Latest News From Rhonda Brooks

Kay Russo, DVM, Novonesis technical services manager for dairy and poultry, emphasized the situation is rapidly evolving and more clarity will come with time as researchers learn more.

Sid Miller, commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, says the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza impacting beef cattle in the state's panhandle – where dairy cows have been infected – is minimal.

As cattle are fed to heavier end points, the incidence of BCHF is increasing. The beef industry is stepping up to help producers and veterinarians make production and selection decisions to reduce the occurrence of BCHF.

Livestock producers and veterinarians are urged to practice good biosecurity practices to prevent transmission of the disease. Five states have also issued restrictions on dairy cattle movement.

Turning out a subfertile bull means some cows in the herd won’t get bred or bred in a timely manner. Both problems are costly, says Chance Armstrong, DVM, Auburn University. Check out the two scenarios he outlines here.

Bulls passing all four parts of a BSE are set up for reproductive excellence. The best achieve a 60% to 65% conception rate every 21 days on healthy, cycling cows, says Dr. Chance Armstrong. Subfertile bulls are costly.

Beef-on-dairy numbers in the U.S. will reach up to 5 million head – roughly 15% of the cattle harvested annually – as early as 2026. The sexed-and-beef model of production will play a prominent role in the process.

There were 720 completed and usable survey responses from all 13 districts of the AABP in the United States and Canada. For veterinarians in private practice, mean-reported income was $143,333.

Early calf nutrition – at the milk phase stage, in particular – is only now getting the level of attention it deserves, says Jim Drackley, University of Illinois. Now, many farms are feeding 6 to 8 liters-plus per day.

With more than 30 years in feedyard medicine and consulting, Miles is known in the beef industry for innovation, advocacy and applying scientific methods to evaluate, adopt and monitor products and practices.

As a consulting veterinarian, Dr. Barringer works with Diamond V ruminant teams. He is also a highly decorated military leader and has deployed both as an Army and Air Force officer.

Remote drug delivery devices to treat cattle are increasingly popular among producers, especially for use with cattle on pasture. Many veterinarians, however, continue to question whether such tools warrant use at all.

Beef cows fed at dusk or later results in more daytime births. Research indicates that to achieve that benefit, feeding at night should be started at least one month prior to calving season.

AABP urges practitioners and producers to contact legislators to express support for the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. Check out Dr. Fred Gingrich's thoughts on the subject recorded at the annual AABP conference.

Between 60% and 70% of U.S. dairies have mycoplasma at least as a component of the respiratory disease that they deal with, according to Geof Smith, DVM and a dairy technical services veterinarian with Zoetis. 

The problem occurs in nearly 50% of cows in the first 24 hours after calving, says Jesse Goff, DVM and ISU professor emeritus. He details four nutrition strategies to prevent or treat the problem so cows aren't culled.

Zelnate DNA Immunostimulant is used to treat respiratory disease due to Mannheimia haemolytica. The label recommends use at or within 24 hours after a perceived stressful event in cattle 4 months of age and older.

The company announces it is voluntarily recalling four additional batches of Banamine/Banamine-S (flunixin meglumine injection) 50 mg/mL in the United States. The product is commonly used in cattle, swine and horses.

Less than 5% of new grads choose rural food animal practice. That needs to change to protect the U.S. food supply and public health. Contacting legislators is one way farmers and ranchers can weigh in and help.

Solvet Lidoband is approved for use in calves under 250 pounds and in lambs under 50 pounds. The local, soothing anesthesia works for up to 42 days, helping veterinarians and producers improve animal well-being.

While trace mineral deficiencies can vary widely by animal and region, the most common ones Jeffery Hall, DVM, PhD, DABVT, sees in cattle today are insufficient copper, manganese, selenium and zinc.

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.

The American Veterinary Medical Association announces 11 universities and colleges are either evaluating or plan to introduce veterinary colleges and programs to their existing fields of study.

Hernias addressed in the field need to be small, and the calf needs to be young, says Amanda Hartnack, DVM, MS, DACVS. She details how to decide when in-field surgery will work and when it's best to change course.

A producer asked Beef Cattle Institute experts to address how to give medical care to an animal in the field. Options listed: darting, roping, trailering or walking to a facility, doing nothing. What would you choose?

AABP is offering online materials veterinarians can download and use with Spanish speaking caregivers of dairy and beef cattle. Some of the guidelines available address dehorning, castration, transportation and more.

Paul Virkler, DVM, Cornell University, says teat end scoring is a good way to gather insights on a dairy's milking processes and whether adjustments are needed to improve an individual cow's comfort and care.

The first dual-active endectocide for the U.S. has been approved for use, starting August 1, in beef cattle 2 months of age and older and in replacement dairy heifers less than 20 months of age.

Medgene has received a USDA license to produce the first Prescription Platform Vaccines for the cattle industry. Specific cattle vaccines available include Influenza D virus, Coronavirus, Rotavirus, and Papillomavirus.

New animal health company, EmGenisys, has created what it says is the first non-invasive and objective method to evaluate bovine embryo health to improve the success rates of embryo transfer and in vitro fertilization. 

Areas in the upper Midwest, Mid-South and Mid-Atlantic are being impacted. The American Veterinary Medical Association says to monitor animals as well as people and take precautions to keep everyone safe.

Bulls new to their job need extra attention to get acclimated to their role on the farm or ranch. Beef veterinarians and Extension specialists at Kansas State University offer some management practices that can help.

As temperatures ratchet up, the disorder is more frequently seen in fed cattle ready for slaughter. Veterinarians offer their take on what contributes to the problem and seven recommendations to help prevent it.

The company has doubled the warehouse space available for its veterinary pharmaceutical products. The 1,000-plus temperature-controlled pallet spaces are maintained with a state-of-the-art heating and cooling system.

Though not ideal, a spring-born calf can leave its dam as early as 45-days of age. OSU research shows such calves can be successful on a good growing ration. The cow then has time to regain condition before being rebred.

BRD reigns as the costliest disease in the U.S. cattle industry. Consider the recommendations from Veterinarians, Drs. Grant Dewell and Mike Apley, respectively, and Extension nutritionist Paul Beck on how to address it.

Ask 10 dairy producers what they believe is an effective vaccination program for calves, and you’ll likely get 10 unique answers. That’s OK, because there is no effective one-size-fits-all strategy.

Dairies have made great strides in managing colostrum, but about 14% of calves fail to get passive transfer of antibodies. There is still opportunity to improve upon this, encourages Sandra Godden, DVM.

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.