Producer Keith Mann slaughters, processes and sells wild pig meat on his South Florida operation, all signed and sealed by USDA. “We thought the market was ready and knew a lot of chefs would be interested. People instantly recognize the meat is packed with awesome flavor,” he says. Mann could sell every wild pig processed if he had market access. Even foreign markets in … [Read more...]
Bedding, bugs and teats
In spite of solid progress to lower somatic cell counts on dairies, many farms continue to struggle with clinical mastitis. In fact, clinical rates of mastitis have nearly doubled over the last two decades, from about 13 cases per 100 cows to 24, says Pam Ruegg. Cow-to-cow mastitis spread is not the core challenge today. Rather, herds must now deal with bacteria that live and … [Read more...]
Who stays. Who goes?
Michelle Arnold, DVM, discusses considerations for culling cows from the herd. Twenty percent of gross receipts in a typical cow-calf operation come from the sale of cull animals. Paying attention to price seasonality and body condition scores is important before sending them to market. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, February 23, 2017. Dr. Arnold offers this list of … [Read more...]
I love you – the farm/ranch way
“I love you” may not be heard a lot by farm or ranch kids. Jenni Latzke with the High Plains Journal demonstrates why in her latest column. Source: High Plains Journal, February 20, 2017. To be fair, there’s not a lot of time for flowery words and overt display of affection. No one pauses mid-3 a.m. calf-pulling to look over at his spouse and say, "Margaret, you sure look … [Read more...]
Screwworm eradication: An Interactive View
The parasitic New World screwworm has an interesting history in the United States, and the USDA has developed a series of interactive graphics to illustrate past and present eradication efforts. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, February 15, 2016. The USDA interactive website illustrates the biology of the screwworm fly and uses maps to illustrate past and present eradication … [Read more...]
Weaning stresses impact piglet gut health
At weaning, piglets are faced with a combination of stresses to which they must quickly adapt, including diet, environment, social stress, maternal separation and more. David Saornil and Sylvie Roquefeuil focus on the impact of weaning stress on piglet digestive physiology and function. Source: Watt AgNet, February 9, 2017. (partial access only) As the industry faces … [Read more...]
Chickens considered clever
Chickens may be as emotionally, socially and cognitively complex as most other birds and mammals, explains Mark Clements. Source: Watt AgNet, January 17, 2017. A study of peer reviewed scientific data on cognition, emotions, personality and sociality in chickens, exploring areas including self-awareness, cognitive bias, social learning and self-control, published in Animal … [Read more...]
Get ready for calving season
Calving season is here. It’s stressful for producers, mamas and babies alike. Kevin Gould with the Michigan State University Extension Service, provides a good overview of supplies that are needed and a link to a handy calving fact sheet. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, February 20, 2017. To start, inventory supply needs to happen prior to the calving season and then the … [Read more...]
Walmart working on high-tech food safety initiatives
A technique from the financial industry, blockchain technology, may help improve food chain safety. The initiative is being deployed in China to improve the transparency and traceability in pork production and in the U.S. on a produce project. Source: Meat + Poultry, February 2017, page 66. Pilot projects developed by Wal-Mart, IBM and Tsinghua University will use … [Read more...]
Pay attention to the 3 stages of parturition
Experienced cow producers and veterinarians can benefit from reviewing basic information as spring calving season nears. The more we understand about the physiology of the process, the more likely we are to make sound decisions about when and if to provide assistance. Source: High Plains Journal, January 17, 2017. Parturition or “calving” is generally considered to occur … [Read more...]
Cattle eat weird things and it is OK
Consumers may be surprised to learn that cattle are able to eat many things that are considered waste and not allowed in the human consumption market. When foods begin to spoil, they cannot be sold for human consumption but some of them can be used in cattle feed. Source: High Plains Journal, January 30, 2017. Pumpkins, potatoes, oranges, sugar beets, and pinto beans can … [Read more...]
Training important for sows and gilts in group housing
The success of the group housing movement in swine production will depend on training sows and gilts, according to researchers at Kansas State University. Monitoring feed efficiency by individual sow is but one of the factors that complicates the changes in sow and gilt management. In one study, gilts spent 10 weeks in pre-training, two weeks in training, then moved into … [Read more...]
Temple Grandin added to the National Women’s Hall of Fame
Temple Grandin, Colorado State University and animal sciences professor and world-renowned spokesperson for autism, has been named to the National Women’s Hall of Fame. She is one of only 10 women to receive the honor this year. Source: Colorado State University, February 10, 2017. A professor of animal sciences for more than 20 years, Grandin has made enormous … [Read more...]
Be proactive about calving readiness
I saw the first new calves of the season in a field north of Kansas City this week. It was a reminder that 2017 calving is in full swing. Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Extension specialist, writes about preparing a calving kit. It includes a video Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, January 16, 2017. Before calving season starts, do a “walk-through” of pens, chutes, and … [Read more...]
Disinfect tube feeding equipment to prevent disease spread
While esophageal feeding of colostrum can revive weak goat kids, washing hands and disinfecting equipment thoroughly between uses is necessary to prevent the spread of diseases like Johne’s, mycoplasmosis and CAE. Follow these steps to effectively disinfect syringes and tubes: Rinse immediately after use Wash with warm soapy water to remove all debris Dilute 1 ounce … [Read more...]
Take steps to reduce abortions this kidding season
Q-fever, Chlamydiosis and toxoplasmosis are common causes of infectious abortions in goats. Prevention strategies include vaccinating, feeding antibiotics and quarantining new purchases until after kidding. Herds with multiple abortions in a short time frame or abortion rates in excess of three percent to five percent of the total number of pregnant animals should submit … [Read more...]
Swine Health Information Center helps producers and veterinarians
The four main categories of the Swine Health Information Center mission are: Preparedness, Response, Monitoring, and Analysis. “Education is key to preparedness,” said Dr. Paul Sundberg, executive director of the SHIC. In 2016, SHIC produced nine additional swine disease fact sheets, bringing the total number of fact sheets to 33. Source: Pork Network, January 30, … [Read more...]
Hay, plastic bale netting is not roughage
According to Melissa Koesler, Extension director for Garvin County, Oklahoma, a large percentage of producers now use plastic wrapping for hay instead of biodegradable sisal twine. Some of them leave the material in their pastures when feeding, or they grind or shred bales with the bale net in place. Koesler encourages producers to remove plastic netting or twine from bales and … [Read more...]
New perspective helps cull dairy heifers
Elanco’s John Lee offers catchy insight about replacement dairy heifer management from beef industry practices. “After three to four unsuccessful services and a maximum of six, 21-day cycles, stop breeding those heifers. In most herds, 95 percent of heifers will be pregnant by the third or fourth service and only 5 percent of heifers will be culled. However, these infertile … [Read more...]
Sheep Yoda makes heart surgery history
Yoda, a therapy sheep at the Ranch Hand Rescue Counseling Center and Animal Sanctuary, has made history by undergoing Patent Ductus Arteriosus ligation. Sometimes observed in humans after birth, PDA is a heart problem in which the ductus arteriosus blood vessel remains open, which allows blood to recirculate into the lungs. Surgical repair has been done on children, dogs and … [Read more...]
Swine industry audits ensure safe pork
Consumer demand continues to grow for certified safe foods. The National Pork Board responded to these demands by developing an extension of the Pork Quality Assurance Plus certification called the Common Swine Industry Audit. Source: National Hog Farmer, January 2017. The CSIA, certified by the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO) in October of … [Read more...]
PRRS has lingering negative impact
It is no surprise to learn that PRRS has a measurable long-term impact on pork production and economics. A study by Pablo Valdes-Donoso and Andres Perez, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, shows that although the number of farms has decreased, and the number of animals and the level of specialization has … [Read more...]
Dairy calf bedding choices just got easier
Bedding makes a difference say many dairymen. But does it? Dairy scientists compared pea gravel, rubber chip, sand and wood shavings to determine their effects on the health, physiology, and behavior of group-housed calves. Source: Journal of Dairy Science, January 18, 2017. In conclusion, the physiology and behavior of calves reared on pea gravel, rubber chips and sand was … [Read more...]
2016 beef stats available in one spot
Ever wonder where’s the beef? This infographic has information galore on the status of the beef herd rebound, production stats, sales prices, trades, exports and more. Source: Progressive Cattleman, January 2017. Overall cattle inventory hit 91.9 million head, a jump of 2.1 million head, or 2.4 percent more than 2015. The U.S. total beef cow inventory also jumped just more … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Pathogen-based mastitis management
A pathogen-based approach to managing mastitis uses on-farm cultures to characterize infections within 24 hours. This allows managers to leave some cattle untreated and use lower-cost treatments on some cattle, with lower treatment costs and less waste milk contributing to the cost savings. Boehringer-Ingelheim’s Linda Tikofsky, DVM, and Daryl Nydam, DVM, from Cornell … [Read more...]
Work with vet to control parasites in goats
Successful parasite management is essential to maintaining a healthy goat herd. While parasites are naturally present in most goats, they become disruptive to health and productivity in large quantities. Goat owners can prevent parasitism by keeping a clean environment and frequently rotating pastures. Working with a veterinarian to analyze fecal samples, deworming strategies … [Read more...]
“Amoosing” visitor stays at Vermont dairy
Yeah, we stole that word from the original headline. Take a fun look at what happened when a moose paid a call to a Vermont dairy. Source: Progressive Dairyman, January 13, 2017. The moose only stayed a few days, but it was more than enough time for the Abbots. “After a couple days, we put the cows in the barn and kind of shooed her away a little bit,” Abbot says. … [Read more...]
Unique research collaboration studies immunity in feedyards
The labels have always read, “for the vaccination of healthy animals” but based on convenience, tradition and a perception of urgency, feedyards often vaccinate calves with modified live virus (MLV) vaccines upon arrival, after they’ve been weaned, commingled, loaded, shipped, shrunk and stressed. Delayed viral vaccination, along with use of an immunostimulant, could help … [Read more...]
VFD farm visits must pass the smell test
Tom Burkgren, DVM, AASV executive director, speaks out on the importance of the farm visit as part of the new VFD requirements. He calls for swine veterinarians to keep the integrity of the veterinary-client-patient-relationship valid and professional. “A farm visit by a veterinarian for the sole purpose of meeting a regulatory requirement may not pass the smell test,” he … [Read more...]
Texas expands fever tick quarantine zone
Fever ticks carry Babesia protozoa, which cause cattle fever. It is characterized by acute anemia, high fever, and enlargement of the spleen and liver, ultimately causing death for many infected cattle. Last summer, animal health officials confirmed that the fever ticks, which can carry the protozoa Babesia bovis or B. bigemina, have spread outside the permanent quarantine area … [Read more...]