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...]
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...]
Chickens and cats don’t mix
Chicken owners need to become familiar with three types of cats, writes Ana Hotaling. Whether housecat, barn cat or feral/stray cat, chickens are not enrichment activities. They are prey in the cat mind. Larger breed birds may be less likely to fall to feline predation given their size and protective tendencies. Source: Hobby Farms, January 16, 2019. Link. INSIGHTS: … [Read more...]
Hoof trimming important in goat care
Goat hoof trimming is a necessary part of keeping and raising goats. The trick is to teach the goats to be cooperative. Gail Damerow shares hoof trimming equipment, ideas and diagrams to make the job easier. Source: Countryside Daily, December 10, 2018. Link. A goat’s four hooves don’t necessarily all grow at the same rate, and back hooves tend to grow faster than the … [Read more...]
Wild pigs, agricultural and environmental terrorists
A growing wild pig population sparks fear as threats of African swine fever (ASF) hitting U.S. soil are publicized. In Texas, the number of wild pigs could soon be nearly as large as the U.S. sow population of six million sows. Wild pigs can vector 21 some odd diseases we are aware of – communicable to all livestock animals Source: PORK, December 14, 108. Link. When … [Read more...]
Female ranchers seizing owner, manager opportunities
Fourteen percent of the 2.1 million farms in the U.S. were owned by females in 2012, according to USDA. That percentage is likely to grow as more the half the farms and ranches in the country are expected to change hands. This photo essay offers snapshots of five operations owned by women. This reimagining of a role that has for so long loomed large and male, in the … [Read more...]
Farm animal welfare, a growing trend
Consumers care. Packaged Facts survey data from February through March 2017 shows that 58 percent of U.S. consumers are more concerned about food animal welfare than they were just a few years ago. The demand for transparency around where their food comes from has most consumer packaged-goods companies listening. For those partners already a part of the Global Animal … [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...]
Backyard chickens may be the most pampered pets of the moment
Chicken pampering is taking over in the backyard poultry segment writes Glenn Selk. Nothing seems too much for these feathered friends. Americans have begun treating their fowl more like pets than livestock. And just as with our beloved cats and dogs, nothing is too much for our little Foghorn Leghorns. Source: USA Today, December 24, 2018. Link. The Centers for Disease … [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...]
Controlling ammonia volatility in poultry litter
Moisture is the number-one variable poultry producers must manage to help control ammonia production, thereby boosting bird health and performance. The inherent challenges that accompany ammonia have not changed. However, it often seems that producers have become accustomed to its impact, just as desensitization to ammonia’s smell occurs. Regardless of the size of the … [Read more...]
Calcium needed to strengthen eggshells overnight
Urban chickens sometimes make eggs that have weak shells.Eggshells are a primary defense against food-source bacteria and an important indicator of chicken health. Kathy Shea Mormino explains the development of healthy, strong eggs and why a nighttime calcium source is necessary for strong egg development. . . . while building an eggshell a hen can use and replace the … [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...]
Myth: The liquid at the bottom of a meat package is blood (includes video)
If you’re working in the kitchen, you’re likely to hear something about the juice from packaged meat. Most of us have been taught that it is blood. Not so! But we still need to handle it with care. The liquid which can sometimes be found at the bottom of a meat package is what meat scientists call “purge,” is a combination of water and meat proteins that drain from meat. … [Read more...]
Texas landowners get feral hog reporting tool
Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute has released a new online tool <link> to help in the growing effort to control the feral hog population in the state. The wild pig website offers Texas landowners and homeowners an easy-to-use tool to report sightings of feral hogs and the damage they may have caused. Source: National Hog Farmer, November 29, 2018. … [Read more...]