Respiratory disease causes 60 to 90 percent of the morbidity or sickness in feedlot cattle, Dr. Bill Pinchak says. Diagnosis is a challenge and primarily relies on visual appraisal to determine illness. This can vary by degrees of individual experience in diagnosing. “Typically, the accuracy is about 60 percent. So there are a lot of animals that are not diagnosed and end up … [Read more...]
First-calf heifer conundrum
Jason Smith, University of Tennessee tackles the fundamentals of first calf heifer management. The first calf heifer is a different beast compared to mature cows or replacement heifers. As such, being proactive can help develop these individuals’ value to a cow-calf operator. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, May 16, 2017. Generally we think of a heifer as being mature once … [Read more...]
Pre-weaned calves at risk for BRD
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains a common problem in pre-weaned calves. South Dakota State University veterinarian Russ Daly said pre-weaning BRD affects about 20 percent of cow-calf operations each year and is the leading cause of mortality in calves from three weeks to weaning. Source: Drovers, April 19, 2017. Researchers at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in … [Read more...]
Adjust artificial insemination practices during heat stress
If hot weather arrives during the AI season, some management and breeding alterations may be helpful. Research with rumen temperature boluses has shown that the core body temperature of beef cows peaks at two to five hours after the highest daytime temperature. Elevated core body temperatures have been implicated from other research in reduced pregnancy rates in heat stressed … [Read more...]
Understanding the stocker
Stocker, or backgrounding, provides vital production and marketing system values to the beef industry. Stocker production happens in a variety of situations and environments throughout the country. As such, the stocker sector is an essential shock absorber for the beef industry but little data exists to analyze the segment. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, March 29, … [Read more...]
Cull ornery, grumpy cows
Culling cows assertively is one of the more effective strategies for improving cow herd profitability and satisfaction. University of Florida animal scientists have found that cows with poor dispositions are less likely to conceive when mated with bulls. Disposition had previously been associated with reduced artificial insemination results. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, … [Read more...]
Now is not the time to relax
The 2017 calf crop is taking shape and breeding season is currently or soon will be underway. It is feeling to see cow-calf pairs turned out to fresh pastures for the first grazing of the season. We can’t relax too much. This is a critical time of the year for producers to focus on the needs of the herd. This is especially true for yearling heifers and two-year-olds nursing … [Read more...]
Don’t take parasites to pasture
Flies and worms lower cattle health. This can lead to major economic damage, so controlling parasites with insecticides and other management protocols is important. Producers prepare pastures by fertilizing, spraying, burning and inter-seeding. The same logic applies to preparing cattle for spring by controlling parasites early. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, April 14, … [Read more...]
Zero tolerance for bad tempered cows
Most cows respect their caregivers. For those of a different temperament, get them out of the pen. Cattlemen should have no room for killer cows. The same goes for bulls too. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, April 17, 2017. Quit making excuses for bad-tempered cattle. Cattle that routinely challenge the producer should be sold. Cattle that are very aggressive and are put in a … [Read more...]
Include udders in culling decisions
"Preg" checking represents a primary evaluation period to make culling decisions. Beef cattle producers are not as likely to think about udder health and shape as are dairy producers, but this attribute affects cow productivity and should be considered. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, April 10, 2017. An evaluation system for udder soundness has been developed and used by … [Read more...]
Dosages differ between prostaglandin products for estrous synchronization
Kalyn Waters, University of Florida Extension, wants to make producers aware of the risk of confusion about dosage and administration of different estrous synchronization products. The addition of a new product in this category increases the need to avoid issues in synchronization successes she says. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, March 7, 2017. One common trade name is the … [Read more...]
Technology helps replace painful management practices
Technology is moving quickly to help cattlemen reduce the use of traditional management practices that cause needless pain. From individual identification to castration, Bernie Rollin, Colorado State University animal science professor, gives an overview of how cattlemen can continue improving their daily practices. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, March 8, 2017. If asked to … [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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
Get in line with VFD
January 1st came and brought a new set of rules and questions. This article reconfirms the regulatory details and offers some questions for producers should ask themselves before inspections occur. They include: Did you keep copies of VFD orders for at least two years? Did you feed the authorized number of animals on the VFD order? Did you feed VFD feed for … [Read more...]
Earn $300 more per cow
Kris Ringwall, North Dakota State University Extension, must be good with a calculator. He presents economic factors for cow-calf producers that focus on profit per unit of production. Representatives and veterinarians can use this article to engage producers in a discussion about profit improvement versus input costs. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, January 7, 2017. Success … [Read more...]
Breakers, boners, leans and lights
Cull cows, bulls and cull dairy cows make up about 20 percent of the beef available for consumption in the United States. About half of this group, or 10 percent of the beef supply, comes from cull beef cows. The USDA market news service reports on four classes of cull cows (not destined to be replacements). Learning a bit more about these classifications can impact overall … [Read more...]
Culling open cows effectively
Cull cow weight and price are two of the top factors of profitability in any cow-calf operation. Justin Rhinehart, University of Tennessee Beef Cattle Extension specialist, provides good perspective on the economic importance of open cows in cow-calf operations. Cull timing is presented in detail. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, October 4, 2016. Open cow revenue generally … [Read more...]
Take control of year-round calving in two years
Tightening calving seasons creates management and economic benefits. Done wrong, the benefits turn into costs. Les Anderson, University of Kentucky Extension beef specialist, says takes at least two years for producers to tighten a year-round calving season into a 75-day controlled calving season. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, September 2016. Anderson offers eight steps to … [Read more...]
Collectively curing beef’s $35 million bruise
Cattle today are bigger than they were 30 years ago, thanks to improved genetics and better husbandry. In fact, finished cattle have outgrown the trailers used to haul them. Industry consensus and research show that larger cattle being hauled in equipment designed in the last century are creating welfare and product quality issues, resulting in $35-million-plus industry wide … [Read more...]
USDA Veterinary Services needs feedback
Emerging animal diseases have the potential to negatively affect animal health, public health, and trade. Continuing work begun in 2014, this week, the Veterinary Services (VS) division at the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service released an update titled “Emerging Animal Disease and Preparedness Plan.” The agency seeks comments on the document, which expands on the … [Read more...]
Booster vaccinations for beef calves questioned
Proven protocols, even booster vaccinations, are under full scrutiny these days. As vaccine technology advances, the need for these vaccinations is being questioned. Most protocols developed by marketing programs and manufacturers continue to include booster vaccinations as standard practice. However, more of today’s vaccines do not offer label instructions to repeat … [Read more...]
Pinkeye remains a challenge in the fall
The main cause of pinkeye in cattle is the ever-changing bacteria, moraxella bovis. Many subtypes of the bacteria can be found even in one infected animal. This can make it difficulty to treat and preventing. Pinkeye can rob producers of weight gain in addition to the labor costs of treatment. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, August 17, 2016. Vaccination, fly control, … [Read more...]
Beef bacon alternative growing
Bacon! Schmacon! “Schmacon is delicious and different than anything else on the market,” shared Howard Bender, owner of Schmaltz Deli in Naperville, Ill. “It has about half the calories and half the fat, and it tastes great.” The beef bacon product was launched in 2015 and comes from the underbelly of cattle. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, July 24, 2016. It is a new way for … [Read more...]
Love, hate, indifference on antibiotic rules
John Maday reviews preliminary qualitative feedback from an online survey currently in process. The rules in question include: FDA’s Guidance for Industry 213, which removes performance or production claims from the labels of medically important antibiotics. Expanded veterinary feed directive (VFD) rule which ends over-the-counter purchases of medically important … [Read more...]
Consumers dazed and confused by food labels
According to a national survey released recently by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, consumers don’t know the true meaning of phrases such as “free-range” and “grass-fed,” but their perceptions of the terms can have a major influence on animal agriculture and the practices used. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, July 13, 2016. The article … [Read more...]