Latest News From Education

How well do you package samples to make sure they arrive safely and in testable condition at the diagnostic lab? Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab provides helpful directions to help you make that happen.

Feeding hay to preweaned dairy calves remains a topic of frequent confusion and debate. Should you do it at all? And if so, when, and what type? Penn State offers some answers.

The 7th annual AABP Recent Graduate Conference is for veterinarians who graduated between 2016 and 2023, as well as AABP-member credentialed veterinary technicians. It is slated for Feb. 9-10, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn.

Rosslyn Biggs, Oklahoma State University DVM, says composite sampling may present an effective, more cost efficient way to test cattle fecal samples for parasites compared to individual animal testing.

The goal of any feedlot receiving strategy is to make the transition from calf origin into the feedlot or backgrounding yard as seamless as possible in order to achieve best cattle performance.

FSIS will collect liver and kidney samples from eligible cattle, and ARS will analyze the samples using a method that targets more than 180 veterinary drugs from various major classes of antibiotics.

Tip 1: Within the first hour of birth, a calf needs five to six pints of high-quality colostrum, and then again within the next 12 hours. Check out the five additional recommendations from Kansas State.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. According to the CDC, between 2000 and 2020 suicide rates climbed 46% in rural areas. By comparison, the rate in metro areas climbed 27.3%. 

Have we hit the low point for the average productive lifespan of dairy cows?

Norbrook announces the introduction of Tauramox Injectable Solution for the control of key internal and external parasites in beef and dairy cattle.

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.

Making culling decisions sooner rather than later and will help producers hold feed costs down.

Congestive heart failure is estimated to cause 4% of feedlot mortality causing significant economic losses to feedlots as the majority of these deaths occur late in the finishing period.

These commonly overlooked issues are holding your herd back.

Mercer Vu Dairy wanted to utilize group housing and waste milk to raise their preweaned calves with round-the-clock access to milk. Here's how they came up with their own one-of-a-kind system.

Windrow grazing, sometimes called swath grazing, is a management practice that can significantly reduce harvesting and feeding costs.

Drought conditions in portions of North Dakota has forced ranchers to consider supplemental feed to offset nutrient deficiencies in pasture forages.

Protecting the health of cattle herds is an important part of a successful plan to have a profitable and sustainable ranching operation.

A massive question dairy producers often ask themselves is who should be raising replacement heifers. Should they be raised by the producer, contracted out and customed raised, or should they be purchased?

Sound management decisions to improve genetics, management practices and profit potential of cow-calf operations should be based on data. Weaning time is the best time of year to measure, and document herd performance.

Improved performance is helping dairy producers capitalize on better genetics, according to Dr. Paul Fricke, University of Wisconsin dairy cattle reproduction professor and Extension specialist.

Heat stress undoubtedly causes setbacks for cows. But a growing body of research shows it also impacts the calves they are carrying, and possibly even the generation after that.

Sound management decisions that will impact future profit potential is based on facts arrived at through mathematical analysis. Decisions based on emotions and/or tradition seldom lead to success. 

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.

“There are some things that we've adopted over the years that really aren't particularly useful and I think in some cases even detrimental to our performance,” says Dave Mitchell.

The study of epigenetics identifies changes in gene function that are not due to mutations but rather how the DNA is packaged in the cell and turned on or off in the wrong conditions.

Aside from traditional calf weaning methods, the concept of "fenceline weaning" is worth considering for cow-calf producers looking to decrease stress and maintain health in their calves.

Fall calving is in progress for many ranchers. A veterinarian offers tips to give calves the best chance to thrive and survive.

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?

Housing calves with at least one companion can improve animal welfare, calf growth, and consumer perception. There are several options to consider.

To help fill energy gaps in late-season grazing additional supplementation will likely be needed and rumen-protected fat supplements should be a key component in buffer rations to maximize milk yield and quality.

Purina Animal Nutrition, along with the Land O’Lakes Foundation, is announcing a new scholarship program. Applications are being accepted now through October 12.

When warm weather hangs on into late summer and early fall, the fly season may also persist at problematic levels longer than typical.

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 beef market is sizzling hot and dairy producers have not only noticed but have taken action to capitalize on securing an alternative profit source to their bottom line.

As we move into late summer and early fall, we begin think about weaning time. Getting those calves on feed is critical, requiring a good diet and proper feed management.

Depending on the size of the animal, viscosity of the product and administration protocols, a variety of needles might be needed. Here’s some guidelines to help decide.

Estimating forage usage by cows is an important part of the task of calculating winter feed needs as we head into fall. It's been dry in so many areas, the need to make these estimations is more important than ever.

When a cow freshens during the fall or winter, she tends to produce less colostrum than her herd mates who calved in spring and summer. It's no coincidence. Now research is shedding some "light" on the situation.

Dr. Troy Rowan with the University of Tennessee discussed sequencing strategies to enhance the next generation of genetic evaluations during the Beef Improvement Federation Symposium July 4 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 

Uterine torsions occur occasionally in cattle right before calving. It is an emergency situation to de-torse the uterus. Determine the direction of the torsion, whether it’s clockwise or counterclockwise.  

Grazing cornstalks or drought-stricken corn can fill feed gaps during drought, says University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist Eric Bailey.

The 2023 U.S. CattleTrace Symposium, which will be held November 14 and 15 at the American Royal Center, Kansas City, Mo., is now open for registration.

The best and most effective technologies in dairy production today are not necessarily the ones with the most bells and whistles. Rather, they’re the ones that simply “let cows be cows.”

Weaning stressors include removal from the dam, nutritional changes, a new environment, and altered social structure. Understanding this time allows a better understanding of the importance of a 45-day weaning period. 

The Cryptosporidium parasite is endemic to even the tidiest dairy farms, and is especially threatening to calf health. But it can be kept at bay in the calf management system with one simple and consistent approach.

There is a set of minimum requirements for all cattle. However, there is no one-size-fits-all vaccination plan applicable to every farm and ranch.

The most precious cargo in a barn fridge is most likely the biologics you purchase to vaccinate your herd to prevent diseases. How are you protecting them?

Pain can impact cow health and productivity at all stages of life. Management practices to avoid or minimize painful experiences can deliver benefits to animal welfare, productivity and consumers’ perceptions.

Former student returns to lead world-class faculty, staff and students in animal science teaching, research and extension.