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...]
Flooding making fire ants meaner
Sea level rise and flooding are making fire ants bigger and meaner. Their bites are getting worse, too. According to a recent Louisiana State University study, freshwater and saltwater increase the already aggressive nature of red fire ants. Source: NOLA.com, April 22, 2020. Link. Coastal flooding caused a 72% increase in the volume of venom sacs in individual fire ants 24 … [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...]
Recent trending headlines from BEEF
BEEF offers a quick review of trending headlines from the last three weeks. Topics include: Improving returns on calves Dealing with environmental idiots The value of reproduction rates Proper timing is crucial for calfhood vaccinations Let calves grow or not? Source: BEEF, May 11, 2020. Link. Source: BEEF, April 27, 2020. Link. For a laugh see: … [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...]
Pest buster listing for 2020
With resistance building among parasites that attack livestock and horses <link>, it is important to have a resource to identify options for pest and parasite management. BEEF magazine shared an updated listing for 2020 compiled from company supplied information and websites. Source: BEEF, April 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: This is a good tool for retailers, … [Read more...]
Keep the value of your vaccine dollars
Producers cannot afford to overlook the importance of how they store vaccines and handle them prior to injection, states Glenn Selk, PhD Biological products should be stored under refrigeration at 35⁰F to 45⁰F unless the nature of the product makes storing at a different temperature advisable (APHIS 2007). Producers cannot afford to overlook the importance of how they store … [Read more...]
Uncover hidden opportunities to save time and money in dairy operations
Pauly Paul shares the benefits of taking time to work alongside dairy workers. He says he routinely finds five areas where he commonly uncovers opportunities for saving time and money: Herd checks Breeding Hoof trimming Foot bathing Fresh and treated cow pens Source: Progressive Dairy, April 3, 2020. Link. Spending time working alongside employees can help … [Read more...]
BQA training specific to dairies is now online 24/7
Some packers now require BQA (or equivalent, FARM 4.0 or higher version) certification as a condition of their purchase of beef animals, including cull dairy cows and dairy beef steers. The Beef Quality Assurance program’s Dairy Animal Care and Quality Assurance (DACQA) and Dairy Cattle Care modules now are available online. The training units provide an excellent, virtual … [Read more...]
Parasite control strategies
Parasite resistance has taken root in most regions, writes John Maday. Ever-increasing scrutiny of antibiotic use and regulatory action has encouraged producers to focus more on prevention rather than treatment. Prevention mindedness is good news. Yet, both external and internal parasites have developed some resistance to treatment chemistries. Source: Drovers, March 2020, … [Read more...]
Milk replacers versus fresh milk. A value discussion.
Someone recently said that milk replacers are more nutritionally consistent than fresh milk. Ioannis Mavromichalis, PhD, takes on the statement and discusses the value of fresh milk and milk replacer use in calf supplementation. Source: Feed Strategy, April 20, 2020. Link. . . . the notion that cow’s milk is unsuitable because it is too variable in composition simply makes … [Read more...]
Correcting dehydration is always job 1 with calf scours
Calf scours are complex, multi-factorial and expensive in the immediate and mid-term life of the animal. Alan Newport discusses calf scours causes, interventions and consequences. Prevention of scours requires the combined experiences of veterinarians and the calf care team. Source: Beef Producer, April 14, 2020. Link. The calf’s age is as important as the color of the … [Read more...]
STD Awareness Month applies to more than humans
Sexually Transmitted Disease Awareness Month, better known as April, will be over soon. Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease that can cut a calf crop in half. Infected animals show no outward signs; it is a lifelong infection and there is no treatment. There is still time to have conversations to help producers understand the disease and work with a veterinarian to … [Read more...]
How to manage pinkeye
Fly season is well underway. It marks the beginning of pinkeye infections to come by mid-summer. Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK, or pinkeye). Pinkeye costs the beef industry an estimated $150 million annually. Historically, Moraxella bovis was considered the primary IBK pathogen. More recently, mixed cultures of M. bovis, Moraxella bovoculi and Mycoplasma … [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...]
Manage parasites with sound grazing practices
Cattle with heavy internal parasite loads lose weight, have low feed efficiency and don’t breed efficiently. However, proven deworming practices add pounds at weaning, increase milk production and bump body condition scores. Most of the parasite load is in the pasture, which is why a pasture management plan, along with proven deworming products are essential. Source: … [Read more...]
Where’s the beef? The pork? The chicken?
Our meat supply channels face some bottlenecks as packing plants close to protect workers, deeply disinfect and determine potential fomite risks in their throughput. Our meat industry is built to have inventories moving all the time. There are challenges facing producers who now have limited options for moving animals ready for slaughter on their terminal schedules. It is … [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...]
Hard calvings mean a difficult start in life for newborns
Calves experiencing a traumatic birth have the deck stacked against them as they grow. Study results quantify the challenges and make the topic valuable to discuss with cow-calf producers in both dairy and beef operations. . . .calves with the most difficult births also were 1.3 times more likely to experience scours and 1.6 times more likely to suffer from respiratory … [Read more...]
Clostridial disease protection important for cows and calves
Clostridial diseases can be lethal for dairy cattle. Stress, injuries and changes in feeding practices increase chances of death. Vaccination and sound management practices can prevent most common clostridial diseases for cows and calves. Source: DAIRYBUSINESS, March 13, 2020. Link. A solid strategy in preventing a clostridial outbreak in calves, prior to their vaccination, … [Read more...]
Battling bacteria with their natural enemy: a virus
Not all viruses create pandemic consequences. Lacey Newlin shares the progress on using bacteriophages to attack bacteria and the possibility of phages as antibiotic alternatives. . . . about half of the bacteria on this planet are killed by bacteriophages every two days.” - Hari Shankar Kotturi, PhD. Source: High Plains Journal, March 20, 2020. Link. Divya Jaroni, PhD, whose … [Read more...]
Minimizing post-wean growth slumps in heifers
Proper growth of dairy heifers from weaning until six to eight months of age directly impacts future milk production and economics of heifer rearing programs and, ultimately, the profitability of the entire dairy operation, writes Maureen Hanson. Research continues to show how proper growth during this phase can positively impact milk production. Hanson shares ways to avoid the … [Read more...]
Trichomoniasis testing essential
Testing for trichomoniasis, or trich, is essential to help ensure herd health and profitability. The bovine venereal disease lives in the epithelial of the penis and prepuce and is considered a lifelong infection in bulls. Infected bulls transmit trich to most females they service. Cows can clear the disease but will abort calves or become infertile. Trich is easily transmitted … [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...]
How now shall we house cows
Contemporary dairy cattle housing practices are at odds with societal perceptions of positive animal welfare. Non-dairy persons often emphasize the importance of naturalness for dairy cattle. Their expectations include pasture, freedom of movement and the ability to interact socially with other cows. In a symposium review, the authors share perspectives on animal welfare … [Read more...]
Dirty laundry: Towel cleanliness affects mastitis prevalence
Researchers share disturbing facts about washed udder towels they evaluated for bacteria present. They compared laundering practices, bacteria species observed and cow mastitis infections. Apparently, a clean towel isn’t always clean. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 16, 2019. Link. None of the farms using a professional laundering service had high coliform counts on … [Read more...]
Vaccination key to managing BRD
Multiple factors contribute to bovine respiratory disease and no single management plan works for all operations. History of the cattle, how they are handled, nutrition and vaccination are critical to keep BRD in check. So are testing and parasite management. DVMs Oliver Irons and Daniel Cummings offer a thorough review of how to prevent BRD and how to treat it, if … [Read more...]
Know calf vital signs
Jillian Bohlen, DVM, says evaluating the basic vital statistics of every calf catches sick animals early in the disease process and goes beyond visual appraisal. Her advice on measuring calf vital signs includes: Temperature: 100.0-102.5˚F Heart rate (pulse): 100-140 beats per minute Respiration rate: 36-60 breaths per minute Source: Dairy Herd Management, … [Read more...]