Few cattle producers like to get out of bed to check the cows at 2:00 a.m. It’s cold and dark then. When late-day feeding is implemented, field studies and researchers all report 80 percent or more of cows calve in the daytime. . . . to have more cows and heifers calve in daylight hour, try to delay putting out hay and cubes until late in the day. . . The class of … [Read more...]
5 Kansas BQA trainings scheduled
Five advanced beef cattle care and health training sessions in February and March will offer Kansas beef producers the latest ways to improve animal welfare and food safety. Kansas State University veterinarians Dan Thomson and A.J. Tarpoff will lead the trainings. Source: High Plains Journal, January 23, 2019. Link. Dates and locations are Feb. 4 at Anderson County Sales … [Read more...]
Opinion – Livestock producers still facing nuisance laws
As the noise increases about non-traditional-sourced 'meat' proteins, increasing pressure on source and production practices, the livestock industry remains under fire. Urban sprawl and the conversion of farm property to acreages encroach on buffer areas next to livestock production facilities. Iowa attorney Eldon McAfee says agricultural nuisance lawsuits in Iowa are … [Read more...]
Researchers bust antimicrobial-resistance myth
It would seem logical to assume beef from cattle treated with antibiotics would carry more resistant bacteria than beef from “antibiotic-free” production systems. Testing this hypothesis researchers with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have shown shows similar levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in ground beef raised with and without antibiotics. The … [Read more...]
Vegetarian-fed animals: Good marketing, bad for industry
Finding the right balance between science and marketing is an everyday challenge for animal health pros. Nutritionist Ioannis Mavromichalis, Ph.D., offers perspectives on why all-vegetable diets may not be best for animals or the animal protein industry: It’s not true to the consumerIt’s not true to the animalWhat about vitamin B12?Do not drive your customers to decide … [Read more...]
BEEF blog’s top 10
Consider broadening your perspective as customer interactions begin this year. Top-read lists similar to this one offer insights into customer priorities and interests. Here are the 10 BEEF Daily blogs that received the most traffic in 2018: 1. Researchers conclude livestock have no detectable effect on climate 2. Hay bale kills ranch mom 3. Move over kale; steak is the … [Read more...]
New Zealand culling cattle to control Mycoplasma bovis
A New Zealand program to eradicate the country of Mycoplasma bovis has resulted in 50,000 cows being culled so far and nearly as many still scheduled to be killed. If successful, New Zealand will become the first country to rid its boundaries of the disease, which can lead to mastitis, pneumonia, abortions and lameness. Government and industry jointly spearheaded an eradication … [Read more...]
Manage swine disease risk at the truck wash
Biosecurity measures literally hit the road when considering the health of the U.S. swine herd. Ann Hess relates the experiences of Illinois third-year vet student, Megan Bloemer, whose work was awarded the first Morrison Swine Innovator prize at the 2018 Allan D. Leman swine conference. Bloemer’s presentation, Protecting the Inevitable Risk: Biosecurity at a Truck Wash. … [Read more...]
Change the feeding schedule of spring-calving cows now
December is the time to reset the feeding schedule to dusk hours for cows bred to spring calve, says Glenn Selk. Known as the Konefal method, adjusting the feeding schedule limits night-time calving when observation is more challenging and when temperatures usually lower. University studies have confirmed this method moves calving to daylight hours in as many as 85 percent of … [Read more...]
New tracker technology for cows resembles fitness trackers
A new type of fitness tracker may help farmers keep track of their livestock. The new technology, in the form of a smart ear tag, produces similar data to those delivered by consumer smart watches. GPS enabled, the high-tech ear tag allows farmers to track the location of individual animals remotely via internet capabilities. Source: BEEF, December 7, 2018. … [Read more...]
Drovers’ Top 10 Cow-Calf Stories of 2018
From anaplasmosis to low-stress animal handling and deworming to BQA requirements Sara, Brown gives us a look at the top cow-calf stories of this year. Source: Drover’s, December 13, 2018. Link. … [Read more...]
When euthanizing livestock is necessary
JoAnn Alumbaugh shares some perspective on the potential challenges of euthanizing livestock following weather events, wildfires and in the face of an epidemic disease following the 2018 USAHA meeting. Unlike a foreign animal disease outbreak. . . the reason to euthanize after a fire or blizzard is to end animal suffering. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 31, … [Read more...]
Condition cows now
Though we try to reduce calorie intake during the holidays, it’s the opposite for cows. They need more calories to regain good body condition and prepare for the upcoming calving and lactation period. It’s not so much that it’s needed for calving,but we want them at least at a BCS of 5 at breeding and most cows will lose body condition as long as the calf is at her side. . … [Read more...]
Daisy is a leftie, Flower is a rightie
Laterality (sidedness) is commonly observed with dairy cows. Really? Apparently, cattle express laterality naturally when choosing which side to lie down on or which side of the milking parlor to enter, according to Rick Grant. He says behaviorists believe that expression of a side preference is related to the cow’s emotional state and what they perceive as stressful or even … [Read more...]
Dry period: important phase for dairy cows
Anna Bradmueller and Donna M. Amaral-Phillips discuss the importance of managing dairy cows during the dry period. They provide good reminders for discussions with dairy producers. Source: Dairy Herd Management, November 26, 2018. Link. Drying off cows abruptly, administering veterinarian-recommended dry cow therapy, and using a teat sealant will help protect cows from … [Read more...]
Dairy how-to: pay attention to injection sites (educational video)
Even though dairy cows are raised for milk production, nearly all dairy animals end up in the beef supply chain at some point. That makes proper animal handling and drug administration important to avoid injection site lesions that can damage the carcass. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 20, 2018. Link. We want to try and do all of our injections in the neck,” says … [Read more...]
Holy cow! Australian steer tops 3,000 pounds
Knickers, a 7-year-old Holstein steer in Australia is 6’ 4” tall and weighs nearly 3,100 pounds. In other words, he’s two inches shorter than former basketball player Michael Jordon. The oversize steer has become somewhat of a social media phenomenon. He’s much too big for packing house machinery, so he’ll live out his life in a pasture. Source: Insider, November 17, 2018. … [Read more...]
5 wisdoms that rule the herd
Raising cattle happens in many different ways. Sarah Brown shares five rules of wisdom to keep in mind: Work with a good veterinarian and be fanatic about animal health. You get what you pay for Cull out the crazy cows Good fences make better neighbors Plan for tomorrow today. Source: Drovers, November 7, 2018. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider these five wisdoms … [Read more...]
Eye-in-the-sky hired help works for cattle producers
Drones provide potential for practical applications beef producers, according to Amanda Radke. She discusses four ways that a drone could enhance management practices on ranches. Collect more data with much less labor Aerial maps can improve land management practices Monitor livestock, fences and water sources Collect data on individual animals While drones … [Read more...]
Greenhouse gas is only part of the puzzle
Concern about the long-term sustainability of livestock production gets a lot of media attention. However, according to Al Rotz, there is fairly limited scientific information out there to support what is being said. When it comes to livestock and long-term impact, Rotz said, “I don’t see cattle being much of a contributor to global climate change.” . . . the greenhouse gas … [Read more...]
Toe abscesses need more attention
Shane Terrell, DVM, believes there is a lot of opportunity to improve early detection and treatment of lameness in cattle. Although lameness falls significantly behind respiratory disease and digestive upset as a cause of morbidity and mortality, it is the third cause of health issues in feedlots. Education and early detection can reduce the overall impact of lameness on herd … [Read more...]
Winter hair growth in cattle signals time for lice control
Mark Hilton, DVM, discusses the two types of lice that live their entire life cycle on cattle. The growth of winter hair coats is a signal to cattle producers to consider lice control methods. He says injectable products that cover sucking lice need a pour-on to cover biting lice. He also cautions to be sure of dose requirements; one-dose or two-dose. Source: BEEF, October … [Read more...]
Employee safety, animal welfare drive invention of first robotic cattle driver
Cargill, with the help of renowned animal behavior specialist Temple Grandin and other experts, has created the industry’s first robotic cattle mover that improves animal welfare and employee safety. The robots move cattle from holding pens to harvest areas and reduce stress by limiting animal interaction with humans. Employees operate the robots from catwalks above the holding … [Read more...]
Refine receiving protocols to assess morbidity risk
At the recent Academy of Veterinary Consultants conference, John Richeson, Ph.D., discussed how the use of new chute-side diagnostic tools have potential to help cattle feeders assess morbidity risk for individual cattle upon arrival. This could potentially reduce antibiotic use in mass treatments while improving health outcomes. Citing Kansas State University research, … [Read more...]
Beef industry is based on discounts more than anything
Discount risk avoidance is a compelling way to consider the economics of the beef industry and its value programs. Jared Wareham shares a perspective that can help veterinarians and salespersons maintain preventative programs while helping producers avoid costly discounts. Value-added programs don’t necessarily add value to a set baseline price. Rather, they begin by removing … [Read more...]
Cool stuff seen at World Dairy Expo 2018
The 52nd World Dairy Expo ended October 5. By all accounts, it was successful and full of promise. The Progressive Dairyman team assembled a collection of cool stuff from their experiences there. Some of these advancements may interest dairy clients and veterinary teams that service dairies. Source: Progressive Dairyman, October 9, 2018. Link. … [Read more...]
Beef’s quality revolution featured
Consumer preference continues to drive innovation and quality in all food protein markets. Three papers from Drover’s review changes in how consumers buy beef, the impact of the national beef quality audits (NBQA) and how stockmanship helps shape consumer perceptions. Source: Drover’s. Meat, millennials, meal kits. Link. A generation of quality gains. Link. … [Read more...]
It’s time to review farm biosecurity plans (includes video)
Heavy swine disease pressure outside the U.S. is real. African swine fever, classic swine flu and foot and mouth disease are all being reported. Swine and cattle are implicated. All of these threats underline the need for U.S. producers and feed suppliers to review and increase biosecurity protocols to keep disease threats from affecting U.S. herds. The scale of dealing with … [Read more...]
Help customers handle bulls safely
Bulls represent only two percent of the cattle population, yet they are responsible for more than half of farmworker fatalities and are considered the most dangerous of all domestic animals. Source: North Carolina Cooperative Extension, 2018: Link. Recognizing aggressive bull behavior and always being aware of their presence are important factors that can help keep farm … [Read more...]
Foot rot or something else?
Mike Apley, DVM, discusses the importance of accurate case definitions, antibiotic stewardship and the differences between foot rot and hairy heal warts. His article is a good resource to include with fall VFD compliance visits. Control and therapeutic approaches to foot rot and hairy heel wart in beef cattle can be quite different. Planning to recognize the difference between … [Read more...]