Two posts did not link properly in the February 28 AHD Bulletin. They are: Work on yourself first, to improve your team <link>Rushing heifers to calve diminishes lifetime value <link> Source: Animal Health Digest Bulletin, February 28, 2019. Link. … [Read more...]
Pig’s faces get mapped on some Chinese pig farms
Facial and voice recognition may become standard on Chinese hog farms. As African swine fever threatens China’s supply of pork, worried owners are turning to high-tech to try and control the problem. While some experts and farmers are skeptical, agricultural officials have praised “raising pigs in a smart way” using the A-B-C-Ds: artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud … [Read more...]
Rushing heifers to calve diminishes lifetime value
Cargill dairy consultant Shane Holt scrutinized records and found a correlation between calving age and lower lifetime output. The “sweet spot” for age at first calving was 23 or 24 months. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, February 25, 2019. Link. I have convinced myself after five years of looking at this that there is nothing that will give you more milk than your age at … [Read more...]
Ranch level biosecurity goes beyond vaccination
Keeping diseases at bay requires a lot more than a good vaccination program, writes Caitlin Hebbert. She presents biosecurity beyond BQA requirements and engages Stephen Collett to describe a hierarchy of three levels of biosecurity: Conceptual StructuralProcedural Source: BEEF, February 19, 2019, page 48. Link. Be proactive. A little caution and awareness when it … [Read more...]
Avoiding cost does not create value in calving date plans
As the cattle market approaches some expansion slowdown <link>, consider options for where and when calves are born. Despite the greatest total cost, June calving provided the lowest unit cost of production and greatest net profit per calf, thanks to greater weaning and carcass weights. Source: BEEF, January 23, 2019. Link. Calving dates and management systems are … [Read more...]
Methane potent but not long-lived (audio interview)
Methane produced by livestock is the most potent of the gases in question, BUT it simply does not stick around all that long of time compared to gases created by the use of fossil fuels. . . . the three greenhouse gases are not created equal. CO2 and nitrous oxide, have a lifetime of 1000 years. Methane however has a lifespan of only 10 years Source: Radio Oklahoma … [Read more...]
CattleFax predicts slower and more measured pace in 2019
David Cooper shares a summary of the 2019 CattleFax outlook he heard during the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. The cattle business cycle will enter a typical slowdown as this year progresses. Kevin Good, CattleFax analyst, explained that weather and profitability drive expansion in the beef industry. Prices for the U.S. will remain relatively … [Read more...]
Goodbye dead wagon, hello composting
Transporting carcasses of livestock mortalities is challenging to biosecurity, air quality and groundwater safety. This calls for new alternatives. Jennifer Shike shares her experience visiting a farm using an aeration composter and shares her thoughts on the science and the importance of the topic. Source: PORK, February 15, 2019. Link. Forced aeration composting is a win … [Read more...]
Avoid poisonous plants for goats
Goats eat everything, right? Apparently not. Knowing what to feed goats involves education. Katherine Drovdahl reviews toxic plants and acknowledges there is not a comprehensive list of toxic or poisonous plants for goats. Even good plants can develop into a dangerous toxic condition called enterotoxemia if goats overeat on any plant they are not used to Source: … [Read more...]
Upwards of 300,000 Australian cattle feared dead in record-break floods
Two years’ worth of rain that fell in two weeks in northwestern Queensland, Australia, has killed an untold number of cattle. Following a severe drought and recent high winds and cold weather, some say the losses will likely climb higher. Source: Beef Central, February 11, 2019. Link. “The loss of hundreds of thousands of cattle after five, six, seven years of drought, is a … [Read more...]
The calf-fed conundrum
Calves are weaning heavier, often at weights where they go from the ranch to the feedyard without a growing phase in between. The conundrum? For as long as 90 days following placement, these cattle can show health issues later in the feeding period rather than when they first go on feed. From a health standpoint, we continue to go backward,” says Miles Theurer, DVM. “The … [Read more...]
Culling decisions and dairy cattle welfare during transport to slaughter in the United States
Twenty eight percent of dairy cows are removed from dairy herds each year. Cull cows are often transported long distances to slaughter and may face many welfare challenges during this process. The authors discuss specialized slaughter locations, what holds this culling system in place and opportunities to improve cull cow welfare. At each point of sale and during each leg of … [Read more...]
Transportation biosecurity is imperfect at best
Biosecurity is one of the greatest ways to mitigate risk. Procedures cannot fully eliminate cross contamination. Clayton Johnson, DVM, suggests producers focus on controlling what they can when it comes to risk management in their pork operations. Source: PORK, February 7, 2019. Link. There are three main principles that come into play when it comes to biosecurity on the … [Read more...]
Animal Health Protection Act enforced by USDA and FDA
Pre-signing the interstate certificate of veterinary inspection without inspecting the cattle has a Kentucky DVM waiting for sentencing. Illegally moving cattle across state lines with fraudulent paperwork is a federal offense. Source: Drover’s, January 21, 2019. Link. Under federal law prior to shipment across state lines cattle are required to be inspected by a … [Read more...]
Ruminations from NCBA Cattle Con (includes video)
Burke Teichert < link > reflects on his experiences during this year’s Cattle Industry Convention. His years of work show in his “I wonder” topics. The video interview reveals his wisdom and he challenges us to keep learning. My challenge is for all of us to become better and more engaged life-long learners—to become better systems thinkers and observers. Source: BEEF, … [Read more...]
The biofilms challenge
Bacterial biofilms have been associated with persistent surgical site, wound and urinary tract infections. They are a complex community of bacteria embedded within a self-produced matrix. Two types of biofilms cause challenges for infection management and control: a) planktonic (e.g. slime), b) biofilm-embedded (e.g. plaque). Biofilm formation is a complex process during … [Read more...]
Hay! Plastic bale netting is not digestible
Modern technology for hay bale wrap is causing rumen problems that can be just as damaging and fatal as the miscellaneous hardware cows often ingest. Many producers never remove net wrap and never have problems, while others say these risks are the reason they always remove net wrap before feeding hay or running it through a processor,” Cody Creelman, DVM, says. Source: … [Read more...]
Don’t let frostbite harm calves
Winter temperatures in some areas challenge early calving. Producers share their methods for fighting frostbite in these articles selected. Preventing damage to ears and tails is critical because once the tissue gets frozen, there’s little that can be done. Source: Dairy Herd Management, January 2019. Link. Frostbite is relatively uncommon in calves older than a … [Read more...]
Miniature goats create connections
Goats of all sizes, including miniature goats, to create connections with them and their owners. Smaller goats can be practical, affordable and affectionate. For some small-scale breeders, miniatures are the perfect starting point for raising goats. (Miniature goats) . . . can be kept in a small backyard, are easy to handle, and are the perfect size for young children to … [Read more...]
2019 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show wrap up
Nearly 9,000 people attended this year’s Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show that wrapped up last week in New Orleans. Jennifer Houston of Sweetwater, Tennessee, was named president. Animal health pros made up a good percentage of the 350 exhibitors in the seven-acre trade show. As is tradition, Cattlemen’s College kicked off the event. Source: AgriMarketing, … [Read more...]
Engage cattle handling strategies that improve postweaning calf health
Whit Hibbard & Dawn Hnatow discuss working with postwean calves and teaching them to be manageable and happy. . . . in order for our calves to perform well and stay healthy, they not only need enough water, feed, rest, exercise and a comfortable environment, but they also need to be healthy emotionally. Source: Drovers, January 24, 2019. Link. Low-stress handlers … [Read more...]
Calf care videos now available online
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are making video resources available to provide training in calf management. The videos are available in English and Spanish and include: newborn calf carecolostrum managementanimal handlingautomatic calf feeder management hygiene and sanitation Source: Dairy Herd Management, January 25, … [Read more...]
Trick cows to calve in the daylight
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...]
As Farm Aid turns 30, its focus raises questions (includes video)
Farm Aid was created during the farm crisis of the 1980's and is today is a nonprofit with the stated mission of helping farmers and farm families. Clinton Griffiths questions the current focus while sharing information about the organization. Source: Drovers, January 25, 2019. Link. … [Read more...]
Manage flu in swine and you
Whether it’s the neighbor’s pot-bellied pig, the large swine operation nearby or your family, flu season is here, and we all need to pay attention. Since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, research has been conducted to better understand human and pig influenza. Because flu viruses can be transmitted between pigs and people, biosecurity is important to prevent the spread of influenza from … [Read more...]
Be sure pets are safe during cold weather
Winter weather challenges pets, livestock and animal owners. The AVMA offers information on its website, including client handouts for members. It is especially important to remind new pet owners of the limitations cold weather places on our pets. Frozen water bowls are commonly overlooked. Remember to warn people how much outdoor and feral cats like warm automobile engines. … [Read more...]
Focus on what you can control
Clint Schwab* reminds swine producers to remember to let technology take a backseat to good old-fashioned execution. Regardless of individual species focus, any animal health pro will capture something useful in his article about human and animal resources and maximizing production. He discusses training, feed quality, biosecurity, breeding and stress reduction. . . . … [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...]