Education
Michal Lunak, Extension Educator for Penn State, addresses the seven most common -- and costly -- management diseases that occur during the cow’s transition period on U.S. dairies
The natural inclination to manage calf diseases solely with a needle and a bottle is trumped by a host of other care methods that can guide calves on the road to recovery.
The calendar will soon turn to a New Year, and spring calving season will be approaching. The more we know about the physiology of the process, the more likely we are to make sound decisions about providing assistance.
Here’s a breakdown of just how much these seven transition period diseases could be costing you.
Keep your sight on nutrition that optimizes fetal development in the final trimester.
Understanding and valuing genetic data can present a daunting task to seedstock and commercial producers. Panelists were asked to describe how they use genetic data to navigate breeding decisions and market cattle.
The 32-page document can help veterinarians counsel beef and dairy clients on vaccination strategies. Included are vaccine label information, categories, core vaccines, storage and handling recommendations and more.
The highest quality vaccine that producers purchase may be of little value if not handled and stored properly. Don’t overlook key principles when preparing and administering vaccines and other animal health products.
About 1% of pregnancies annually is the standard of acceptable herd-wide loss, according to Cameron Knight, veterinary pathologist at the University of Calgary.
There’s not a clear answer to why heifers contract the disease, though studies have shown that teat canals of heifer calves can become colonized at very young ages.
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.
Feed efficiency is a key profit driver. Genetics and genetic tools exist to build cattle that are highly efficient and meet or exceed the carcass quality targets that earn packer premiums and satisfy consumers.
Wintry weather demands extra attention for preweaned calves, and that includes the temperature of their liquid feedings.
The rumen may be taking center stage in digesting another global challenge: plastics
Early mastitis detection is often the key to reducing the impact of the disease in a dairy herd. There are a number of technologies to help address the issue.
With the average frost date upon us, prussic acid will be (or already is) an issue in certain forages. Prussic acid is found when susceptible plants are under drought conditions or after a light frost.
Reproductive efficiency is highly correlated to nutrition. The target Body Condition Score going into calving season is 5.5 for the mature cow and 6 for first calf heifers.
Many cattle owners wonder how to determine if and when an animal needs veterinary attention. These are some guidelines you might want to consider passing along to your clients for consideration.
Over-conditioned cows that lose weight after calving subsequently have lower fertility, produce fewer quality embryos and face higher rates of health problems.
When the mercury drops, preweaned calves expend more energy to maintain their body temperature. They often need added nutrients to keep them healthy and growing through frigid conditions.
Do you ever wonder how some people seem to fall into a pile of cow manure and come out smelling like a rose? Those successful types probably have a high level of grit and a lot more perseverance than meets the eye.
If you or an employee treats an animal with a drug, it’s important to keep adequate and updated treatment records.
To identify unique proteins that can be used for interventions against BRD, scientists took a closer look at the genetic material of multiple strains of three groups of bacteria commonly implicated with the disease.
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If a way could be devised to shut down immune system activation, and thus reduce the detrimental effects of inflammation at its root cause, cows in transition may remain healthier.
There are three common “physical therapy” type scenarios bovine veterinarians deal with that contribute to injury, discomfort or pain. With each scenario, check out the body mechanics that can reduce those problems.
When properly motivated, a new associate can help the practice break existing negative behaviors in the business, improve diversity, and help with the resetting of medical and management SOPs.
Addressing mental health is a significant challenge in rural America due to unique barriers. Rural Minds™ provides education and resources to confront the stigma of mental illness.
Texas Tech researchers have received a grant to examine if thermography can help minimize the use of antimicrobials in cattle through targeted metaphylaxis.