A cow is most susceptible to getting a new mastitis infection at the beginning of a dry period. A sealant stimulates a natural barrier, providing protection. Here are 10 ways to use such stimulants properly.
Subclinical hypocalcemia has been reported to affect up to 73% of U.S. dairy cows on third or greater lactations, and costs an average of $150 per case. But there are typically no visible symptoms.
Veterinarians say every dairy operation can benefit from having a checklist to follow on how to prevent and manage outbreaks of this endemic serotype of Salmonella.
Most cows form a keratin plug that seals off the teat canal to prevent the entry of mastitis-causing pathogens. But it often doesn’t happen soon enough in today’s high-producing animals.
From dry-off to freshening, mineral supplementation can play a pivotal role in keeping cows healthy, comfortable and productive, says Curt Vlietstra, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim.
Even with the best management practices in place, some stressful events such as shipping are unavoidable. These recommendations can help mitigate the risk of respiratory disease and other health issues.
We can’t control everything on a cattle operation. But we can make a battle plan to protect calves from bovine respiratory disease long before we ever reach for antibiotics.
In the past, it was believed there was no point to give injectable respiratory vaccines before about 4 months of age, because they would be inactivated by maternal antibodies. A recent study proves that’s not the case.
Every re-treatment puts additional stress on calves and reduces profit margins due to the additional medicine and labor costs. On the other hand, waiting too long to re-treat can increase the number of sick calves.
