“Dairy products, particularly fermented dairy products, have anti-inflammatory properties in humans not suffering from allergies to milk,” said Bradley Bolling, citing research from University of Wisconsin during the World Dairy Expo. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 5, 2017. A UW study involving 132 women over nine weeks, yogurt provided some anti-inflammatory … [Read more...]
Irish farm teaches reality to urban dwellers
It’s okay for kids not to know a sheep from a goat, a carrot from a parsnip or that cows really give milk. That’s the philosophy of Airfield Estate, a 38-acre farm just outside central Dublin, Ireland. In fact, teaching kids and others about the realities of agriculture and livestock. Source: National Geographic, September 5, 2016. Our mission is to inspire people to … [Read more...]
Antimicrobial stewardship guidelines now available
“Key Elements for Implementing Antimicrobial Stewardship Plans in Bovine Veterinary Practices Working with Beef and Dairy Operations” is the title of a new document recently created by AABP. It was compiled to help veterinarians with best practices for designing, implementing and monitoring antimicrobial stewardship programs with clients and to help beef and dairy operations … [Read more...]
Value-added calves are the result of good pre-conditioning
According to survey numbers, the value of pre-conditioning or back-grounding calves post-weaning is growing rapidly. Since its inception, the Beef Quality Assurance program has given beef producers a template on how to do things right. More than one-third of producers are BQA certified according to the survey results. Source: Beef, October 2017, page 22. Dan Thompson, DVM, … [Read more...]
FDA video outlines drug resistance in parasites (includes video)
Dr. Aimee Phillippi-Taylor hosts this video and stresses the value of using fecal egg count reduction tests and recordkeeping to detect resistance in parasite populations. In addition to basic management, she encourages producers to work with their veterinarians to monitor the efficacy of deworming programs and adjust as needed. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, October 5, … [Read more...]
Pinkeye often flares in fall
“Pinkeye, or keratoconjunctivitis, is an infectious disease of cattle that costs producers money in several ways,” says Gerald Stokka, North Dakota State University Extension veterinarian. He and Neil Dyer, an NDSU pathologist, notes that the bacteria Moraxella bovis is one of the primary agents in pinkeye, although Moraxella ovus and Moraxella bovoculi have also been isolated. … [Read more...]
Watch out for anaplasmosis
Cattle producers should be aware that the parasitic disease, anaplasmosis is no longer a Southeastern U.S. malady. The Great Plains and the Midwest have experienced an increased number of cases in the last few years. A.J. Tarpoff, Extension beef veterinarian for Kansas State University offers five tips to manage the disease. Source: Progressive Cattleman, September 21, … [Read more...]
Groom and bathe chickens right for best results
The backyard or pet chicken population is growing. What do you do with a dirty chicken? Jeremy Chartier offers a few tips you should know since birds naturally bathe in dust baths. Source: Countryside Daily, October 3, 2017. Bathing poultry before a show is very common in the world of 4-H and other youth shows. It is necessary to get birds wet when grooming and bathing … [Read more...]
First chickens, now ducks
Once people get chickens started in their backyards, they often expand to include ducks. Lisa Steele reviews three favorite backyard duck breeds and the considerations for choosing them. Source: Countryside Daily, March 15, 2017. When you picture a flock of backyard ducks, you likely picture the large, white Pekin ducks, or the smaller, active brown-colored Mallards, but … [Read more...]
October is National Pork Month (slide gallery)
The designation of October as pork month marks a time of year when hogs were traditionally marketed. The United States is the third-largest pork-producing country, following China and the European Union. Pork is safe, efficient, environmentally friendly and a superior source of protein. Source: National Hog Farmer, October 1, 2017. According to an analysis by the USDA, pork … [Read more...]
Audubon: beef, habitat, quail and songbirds
Audubon is introducing a certification program to benefit ranchers and grassland birds. The Audubon Conservation Ranching program links consumers to beef produced on farms that provide good grassland bird habitat. The goal is a profitable program for cattle ranchers. It also helps reverse steep population declines during the past half century by grassland birds, such as … [Read more...]
Tips for a successful weaning/preconditioning program
Planning now for spring calf weaning and preconditioning makes sense before producers are taxed with the work of calving. Weaned and preconditioned calves can bring more dollars at sale time. As veterinarians meet with producers for VFD consultations, preconditioning is a topic that adds value to the compliance visits. Source: Beef, September 7, 2017. There are numerous … [Read more...]
Leman conference honors Morrison, urges co-opetition
The 2017 Leman Swine Conference, which ended September 28, was dedicated to the legacy of Bob Morrison, a student of Allen D. Leman who died recently in a tragic accident. His concepts of learning and working together were evident throughout the sessions. Source: National Hog Farmer, September 22, 2017. Kevin Shultz reports that Leman 2017 did not disappoint. It offered … [Read more...]
51st World Dairy Expo opens next week
World Dairy Expo® is a five-day event showcasing dairy cattle and the newest technologies available to the dairy industry. The annual show takes place at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. It is a unique animal health gathering. Plus, Wisconsin’s fall colors often provide postcard-like scenery. Source: World Dairy Expo, September 2017. World Dairy Expo … [Read more...]
Help cows and heifers during fall calving
Managing the amount of time heifers or cows are in labor before getting help is a challenge ranchers face during calving season. Glenn Selk offers some timing perspectives. Consider using this article in discussions with cow producers this fall. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, August 23, 2017. Research information shows that calves from prolonged deliveries are weaker and … [Read more...]
10 steps for milking excellence
Each year, regardless of milk price, the top 20 percent to 25 percent of dairy producers show some profit per cow. Pamela Ruegg, DVM, identified 10 smart things dairy farmers do to achieve milking excellence: Set performance goals. Rapidly identify problems. Milk clean cows. Standardize milking routines. Train staff. Maintain and update milking systems. … [Read more...]
Everything dairy; Journal of Dairy Science, October 2017
Animal health pros servicing dairy farmers, dairy veterinarians or marketing products for dairy use need to skim the studies in this month’s issue. Our team found two papers of interest: Dairy calf management—A comparison of practices and producer attitudes among conventional and organic herds Effect of prepartum exercise, pasture turnout, or total confinement on hoof … [Read more...]
Review BRD protocols now
Jim Sears, DVM with Bayer Animal Health, reminds producers to review and train on the bovine respiratory disease protocols before a shipment of cattle arrives. He offers a few simple tips to simplify your protocol decisions and help operations be efficient in treating BRD: Make protocols as simple as possible. Be objective – when selecting products, evaluate why each … [Read more...]
A quadrillion reasons those microbes matter
When cattle are fed, producers feed an ecosystem of bacteria, protozoa and fungi. Rumen microbes work together to break down what a cow eats, turning the feed into energy and protein. Keeping microbes flourishing can keep cows productive and in the herd. The numbers are mind-boggling. Source: Beef, August 24, 2017. Three main microorganisms are responsible for breaking down … [Read more...]
Flood resources now available
A new pamphlet for preparing, responding and recovered from flooding is now available from the University of California’s vet school. You can get it here. A second pamphlet deals more with dairy farms and evacuations due to flooding. Get it here. Source: Dairy Herd Management, September 8, 2017. Following one of the wettest seasons on record in California, the University of … [Read more...]
Help clients build recordkeeping systems
We liked this article which begins with the reality of “fire truck” rural practice. Jake Geis shares how the fire truck calls can become opportunities to show clients how to keep better health records. He recommends the veterinarian take the initiative to do some of the recordkeeping to help increase profitability and provide more job satisfaction. Source: Beef, September 1, … [Read more...]
Therapy chickens help nursing home residents
The therapeutic value of taking dogs to visit hospitals, special needs centers, schools and nursing homes is well-known. Even docile cats are now sometimes used as therapy animals. But therapy chickens? Source: Backyard Poultry, August 30, 2017. Today therapy chickens are used around the world to help those in nursing homes improve their mobility and have fun. Residents are … [Read more...]
Preg-checking considerations for cow herds
Wyatt Bechtel shares pregnancy checking suggestions from Extension specialists in various parts of the U.S.: Pregnancy testing cattle to save money Have your breeding dates on hand Pregnancy check heifers early Cull those open heifers Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, August 31, 2017. It makes more business sense to sell the open heifers, rather than create more … [Read more...]
Biodiversity important for goat farming
Using lessons from the dairy producers, goat farmers are urged to maintain genetic diversity in their herds, rather than breed for production-specific traits. By not doing so, animals may become ill-equipped to adapt to changing conditions or fight new diseases. The United Nations is so concerned that more than 100 countries are already signed up to monitor genealogies and … [Read more...]
Protecting chickens from aerial predators (includes video)
Free-ranging and backyard chickens are easy prey for animals like foxes, raccoons, skunks and neighbors’ free-roaming cats and dogs. In addition, the lack of protection overhead makes them a likely meal for hawks. Pam Freeman offers ways to protect backyard chickens from aerial predators. Source: Backyard Poultry, August 30, 2017. To protect backyard, free-ranging chickens … [Read more...]
Lice season looms ahead
As fall comes on, it is time to readdress the lice populations that survived the summer and begin to infest cattle in October. By treating early, ranchers can avoid the deep infestations of January and February common in many areas. Source: Beef, August 31, 2017. Some animals, due to poor immune function or some other factors, are more vulnerable to extensive lice … [Read more...]
Journal of the AVMA
We linked you to the table of contents for this issue of the Journal. Two papers caught our team’s attention: Comparison of clinical findings between dogs with suspected anaphylaxis and dogs with confirmed sepsis Movement patterns of exhibition swine and associations of influenza A virus infection with swine management practices Source: Journal of the AVMA, … [Read more...]
Flying cowboys help save cattle from Harvey
Helicopters and their pilots, long used to round up cattle on sprawling ranches, have been hard at work since Hurricane Harvey hit Southeast Texas August 25. This article features Ryan Ashcraft, a helicopter pilot who has been helping rescue cattle in since the storm let up. Ten percent of the Texas cowherd is in the 54 counties declared disaster areas. Source: New York … [Read more...]
National Beef Quality Audit shows its value (includes video)
NBQA auditing processes have improved over the past 25 years, leading to an increasingly meaningful set of results. The 2016 National Beef Quality Audit observed a decrease in cattle with hide brands, horns and an increase in the frequency of Prime and Choice carcasses. Still, continuous improvement is indicated including how to tell consumers the story of beef’s … [Read more...]
Pig show persons stay connected to the industry
The show pig business is a world where people love their pigs. Those who fall short of the prizes try harder the next year. These farmers are not disconnected from the industry production practices, however. Our team wanted to share this site to share with you, especially these entries: Pig show 101 and Top 5 reasons why showing pigs is the best. Source: Real Pig … [Read more...]