Beef Cattle

10 Toxic Pasture Weeds: How To Identify and Manage

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 20:22:29 GMT

Not all toxic plants are equally dangerous, and many factors, such as stage of growth, part of the plant consumed and quantity, play a role in whether animals are affected.

With the ongoing weather variability the past few years, pasture conditions have been highly inconsistent. Some are thriving, while others are struggling due to overgrazing, flooding or drought.

“When pastures thin out, they leave space for opportunistic weeds to move in,” Shelby Gruss, Iowa State University Extension forage specialist, says. “While all weeds can compete for light, nutrients and moisture, some pose a greater threat due to toxicity risks for livestock.”

Below is a list of some of the most common toxic pasture weeds in Iowa and the Midwest, with tips on identification:

Poison Hemlock

(Kevin Bradley)

Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
Toxic Part: Entire plant, especially leaves and stems
Risk: Highly toxic to all livestock (and humans); small amounts can be fatal
ID Tips: Finely divided, fern-like leaves; purple-spotted stems; umbrella-shaped white flower clusters
Notes: Often found in ditches and low-lying areas; do not mow when flowering — can release toxins and spread seeds
Common look-a-like: Queen’s Anne Lace/wild carrot

Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L)

(John Cardina, The Ohio State University, IPM Images)

Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
Toxic Part: Sap causes skin irritation when exposed to sunlight (phytophotodermatitis)
Risk: Mainly a risk to humans (and pets) through skin contact; generally avoided by livestock, but ingestion can cause photosensitivity and severe sunburn
ID Tips: Yellow umbrella-shaped flowers; hairy and grooved stems; leaves look like celery or parsley
Notes: Wear gloves and long sleeves when handling; mowing before seed set helps control
Common look-a-like: Queen’s Anne Lace/wild carrot

Common St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum L.)

(L.L. Berry, IPM Images)

St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum)
Toxic Part: Entire plant
Risk: Contains hypericin, which causes photosensitivity (sunburn-like skin damage) in light-skinned livestock such as sheep, cattle, goats and horses; severe cases can lead to skin sloughing, blindness or death
ID Tips: Upright perennial with small flowers; the flowers have five bright yellow petals that often have black dots on the petal margins; leaves are opposite, oval and have translucent spots when held up to light; woody base; grows 1' to 3' tall in clumps
Notes: Becomes more problematic in overgrazed or low-fertility areas. Most toxic when flowering. Often avoided unless forage is limited

Common Milkweed

(Kevin Bradley)

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Toxic Part: Leaves and stems
Risk: Contains cardiac glycosides; toxic in large amounts, especially to cattle and sheep
ID Tips: Thick oblong, opposite arranged leaves; milky sap; large round pink flower clusters; stems covered with dense pubescence
Notes: Generally unpalatable unless forage is scarce; monitor pasture for adequate forage growth

Johnsongrass

(Kevin Bradley)

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) / Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense)
Toxic Part: Wilted leaves (Black Cherry); young regrowth and frost-damaged tissue (Johnsongrass)
Risk: Both produce cyanide (prussic acid), which can be fatal within minutes
ID Tips (Cherry): Tree with shiny leaves, dark bark, and white flowers
ID Tips (Johnsongrass): Tall grass with prominent midrib, purple panicle seeds, spreads rhizomes
Notes: Do not allow livestock access to wilted branches or frosted regrowth; delay grazing after frost or drought
Common look-a-like (Johnsongrass): Sorghum species

White Snakeroot (Ageratina Altissima)

(Ansel Oommen, IPM Images)

White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)
Toxic Part: Entire plant
Risk: Causes “milk sickness” in humans through milk from affected cattle; toxic to cattle, goats, horses
ID Tips: Opposite triangular leaves with serrated edges (sharply toothed) with three main veins; white flowers in flat-topped clusters
Notes: Common in wooded pastures or shaded edges; control early; avoid grazing densely infested areas
Common Look-a-like species: bonesets, other snakeroots

Horsenettle (Solanum Carolinense)

(Kevin Bradley)

Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense)
Toxic Part: Berries and leaves
Risk: Contains solanine; can affect the nervous system and digestive tract
ID Tips: Spiny stems and leaves; small, star-shaped purple flowers; yellow berries when ripe
Notes: Toxic when consumed in large amounts; spot spray or dig out to reduce spread; berries are particularly toxic

Cocklebur

(Kevin Bradley)

Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)
Toxic Part: Seeds and seedlings
Risk: Toxic to pigs, sheep and cattle; seedlings are especially dangerous
ID Tips: Rough stems with darks pots; sandpaper-like, triangular leaves with serrated leaf edges; hooked burs that cling to fur and clothing
Notes: Can cause liver damage; avoid overgrazing, as seedlings are more likely to be eaten when forage is limited

Pigweed (Genus Amaranthus L)

(Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, IPM Images)

Nitrate Accumulators
Some plants can accumulate toxic levels of nitrates, especially after drought or heavy fertilization:
Common culprits: Pigweed, lambs quarters, Johnsongrass, and thistles
Risk: Nitrate poisoning reduces oxygen transport in blood — can be fatal
Management Tip: Have suspect forages tested before grazing or feeding; elevated risks following fertilization, and following drought breaking rains

Field Horsetail (Equisetum Arvense L)

(John Cardina, The Ohio State University, IPM Images)

Horsetail (Equisetum spp.)
Toxic Part: Entire plant
Risk: Contains thiaminase; can cause neurological symptoms, especially in horses
ID Tips: Hollow, jointed stems; no true leaves; resembles a bottle brush
Notes: Grows in poorly drained soils and along ditches; improve drainage and limit access

“The first step to weed management is identifying the species you have in your field,” Gruss says.

If you’re unsure about a plant in your pasture, contact your local field specialist.

“When in doubt, better safe than sorry — keep animals away until you’ve confirmed safety,” she summarizes. “Typically, animals will avoid toxic species when there is something else to graze, but eliminating the toxic weed species is ideal. If using herbicides, please read and follow all herbicide directions and grazing restrictions.”

More information on common pasture weeds can be found here: Recognizing and managing common pasture weeds .

More information can be found here: 2025 Herbicide Guide: Iowa Corn and Soybean Production for herbicides labeled for grass pasture, hayfield (table 6) and alfalfa and legumes (table 7).

Rebuilding the Herd From the Cow Up

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:25:42 GMT

In cow-calf systems, many of the factors that determine productivity, fertility and longevity are set long before a replacement heifer ever enters the breeding pasture. The biological foundation of the cow is shaped in utero through the interaction of genetics, nutrition and environmental conditions. Those early influences follow her for life.

This was the topic of discussion during a joint presentation by Ron Scott, director of beef technical innovation at Purina, and George Parry, research professor of beef cattle reproductive physiology at Texas A&M, during CattleCon.

“We’re talking about rebuilding the cow herd, how it’s going to impact future replacement health,” began Scott, speaking on the epigenetics of heifer development. “The biggest thing we need to remember is that life really shapes the animal. It’s the environment, it’s the nutrition, it’s the genetics. All of that comes together to impact how that animal is going to perform.”

Reproductive traits offer a clear example of how the environment affects performance. While genetics matter, reproductive performance becomes less heritable as animals age because management and environment increasingly shape outcomes. Traits measured early, such as ovarian follicle number or age at puberty, are more strongly tied to inherent potential because outside influences have not yet accumulated.

Identical genetics alone do not guarantee identical performance. Animals with the same genetic makeup can diverge dramatically depending on how their genetic potential is expressed. That process begins before birth.

Fetal Development Sets Reproductive Capacity

“For that first month of life, that embryo lives totally on what’s being secreted into the environment. It’s not attached to the uterus to draw the nutrients it needs,” Parry explains. “It’s really dependent on what we’re supplying it. So what happens when we change that supply?”

Nutritional changes around breeding and early pregnancy can affect embryo survival, developmental rate and long-term function. Even when embryos survive short-term nutritional restriction, their development may already be altered.

Speaking about recent research, Parry emphasized the importance of a constant nutrient supply.

“If we drop nutritional supply at AI for as short as six days, we impact the stage of embryo development. We impact embryo quality,” he says.

One of the most critical developmental outcomes affected during gestation is ovarian reserve. Germ cells migrate and form the future ovary early in pregnancy, and the population of follicles expands and then declines before birth.

“The ovarian reserve that follows that ovary of your future replacement heifer is really impacted while that calf is in utero,” Parry says.

The number of follicles a heifer carries into life — the foundation of her reproductive capacity — is largely determined before she is born.

Importantly, these changes are not obvious at birth. Calves may look identical at birth and weaning, yet differ significantly later in reproductive performance. Heifers that experienced more favorable fetal nutrition are more likely to calve earlier in their first season, a difference that compounds across their lifetime.

Early Conception Compounds Herd Profitability

Heifers that conceive and calve early tend to remain earlier in subsequent breeding seasons. Over time, this translates into more calves, more total pounds weaned and longer productive lives. Each missed estrous cycle pushes a cow later in the calving season, resulting in lighter calves and increasing the likelihood of eventual culling.

This also impacts the bottom line.

“At $4 calves, every heat cycle you miss is worth $150”, Scott says.

Late conception often becomes a repeating pattern rather than a one-time event. Once cows fall behind, it is difficult to move them forward without intervention. Over multiple years, this drift erodes herd productivity and profitability.

Nutrition Must Be Consistent, Not Reactive

One of the strongest drivers of developmental programming is consistent maternal nutrition. Cows prioritize nutrients toward maintenance and survival first, followed by growth and lactation. Reproduction falls lower on that hierarchy. When nutrients are limited, reproductive processes and fetal development may be compromised.

“Think about consistent nutrition. That’s how you optimize,” Scott says.

Body condition score is the most practical indicator of nutritional adequacy. Gradual weight loss is difficult to detect visually, especially when cows are observed daily. Regular body condition scoring and documentation are essential for identifying trends before they become biologically costly.

Stress compounds nutritional effects. Cold weather, poor forage conditions, social pressure or environmental stressors add to the nutrient demands placed on the cow. Nutrition cannot fully offset stress, but inadequate nutrition magnifies its impact.

Heifers Require Different Management

First-calf heifers face unique challenges. They are still growing while simultaneously lactating and preparing to breed again. Treating them nutritionally like mature cows often leads to lower body condition, delayed cycling and late conception.

“Rethink heifer management. Focus on first service because of selection and conception. We need to optimize field programming,” Scott advises.

Managing heifers as a distinct group separate from mature cows allows nutrition and management to better match physiological demand. Without this adjustment, even genetically superior heifers are at risk of early failure.

Key Considerations When Selecting Replacement Heifers

Selecting replacements based solely on size or appearance at weaning overlooks critical developmental signals. Both Parry and Scott agree effective replacement selection should consider:

Calving timing: Heifers born early in the calving season are more likely to conceive early and remain productive longer
Developmental history: Maternal nutrition and stress exposure during gestation influence lifetime fertility
Growth pattern: Consistent, adequate growth is more important than compensatory gain
Body condition at breeding: Heifers must enter breeding with sufficient reserves to support cycling and conception
Reproductive readiness: Reproductive tract maturity provides insight into breeding potential
Longevity potential: Early-conceiving heifers are more likely to stay in the herd and repay development costs

Longevity is a Management Outcome

“To break even and realize the benefits of fetal programming, cows need to remain in the herd. It really starts with heifer development,” Scott says.

Longevity is not accidental. It reflects the cumulative effects of early development, nutrition, reproductive success and stress management. Developmental programming establishes the foundation, but realizing that potential requires keeping cows healthy, fertile and in the herd long enough to return value.

Putting the cow first — starting before birth — shifts herd improvement from short-term correction to long-term strategy. When early development is supported and replacement selection reinforces those advantages, productivity and profitability follow.

When and How to Implant Calves on Cow-Calf Operations

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:55:59 GMT

Implants remain one of the highest-return technologies available to cow–calf producers when timing and technique align. Most implant failures are not product failures; they stem from calves being implanted at the wrong time, placed incorrectly or handled without enough attention to cleanliness and restraint. Success depends on getting both the “when” and the “how” right.

Why Timing and Technique Belong Together

“Implants will not replace good management,” says Lauren Younker, feedlot production consultant with TELUS Agriculture during a webinar with the Beef Cattle Research Council. “Healthy and less stressed calves are going to respond the most to an implant.”

Implants work by amplifying existing growth potential. That means calves must be healthy, minimally stressed and on an adequate plane of nutrition. Proper timing ensures the implant’s payout window matches biological opportunity and marketing goals, while correct placement ensures the hormone actually does what it is designed to do. Miss either piece, and much of the expected benefit disappears.

When to Implant: Matching Biology to the Calendar

For most cow–calf operations, branding or early pasture turnout (roughly 45 to 60 days of age) remains the most reliable window for implanting suckling calves. At this stage, calves are healthy, stress is often already part of routine processing and the implant’s payout aligns well with the grazing season.

Implanting too early offers little benefit. Calves at that stage are still physiologically adjusting, and implants require sufficient nutrient intake to generate a measurable response.

“For the first couple weeks [of life], they’re just getting used to being alive. That implant would probably not be doing much,” Younker says, advising against placing implants at newborn processing. “The older they are, that 45-day range, they’re starting to nibble on grass. You’re going to see more value there.”

Implanting later — including grass turnout at 120 to 150 days of age — is still worthwhile, particularly when earlier processing opportunities were missed. While some early gain potential is lost, implants can still improve feed efficiency and lean growth during the remainder of the grazing period. The key adjustment at later ages is selecting an implant appropriate for calf size and nutritional plane.

Reimplanting at weaning is an area in which the research is less clear. Younker suggests considering whether you will be keeping these animals as replacements.

“Some research suggests when we are implanting heifers at wearing, we can delay that first cycle and the first calving,” Younker says. “You can consider not implanting any of your heifers at weaning if you pick your replacements later, or you sort your replacements off at weaning and implant the rest to capture that value when you sell them later on.”

Common Implant Types and When to Use Them

Implants vary widely in potency and payout length, but at the cow–calf level, success depends more on matching the implant to the production phase than selecting the most aggressive option.

Suckling-calf implants (low-to-moderate potency)

When to use:
- Branding or early pasture turnout (typically 45 to 60 days of age)
- Calves grazing pasture with moderate energy intake
Why they fit:
- Improve average daily gain and feed efficiency
- Appropriate for both steers and heifers during the suckling phase
- Commonly used as a single implant when calves will be sold at weaning

Grower / grasser / stocker implants (moderate potency)

When to use:
- Post-weaning when calves are retained on pasture or backgrounding rations
- Programs where calves will be kept beyond weaning but not immediately finished
Why they fit:
- Payout periods align with extended grazing or backgrounding
- Useful when reimplanting retained calves
- Better matched to increasing nutrient intake

Longer-duration grower implants

When to use:
- Retained ownership where calves cannot be easily rehandled
- Grazing or backgrounding programs with limited processing opportunities
Why they fit:
- Extended payout reduces the need for reimplanting
- Helps align hormone release with longer marketing timelines

High-potency finishing implants

When to use:
- Feedlot or high-energy rations
- Retained ownership calves transitioning toward finishing

Why they fit:
- Most effective when paired with high-energy diets
- Generally not appropriate for typical cow–calf pasture systems

How to Implant Correctly

Even well-timed implants fail if placement is poor. Attention to technique protects both animal welfare and economic return.

Equipment matters. Bent, burred or dull needles increase tissue trauma and pellet damage. Replacing needles frequently is inexpensive and prevents avoidable failures.

Cleanliness is non-negotiable. Dirty ears and nondisinfected needles are among the most common causes of implant abscesses. If an abscess forms, hormone payout is compromised and performance gains are lost. Consistent use of disinfectant solutions and cleaning visibly dirty ears is critical, especially in wet or muddy conditions.

Restraint improves results. Proper head restraint stabilizes the ear, improves placement accuracy, and reduces tearing or cartilage penetration.

Most importantly, be proactive if something doesn’t seem right.

“If something goes wrong, redo it,” Younker says. “Implants are relatively cheap to the value they provide; they’re worth getting right.”

Implant Placement That Works

The preferred site is the middle third of the ear, between the skin and cartilage, away from tags, scars and ridges. Pellets should lie in a straight line and be palpable under the skin without bunching.

“We want to have a lot of blood flow and no scar tissue around where that implant is,” Younker says. “This will take practice. It’s a very learnable skill, but it will take you a few calves to get comfortable.”

Common placement failures include:

Pellets deposited into cartilage
Crushed or bunched pellets
Implants exiting through the ear
Excessive swelling weeks after processing

When placement errors occur, removing the pellets and reimplanting immediately is preferable to leaving a non-functional implant in place.

Put It Into Practice

Veterinarians and producers should work collaboratively to capture implant value consistently. That includes aligning implant timing with herd goals, recommending appropriate products for each production phase and reinforcing proper technique during processing.

This guidance often extends to specific situations producers ask about:

Replacement heifers: Suckling-calf implants used before four months of age have not been shown to impair future reproduction. Post-weaning implants warrant greater caution.
Dry years or marginal pasture: Implants still provide benefit and may be more valuable when nutrients are limited.
Retained ownership or show calves: Implant choice should reflect ration intensity and days on feed rather than age alone.

nixiFLOR Injection Approved by the FDA for Bovine Respiratory Disease Treatment

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:37:10 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved nixiFLOR injectable solution by Parnell Technologies, marking the first FDA-approved generic version of Resflor GOLD by Merck Animal Health. This product is indicated for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis, and for control of BRD-associated fever in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle.

nixiFLOR contains the same active ingredients as Resflor GOLD:

Florfenicol, a broad spectrum antibiotic effective against key bacterial pathogens involved in BRD
Flunixin meglumine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that helps reduce fever and inflammation associated with respiratory infection

The FDA determined nixiFLOR is bioequivalent to the brand name product and that, when used according to the label, residues in edible tissues do not pose a public health concern. A withdrawal phase of 38 days must be observed before cattle treated with nixiFLOR enter the food supply.

Administered via subcutaneous injection in the neck, nixiFLOR is prescribed at 40 mg florfenicol/kg body weight and 2.2 mg flunixin/kg body weight (approximately 6 mL per 100lb. of body weight), with no more than 10 mL per injection site. This product is available by prescription only from licensed veterinarians, ensuring accurate diagnosis and responsible use.

When Cattle Don't Roam: Uncovering Tick Refuges with GPS, GIS and Modeling

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 20:00:46 GMT

Cattle fever ticks persist in South Texas not because eradication efforts have failed everywhere, but because, in some places, cattle never go at all. New research from Texas A&M combining GPS collar data, habitat mapping and individual-based simulation models shows areas rarely visited by treated cattle can function as ecological refuges for ticks, allowing populations to survive long enough to reinfest herds.

For more than a century, eradication programs targeting Rhipicephalus microplus have relied on a straightforward premise: treat cattle, interrupt the tick life cycle, and the population collapses. That approach nearly succeeded nationwide by the mid-20^th century, protecting the U.S. cattle industry from bovine babesiosis, a disease transmitted by the tick. However, in South Texas, particularly at the wildlife-livestock interface, ticks continue to persist despite regular treatment programs.

According to a pair of recent studies from Texas A&M AgriLife researchers, the missing piece might not be chemical efficacy or compliance, but behavior. Specifically, where cattle choose not to roam.

What GPS Tracking Reveals About Cattle Behavior

In the first study , cattle were outfitted with GPS collars to record fine-scale movement across the Texas coastal landscape known to harbor cattle fever ticks. Over extended periods, the researchers tracked when and where animals grazed, rested and avoided, generating a high-resolution picture of habitat use across seasons.

The results revealed that cattle did not use the landscape evenly. Instead, grazing and movement was clustered in specific habitat types while large portions of the pasture, particularly dense brush and shrub-dominated areas favorable to tick survival, remained consistently underused. Seasonal heat stress further amplified this pattern, shifting cattle away from certain habitats for prolonged periods.

These underused areas represent more than idle land. From a tick’s perspective, they are zones where pesticide exposure is low or nonexistent. Even when cattle on the ranch are treated, ticks located in places cattle rarely enter might escape control entirely.

By overlaying GPS movement data with geographic information system (GIS) habitat classifications, researchers were able to spatially define where these behavioral gaps occurred, effectively mapping where cattle presence, and therefore tick control pressure, was weakest.

The Role of Cattle Behavior Models for Predicting Tick Persistence

In the second study , researchers moved from observation to prediction. Using the acquired GPS-derived habitat use data, they built a specially explicit, individual based simulation model to explore how tick populations respond to different host and treatment scenarios.

Unlike traditional models that assume uniform host movement, this framework explicitly incorporates cattle behavior, including their avoidance of specific habitat types, alongside tick life history, habitat suitability and the presence of wildlife hosts, such as white-tailed deer and nilgai.

The simulations tested multiple scenarios: cattle-only systems, mixed wildlife-cattle systems, different pesticide treatment strategies and varying habitat use patterns. Across scenarios, a consistent result emerged. When cattle alone were treated, the standard eradication approach, tick populations frequently persisted in landscapes where cattle avoided substantial portions of tick-suitable habitat.

These persistence zones functioned as refugia: small but stable patches where ticks could survive, reproduce and later recolonize treatment areas. Importantly, the model showed eradication success was strongly influenced not just by those species, but by where hosts traveled across the landscape. Assuming homogeneous grazing behavior significantly overestimated the likelihood of tick elimination.

Why Cattle-Only Tick Control Fails: The Impact of Wildlife and Refugia

The presence of wildlife further compounded the problem. In simulated landscapes shared with deer or nilgai, ticks could cycle through hosts that moved freely through refugia, bypassing treating cattle altogether. Even low densities of wildlife were sufficient to sustain tick populations in favorable habitat patches, especially when cattle presence was inconsistent.

The modeling suggests eradication efforts falter not because ticks are ubiquitous, but because they are spatially selective. They exploit ecological and behavioral gaps. These gaps persist unless control strategies account for where cattle do not go.

Crucially, this research showed changes in grazing behavior, such as increasing cattle access to underused habitats, could substantially reduce tick persistence in simulation. Likewise, scenarios that incorporated treatment or management of wildlife hosts dramatically improved eradication outcomes.

A Spatial Approach to Tick Eradication

Together, the two studies argue for a reframing of tick eradication as a spatial and behavioral challenge rather than a purely chemical one. The failure to eliminate cattle fever ticks in Texas might stem less from insufficient treatment and more from incomplete coverage driven by cattle movement patterns.

This insight has immediate implications. Mapping cattle behavior using GPS data allows managers to identify where control pressure is weakest and to target interventions accordingly. This could be through adjusted grazing plans, focused surveillance, habitat modification or strategic wildlife management.

It all underscores the value of location intelligence in veterinary epidemiology. By integrating GPS tracking, GIS habitat data and individual based modeling, researchers can move beyond reactive control toward predictive, landscape-level strategies that anticipate where persistence is most likely. This reframes eradication not as a question of how much treatment is applied but of whether interventions reach the places cattle do not.

Bugs Beware: Next Gen Prepares to Combat Insect Threats to Animal Health

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:46:17 GMT

The nation is facing a critical shortage of veterinary entomologists. Kansas State University is ramping up efforts to create awareness and opportunity for students interested in playing a crucial role in safeguarding livestock health and agricultural economies by studying insects and ticks that affect animals.

“With increasing insecticide resistance and the emergence of new tick and tick-borne pathogen species, our capacity to meet future research, extension and teaching needs in this area is more critical than ever,” Cassandra Olds, assistant professor of entomology at K-State, says in a release.

To address this increasing challenge, Olds collaborated with other university veterinary entomologists to develop the Research and Extension Experience in Veterinary Entomology for Students (REEVES) program .

“Despite the significant impact arthropods like ticks and insects have on livestock production, there’s a serious lack of trained veterinary entomologists,” Olds says. “Many students simply aren’t aware of this viable career path or what it entails.”

Funded by the USDA-NIFA and led by the University of Tennessee, the 8-week summer residential program offers an immersive, hands-on experience in veterinary entomology research and extension.

“The overarching goal of REEVES is to introduce and train talented individuals for graduate and professional programs, as well as livestock-associated careers that emphasize team science,” the release says. “The program educates them on the fundamentals of veterinary entomology and provides them with real-world project experience relevant to the needs of stakeholders.”

Two scholars are placed at each participating institution each year, K-State, University of Tennessee, Texas A&M and University of Georgia, and will run from 2025 till 2028.

Not only will REEVES scholars engage in impactful research, but they will also have the opportunity to present their research at the annual Livestock Insect Workers Conference and an online REEVES Expo. For example, K-State scholars evaluated the impact of stable flies on cattle performance in feedlots this year and investigated recent outbreaks of Theileria orientalis in the region.

“For me, the most exciting aspect of this field is the chance to do good at every level,” Olds adds. “You have the opportunity to positively impact both animal health and well-being, while simultaneously improving the livelihoods of the people who own them.”

Preparing for Winter Calving and Breeding Success

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:33:29 GMT

As winter calving approaches, veterinarians and producers alike begin the ritual of assembling calving kits, checking facilities and brushing up on best practices. To help refine these preparations, Dr. Adrian Barragan, associate research professor and Extension veterinarian at Penn State University, recently shared practical, research-grounded guidance on dystocia management, postpartum risks and strategies to set cows up for breeding success on an episode of “ The Beef Podcast Show .”

His message centered on one theme: Timing and monitoring matter more than anything else.

Early, Accurate Monitoring for Calving Success

Barragan emphasizes calving involves two patients: the dam and the calf. Monitoring needs to reflect the needs of both.

“One thing that is key when it comes to the calving season is having proper monitoring of calving progress. That is what is going to determine if the calf is going to survive and how bad it’s going to be afterwards for the dam,” Barragan says. “The earlier we can identify that the cow needs assistance the better. However, if we intervene too soon, that can also have negative effects on the dams.”

Cows must be allowed to complete dilation before assistance begins. Pulling a calf before full dilation can create severe trauma to the reproductive tract, setting the dam up for a cascade of postpartum complications.

Because beef cows aren’t watched as closely as dairy cows, Barragan recommends beef operations adjust management to close the monitoring gap. Simple steps like maintaining smaller calving pens near the home site, bringing close-up cows into more observable groups and checking them at least every three hours can dramatically improve outcomes.

Once labor begins, marked by the appearance of the amniotic sac or hooves though the vulva, progress should be seen every 15 or 20 minutes. If within 30 to 60 minutes you see no progress with the animal, it’s time to move her into a chute to see what’s going on.

Postpartum Priorities

Compared with dairy herds, postpartum disease in beef cattle is rare.

“We have retained placentas, and we have metritis. However, the incidence is very very low,” Barragan says. Nationally, retained placenta and metritis together occur in only about 0.3% of beef cows.

Even so, cows identified as high risk should be monitored 24 to 48 hours postpartum, even if they appear fine immediately after delivery. During that time, animal care professionals should confirm:

The placenta is expelled within 24 hours
The cow is standing, eating and drinking normally
No early signs of downer cow syndrome appear
The calf is nursing and remains vigorous

Calves also require careful management, especially if the dam is having issues.

“I always recommend to not keep the calf with the cow, because the cow … might step on the calf and injure that animal,” Barragan advises. “You have to protect the calf. If the calf isn’t going to survive, then what’s the point of having that cow?”

Managing the Calving to Conception Transition

Once calving is wrapped up, producers quickly turn toward breeding, but Barragan stresses that cows need a true voluntary waiting period before entering any breeding program. This allows time for uterine involution, for metabolic balance to return and for the reproductive system to restart cycling. Moving cows into breeding groups too early can delay conception or cause them to fall further behind.

If a cow is coming out of a difficult calving, they might take longer to resume normal estrous cycles; these animals are often late or repeat breeders. But also be aware of any larger scale breeding issues within the herd.

“It’s one thing if one cow isn’t getting bred, but if your whole herd is taking several cycles to get bred, that’s a clue that we need to evaluate what’s going on and do some deeper diving,” Barragan says.

Even in herds with low postpartum disease rates, Barragan reminds producers to watch for cows that simply don’t bounce back. Poor appetite, sluggish behavio, or delayed return to normal mothering behaviors can signal underlying issues that could affect fertility weeks later. Early, supportive treatments including fluids, electrolytes or additional monitoring can shorten that recovery window and improve breeding performance.

Preparation, Patience and Precision

Good calving outcomes hinge on practical, attentive management. Monitoring cows often enough to catch the start of labor, resisting the urge to intervene too early and giving extra time and space to cows recovering from hard calvings all play central roles. The first 24 to 48 hours after birth remains a critical window. Careful attention to the dam’s appetite, behavior and placenta expulsion, and to the calf’s strength and nursing, creates a solid foundation for the next breeding season.

Healthy cows are the true engine of reproductive success. Whether a producer relies on bulls, AI or simple synchronization, none of these tools can overcome poor recovery, delayed cycling or undetected postpartum issues. The best outcomes come from knowing which cows need more support, allowing them time to heal and making intentional decisions. Patience and observation can lead to improved fertility, tightened calving windows and a herd that is set up well for the next cycle.

5 Tips for Vaccine Handling

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:53:40 GMT

Vaccines are one of the most effective and economical tools available to maintain herd health, reduce disease loss and support animal well-being. However, even the best vaccine can fail if it’s not handled correctly. Dr. Jon Townsend, dairy technical services veterinarian with Merck Animal Health, recently touched on the topic during a Dairy Calf and Heifer Association webinar .

“You’ve made the investment in those vaccines. You want to get the best response out of them. You want to get the best cow health possible,” Townsend says.

Whether you’re working with calves, replacement heifers or mature cattle, following consistent vaccine handling practices ensures your investment delivers the intended immunity. Here are five key guidelines to keep in mind.

1. Store Vaccines at the Right Temperature

Vaccines are sensitive, biological products. Many must be kept refrigerated at a specific temperature range to remain effective.

Use a dedicated refrigerator (not the one used for drinks and lunches), as frequent door opening causes temperature swings.
Place a thermometer in the fridge to monitor temperature regularly.
Avoid storing vaccines in the refrigerator door where temperatures fluctuate the most.

2. Don’t Mix all your Vaccine at Once

Many livestock vaccines are sold as two-part products. Once mixed, the live organisms begin to break down.

“Only mix what you’ll use in the next one to two hours if you have to mix up a vaccine,” Townsend advises. “Your modified live vaccines you have to mix. So don’t mix a huge bottle that’s going to take the whole day to use. By the time you get to the last dose that vaccine has potentially degraded, and you won’t get the same response that you would have immediately after reconstitution.”

3. Keep Mixed Vaccines Cool and Out of Sunlight

Heat and sunlight can rapidly damage vaccines, particularly modified-live vaccines.

Keep syringes and mixed bottles in an insulated cooler with cold packs.
Do not place vaccine bottles on the chute, in your shirt pocket, or on a truck dashboard.
Check your cooler throughout the day to ensure cold packs are still cold and not melted.

Unsure about what cooler to use? Consider making it yourself.

“You can either buy a fancy one, or you can make one yourself with an Igloo cooler and drill some holes,” Townsend says. In the end, the goal is the same. “It’s really important to keep that vaccine cool. If you’re using a multi-dose syringe, make sure you’re keeping [it] cool between calves.”

4. Maintain Needle Cleanliness

Contamination can destroy vaccine potency and introduce infection to animals.

Use new clean needles when drawing vaccine from the bottle.
Do not set uncapped syringes or needles down on surfaces like tailgates or barn rails.
If a needle becomes dirty, bent or touches anything questionable, replace it.

“We need to be thinking about changing out needles more frequently than [we] did 30 years ago,” Townsend says. “Then disinfect the needle and syringes after use or dispose of them, and think about disinfecting multi-dose syringes.”

Townsend also highlights the importance of making sure there is no disinfectant residue remaining after cleaning as it has the potential to inactivate your vaccines. Producers and veterinarians should work together to set up protocols for syringe reuse.

5. Use Sharp, Appropriate Needles

A sharp needle ensures a clean injection and reduces animal discomfort.

Replace needles regularly and check for sharpness.
Choose needle size based on animal size, vaccine viscosity and route of administration:
- Subcutaneous: typically 16 to 18 gauge, ½" to ¾"
- Intramuscular: typically 16 to 20 gauge, 1" to 1½"

Townsend specifically warns about the development of burrs, small barbs or defects that can catch on skin, on your needles after too many uses.

“If you wouldn’t want it going into your arm for a vaccine, you shouldn’t be putting it into a cow or calf either,” he says.

Overall, the immunity an animal gains from vaccination is only as good as the care taken in handling the product. Proper storage, careful mixing, maintaining temperature and using clean, sharp needles are straightforward steps that protect your investment and your herd.

SD State University Brings Vets Back to the State Through New Program

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 15:32:05 GMT

The shortage of large animal veterinarians in the U.S. has been well documented and continues to border on crisis level in the livestock industry. In a call to action, land-grant colleges, such as South Dakota State University (SDSU), have developed programs to attract more students to the profession.

SDSU has teamed up with the University of Minnesota to develop the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine (PPVM), which helped new veterinarian Renea Burggraff launch her career.

Burggraff has always loved animals, so being a veterinarian was a natural fit. Several months ago, she joined the Twin Lakes Animal Clinic in Madison, S.D., and has since worked with small animals, horses and other large animals.

While Burggraff enjoys working with animals, the same can be said for the producers she serves.

“It makes it special when you have that relationship, you’re working with them and you know they are starting to trust you as a new vet,” she says.

PPVM Program Paves the Way

For Burggraff, earning a vet degree would not have been possible without SDSU’s program. She spent her first two years at SDSU before transitioning to the University of Minnesota in St. Paul for additional classwork and clinicals. She also received the veterinary tuition assistance program scholarship, which for Burggraff was around $75,000 per year while attending SDSU and the University of Minnesota,” Burggraff explains.

“The only stipulation is you have to work in South Dakota for four years, every year that you received the scholarship essentially, so it worked out really well,” she says. “It paid for a good chunk of schooling, so it just made sense to go to SDSU.”

Without the scholarship, she’s not sure where she would have been able to go to vet school due to the high cost of tuition.

Burggraff was one of 18 in the first class of PPVM students that graduated in May. She had no problem finding a job at Twin Lake Animal Clinic.

Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity

For Burgraff, SDSU’s PPVM program was the chance of a lifetime and led to realizing her dream.

“You get to know your professors. You’re not a number, you’re a name,” she says. “We have other opportunities that maybe some of the bigger schools don’t get.”

5 Factors for Transitioning Beef Cattle from Fall to Winter

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:30:35 GMT

As temperatures drop and daylight shortens, the transition from fall to winter marks one of the most critical periods in the beef production cycle. Nutritional demands rise, environmental stressors increase, and management routines shift. This seasonal shift offers a valuable opportunity to help producers fine-tune cow condition, ensure herd health heading into calving, and preempt disease risks linked to cold stress and nutritional deficits.

The fall-to-winter period is a high-value window of time for veterinary input with key interventions being body condition assessment, forage testing, mineral management, and parasite control. Fall management planning helps ensure cattle enter winter with adequate nutrition and resilience to minimize losses and support performance.

Body Condition and Energy Demands

By late fall, cows should be entering winter at an optimal body condition score of 5 to 6 for mature cows and 6 for first-calf heifers. Once cold stress sets in, regaining lost condition becomes difficult and costly. Nutrition plans are essential for this conditioning and forage analysis is required for formulation to fit requirements. Vets and producers can work together to create a management map based on an inventory of feed resources.

Energy needs increase roughly 1% for every degree Celsius below the animal’s lower critical temperature: 0°C/32°F for cattle with a winter coat and -8°C/18°F for cattle with a heavy winter coat. This is very important when cows are thin or forage quality is low. Regular monitoring of manure consistency and cow appearance can provide early warning signs of inadequate nutrition. Small interventions in November can prevent big problems in January.

Trace Minerals and Immune Function

Trace mineral status often dips as cattle transition from green pasture to stored forages. This is particularly important as immune competence is closely tied to copper, selenium and manganese levels. Inadequate trace mineral status has been linked to increased susceptibility to respiratory disease and reduced vaccine response , particularly in young animals. Fall supplementation programs should be tailored to forage tests and regional deficiencies as mineral content can vary widely by geographic region and storage method.

Injectable trace minerals and free-choice mineral mixes can be strategically timed prewinter or precalving to support both cow and fetal immune systems. This supplementation can affect both fetal development and colostrum quality .

Reproductive Success

Fall is the ideal time to evaluate herd efficiency. Pregnancy checks allow for the identification of open cows and allow producers to market cows that will not create revenue the next year. This can save significant resources and shorten the future calving interval. These checks also help with winter nutrition planning, allowing cows to be separated by gestation stage to match energy requirements.

Post-breeding bull evaluation is also important. Assessing body condition, soundness and breeding records can reveal fertility or injury issues from the season. Bulls that underperformed or lost excessive condition may need replacement or rest before the next breeding cycle. Reviewing performance and updating genetic selections based on conception data and herd goals ensures retained bulls contribute meaningfully to productivity and long-term herd improvement.

Parasite and Disease Control

The fall-to-winter transition also marks the ideal window for parasite control. Strategic deworming in the fall can reduce overwintering larval contamination, improve feed efficiency and set cattle up well for the spring. Deworming after a hard frost can help minimize recontamination of pastures. Performing this treatment during pregnancy checks on bred females is a great way to be efficient with chute time. Consider integrating fecal egg count monitoring to confirm product efficacy and any resistance trends.

Respiratory disease remains a winter concern across production stages. Cold, damp housing and poor ventilation increase the risk of bovine respiratory disease. Focus on ventilation optimization, stocking density and vaccination review — especially for feedlot entries.

Herd Health Planning

Late fall is an efficient time to update vaccination protocols and review overall herd health performance. A focused review now can reduce clinical disease and emergency calls later in winter.

For both cow-calf and feedlot operations:

Confirm vaccination timing for respiratory and reproductive pathogens
Assess biosecurity and animal movement plans before winter consolidation
Review mortality and morbidity data to identify recurring issues

The transition from fall to winter is a pivotal management window to maintaining herd performance and health. This period offers the best opportunity to assess herd efficiency, adjust preventative health protocols, and align nutrition and reproduction strategies before environmental stress intensifies. Proactive management now ensures cattle enter winter with the condition, immunity and resources needed for sustained productivity.

Insights into Calf Mortality at Commercial Calf Ranches

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 12:52:20 GMT

As the dairy industry embraces beef-on-dairy crossbreeding, a new type of animal is reshaping the U.S. calf and feedlot landscape. These calves, born on dairies but destined for the beef supply chain, are prized for their hybrid vigor, growth potential and carcass quality. Their journey often includes an early stay at commercial calf ranches, where young calves are reared in large groups under varying environmental and management conditions.

While these specialized facilities play a key role in raising thousands of calves efficiently, they also present unique animal health challenges. Calves arrive from multiple dairies, often within days of birth, and face stresses from transport, commingling and pathogen exposure. The industry has long suspected that respiratory disease dominates mortality at these sites, but until recently, detailed, systematic data to confirm those patterns were limited.

A new study by Rebecca Bigelow and colleagues from Kansas State University set out to change that. The study compiles data from over 240 necropsies performed across four different commercial calf ranches over a 12-month period documenting cause of death, concurrent conditions and whether these patterns shifted by season, sex, breed or location. These necropsies included both beef-dairy cross (152) and dairy calves (91). Their findings confirm respiratory disease is indeed the leading cause of death, but they also shed light on gastrointestinal (GI) disease and septicemia. Their work provides a valuable benchmark for working to improve early-life calf health.

Of the 243 necropsied calves, 67.5% of them had a primary diagnosis of respiratory disease. Gastrointestinal causes accounted for 11.5%, septicemia for 9.5%, and miscellaneous cases (including trauma, umbilical infection and liver abscesses) for the remaining 11.5%.

Most calves had no additional comorbidities recorded, but among those that did, respiratory plus another condition was the most common combination. Within the respiratory category, bronchopneumonia represented nearly 90% of cases, while bronchopneumonia with interstitial pattern was less frequent. Considering GI lesions, 49% of calves had no lesions, while 21% had upper GI lesions (rumen and abomasum), 13% had lower GI lesions (small and large intestine), and 30% had both.

One of the study’s more surprising findings was what didn’t change. Statistical modeling showed no significant associations between the likelihood of respiratory or GI diagnoses and season, sex, breed or ranch. This result suggests the underlying disease pressures in these systems are persistent year-round rather than being driven by environmental conditions or genetic background. Further, beef-dairy cross calves had no improved disease resistance compared to dairy calves under commercial rearing conditions.

These results can be summarized into the following takeaway points for animal caretakers:

Prioritize respiratory prevention.

With two thirds of deaths linked to respiratory causes, calf ranches must focus on preventative strategies: proper ventilation, gradual group transitions and consistent monitoring for early signs of respiratory illness. Review vaccination programs and align them for protection at times of stress and exposure.

Necropsies pay off.

Routine necropsy programs can help producers spot emerging disease trends before they escalate.

Maintain consistent management year-round.

Prevention and monitoring must remain equally rigorous through all seasons, not just in winter or transport peaks.

Collaborate across the production chain.

Calf health outcomes at ranches depend on colostrum management, navel care and nutrition practices at the dairy of origin, as well as transport and receiving protocols. Strong communication between dairies, calf ranches and veterinarians ensures continuity of care.

How Certified Veterinary Technicians Can Strengthen Your Cattle Practice

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:40:10 GMT

Oct. 12-18, 2025, is National Veterinarian Technician Week. This is the perfect time to celebrate some of the most versatile, hard-working, and essential members of the veterinary world or consider whether having a credentialed veterinary technician (CVT) could be good for your practice.

In cattle practice, where every day brings a new challenge — from calving complications to herd health checks and emergency calls miles down the road — CVTs bring structure to the chaos. They’re the steady hands that keep the work moving, the organized minds behind the paperwork, and the friendly faces clients often see first.

But beyond the appreciation posts and coffee gift cards, this week is a good reminder to ask a bigger question: How could a veterinary technician make your practice stronger?

The Value of CVTs

Cattle veterinarians wear a lot of hats. On any given day, they might manage herd health programs, run regulatory testing, deliver calves, diagnose lameness and field a few “while-you’re-here” questions about nutrition. It’s a demanding mix of clinical skill, logistics and endurance.

A skilled CVT helps shoulder that load. Under proper supervision, technicians can collect samples, assist with treatments, monitor anesthesia, record data, maintain biosecurity and help keep visits efficient and thorough.

That support means veterinarians can spend more time where their expertise is most valuable: making diagnoses, planning herd strategies and strengthening client relationships. It’s not just about saving time; it’s about elevating care.

Recognizing the growing role of technicians in food animal work, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) released new Guidelines for Credentialed Veterinary Technicians in Bovine Practice in 2024.

The goal? To help practices use CVTs safely, effectively and confidently.

The guidelines outline:

Clear definitions. They distinguish CVTs from assistants.
Task lists and supervision levels. Each procedure — from sample collection to post-operative care — includes a recommended level of supervision (direct, indirect or veterinarian-only).
Built-in flexibility. They’re not meant to limit what practices do but to encourage veterinarians and techs to sit down together and ask, “Where can we work smarter?”

These guidelines are meant to open the door for team discussions about how to delegate tasks responsibly while improving efficiency and morale.

Lessons from the Field

At the 2025 AABP conference, Oberlin McDaniel of NC Mobile Veterinary Service emphasized something every good cattle practice knows instinctively: Teamwork is everything.

Many large animal practitioners are operating solo practices, meaning performing every task personally. This could lead to inefficiencies, missed revenue opportunities and physical and mental fatigue.

McDaniel pointed out that CVTs could contribute greatly to data flow in modern herd management. Whether entering lab results, tracking treatments or uploading records, technicians keep the information stream accurate and actionable — a key edge for practices embracing digital herd health platforms.

The return on investment is also a significant concern for veterinarians. Research has shown that the use of CVTs in small and mixed animal practices can increase revenue by 14% and increase veterinary productivity by 17%. In this work, 25% of the mixed animal practices were primarily bovine. The USDA Veterinary Services Grant Program is also available to support technician training and retention in underserved areas.

Perhaps most importantly, McDaniel emphasized that better technician integration isn’t just about doing more work, it’s about doing better work. When CVTs handle routine or preparatory tasks, veterinarians have time to consult more deeply with producers or tackle complex cases. Everyone wins, especially the cattle.

How Could a CVT Improve Your Practice?

If you’re not sure where to start, consider these benefits:

More visits, less rush. With a CVT preparing samples, logging data and managing restraint, veterinarians can cover more ground, literally and figuratively.
Better preventive care. CVTs can lead vaccination, sampling or deworming programs, improving consistency and compliance.
Stronger communication. CVTs can provide an enhanced client experience with more responsive communication. Techs help reinforce messages and build trust.
Cleaner data, better records. From digital uploads to treatment logs, accurate data makes your job easier. Having a CVT could streamline this process.
A happier, more sustainable practice. Delegating appropriately prevents burnout, improves job satisfaction and keeps teams motivated.

Practices that invest in training and trust see higher productivity and stronger team retention, two things every rural practice could use more of.

Celebrating and Empowering Vet Techs

National Veterinarian Technician Week is a great time to thank your technicians, but the best way to celebrate them is by giving them the professional recognition and responsibility they’ve earned. A well-utilized CVT doesn’t just make your day easier, they make your practice stronger, your clients happier and your herd care better.

So this October, take a moment to recognize the hands, minds and hearts that keep your practice moving forward and ask yourself how you can help them do even more.

The Asian Longhorn Tick Moves West to Kansas

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:34:59 GMT

The Asian longhorn tick (ALHT) has now been identified in Kansas . The tick was submitted to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for identification after being found on a dog in Franklin County last week. This represents the western most occurrence of the tick; it was last found in Iowa in June, 2025.

ALHT was first identified in the U.S. in 2017 in New Jersey. Since then it has gradually spread westward and has been documented in 21 states according to USDA .

These ticks are a threat to both human and animal health. ALTH are known to carry Theileria, a protozoan parasite that infects red and white blood cells. Theileria can lead to anemia and even death. Typically, cattle affected by Theileriosis will show signs of lethargy and difficulty breathing.

Because the female tick can reproduce without a male and lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time, a single tick can lead to a major infestation on a single animal leading to reduced growth and production, and, in the most severe cases, death from blood loss.

Cattle producers should be on high alert for external parasites on their animals. While their activity might decrease in the winter months, the ALTH can survive for up to six months off an animal and is tolerant of the cold.

For more information on the ALHT, check out:

Beef Producers Be Aware: Dangerous Asian Longhorned Tick Continues Migrating West

Theileria and the Asian Longhorned Tick: What Beef Producers Need to Know

The Impact of Low Trace Minerals in Cattle May Be Bigger Than You Expect

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 17:12:13 GMT

Trace minerals — including copper, selenium, zinc, manganese and cobalt — are needed in vanishingly small amounts. However, when these nutrients fall even the smallest bit short of a cow’s needs, the consequences can be significant. These results can include slower growth, compromised immunity and poor reproduction.

Although trace minerals make up less than 0.01% of an animal’s body weight, they’re fundamental co-factors in enzymes, antioxidants, metabolic and immune pathways. Subclinical deficiencies may be a more extensive problem as the symptoms are not evident and there is no intervention, leading to economic losses.

David Schaeffer, professor at the University of Illinois, and his colleagues recently published work analyzing trace mineral concentrations from beef and dairy livers submitted to the California Animal Health & Food Safety Lab System laboratory between 2012 and 2021. The aim of this work was to compare any correlation patterns of copper, selenium, and manganese contents, and incidence of disease.

This work included 1,495 liver samples collected from cattle submitted for diagnostic testing. They were categorized as beef (857) or dairy (638), and further grouped by age (neonates, adolescents and adults).

The study revealed significant differences between deficiencies in beef and cattle. Overall, 73% of beef cattle and 45% of dairy cattle were found to be deficient in at least one trace mineral. In beef cattle, 46% of cattle were deficient in selenium, while 39% were deficient in manganese and 33% were deficient in copper. In dairy cattle, 10% of cattle were deficient in selenium, while 37% were deficient in manganese, and only 5% were deficient in copper.

(Adapted from Schaeffer et al., 2025)

The observed increased incidence of deficiency in beef cattle is likely expected as these animals often rely on free choice minerals, while dairy cattle are fed a total mixed ration including a mineral supplement. Interestingly, Schaeffer also reported a large portion of dairy cattle may have been oversupplemented as they observed above normal copper and selenium levels.

Associations between mineral status and disease occurred across both groups, but were most prevalent in beef cattle.

In beef cattle reported to have bovine respiratory disease (BRD), 68% of animals were deficient in copper, selenium or both minerals. The median age of these animals was 8 months, and most of them had been recently transported and co-mingled with other calves.

One thing the authors noticed was some conditions that are usually subclinical in beef cattle, for example parasites, were fatal in animals that were deficient in copper, selenium, or both.

“Now obviously we don’t know the condition score of those animals,” says co-author David Villar on a recent episode of “Have You Herd?”. “I would imagine it was pretty poor to die from internal parasites.”

As stated above, dairy cattle cases had much lower prevalences of trace mineral deficiency. Along with this, they also had lower incidences of correlation between deficiency and disease.

Of the dairy cattle with only one deficiency, the most frequent diagnoses were BRD (23%), Salmonella (14%), scours (16%), and septicemia (6%). Of all dairy cattle, 11% of those with BRD also had a copper or selenium deficiency.

It’s important to remember these are correlations between mineral status and disease, not causation.

Villar highlights what he hopes producers and veterinarians would take away from this work: “The main conclusion I would make is that beef, but not dairy, are still largely deficient in essential microminerals, copper and selenium. We need to check the herd management to see what’s happening.”

These results present an opportunity for producers and veterinarians to build preventative mineral nutrition programs, especially in beef herds where deficiencies are more prevalent. Proactive monitoring and targeted supplementation could reduce disease, mortality and economic loss in cattle herds.

How Can We Improve Chuteside Diagnostics?

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:32:04 GMT

When a coughing steer steps into the chute, you might only have a few moments to decide if this animal is likely to recover with treatment or will further intervention be futile. The difference matters, not only for the animal’s welfare but for treatment costs, labor and antimicrobial stewardship.

Dr. Brad White of Kansas State University has been working on ways to make those chuteside decisions more accurate. His recent presentation at the 2025 American Association of Bovine Practitioners Annual Conference laid out new tools and technologies that could be incorporated into everyday feedlot medicine.

“[The] goal of chuteside testing is not just diagnostics, it’s which bucket can I put [the animal] in,” White says. “What if I could change the likelihood, or I had a diagnostic tool that would give me a better prognosis, and I had more chance of putting the ones that were going to live into this bucket and more chance of putting the ones that won’t live into the other bucket.”

White suggests thinking of chuteside decision-making using the Chuteside Ps:

Precision: How accurately can we distinguish specific disease syndromes that might display similar clinical signs?
Prescription: What treatment is appropriate based on the specific disease status?
Psychology: How do our own biases shape decisions under pressure?
Prioritization: Which cases should be segregated to provide additional therapeutic and management procedures to a smaller subset?
Prognosis: What is the animal’s likelihood of recovery?

Why this matters

Misclassification can have real economic consequences. In a study evaluating over 3,800 calves diagnosed with acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) chuteside, 42% of treated animals finished the feeding phase and showed positive return, while 25% were culled and 33% died.

On average, estimated net returns were positive for cattle that finished with their cohort, even after multiple treatments ($98 for one treatment, $85 for two, and $46 for three). Animals that were culled after one to three treatments averaged negative $900 of net returns, meaning that in all cases, it would have been better to keep the calf then cull it.

While most veterinarians might consider AIP a death sentence diagnosis for cattle, this work demonstrates that is not always the case.

Clinician bias cannot be ignored when considering diagnosis. Under pressure, veterinarians and feedlot crews might over-diagnose or lean on familiar categories.

For example, AIP is most frequently diagnosed at 80 to 140 days on feed; however, necropsy evaluations have shown a more even distribution of cases throughout the feeding phase.

Chuteside technologies might be useful to incorporate in an effort to avoid inherent human biases.

Chuteside Tools

There are several tools under investigation that could be useful for chuteside antemortem cattle assessment. Three that have shown some promise are:

Cardiac troponin I: Elevated levels have been shown to be highly specific for poor outcomes in bovine respiratory disease cases, though sensitivity is limited. Animals testing positive have a much lower likelihood of successful recovery.

Mucous membrane assessment: Animals with abnormal mucous membranes have been found less likely to finish. However, this testing had low sensitivity and high specificity.

Targeted thoracic ultrasound: Can be used to reveal interstitial changes that are not apparent on a physical exam, helping differentiate acute from chronic respiratory conditions.

Along with these, predictive models using multiple diagnostic inputs have shown promise for determining case outcomes. However, these are hard to use quickly chuteside.

“There’s no single metric that’s going to get us there,” White advises. “Our thought process is that we’re likely going to have to combine [metrics]. Part of the trick is figuring out which places to apply them.”

Practical Challenges

Integrating new diagnostics is not without hurdles. Equipment cost, chuteside practicality and training all matter. Time pressures in the chute are real, and not every feedlot crew is ready to adopt ultrasound or biochemical assays into their routine.

Field validation is another concern. Tools that work in controlled research settings might not always translate seamlessly to the dusty, high-pressure environment of a feedlot. Veterinarians must balance the potential gains with the realities of implementation.

Looking Ahead

White hopes that each veterinarian and producer asks themselves these important questions:

“How can I be more precise with these cases, and how can I use prognosis to prioritize them based on my management decisions? We’ve got many of the same classes of treatments and therapies that we’ve had for years; how can we make sure that we’re using them at the right place and the right time?”

Generic vs. Pioneer Drugs for Cattle: Should You Care?

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 13:58:12 GMT

Medication use is an essential part of maintaining health, productivity and welfare in dairy and beef cattle. From treating mastitis on a dairy to managing respiratory disease in a feedlot, veterinarians and producers rely on a range of pharmaceuticals to keep herds healthy. However, with many drugs available in both pioneer and generic forms, the question arises: Is there a meaningful difference between the two?

For veterinarians and producers, the decision involves more than just the label. Understanding the approval process, economics and practical considerations behind generic and pioneer drugs can help guide responsible choices that support animal health, food safety and economic sustainability.

What are Pioneer and Generic drugs?

Pioneer drugs are the original products developed by a pharmaceutical company that have an approved new animal drug application (NADA). They are protected by patents, which give the company exclusive marketing rights for a period of time. This exclusivity allowed the manufacturer to recoup the significant investment made in research, development and regulatory approval.

Generic drugs enter the market once those patents expire and have an approved abbreviated NADA (ANADA). A generic contains the same active ingredient, in the same dosage form and strength, and is administered through the same route as its brand name counterpart. In other words, a generic drug must deliver the same therapeutic effect as the brand name drug.

The key differences often lie in the inactive ingredients, such as stabilizers, preservatives or carriers, that can vary between products. These differences generally do not affect stability or efficacy, but may influence characteristics such as palatability or ease of administration.

Approval and Regulatory Oversight

Both pioneer and generic veterinary drugs are regulated by the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. However, the approval pathways differ:

Pioneer drug approval requires a company to submit an NADA. This includes extensive studies to prove the product’s safety for the target species, its effectiveness against the labeled condition, tolerance in the animal, food safety data (residue studies for milk and meat) and environmental impact. These studies often involve large clinical trials and can take years to complete.
Generic approval follows the ANADA process. Instead of repeating all of the brand name drug’s trials, the generic manufacturer must prove bioequivalence — that the drug behaves the same way in the animal’s body as the original product. Generics must also demonstrate consistent manufacturing practices and establish withdrawal times for milk and meat.

The result is that generics are held to rigorous standards of safety and efficacy. They are not weaker or inferior, they simply follow a more streamlined approval process as the groundwork has already been laid by the pioneer product.

Economics

One of the most notable differences between pioneer and generic drugs is cost. For producers, generic options can significantly reduce the cost of herd-level treatment, which is an important factor when treating dozens or hundreds of animals. For veterinarians, cost can influence prescribing practices and client satisfaction. Offering effective but more affordable treatment options might improve compliance and strengthen the veterinarian-producer relationship. In the long term, the availability of generics supports more sustainable herd health programs, particularly for common or recurring conditions.

Clinical and Practical Considerations

Does it work? vs. Did it work here?

When speaking on generic drugs, one of the key distinctions Dr. Nora Schrag, from Kansas State University, pointed out was the difference between whether a drug works and whether a drug worked in a specific production environment.

“‘Does the thing in the bottle work’ is a fundamentally very different question than ‘did it work,’ Schrag says. “‘Did it work’ includes the stuff in the bottle, but it also includes the people that are getting the stuff in the bottle into the critter, it includes the critters, it includes the weather, it includes everything else.”

Outcomes are influenced not just by the drug but also by management. Measuring whether a drug worked in a particular production setting requires keeping good records, monitoring success rates and comparing farm outcomes to peer benchmarks.

While generics and pioneer drugs are equivalent in active ingredient and expected efficacy, a few practical points deserve attention:

Perception: Some producers might be skeptical, perceiving pioneer products as more trustworthy. Veterinarians play a critical role in reassuring clients with evidence-based guidance.
Formulation differences: Rarely, a difference in inactive ingredients might influence animal tolerance or ease of use.
Compliance and stewardship: Regardless of whether pioneer or generic, observing label directions, withdrawal periods and judicious antimicrobial use principles remains essential.

Guidance for Decision-Making

The choice of what drug to use should be a collaborative effort between veterinarians and producers.

Veterinarians should evaluate both clinical needs and economic considerations. Recommending a generic is often appropriate, but being prepared to explain the science behind equivalency helps build producer confidence.
Producers should recognize withdrawal times and responsible use requirements apply equally to both drug types. Partnering with veterinarians ensures choices align with herd health goals and regulatory compliance.
Both parties must consider not only cost, but also judicious antimicrobial use, animal welfare and food safety when selecting products.

Both brand name and pioneer drugs are indispensable tools for managing cattle health. FDA’s rigorous approval process ensures generics are just as safe and effective as their pioneer counterparts. Generics offer producers significant cost savings that support sustainable operations. Working with their clients, veterinarians can help guide drug choices to ensure effective treatment while promoting stewardship and trust.

In the end, the decision is not about brand loyalty but using evidence-based judgment to balance animal health, food safety and economics. Together, these values benefit both the beef and dairy industry.

A Deworming Plan that Delivers

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 18:38:02 GMT

For Oklahoma producer Buck Rich and his veterinarian, Dr. Tyler Thomas, parasite control isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing it better.

Together, they’ve fine-tuned a simple, practical approach to parasite control that helps Rich’s herd stay healthy and productive all year long. Their success comes down to four practices that any producer can adopt: diagnostics, combination treatment, refugia and management.

Oklahoma producer Buck Rich (left) and veterinarian Dr. Tyler Thomas, owner of Prague Veterinary Clinic.

(Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.)

Diagnostics: Start With the Facts

When Rich notices cattle underperforming, his first move isn’t to reach for more product — it’s to collect a fecal sample.

“You don’t know where to go until you know where you’re at,” explains Thomas, a mixed animal practitioner and owner of Prague Veterinary Clinic in Prague, Okla. “Diagnostics tell us if treatment is even necessary, and whether what we’ve done is working.”

Rich’s operation, Leaning Oak Ranch in Okemah, Okla., includes 2,000 pairs. Like many cow-calf operations, it’s heavily forage-based and parasite control plays a key role in performance.

“We had a group of cows that didn’t look right, and I assumed it was a worm issue,” Rich says. “But fecals came back clean. Diagnostics saved us from reworking the cows unnecessarily.”

That kind of clarity is why conducting fecal egg counts, before and after deworming, is a regular part of their plan.

“Without diagnostics, it’s easy to point the finger at the product,” adds Dr. Jody Wade, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim. “But if you’re not testing, you might be treating the wrong issue or not seeing the whole picture.”

Combination Treatment: Target Parasites in Different Ways

Combination treatment is the practice of deworming cattle by using two or more dewormers from different drug classes. Dewormers can be divided into three different classes, based on their chemical structure and mechanism of action: macrocyclic lactones (endectocides), benzimidazoles (white dewormers) and imidazothiazoles. Each class controls a distinct spectrum of parasites, and for a different amount of time (see Figure 1).

For Rich and Thomas, implementing combination treatment was a game changer.

“We used to rotate products,” Rich recalls. “Now we use a white dewormer and a macrocyclic lactone at the same time. The cattle slick off faster and just look better.”

Figure 1: The three classes of dewormers.

(Boehringer Indelheim)

“Most operations already use a macrocyclic lactone,” Thomas explains. “Adding a white dewormer targets parasites differently. You get more coverage and it’s economical.”

Dr. Matt Washburn, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim, says combination treatment is one of the most effective ways to slow resistance, while improving outcomes.

“Each class kills different parasites in different ways,” he points out. “When you use a combination of products, you clean up more effectively and reduce the risk of survivors.”

Refugia: Treat the Right Animals

It may go against tradition, but Rich and Thomas agree: Sometimes, the best choice is to skip the deworming treatment. This practice, known as refugia, leaves a portion of the herd untreated to maintain a population of susceptible parasites, helping dilute resistance across the herd.

“We’re wired to treat everything,” Rich says. “But when we’ve held back a few, like Dr. Thomas recommends, it’s worked, and we’re not wasting product.”

Wade notes that skipping treatment isn’t about doing less; it’s about doing what’s right.

“The days of treating everything, every time, are behind us,” he emphasizes. “Refugia takes discipline, but it gives us longevity. It protects the products we have.”

Buck Rich (left) and Dr. Tyler Thomas processing cattle.

(Boehringer Ingelheim)

Management: Strong Grazing Supports Stronger Control

Rich is quick to explain that success doesn’t just come from products; it’s also about how grazing is managed.

“We’re not extreme rotators, but we do move cattle regularly,” he says. “We try to leave about half the grass behind each time. It helps the pasture bounce back faster, and keeps parasite pressure lower.”

Thomas adds that forage height matters.

“Most infective larvae live in the bottom two inches of pasture,” he says. “If cattle graze above that, they’re exposed to fewer parasites. And it’s better for regrowth and soil health, too.”

Washburn agrees and adds, “Overgrazing doesn’t just hurt your grass. It increases parasite exposure and slows pasture recovery. Management is a pillar of deworming, just as much as the product in your chute.”

Planning that Pays

For Rich and Thomas, deworming isn’t a stand-alone decision; It’s part of a year-round plan. And that plan flexes with the season, the weather and the cattle in front of them.

“Herd health protocols aren’t static,” Thomas says. “If Buck’s going to keep calves for 10 months, we make a different plan than if they’re leaving in 60 days. It’s about making the product fit the goal, not the other way around.”

Rich’s partnership with Thomas helps him stay ahead of parasite pressure, while reducing unnecessary costs.

“I know I can call Dr. Thomas any time,” Rich stresses. “He understands our operation and helps me make decisions that actually fit what we’re doing. Working with my vet makes all the difference.”

That tailored approach is one reason Leaning Oak Ranch continues to see results year after year.

“It’s about using the tools we have wisely,” Washburn says. “When you put diagnostics, combination treatment, refugia and management together, you’re building something more sustainable — and profitable.”

For Rich, the proof is in the cattle and the next generation.

“This is a family operation. My kids are growing up on this ranch,” he concludes. “I want our cattle to look good now, but I also want this to work 10, 20 years from now. That’s why we do it this way.”

To explore strategies like the ones Rich and Thomas use visit DewormingLegends.com .

Castration in Beef Production: Timing, Technique and Welfare

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 14:23:12 GMT

Castration is one of the most common surgical procedures in beef production, yet the timing and method used varies across producers. While some producers delay the procedure in hopes of capturing additional growth, early castration may best balance calf welfare, health and downstream performance.

Veterinarians play a critical role in guiding producers through these decisions, not only by offering technical expertise but also by advising on the economic and management benefits.

The justification for castration has been well established. From a behavioral standpoint, bulls are more prone to fighting, mounting and injuring pen mates. These behaviors contribute to stress, lameness and carcass bruising, all of which translate into economic loss. Castration also improves carcass quality; steers typically produce more tender beef and are less likely to result in dark cutters at harvest.

Properly castrated steers bring a premium at market compared to intact bull calves. According to Kansas State veterinarian Brad White, “Price discounts for uncastrated bulls could range from 3% to 15% depending on weight and age.”

Castration Timing

One of the most frequent questions producers pose is when calves should be castrated. According to Dr. Dan Thompson of Production Animal Consultation, the short answer is: the earlier, the better.

Research consistently demonstrates that castrating in the first week of life results in less stress, fewer complications and no long-term performance penalties. A review from the University of Florida concluded that calves castrated within the first week showed no disadvantage in weaning weight compared to those castrated at weaning, effectively debunking the notion that leaving bulls intact until weaning captures a growth advantage. Physiologically, this makes sense: Testosterone secretion at levels that influence muscle growth does not occur until puberty, or 7 to10 months of age.

Delaying castration until weaning or feedlot arrival significantly increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. In a recent analysis , Paul Beck and colleagues found that bulls were 1.16 times more likely to have chronic morbidity and 2.27 times more likely to have bovine respiratory disease mortality than steers.

On an episode of DocTalk , Thompson reinforced this point, noting that morbidity may increase by 150% to 200% when calves are castrated upon feedlot arrival. The intact bulls included in the analysis also displayed reduced average daily gain during the receiving period compared to their steer counterparts, and no compensatory gain on pasture, undermining any perceived advantage of delaying castration.

Methods and their Applications

The choice of castration technique should be guided by calf age, weight and producer resources. For calves under 250 lb., elastic band castration using a small elastrator is straightforward and effective. The procedure is bloodless at the time of application, simple to perform, and generally well tolerated. For larger calves, specialized large-animal banders, such as the Callicrate Bander, can be employed.

Regardless of size, banding carries the risk of tetanus. Clostridium tetani, the bacterial cause of tetanus, can be found in the soil. Veterinarians should be aware of the risk potential in their area of service and recommend vaccination accordingly.

Surgical castration can be used for immediate testicular removal, and is used more in larger calves. For very young calves, a simple scrotal incision and manual extraction of the testicles can be used. In older calves, hemorrhage becomes a more significant concern. Instruments, such as emasculators or the Henderson tool, which twist the spermatic cord to form a self-ligature, have been developed to reduce bleeding risk. These tools give veterinarians and producers more control in preventing complications, though they may require specific skills and follow-up management.

Pain Management

Regardless of method or age, castration is painful. Historically, pain control in livestock procedures was rarely employed, but growing consumer awareness and concern for animal welfare is changing expectations. Moreover, pain mitigation improves calf comfort and may support better post-procedural recovery. Local anesthesia with lidocaine is effective in reducing acute pain during surgical castration. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can further reduce post-procedural pain and inflammation.

Innovations such as Solvet, a lidocaine-impregnated elastrator band, offer promising new approaches for pain management with castration. These bands provide local anesthesia over the course of castration (14 to 28 days), reducing pain behaviors and allowing calves to resume normal activity more quickly. Such tools give veterinarians practical solutions to recommend to producers who are increasingly concerned about welfare and public perception.

Complications and Mitigation

All castration techniques are not without risk. The most common complications of castration are:

Hemorrhage — Particularly with surgical methods. Packing the scrotum with gauze or using a band to compress the wound can reduce bleeding.
Tetanus — Especially concerning after banding. Proper vaccination is key for prevention.
Fly strike — Preventable with seasonal planning, fly tags and repellents.
Incomplete castration — Typically the result of improper band placement. Can be minimized by careful technique and post-procedure monitoring.

Castration should be considered in terms of both animal welfare and economic return. Simply, castrating calves early is better for the calf, better for performance and better for the bottom line. Research confirms that delaying castration does not improve weaning weights, but it does increase health risks and compromise performance in the feedlot.

With the addition of practical pain management options and sound vaccination protocols, veterinarians can help producers implement castration programs that support both productivity and public trust. Castration is not simply a routine procedure, it is a management decision that directly impacts animal health, producer economics, and consumer confidence in beef production.

Cost-Effective Supplementation for Growing Calves

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:56:56 GMT

From a moisture standpoint, the summer of 2025 has been good for many cattle producers. As a result, many have ample standing forage.

The Oklahoma Gold and Oklahoma SuperGold supplementation programs were designed to cost effectively improve the growth of calves and stocker cattle grazing pastures in late summer and fall. Both are based on limit-feeding high-protein supplements.

Crude Protein (CP) content and digestibility of warm season grasses declines during mid-summer and fall. No doubt many producers watched green pastures turn brown during August when there was little rain coupled with several weeks of intense heat. This weather pattern corresponds with declining quality of standing forage.

In late spring and early summer calves can gain 2 to 3 lb./day on the same pastures that now may be limiting gains to less than half that amount, even with ample standing forage. Why? Because cattle’s growth performance is based on the most limiting nutrient in their diet.

The same grasses that would have contained more than 10% CP in late spring and early summer are now likely well below that level. Regardless of our warm season forage type, (native grasses, Bermuda, sorghum Sudan or millet), the same maturity pattern holds true. A 500 lb. calf gaining 1.5 lb./day requires a diet containing a minimum of 10% CP.

Bottomline: at this point, CP has become the growth limiting factor in a calf’s diet.

The Cost-Effective Solution

If you have standing forage to be used before wheat pasture comes on, or just wanting to cost effectively add weight to growing calves, the key to improving growth rates is protein supplementation. As opposed to high energy creep feeds, Gold and SuperGold programs are designed to improve growth rate through high protein supplementation when ample standing forage is available.

The Oklahoma Gold program includes a 38% CP supplement at a rate of 1 lb./day and includes an ionophore additive along with vitamins and minerals. The Oklahoma SuperGold program is similar as it includes supplementing a 25% CP at a rate of 2.5 lb./day.

The Oklahoma Gold program is one of the most cost effective and industry proven supplementation programs ever developed.

From early June to October, several trials conducted at OSU, indicate feeding 1 lb./day of Gold can increase gains of stockers grazing summer pastures by up to 0.6 lb./day. Furthermore, the Gold program is based on a low volume of feed and offers the flexibility of feeding every-other-day. In some situations the SuperGold feeding program may offer advantages. Remember, both of these feeding strategies work based on ample standing forage.

Minimizing Shrink to Maximize Profit

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:59:16 GMT

Every pound counts at the sale barn — and sometimes, the weight loss happens long before calves ever hit the scale.

For cattle producers, shrink isn’t just a biological response to stress; it’s an invisible drain on profit margins that can be managed with the right timing and techniques, according to K-State beef cattle experts.

K-State veterinarian Brad White explains “shrink” as the weight loss that occurs between gathering calves at home and their final weigh-in at the scale.

“In general, I expect calves to lose weight if they’re sitting in a new environment, new water source, just transported and everything else,” says veterinarian Bob Larson. “So even though it might be easiest for me to take calves on the day that’s most convenient for me, in order to address shrink, I think it’s better to move that transport to the sale as late as possible.”

There are also economic implications associated with shrink.

“You think about a 500-lb. steer; you know, every 1% difference in shrink is 5 lb.,” Larson says. “And so you add a couple more percentages of shrink, and the amount of money we are talking about is easily offset by hiring somebody to help me gather them.”

Proper cattle handling techniques play a critical role in minimizing weight loss during the marketing process, the experts emphasize.

“We feel stressed because we have things to do, and we start rushing and pushing the cattle harder. We start losing those low-stress handling principles in the process,” beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster says. “Now that they are stressed, they have an increase in urination, defecation, and they start losing fluids and losing weight quicker.”

For producers concerned about shrink, online auction platforms may offer a useful alternative.

“One tool that producers have is methods that limit the amount of time the calves spend in the marketing system, such as marketing online,” Larson says.

The specialists concluded that shrink represents an invisible cost that doesn’t appear on invoices but significantly impacts producer profitability, making proper management essential for maximizing returns.

More on this topic is available on the latest episode of the K-State BCI Cattle Chat podcast.

Strategies to Improve Pregnancy Rates in Cow Herds

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 14:32:25 GMT

For many producers and veterinarians, it’s time to line up PG and ultrasound appointments to establish a pregnancy rate and sort off open cows. It can be a nerve-wracking day until it’s over — and even then ranchers may not be entirely satisfied with the outcome.

So, what can ranchers do if they aren’t satisfied with their herd’s pregnancy rates?

It’s beneficial to look at both an industry average and a herd average in these instances.

“If you have a 60 to 80 day breeding season and are over 90% for pregnancy rate, you are doing pretty well, according to previous North Dakota surveys,” says Lacey Quail, North Dakota State University extension livestock management specialist. “If you have a shorter breeding season, you can expect that percentage to be a little lower.”

Next, take a look at your herd records from previous years.

“If you get your PG or ultrasound results and aren’t happy, it implies you have previous records to compare it to,” Quail says. “We need to keep herd records so we can dig out something that might go under the radar and potentially cause profit loss.”

Fertility is multifactorial, which can sometimes make it challenging to pinpoint one specific cause.

She recommends producers start by asking themselves a series of questions to start narrowing down what may have caused lower pregnancy rates and where the problem occurred.

Several management questions producers can ask themselves to start to tease out the potential cause of lower pregnancy rates are:

Did you see cows cycling?
Did you see bulls mounting and breeding?
Did you see breeding activity at the beginning or end of the season?
Were the majority of open cows in one pasture or management group?
Are some of the open cows thinner than the rest of the group?
Were the majority of open cows of a certain age?
Did you experience a heat spell or other potential stressor?

Quail says, “Fertility is like a domino train. You are waiting for the last domino to fall, but the train may have fallen off track a long time ago in a different room.”

Once you answer the above questions, be mindful of the following missed opportunities.

“On the bull side, make sure you are having full breeding soundness exams completed by a veterinarian and take into account social hierarchy when putting together breeding groups,” Quail says.

After that, it’s important to remember breeding activity.

“A big missed opportunity is not taking the time to observe breeding behavior in your herd,” Quail says. “We want to evaluate if cows are cycling, and if bulls have the libido to seek, mount and breed. Noticing issues early can save a great deal of loss.”

Don’t just stop at noting activity in general. When did the activity happen?

“Take a closer look at when cows are getting pregnant, and not just if they are getting pregnant,” Quail says. “This can have a big impact on overall productivity and profitability.”

Nutrition also can’t be overlooked.

She says, “In many cases, cows calving early might reach peak lactation and breeding season before growing forages can support all their nutrient requirements. Keeping females in adequate body condition going into and out of the breeding season is going to go a long way toward overall pregnancy rate.”

Environmental stressors can’t entirely be avoided, but they can be mitigated.

“Another missed opportunity is fine tuning environments to reduce stress,” Quail says. “We can’t control the heat, but we can control to some degree how far cows and bulls have to walk to access water.”

Ranchers shouldn’t feel like they have to go through this process alone. They can reach out to specialists, veterinarians and their nutritionists for help.

“Consulting with a veterinarian regardless of your pregnancy rate is a good thing to do,” Quail says. “Some records to be aware of and share with your vet are differences in pregnancy rate and calving rate as well as any co-mingling with neighboring cattle.”

May your pregnancy rates be favorable this fall. But if not, remember to start with herd records and basic questions to help get to the cause.

You can listen to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast .

Importance of Clean Water in Cattle Production

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 15:23:33 GMT

There’s nothing more refreshing than an ice-cold drink of water after spending time in the Kansas heat in August. According to Kansas State University beef cattle experts, cattle feel the same — and clean water is the most critical nutrient for the animals’ health and performance.

“Water is the most important nutrient that animals are going to get, and they have to have enough of it,” says K-State Veterinarian Dr. Scott Fritz.

While many producers might assume all water is created equal, experts warn that not all sources are suitable for livestock. They note that total dissolved solids, nitrate and sulfate levels and pH (acidity) can significantly impact animal health and productivity.

“Cattle nearly double their water intake (when temperatures rise) from 40 degrees to 90 degrees (Fahrenheit),” Fritz says. “This increase underscores the importance of understanding water capacity and quality, especially during intense summer heat.”

Wells and ponds present different challenges.

“We’ve seen wells that were normal for 10 years, then all of a sudden the water contains as much sodium as sea water,” Fritz says.

Key factors ranchers should monitor include total dissolved solids — which should stay under 3,000 parts per million — as well as sulfate and nitrate concentrations. The veterinarians noted that water hardness typically has minimal impact on livestock.

Fritz and others agree it’s good practice to test water sources periodically, particularly after drilling a new well or during significant seasonal changes. The goal is ensuring livestock have access to clean, abundant water that supports their health and productivity.

To learn more about heifer management, marketing cattle and water quality, check out the latest episode of the K-State BCI Cattle Chat podcast.

Texas A&M Researchers Study Diet’s Impact On Salmonella Prevalence In Cattle

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 15:29:16 GMT

Salmonella is one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and can spread to people from a variety of foods, including beef. Understanding how and why cattle become infected with Salmonella is an important part of fighting this major public health concern.

Researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) are addressing this problem from a new angle by studying how diet and feeding schedule impact Salmonella infections in cattle.

Their recent study , published in the American Society for Microbiology’s Microbiology Spectrum journal, found that high-starch diets can potentially lower Salmonella prevalence in cattle, especially within the lymph nodes — organs that are often embedded in fat trims included in ground beef products.

“Lymph nodes may be present in fat trimmings that are used to balance lean-to-fat ratios in ground beef products,” says Yesica Botero, a fourth-year biomedical sciences doctorate student. “This is a food safety concern because Salmonella can hide inside lymph nodes, where surface cleaning or treatments do not reach. As a result, it can still be present in ground beef.”

Feedyard cattle are typically fed a high-energy, grain-based diet designed to promote rapid growth and efficient weight gain.

Understanding the role that a high-starch diet potentially plays in reducing Salmonella prevalence could have major impacts on the beef cattle industry, providing ranchers with new options for controlling the spread of bacteria within their herds.

Taking A New Approach

The Texas A&M project was designed to study feedlot cattle that Dr. Kendall Samuelson, from West Texas A&M University, was examining in a separate project to see whether high-starch diets and feeding schedules impact liver abscess formation.

“We aimed to understand the factors that contribute to the presence and distribution of salmonella in feedlot cattle,” said Dr. Gizem Levent , a VMBS assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences . “There aren’t many studies focusing on understanding how diet and management changes impact Salmonella.”

Botero and Levent took samples of feces, hides, lymph nodes and soil from Samuelson’s cattle pens over a period of more than seven months. They found that while there was little difference in Salmonella populations between cattle with scheduled versus erratic feedings, the level of starch in the diet made a notable impact.

“We saw a reduction in Salmonella, especially in the lymph nodes, when cattle were fed a high-starch diet,” Botero says. “High-starch diets typically cause a lower pH in the rumen, which may be what reduces Salmonella prevalence in the gastrointestinal tract and, subsequently, in lymph nodes.

“Findings from Dr. Samuelson’s original study suggested that high-starch diets may also correlate with a higher incidence of liver abscesses,” she says. “This is something we would like to explore further in upcoming studies by testing different starch concentrations in the diet to find one that does not harm cattle health — such as by increasing the risk of liver abscesses — but still helps lower Salmonella levels.”

Continuing The Investigation

In addition to studying how different levels of starch impact liver abscesses and Salmonella, Levent and Botero are planning to dive even deeper into the data to study the specific serotypes, or genetic profiles of Salmonella, observed in their samples.

“We want to do a follow-up study with more in-depth analysis of the dynamics of the Salmonella population,” Botero says. “By looking at the genetic profiles, we can better understand which serotypes are present, how they might respond to antibiotics, and whether they carry genes that make them more likely to survive or spread in the environment.”

Fortunately, what they have seen so far from the feedlot samples does not indicate a high presence of Salmonella or serotypes resistant to antibiotics.

“The overall Salmonella population found was not resistant to antibiotics of public health concern, which is good news for public health,” Levent said. “But we will definitely keep screening for resistance so that we can better understand what makes resistant populations exist in the environment.”

Heifer Economics: Calculating Replacement Costs in Today's Market

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:54:39 GMT

As beef producers consider expansion, key expenses to consider are the cost of buying versus the price of developing your own replacements.

Oklahoma State University’s Mark Z. Johnson says there is evidence of an increase in heifer retention with improved drought conditions across much of the Central Plains and summer video auctions reporting a smaller percentage of heifer calves.

“Retention does not appear to be aggressive,” says Johnson, Extension beef cattle specialist, in a recent Cow-Calf Corner newsletter. “With the calf market on pace for another year of record prices providing incentive, herd rebuilding remains sluggish compared to past cycles.”

Lingering drought continues to limit forage availability in key regions while high interest rates and the substantial capital required to develop or purchase bred females further suppresses expansion. Many producers also remain wary of a repeat of the post-2014 market correction, adding a layer of caution to long-term decision-making.

“Even with bred female values at record highs, relative to calf prices, breds may still be undervalued, a sign of producer hesitation rather than a lack of economic feasibility,” Johnson explains.

He says an excellent metric to consider when purchasing bred heifers is the number of calves it takes to pay for the purchase. CattleFax recently reported in 2025 that figure is projected to average just 2.75 calves, well below the long-term average of 4.5 and far beneath the 2015 peak of 9 calves.

“This ratio is likely to rise over time, driven by higher bred female prices, moderating calf values, or a combination of both,” he explains. “If feed resources allow, this dynamic suggests that adding females to the herd today may be the best time from a breakeven perspective to expand.”

(CattleFax)

Keeping Replacements vs. Buying Bred Heifers

Johnson stresses replacement heifers are expensive; not only with respect to dollars invested but also the expenditure of time and labor involved.

“Recent market reports indicate 550-lb. weaned heifer calves selling for well more than $2,000 per head. Those heifers calves are still two years away from weaning their first calf if all goes according to plan,” he explains. “Accordingly, operations looking to add inventory may find a better option of purchasing bred heifers in the current market.”

What Should Bred Heifers Be Worth?

Johnson says assuming weaned calves remain at a value of $2,000 to $2,500 per head over the next few years, your annual cost of running a cow will largely determine what you should invest in a bred heifer.

“The annual cost of maintaining a beef cow is highly variable and has increased tremendously over the past five years,” he explains. “Variable costs such as fuel, fertilizer and herbicides have been blamed as the primary culprits; however, fixed costs such as equipment, hired labor and land have increased as well.”

Total economic costs associated with U.S. cow-calf production for 2018 were estimated to range from $910 per cow for operations with 500 or more cows to $2,099 per cow for operations with 20 to 49 cows.

“These results show significant economies of scale, with costs per cow declining with increased herd size,” Johnson says.

Kansas Farm Management Association estimates the annual cost of running a cow to be approximately $1,551 according to data collected in 2024.

Johnson says it is noteworthy that pasture and feed only account for $684 of that total. Visit AgManager.info for a detailed breakdown of the other actual expenses.

Market fundamentals are strong for a continued robust cattle market until cow inventories start to climb.

“There is currently not much indication of that happening anytime soon,” Johnson summarizes. “That being said, what bred heifers are worth to your operation, and how many calves a female needs to raise in order recapture your initial purchase price, will depend on how much profit she nets each year per calf rather than on the gross value of each calf she produces.”

Emergency Use of Animal Drugs Approved to Combat New World Screwworm

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 16:09:22 GMT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a declaration on Aug. 19 allowing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for animal drugs to treat or prevent infestations caused by the New World screwworm (NWS).

This declaration applies only to drugs for animals. NWS infests warm-blooded animals, including livestock, pets, wildlife, and, in rare cases, humans, causing severe tissue damage and sometimes death. The risk to human health in the U.S. remains very low, but the potential future threat to animal populations and the food supply chain requires proactive action.

Although eradicated from North America and Central America decades ago, NWS has progressed north since 2022 and is now approaching the U.S. border with Mexico. This parasite poses an emerging threat to livestock and food security, with potential impacts on both national security and animal health.

“Today we are taking decisive action to safeguard the nation’s food supply from this emerging threat,” says HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “This authorization equips FDA to act quickly, limit the spread of New World Screwworm, and protect America’s livestock.”

Currently, there are no FDA-approved drugs for NWS in the U.S. The FDA through an EUA can authorize the flexible, faster use of certain animal drug products that may be approved for other purposes, or available in other countries, but not formally approved for NWS in the U.S. This ensures veterinarians, farmers, and animal health officials have timely access to the tools they need to protect pets, livestock and the nation’s food supply.

“Thank you to my friends and partners Secretary Kennedy and Commissioner Makary who are answering the call and supporting our aggressive plan to push back and ultimately defeat this devastating pest. This emergency use authorization is another tool we can use in the fight against New World Screwworm,” says Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “Our cattle ranchers and livestock producers are relying on the Trump Administration to defend their livelihoods. Stopping this pest is a national security priority and we are linking arms across President Trump’s cabinet to defend our borders and push back this threat.”

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H., adds, “Our priority is to safeguard both animal health and the nation’s food supply. FDA is acting swiftly and responsibly to help ensure we have the necessary tools to prevent and control New World Screwworm, minimizing risks to agriculture and public health.”

FDA will provide future guidance to veterinarians and stakeholders on the appropriate use of any products authorized for emergency use and update the New World Screwworm: Information for Veterinarians page.

Tetanus: A Storm Aftermath Problem for Animals

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 14:40:49 GMT

Of all the challenges faced by livestock owners and animal caretakers in the wake of damaging spring and summer storms, one potentially serious animal disease might not appear for days or weeks later: Tetanus.

Debris blown about by storms poses an injury threat to confined animals, as well as those in pastures and lots. These storms can also spook animals into running through fences and damaged buildings. A wide variety of animal injuries can result, ranging from minor scratches to debilitating injuries that require intensive treatment or euthanasia. When deep wounds result, Tetanus is a potential problem.

What causes Tetanus?

Tetanus is caused by a bacteria, Clostridium tetani, that only creates disease under very specific conditions. Farms can’t avoid this bacteria. It’s very common in soil and animal manure in spore forms that are very resistant to time and weather conditions.

Sitting out in the barnyard, these bacterial spores are harmless. It’s when they find their way into wounds that they cause disease. In damaged muscle and connective tissue that’s deep enough that oxygen can’t penetrate, the spores activate into rapidly reproducing bacteria that produce toxins.

One of these toxins, called tetanospasmin, attaches to nerve endings in the area. The toxin blocks the nerve’s ability to release inhibitors that “switch off” muscle fiber contraction. As a result, muscles can’t stop contracting.

As more toxin is produced, it migrates up to involve more of the nervous system. Uncontrolled muscle contractions create clinical signs of stiffness, muscle tremors, a “sawhorse” stance and “flicking” of the third eyelid. Eventually the animal is beset with generalized tremors and an inability to stand; death or euthanasia is the outcome.

Because animal environments are commonly populated with Clostridium tetani, any wound can easily become contaminated. But not every wound provides the right conditions for Tetanus. Deep puncture wounds that introduce the bacteria into damaged, oxygen-poor body tissue are most often associated with Tetanus.

The time from the wound occurrence to the onset of disease can vary from several days to several weeks, but is typically 10-14 days.

Additionally, animal species differ in how vulnerable they are to Tetanus infections. Horses are by far the mos- susceptible species, followed by cattle, sheep and pigs.

How do you treat and prevent it?

Tetanus is a preventable disease, with vaccines widely available for use in livestock species. Tetanus vaccine is considered a “core” vaccine for all horses, meaning that all horses should have annual Tetanus vaccinations. Routine Tetanus vaccination is less commonly recommended for cattle and older sheep, and generally focuses on calves and lambs being band castrated.

Once a wound occurs, the potential for Tetanus to develop can be dramatically reduced by prompt intervention. Following a storm, animal caretakers should closely examine their animals, as puncture wounds might not be obvious externally. Administering Tetanus antitoxin, proper wound care, and antibiotic treatment can reduce the chance that Clostridium tetani infections and their subsequent problems will occur. Because horses are highly susceptible, they should be administered antitoxin and have their Tetanus vaccination boostered when any kind of wound, however minor, is detected. While cattle and sheep are less susceptible, those interventions may be appropriate for them too.

Wound care methods vary according to their severity and location, so a veterinarian should be consulted about how to deal with them, as well as appropriate antibiotics to use. Once signs of Tetanus set in, progression can be very hard to stop, so prompt action is important.

Animal care can be challenging following destructive storms, with Tetanus just one of the many considerations for animal caretakers. If you are one of these people, contact your local veterinarian for guidance.

Eight Components of a Strong Preconditioning Program

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 14:34:20 GMT

Many spring-calving producers are thinking about weaning and marketing this year’s calf crop.

“In preparation for weaning and marketing, many producers do some level of preconditioning to add value and prepare calves for the next stages of life,” says Chris Clark, Iowa State University Extension and outreach beef specialist.

In a recent press release Clark describes preconditioning strategies and explains why it is valuable.

He says there is not a solid, consistent definition for preconditioning and the meaning of the term can differ person to person, regionally and among various programs.

Clark says this definition summarizes his perspective on the meaning and importance of preconditioning: “Preconditioning is a set of practices and procedures applied to prepare cattle for the next phase of production. Weaning and marketing involve many potential stressors that can negatively affect beef calves: separation from dam, new environment, diet change and new social dynamics, just to name a few. The idea of preconditioning is to prepare cattle, minimize those stressors, support health and performance, and ultimately, help cattle reach their genetic potential.”

He adds specific precondition practices often include castration, dehorning, vaccination, adaptation to new feeds and bunk breaking.

Although most preconditioning practices are associated with weaning, some of these things can actually be done well ahead of time, even in the neonatal period of a calf’s life.

“Well-preconditioned cattle are the culmination of a holistic management program that starts when calves are born and arguably even while they are in utero,” he says.

Clark shares these eight components of a strong preconditioning program:

Castration and dehorning procedures should be done as early as possible with appropriate anesthesia and analgesia to minimize pain and distress.
“Castration and dehorning surgeries should generally be performed within the first two to three months of life,” he says. “Dehorning should be done through genetic selection or through disbudding calves before the horns become well established.”
If these procedures have not yet been done, talk to your veterinarian about the best timing and technique. Open wounds can be a problem in the summer because of fly pressure, so it is worth some thought and discussion about how to best proceed at this time of year.
Vaccination to establish immunity prior to the stress of weaning and marketing.
Stress associated with weaning and marketing can cause immunosuppression, making animals more susceptible to respiratory disease and other infections. Preweaning vaccines help ensure protective antibodies are on board at weaning, which can help prevent and reduce the severity of disease.
“Work closely with your veterinarian to determine the products and vaccine schedules that make the most sense for your operation,” he says.
Deworming to reduce internal and external parasite load can help promote animal health and performance.
Cattle commonly consume infective nematode larvae while grazing, so strategic deworming as they are coming off of pasture into drylot or feedyard settings can make a lot of sense.
Implanting with growth-promoting hormone implants is very much an optional part of a preconditioning program.
Implants improve performance and feed efficiency and can improve profitability when cattle are retained long enough to take advantage of these improvements.
“In a strong cattle market where each pound of gain has great value, implanting may be worth considering,” he says. “Keep in mind the new FDA guidance and emphasis on not reimplanting within a phase of production unless the implant product is specifically labeled for reimplantation.”
He explains with this recent development, some buyers might prefer cattle that have not been implanted, so it may be worth thinking through the value of enhanced performance versus buyer preferences and demand at market.
Adapt cattle to feed like what will be fed after weaning.
“Creep feeding consistently increases weaning weight but may or may not be profitable depending on the cost versus value of gain,” Clark explains. “In the current market with significant value for every pound of gain, creep feeding may be worth considering.”
Even when not obviously profitable, creep feeding or some kind of supplementation can help calves adapt to new feeds and feeding systems. This should support a smoother transition throughout weaning.
Postweaning feeding programs should be well-balanced to support health and growth but modest enough to prevent foot and rumen issues and over-conditioning of animals.
“Buyers generally like cattle to be relatively ‘green,’ meaning they prefer to buy cattle that are not overly fat,” he adds.
Weaning is considered by some to be an integral part of the preconditioning process.
In fact, in some sponsored preconditioning programs, cattle are not truly preconditioned if not weaned for 45 to 60 days. Weaning allows producers to start cattle on feed, adapt them to the next phase of production, and treat any illnesses that might occur.
Consider low-stress weaning strategies such as two-step weaning, fence-line weaning, pasture weaning, etc., and think ahead about what might work for you. Weaned cattle should be past some of the most stressful and high-risk times and ready to enter the next phase of production.
Strive for excellence in the basics of animal husbandry.
Shelter, shade, bedding, water, feed and low-stress handling are all components of good animal care, and the most well-preconditioned animals are those that have been well taken care of from conception to marketing.
Daily care and record keeping are key components of preconditioning.
Create a plan for performing and keeping records of daily care, and develop a record-keeping system for treatment and feed records.
“Plan to check cattle daily throughout the weaning phase to look for signs of illness, develop a working relationship with a veterinarian and establish a treatment plan in case of illness,” Clark says.
Review recommended biosecurity protocols and implement as appropriate to protect the health of your calf crop. Prepare records that can be shared with buyers so they understand how cattle have been cared for, what products have been administered and what procedures have been done.

Clark summarizes preconditioning does several things. First, it enhances animal health, well-being and performance, and increases the odds that cattle will perform to their genetic potential. Additionally, preconditioning minimizes risk.

“In the current record-breaking cattle market, cattle are more valuable than ever, and with great value comes great risk,” he says. “Every illness, every mortality, every bout of weight loss and shrink hurts that much more than it would in a weaker market.”

Preconditioning can help manage that risk and improve the likelihood of success for producers in all phases of production. Consider preconditioning to optimize cattle health and performance and promote the success of buyers of your cattle.

Check out other calf weaning stories.