Good hospital pens are crucial for effective, efficient treatment of sick cattle to get them back to their home pens quickly, writes Heather Smith Thomas. One size doesn’t fit all.
After interviewing different veterinarians, she shares different ways hospital pens are managed to meet the universal objective of reuniting sick livestock with their pen mates.
Antibiotics are wonderful, but in the last 20 years we’ve forgotten that cattle also need a nice place to lie down, clean feed, clean fresh water and good handling. Those things are more important than what kind of drug you give them.”
Source: FEED-LOT, May 2, 2022. Link. A new pen, new feed, new environment, is a fresh start for the animal. Corbin Stevens, DVM shared, “Each day the cattle feel better. Their pen mates start to feel better, start eating more, and have a more inquisitive attitude. This helps their recovery.”
INSIGHTS: Characterizing antibiotics as a tool instead of a silver bullet is an important takeaway from this article. Note the emphasis on daily cleaning of water tanks, fresh water, dry bedding and shade. Animal health pros need to continue to emphasize the importance of basic stewardship and these simple practices.