Our perceptions of cull cows are not always representative of their value as they leave the herd. It is better to consider them dairy market cows versus cull cows <Link>. Cull cow weight and price remain a primary factor in managing herd profitability. Maureen Hansen covers five factors to consider when culling cows. She includes economic and animal health elements that … [Read more...]
Thoughts on communicating with people outside of your normal industry segment
Emily Eilers addresses the challenges of communicating the farm and food story with consumers while facing the narratives inherent when only two percent of the U.S. population grows our food. Source: Nebraska Farmer, February 19, 2025. Link. Commentary Eiler’s article caused me to think about the number of social media posts I saw from cow-calf producers during the … [Read more...]
READ THIS FIRST! 2025 World Nature Photography Award winners announced.
From amazement to education to Zen, it’s all in the latest collection of photos from entrants around the globe. Take them all in before you start reading about the latest topics in our industry. Relax and see the beauty of feathers, vibrancy of lanternflies and simplistic combined beauty and ugliness of a guinea. From animals on land to those in the sea and even us, these … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – February 20, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, February 13, 2024. Link. Most read posts from February 13, 2025 AHD Bulletin – Managing hypothermia for newborn calves. Link. Building talent through delegation. Link. How multitasking drains your brain. Link. New guidelines set for degrees in infection prevention. Link. Time to review vaccine … [Read more...]
Loncor® 300 (florfenicol) joins Zoetis cattle anti-infective portfolio
Zoetis recently acquired the marketing rights for Loncor® 300 (florfenicol) from Elanco giving producers another option to treat BRD. Loncor 300 adds a fourth class of antibiotic to Zoetis’ cattle anti-infective portfolio. Source: BEEF, February 13, 2025. Link. Loncor 300 (florfenicol) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic active against many Gram-negative and Gram-positive … [Read more...]
Cowhides count
Clint Peck reminds us that cattle hides are still a valuable product, especially in high-volume packing plants. He says hides represent 15.5 percent of the per head byproduct credit. China, Italy and South Korea are the world's largest importers of cattle hides and skins, accounting for 65 percent of global imports. Leather upholstery in auto production and other transportation … [Read more...]
Know the phases of chicken development to help raise a healthy flock
Chickens go through three basic phases of growth: starter, grower and layer. Kalyn Waters makes general information about each group easy to share with chicken owners. Source: University of Florida Extension, February 14, 2014. Link. The Starter Phase begins at hatching and lasts until a chick is five to six weeks old. Starting them . . . 18 percent protein provides the … [Read more...]
Applying facial recognition to animal stewardship and production
Fascinating! Scientists worldwide are turning to AI to decipher the facial expressions of animals, from sheep to horses to cats and dogs. Some have already developed faster and more accurate algorithms for recognizing signs of pain and distress than the most attentive humans. In this article, the authors share several examples of how AI is being developed to observe animals and … [Read more...]
Most usable natural remedies in veterinary practice
Natural remedies can offer benefits, but they should complement traditional veterinary care, not replace it. The author shares five natural remedies that can enhance treatment options: Milk thistle for liver support Chamomile for digestive relief Echinacea for immune support Probiotics for gut health Turmeric for inflammation Source: IVC Journal, February … [Read more...]
Mycoplasma bovis: Tough to treat, difficult to prevent
Includes Commercial References Newport Laboratories’ Jason Anderson, DVM, writes about Mycoplasma bovis, calling it problematic, insidious and hard to control. M. bovis is found in many different disease presentations. Affected cattle may display nasal discharge, cough, labored breathing, drooped ear, head tilt, head shaking, difficulty moving, swollen joints, inflamed … [Read more...]
Managing hypothermia for newborn calves
The latest winter storm is descending on cow-calf locations and with it comes challenges for those whose cows are calving. Preventing hypothermia is vital to the survival of newborns, weather being responsible for more than 20 percent of early calf deaths. Lindsay Waechter-Mead, DVM, shares the importance of temperature regulation and ways to help hypothermic calves. Source: … [Read more...]
Weather, consumer demand, cattle supplies, international trade factor into beef market
Information shared during the CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of CattleCon 2025, indicated the U.S. beef industry is poised for another year of strong market performance. Noting supply constraints, CattleFax said cattlemen have market leverage as the beef cowherd enters a stabilization phase following years of contraction. Source: AgriMarketing, February 7, 2025. … [Read more...]
Sick sheep? Let us inspect their earwax.
Raye Walck, DVM, director of the Western Slope Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Colorado State University (CSU), shared a grim story with Lela Nargi. She recounts what Walck said happened in sheep from high-desert grazing lands in Grand Junction, Colorado. “I had a case a couple of years ago where these sheep came off the range and were brought into a dry lot situation, into … [Read more...]
Virbac expands its U.S. range of products with four cattle vaccines
Partnering with Diamond Animal Health, Virbac is marketing four modified-live viral cattle vaccines: Bovigen Platinum 5, Bovigen Platinum 5 L5, Bovigen Platinum 3 and Bovigen Platinum 3 LP Vaccines. All four vaccines protect against key respiratory viruses, while Bovigen Platinum 5 L5 and 3 LP vaccines add bacterial protection against leptospirosis. Source: Drovers, January … [Read more...]
Study shows thorough cleaning, disinfection protocols reduce livestock trailer contamination
Looking specifically at swine production systems, a study underscores the importance of thorough cleaning and disinfection protocols in enhancing biosecurity in them. The study compared different methods and their effectiveness. The findings suggest routinely cleaning and disinfecting all market haul trailers leaving terminal points of concentration by either of the water-based … [Read more...]
2024 lessons inform pig farmers for 2025 (video)
The past two years have been challenging for U.S. pork producers. Jennifer Shike shares four ways experts behind the State of the Pork Industry Report grew from their experiences in 2024. They discuss their people, consumer choices, improving oversight and preparing for the inevitable ebbs and flows in the markets. Source: PORK, January 29, 2025. Link. [55:34] … [Read more...]
3 things nobody has ever told you about colostrum
There has been a lot of new research published in the past five years about colostrum and its role in the newborn's survival and health, writes Kalyn Waters. Despite cow-calf experiences, she was surprised to learn three new things about colostrum: Timing matters on the cow's side, too, as the chemical composition of colostrum in the udder changes by the hour. Colostrum … [Read more...]
New version of the H5N1 bird flu virus spills into Nevada dairy herds
Known as D1.1, a new version of H5N1 is circulating in wild birds countrywide and causing mass die-offs. It’s different than the one currently circulating in dairy cows and has caused only mild illness in humans and killed scores of domestic and wild cats. It is the latest surprise and reminder that his flu does not behave like a typical flu virus. This new finding suggests … [Read more...]
Lasers deployed to increase farm biosecurity, deter waterfowl
A New Ulm, Minnesota, turkey grower has added lasers to his biosecurity efforts. The laser bird deterrent system aims to scare away migratory birds that have the potential to infect domestic flocks with HPAI. While we see a green laser beam, migratory birds see a predator and they avoid the barn areas. Source: The Farmer, February 4, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
Veterinarian warns cat owners about H5N1 risks amid rising cases
“Vigilance is key in preventing further bird flu infections,” said Susan Nelson, DVM, discussing the detection of H5N1 in cats. The article offers preventive measures to minimize the risk of infection in cats and other animals, including up-to-date rabies vaccinations, keeping cats indoors and avoiding feeding raw meat or unpasteurized dairy products. Source: PHYS.ORG, … [Read more...]
Bird flu enters a new phase, meanwhile, the environment cannot be sterilized
The latest data from the CDC and USDA shows the continued devastating effects of bird flu outbreaks across the United States. New York Times writer Apoorva Mandavilli provides a relevant and updated situation analysis in the second article shared here. Not yet a serious human threat, she shares the expanding discoveries in mammalian species, including cats both wild and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 30, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 23, 2024. Link. Most read posts from January 23, 2025 AHD Bulletin Managing your stress. Link. Johne’s disease no longer just a dairy disease. Link. 200 weeks and counting . . . the bull run continues. Link. ================================= Wings, turf, pigskin, cheese and more . . . … [Read more...]
Beyond hooves: The human element in tackling lameness
Lameness remains a persistent challenge, with approximately one in four dairy cows lame at any given time. Laura Solano and Demetrio Bautista Ortiz discuss the importance of cultivating a supportive work environment within the on-farm hoof health team. Skilled on-farm hoof health teams need diverse skills to deploy, given hoof care cases are generally not … [Read more...]
Strategies for liver abscesses in beef-on-dairy cattle
The primary bacterium found in cattle liver abscesses is Fusobacterium necrophorum. Whether it colonizes and flourishes in the animal’s body is a different matter. The authors identify nine management strategies to help reduce the incidence and severity of liver abscesses in beef-on-dairy calves. They discuss husbandry and proper feeding practices, including feeding a … [Read more...]
Sugar solution found to fight metritis infection in dairy cows just as well as antibiotics
The research on alternatives to antibiotic therapies continues. Penn State researchers found a concentrated sugar solution could be just as effective as antibiotics at treating clinical metritis, a common uterine infection in dairy cows post-calving. Source: Feedstuffs, January 20, 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
200 weeks and counting . . . the bull run continues
When it comes to beef demand, consumers ARE the business and they’re the market makers, writes Nevil Speer, MBA, PhD. Most producers are feeling (very) positive about the business, he says in his market analysis. Source: BEEF, January 9, 2025. Link. INSIGHTS: When cattle producers have confidence in the market opportunities, they are often willing to advance their animal … [Read more...]
Johne’s disease no longer just a dairy disease
Johne’s is a disease that veterinarians, animal scientists and cow-calf producers should start discussing before consumer confidence in the food we produce decreases and the pressure from outside sources to instill more regulation on the beef industry intensifies, writes Gregg Hanzlicek, DVM, PhD. While veterinarians have discussed Johne’s with dairy farmers for decades, … [Read more...]
Reminder: Remove the wrappings before offering hay to cattle
Experts agree that the best strategy for herd safety and health is to remove all plastic wrap (and twine) before grinding hay or offering the hay to the herd.” Source: BEEF, November 12, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Cost of cow-calf production significantly influenced by operation size
NOTE: Understanding the economies of scale is important for animal health pros as we work with cattle producers to optimize production outcomes. Too frequently, the added cost of veterinary services and medicine fall subject to scrutiny despite them being de minimis in the mix of operating costs per cow and the level of production. There are more than 600,000 farms with beef … [Read more...]
What’s cold to a cow and what to do about it
Jason Warner and Justin Waggoner share environmental variables that change thermoneutrality for cows as they weather cold. Nutrition requirements also need adjustments as it takes increased energy to produce extra body heat. Warner and Waggoner provide data and offer points for producers to consider when managing cow herds through cold stress. The article is actionable as it … [Read more...]