Fahrenheit.” Source: Drovers, August 21, 2023. Link. Shade and fresh water is critical. In … [Read more...]
Veterinarians reach for software to build practices and expand their customer base
Complimentary Commercial Content Stretched to their limits, rural veterinarians are seeking better ways to serve their clients and build their practices. Growing herd sizes and geographic distances are opportunities for those practitioners who understand the value of supporting producers remotely instead of running the proverbial fire truck practice. Waylon Wise, BSc, Ag, … [Read more...]
Neogen Corporation, launch of Igenity Enhanced Dairy
Complimentary Commercial Content <BQ> Data plays a crucial role in decision-making, and the Igenity Enhanced Dairy platform gives producers a useful tool that contributes to the improvement of genetic selection in the dairy cattle market.” – Victor Pedrosa, PhD Source: Feedstuffs, August 16, 2023. Link. By integrating in-herd phenotypic data, pedigree information, … [Read more...]
4 health issues for calves on pasture
Includes Complimentary Commercial Content Norbrook’s Eric Moore, DVM, shares four calf health problems for calves on pasture. His proactive assertions about preventing pinkeye, parasites, scours, and pneumonia are as applicable now as they were in the spring. Source: Successful Farming, December 28, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: Producers in drought-affected areas are likely … [Read more...]
Black vultures killing calves in the Midwest and their territory is expanding
As if drought, poor quality forage, cattle diseases and parasites aren’t enough, some Midwest cow-calf producers are dealing with the black vulture, a federally protected bird that has a reputation for killing newborn livestock. The scavengers have expanded their range northward into Illinois, Indiana and Missouri over the past decade. Source: KCUR 89.3, NPR, August 21, … [Read more...]
We need a lot of blue to remain green
Paper: How advances in animal efficiency and management have affected beef cattle’s water intensity in the United States: 1991 compared to 2019. Benjamin Franklin once said, “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” Animal health pros realize water quality affects animal health outcomes. So does water availability. While the beef industry has been focusing on … [Read more...]
Foreign animal disease outbreaks on minds of producers
More than 65 percent of persons interested in swine health and production are concerned about foreign animal disease getting into the U.S. hog population based on this snapshot of a National Hog Farmer reader poll. Qualitative measurements help animal health pros identify opportunities to support producers’ prevention efforts to keep animals and the food chain safe. Source: … [Read more...]
Virtual fencing, rotational grazing as a climate adaptation strategy
A lot of wire has been strung to create separate pastures and save grasses for grazing in the last few years of drought. The photo here is an example. Now, the advancements in virtual fencing can be used to contain animals within a desired area, exclude them from undesired areas, or move them to new landscapes without the need for physical fences. Morgan Lawrence shares how … [Read more...]
Marketing cull cows
Cull weight and cull cow price are significant elements of profitability for cow-calf producers. Other factors amount to decisions, decisions, decisions. Do we: Buy hay? Pray for rains so pastures hold out? Sell cull cows early? Find an alternative feed source? The cull cow market is variable from one year to the next, and producers need to be flexible and innovative.” - David … [Read more...]
Summer bugs cost farmers and ranchers
Bug populations reach their high points this time of year. Cassandra Olds, PhD, shares the economic costs of various pests, current control methods, pesticide resistance and reminds us that sanitation is key. Summer flies, grubs, bots, deer flies, ticks, plus mosquitoes can create all sorts of problems for livestock producers. Source: Successful Farming, July 29, 2023. … [Read more...]