Latest News From Education

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.

Spring calving brings the promise of working calves and branding season. Each operation is set up differently with varying resources to work calves. How do you minimize cattle stress during this event?

Pardon the pun, but dealing with scours can be a real pain in the butt. It’s frustrating, it’s costly, and it can be downright messy at times.

Young animals often benefit from stemmy, lower quality forages. WIth regard to nutrition, this may seem counterintuitive but research indicates that's the case.

A summary of the 2019 National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) report can be reviewed online.

A high incidence of sole ulcers in a dairy herd is probably not the fault of the ration.

Feeding cattle industrial hemp may reduce stress levels and increase the time cattle lie down, Kansas State University researchers found in a recent study.

For an estrus synchronization program to be effectively implemented it needs to be well planned.  Several best management practices should be kept in mind if you are considering heat synchronization. 

Cattlemen are constantly searching for more information on shrinkage of cattle through the marketing channels. Generally, the amount of shrink varies with the type of feed cattle are on before penning and transport.

With spring upon us and drought persists, liquidation puts the industry on track to reduce the nation’s cowherd back near 2014 levels, which was the smallest beef cowherd since 1952.

Respiratory disease in pre-weaned beef calves on pasture can be a concern in the summer. Most veterinarians report treating calves with summer pneumonia is frequently successful.

It’s important to stay abreast of new research that can influence dairy management practices. That’s what happened recently at Rosy-Lane Holsteins, Watertown, Wis.

Cattle grazing pastures with high soil-test phosphorus may be getting enough of the nutrient from the grass to eliminate the need for a phosphorus feed additive.

Feed is a major cost input for all segments of beef production. Feed efficiency is always a primary determinant of profitability, but when feed costs are high, it becomes even more important.

In the quest to find alternatives to antibiotics to fight disease in dairy calves, essential oils are the subject of a growing body of calf health research.

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.

This first-of-its-kind decision by FDA opens the door for progress on other genome editing efforts.

Profitability is negatively affected when stocking densities exceed 120%, according to new research out of the University of Florida.

A number of causes and contributing factors can result in hair loss and itching, and last year's drought has played a role as harvested forages may be low in vitamin A.

A researcher explores the intricacies of fecal pH and explains how changes in the metric can be an early signal of digestive and health disruptions in dairy cows.

Three categories of pregnancy losses in beef cattle include early embryonic death, abortion and stillbirth. Many potential causes for stillbirths and abortions make it important to investigate each calf loss.

Castration is a key component to any preconditioning program that can greatly influence market price premiums or discounts, especially in older bull calves.

Six best practices for safely pulling a calf, provided by Valley Vet Supply Technical Service Veterinarian.

Let’s get right to it. According to Merck Animal Health research conducted in 2021 by Farm Journal, 73% of beef producers who vaccinated against pinkeye reported a positive return on investment (ROI).

It’s never too early, and certainly not too late, to develop a plan to address bovine pinkeye. But where do you start?

Access to adequate, good quality water will continue to be a challenge for ranchers in North Dakota who depend on surface water sources, such as dugouts and stock dams to provide water to livestock.

Maps show the severity of drought in eight Central Plains states and where they began 2022 in beef cow numbers. These eight states represent 52% of America's beef cows, and accounted for 67% of last year's herd culling.

Bovine pinkeye. It seems to happen every summer. Even though it may look the same in different animals, potential causes and opinions on what vaccines are most effective vary.

A protocol overhaul helped the team at Singing Brook Farms, Imler, Pa., up their game in colostrum delivery. Two of their key managers share how they now seamlessly deliver high-quality colostrum to every newborn calf.

Veterinarians say there are steps producers can take to lessen disease risks before bringing new animals into your operation.

It is well-known that sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is a harmful and costly condition for adult dairy cows. But when calves get SARA, is it bad news for them, too? A Canadian researcher’s conclusion: maybe not.

Providing free choice water to newborn calves has been shown to deliver a wide array of benefits in terms of calf health and performance. But it’s also a huge challenge for some farms in the winter.

The ongoing drought in south Texas has lowered the water level at the Rio Grande River making it easier for wildlife carrying cattle fever ticks to enter the U.S.

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a flock of commercial broiler chickens in Stoddard County, Mo.

Drought covering the continental U.S. grew by 2 points this week, now covering nearly 60% of the country. As the drought grips the Wheat Belt and key areas for cattle production, it's creating concern for 2022.

Dr. Donagh Berry wanted to answer the question some producers are asking their veterinarian: Does carrying a beef-sired calf have any impact on the subsequent performance of the dam?

With the low amount of moisture that ranchers have received over the winter, the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute said now is the time to think about management strategies for a drought.

You should provide assistance immediately if you notice an abnormal presentation of the calf (AKA back feet, only one leg, etc.) or when there is no progress after 30 minutes for a cow or 60 minutes for a heifer.

More than 50% of new udder infections can be prevented by disinfecting teats with an effective product immediately after every milking.

Wet, cold conditions often contribute to cattle producers re-examining the timing of their calving seasons. Does moving the season to a different time of year make sense for your clients?

Bos indicus cattle lag in their reproductive efficiency, something researchers at Texas A&M are trying to help fix with a recent medical breakthrough.

Housing calves with at least one companion can improve animal welfare, calf growth, and consumer perception. But there are challenges, too.

An little protection can outweigh a lot of cure

TMR consistency and composition are important to efficient and reliable nutrient delivery in lactating cow rations. But the impact of those factors actually can span much further.

A research team, led by Walter Verhoef with the Bureau Vétérinaire de Richmond, Richmond, Quebec, Canada, evaluated three different, commercially available calcium boluses. Here are their conclusions.

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 association strives to keep members informed about the organization and the livestock and veterinary industries at large.

There are a range of efforts underway worldwide to curb methane production by cattle.

Leaving out just 1 of these prevention measures can be costly.