Market data suggests beef producers should brace for significant expansion in cow numbers in 2026. Wesley Tucker provides a historical perspective and reviews beef market and herd number projections in the coming years. Source: Missouri Ruralist, July 22, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Don’t let cattle drink this pond water
No producer wants to think about hauling water in the summer. Yet, harmful algal blooms are a potential risk in freshwater ponds and streams this time of the year. They are primarily caused by cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae. Mindy Ward shares what the NRCS and CDC advise if animals are exposed to cyanobacteria and ways to reduce risks. Source: Missouri … [Read more...]
Battling flies this summer
Last week we provided tips to help manage flies in facilities <Link>. In this article, Bob Larson, DVM, asserts fly control strategies need to be flexible and may need to be changed. He discusses unique characteristics of the four common flies that pester cattle: horn flies, face flies, stable flies and horse flies. Source: Drovers, July 9, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Study finds each Beef Checkoff dollar returns $13.41
Statistics uncovered by an independent study indicate the goal to increase beef demand in the U.S. and worldwide is being achieved while providing producers and importers with an excellent return on their national Checkoff investments. Source: BEEF, July 10, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Boost beef-on-dairy calf value with good health records
With the beef-on-dairy market booming, dairy farmers using a beef-on-dairy program must seize every opportunity to market their crossbred calves effectively, writes Taylor Leach. This means ensuring the highest health and nutrition standards, plus maintaining detailed health and vaccination records. She shares what is important and what should be recorded. Source: Dairy Herd … [Read more...]
Biosecurity planning for secure beef supply
Foot and mouth disease fears have driven transdisciplinary approaches to biosecurity across livestock industry segments. The current issues with high-path avian influenza in dairy cattle underscores the importance of biosecurity planning as it is the leading protection against diseases. The Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance program proactively established … [Read more...]
Keep the colostrum coming
New research studies suggest there are health and developmental benefits to feeding calves colostrum or transition milk well beyond the first day of life, writes Maureen Hanson. She shares an overview of study results focused on extending colostrum feeding and the merits of feeding transition milk. Source: Dairy Herd Management, June 8, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Preconditioning: Worth the input or not?
Cindy Mansfield’s surprising article title made me read her review of the value cattle producers receive when committing the time, effort and expense to pre-condition their cattle. She reviews the economics, importance of vaccination, timelines and benefits to a producer’s reputation as advantages from preconditioning. Source: Progressive Cattle, July 4, 2024. Link. Also … [Read more...]
Avian flu updates
Staying abreast of the latest on high-path avian flu is time-consuming and often confusing. Multiple media sources share information along a rapidly progressing timeline of discovery, opinions and responses. We aggregated some of the more recent updates at these links. Sources: Detections of HPAI in livestock, USDA, July 9, 2024. Link. The most current information and … [Read more...]
What can we expect from Elanco’s new Bovaer®?
Bovaer is a powdered feed supplement that blocks an enzyme involved in methane formation, reducing the amount of methane emitted by each animal. Elanco Animal Health, Inc., is licensing Bovaer for marketing in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Feeding Bovaer to 1 million cows would reduce methane emissions equivalent to removing more than 285,000 cars from the road for a … [Read more...]
Tom Vilsack: Good biosecurity critical to mitigating the spread of H5N1
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack’s opinion piece calls on producers to use USDA’s resources to enhance their biosecurity measures and for states and producers to opt into our support and herd monitoring programs designed to limit the spread of this H5N1 in dairy cattle. The most important step we can take today to contain HPAI is biosecurity.” Source: Agri-Pulse, June 21, 2024. … [Read more...]
Blackshirt Feeders: Closing the beef-on-dairy loop with data and technology
With contracts that stipulate every calf is tracked from birth with sire, health and performance data, Lee Leachman calls the closed-loop production model for beef on dairy a game changer. Greg Henderson explains how Blackshirt Feeders’ closed-loop system links the semen provider to the dairy to the feedyard and from where value will be derived. Source: Drovers, June 25, … [Read more...]
How the U.S. cowherd is distributed
70 percent of the U.S. cowherds use grass and maintain healthy grasslands, while the other 30 percent are finishing in an efficient feeding system or are maintaining a high-energy diet through a dairy production cycle. Source: Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, Facebook, June 13, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Preventing pink eye with autogenous vaccines
Includes Sponsored Content Before commercial pinkeye vaccines were approved, autogenous vaccines offered veterinarians and producers a way to protect against herd-specific strains of bacteria that cause pinkeye in cattle. In the article linked here, Gregg Hanzlicek, DVM, PhD, reintroduces the value of autogenous vaccines, the challenges with cross-protection and how pinkeye … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 20, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, June 13, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the June 13th AHD Bulletin – Comedian: Taking my dog to the vet. Link. Brakke study shows pet owners not always aware of e-retail options. Link. Debunking fly spray myths. Link. ===================================== Woof! A new wrinkle in marketing real … [Read more...]
Cheese now drives dairy growth
Consumption of dairy products has reached an all-time high driven by the consumption of cheese products worldwide. The size of the world cheese market is anticipated to grow by $39.1 billion by 2027. Dairy is not declining; dairy is growing. We’re simply eating more of our dairy than we’re drinking.” - Michael Dykes Source: STgenetics, June 12, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
The average dairy cow is still growing
There is a vital need for reevaluation of current feeding and grouping strategies, writes Alvaro Garcia. Separating first-lactation cows from older ones in dairy barn settings serves several critical purposes including tailored management, particularly in nutrition. The herd’s social dynamics often significantly impact younger cows. With most cows spending a limited time on … [Read more...]
Make cows earn their living
Running a cow-calf operation costs money, a lot of money. Understanding more about the details of the costs producers incur may help veterinary teams and suppliers reposition their value and likewise support producer profitability. Elizabeth Hodges shares the different economic categories Aaron Berger shared with young farmers and ranchers. Commentary Although one might … [Read more...]
Extremely rare, sacred white buffalo calf born in Yellowstone
A rare white buffalo calf was born in June in Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park. Jason Bittel shares the significance of this leucistic calf in the current time as well as some of the indigenous lore surrounding white buffalos. White buffalo are sacred animals in Native American culture and considered both a blessing and a warning." Source: National Geographic, June … [Read more...]
Rethinking mid-lactation milk fever
The causes of mid-lactation milk fever are different than calcium milk fever in fresh cows, which makes the term somewhat misleading. Mid-lactation milk fever often occurs in multiparous, high-producing cows that had no problem in previous milkings. The authors explain the need to focus on hypomagnesemia noting nutritional and inflammatory challenges that may lead to … [Read more...]
Sweaty cattle may boost food security in a warming world
Unless we’re doing something to affect the ability of our cattle to thrive in heat stress conditions, they are not going to reproduce, so there’s a food security concern to consider, asserts Raluca Mateescu, PhD. Her team’s research shows it is possible to identify the genes within breeds of cattle that would lead to the sweatiest, heat-tolerant offspring Source: BEEF, June … [Read more...]
June heat wave enveloping the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast
A hot day or two is normal, but the National Weather Service says a near-record strong heat dome will bring record-breaking high temperatures and sultry, uncomfortable nights during the next two weeks. The inherent risks to people are no surprise especially when temperatures remain high during the night. For animal health pros, reminding animal owners to keep their animals … [Read more...]
Testing mature bulls for trich – what’s important?
Despite his genetics, body condition and herd sire desirability, a mature bull with trichomoniasis can devastate the finest breeding program. Trich is a venereal disease that causes infertility, open cows and occasional abortions in cows and heifers. The only way to identify infected bulls is to perform preputial scraping and diagnostic testing to identify the presence of the … [Read more...]
Recent graduates share their best practice tips
Four hard-working, dynamic bovine practitioners shared some practical ideas and recommendations during the final session of the AABP Recent Graduate Conference. While we work on animals, we work for and with people . . . so be prompt, be practical, be polite and practice one’s skills.” - Andy Harding, DVM Source: Bovine Veterinarian, June 11, 2024. Link. Related content: 5 … [Read more...]
Asian long-horned tick associated with emerging risk in cattle
As if HPAI isn’t enough, Asian long-horned tick ranges are expanding bringing the potential for an emerging infection risk from Theileria orientalis Ikeda. The protozoa invades the red and white blood cells of cattle creating clinical signs of disease like those of anaplasmosis including anemia, jaundice, weakness, and even death. Source: BEEF, June 6, 2024. Link. Producers … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 6, 2024
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, May 30, 2024. Link. Most read post(s) from the May 30th AHD Bulletin – Glyphosate in dog food. Link. Microbial metabolites in feline anal glands aid cat communication. Link. Veterinary team advocacy helps pet owners choose pet insurance (2). Link. ===================================== She’s the … [Read more...]
Prepare now to help cows end the summer well
Steve Martin offered some ways to help cows through the cumulative effects of heat stress last August. He offers some heat abatement ideas that can still be implemented as June heats up. Providing better shade, clean water and air movement is always helpful. Consider using his article to discuss ideas with dairy producers on farm calls or get-togethers Source: Hoard’s … [Read more...]
Repeat offenders should really be culled
Culling is a difficult thing for producers as they frequently fight to keep animals well, fed and producing. But the more chronically infected cows you keep in the herd, the more new infections you’ll have in the herd, shared Pam Ruegg, DVM. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, September 28, 2023. Link. You don’t treat your way out of chronic cows. You’re not making money on these … [Read more...]
Angus Association speaks to genetic mystery confusion
The American Angus Association addressed some misperceptions about genetic abnormalities seen in calves that presented as bovine familial convulsions and ataxia within days of birth. Calves that died were from a single sire. The bull in question was isolated to a single herd and the condition was not spread to other herds. Source: Drovers, May 21, 2024. Link. This case is a … [Read more...]
A look into acidosis and liver abcesses
Liver abscesses are nothing new to beef packers, but the condition is more common in crossbreds. The incidence is rising in native and dairy-influenced cattle. There is not one clear cause of liver abscesses. However, it is widely accepted that they are more common in animals that experience ruminal acidosis, according to Kendall L. Samuelson, PhD, PAS. Samuelson describes … [Read more...]