Latest News From Rhonda Brooks

Household units and mini fridges are often unsuitable for maintaining veterinary products, according to a recent study by Emmanuel Rollin, DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia.

Scoring teat ends tells a story of how happy a cow is with how she is milked and treated. It also provides insights into whether the milking process is harmful to the animal and needs to be changed.

June 11, 2023, is a Sunday and the day Guidance For Industry 263 goes into effect. Here are five things you might consider doing between now and then.

One of Dr. Jody Kull's goals was to bring attention to the dwindling number of veterinarians practicing in rural America today and what that means to livestock producers, pet owners and their local communities. 

Will and Monnie Carter, DVMs, based near Pintlala, Ala., and their children, received the Region ll award for work to steward their land and water. The Carters own a cow herd of Sim-Angus and Brangus crossbred females. 

June 11, 2023, is a Sunday and the day Guidance For Industry 263 goes into effect. No one knows how it’s going to play out at the producer level or for your practice. 

The U.S. Senate confirmed Jose Emilio Esteban, a veterinarian, as undersecretary for food safety with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in December.

If you listed the top three disease problems in young dairy calves, diarrhea and pneumonia would likely come to mind immediately. The third one might not be as obvious: umbilical infection.

Sandra Stuttgen, bovine veterinarian and associate professor at the University of Wisconsin, says now is the time for livestock owners to establish a relationship with their DVM.

After a typical birth the calf should breathe within 30 seconds of delivery, says Dr. Geof Smith, dairy technical services veterinarian for Zoetis. If it isn't, you need to intervene.

Veterinarians already do so much to help livestock producers adopt sustainable practices, and we get that. This story simply shares insights from what some beef producers are doing. It might give you some ideas to try.

Check out the "Easy Button" offered by the USRSB for starters. It's a quick self-assessment tool, with options for cow/calf and feedyard operations. You're probably already using some of the recommended practices.

This is the story of one dairy producer's struggle with the impact of stray voltage on her cows and family. She wants her family's experience to be something veterinarians and dairy producers can learn and benefit from.

Drs. Grant Dewell and Mike Apley, respectively, and Extension nutritionist Paul Beck weigh in on some things they believe contribute to the disease and how you can stem its development from the farm to the feedlot.

Curtail transmission levels by stopping the so-called super shedders, says Ron Erskine, DVM and professor emeritus at Michigan State University, by identifying and culling them. He explains the process here.

Join us for a conversation with cattlemen at 3 p.m. CST, Wednesday, July 27, to learn how they’re managing through the situation. 

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis can take a toll on cattle, especially calves. Three bovine veterinarians provide their insights on diagnosing the problem and when to use and not use antibiotics for treatment.

Know when to cut and when to run. With the former, Amanda Hartnack, DVM, recommends fixing those hernias in the field that are no larger than 10 to 15 centimeters.   

Jesse Goff, Iowa State University dairy veterinarian and professor, attributes hypocalcemia, including the subclinical stage, to metabolic alkalosis. He says the issue has to do with potassium in forages being fed.   

Three bovine veterinarians share some of their best practices, tools and insights for conducting necropsies more effectively and efficiently. 

Asian longhorned ticks are moving across the U.S. Calves are particularly vulnerable to them. Of course, a variety of tick species are problematic for cattle and need to be addressed each year.

Check out the photographs of nine common problems Dr. Ahmed Tibary, Washington State University, says he most often sees in the sperm of bulls that fail breeding soundness exams.

Flies are a nuisance and contribute to lost productivity on the dairy. Controlling flies requires an integrated management plan that includes inspection, sanitation, treatment and monitoring. 

While most beef production operations are still pasture-based, confinement facilities are gaining traction in the U.S. With them come a host of routine health concerns for veterinarians and producers.

The case occurred in a person who had direct exposure to poultry and was involved in the culling process of poultry with presumptive H5N1 bird flu, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Keep an eye on water intake and feedstuffs. Avoid vaccinations when heat levels are high. Address the environment for management steps you can take to improve cow comfort.

A new partnership between the Farm Journal Foundation and Zoetis Foundation is working to address student debt and, in the process, increase the number of rural veterinarians. 

The bulk of cases this year are from migratory birds, according to USDA, as opposed from farm-to-farm--which was the case in 2015. That year's avian flu outbreak was the largest animal disease outbreak in U.S. history.

Dr. Anne Budzinski was weighed down by 17 student loans when she graduated from veterinary school in 2015. Today, she has paid them all off. She says if she can do it, other young practitioners can, too.

Expect Russia's invasion of Ukraine to dominate the State of the Union address tonight. As for issues affecting agriculture, there may be few details offered, says USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Dr. Robert Bogan refused to retire and leave residents of Faribault County, Minn., without a veterinarian. His hand-selected replacement is a 2021 graduate of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

During the recent Academy of Veterinary Consultants conference, Dan Altena, DVM, Valley Veterinarians Inc., offered some take-home points to help veterinarians with crossbred calves in the feedyard.

Thanks to the Beef Quality Assurance National Manual, here is a handy chart you can use the next time you need options and a quick reference on various compounds for disinfecting purposes.

The tick transmits Theileria orientalis to many animal species, including cattle, pigs, horses, sheep and goats. Death occurs in up to 5% of affected animals, according to Washington State University scientists.

Lead researcher, Mohit Verma, says the test can identify three strains of bacteria that contribute to BRD: Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica and Histophilus somni.

Between 2.5 million and 5 million beef-dairy crossbred calves will be born in 2022 and 2023, as dairy producers look to add more income to their operations. Are you and your dairy clients assessing the opportunity?

Award recipient, Dr. Tye Perrett, is a practitioner with Feedlot Health Management Services based in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada.

Of the seven different "primary causes" of enteritis, some can have a good prognosis while others will be guarded or poor, depending on the prescribed treatment and how quickly treatment is implemented.

Hernias in young calves can often be addressed surgically in the field. But before taking that step, evaluate whether the case you face is one you can correct with lasting success.

Factors for consideration include colostrum management, group composition and dynamics, bedding and space, nutritional management, early disease detection and the need for "real life" observations.

Evaluate and monitor pregnant cows and heifers that are under any stress. That could be stress associated with transport movement or disease, if that animal is suffering from a system illness or some viral infection.

The basic principle of limit feeding is to feed corn (or other concentrated energy source) and a supplement in just enough quantity to meet the animal’s requirement for maintenance or a targeted level of weight gain.

Veterinarians with experience dealing with this bovine medical emergency offer insights and recommendations to help other practitioners, especially recent graduates.

Come for work and stay to play! Check out the agenda and make plans now. Use the code MILK50 to save $50 off the registration fee.

Dr. Fred Gingrich, AABP executive director, says the decision by association members demonstrates the value, and increasingly important role, technologists and technicians have in food animal medicine.

Better compensation can keep veterinary technicians on the job and help them avoid burnout. There are five additional factors technicians say can help them feel valued, and they don't cost a dime to implement.

AABP leaders and Dr. Carrie Jurney, president of Not One More Vet, shared insights and recommendations at the annual conference to help and encourage veterinarians struggling and contemplating leaving the profession.

In its JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey) research, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that resignations are at an all-time high.

In an informal survey of nearly 200 bovine veterinarians last year, 95% said they have suffered from the syndrome at some time or other. Here are some ways to address the problem.

Mentoring by experienced practitioners provides a framework for success by helping young veterinarians practice better medicine, develop relationships with clients and deal with hardships inherent in the business.