Diagnostics
RT-PCR testing is showing up more often on dairies because it can find mastitis pathogens faster and more accurately than traditional culture. Understanding the process and results can help you make better decisions on farm.
K-State veterinarians discuss a ranch with different groups of weaned calves showing signs of coccidiosis at a pivotal time in their lives.
When we focus only on the most obvious clinical sign or lesion, we risk missing the broader forces shaping cattle health. Stepping back reveals patterns we can’t see up close.
Milk yield, components and udder health metrics can reveal early disease long before clinical signs emerge. Learning to interpret these signals can transform routine milk data into proactive herd health interventions.
Avoid inconclusive results, wasted tests, and diagnostic delays by focusing on these five practical improvements for sample selection.
Integrating new diagnostics could help you weigh bias, prioritize cases and make evidence-based calls.
High-starch diets could reduce dangerous bacteria in beef cattle, offering new food safety strategies.
The Montana Department of Livestock reports a brucellosis-affected herd in Beaverhead County.
A proactive management plan including early preparation and close monitoring is key to a stress-free, healthy weaning time.
Manure scoring helps maximize feed value by evaluating rumen function.
K-State veterinarians discuss a Midwest cow-calf ranch that has a problem with bovine respiratory disease when calves should be the healthiest.
Sun, heat and moisture can harm animals’ skin, but early care helps to keep livestock healthy.
Asian longhorned tick has not been found in Kansas, but calves purchased from the East and being fed in Kansas have been diagnosed with the parasite.
Dr. Taylor Engle of Four Star Veterinary Services shares how producers can improve calf health outcomes by rethinking everything from pre-birth to bunk.
K-State veterinarian Bob Larson says 3% to 5% of calves suffer from pnemonia each year.
The company also is celebrating 30 years of working to advance herd health.
Native to east Asia, the ALHT was first detected in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, it has spread to more than 20 states with recent confirmations in Illinois, Michigan and Iowa.
Preventing PI calves starts with strong biosecurity and smart vaccination.
Actionable data can help producers ensure heifers get off to their best start.
Experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute share guidelines for tracking herd health.
The event is slated for July 22-24 in Rochester, N.Y., with an agenda focused on the theme of “Clearing Hurdles to Improve Milk Quality.”
The 2025 event, slated for Sept. 11-13 in Omaha, Neb., will challenge and encourage attendees to further develop the knowledge and services they offer food animal producers. Early registration is open.
Implementing low-stress handling techniques while working cattle can save producers time, money, injury and headaches.
It is important that dairy industry stakeholders work together to further understand the complexity and underlying mechanisms of heat stress impacts and develop alternative strategies to mitigate the risks.
Researchers look at four factors that contribute to early pregnancy loss: embryo, cow, bull and environment.
Could a cow’s birth season impact its longevity and productivity? University of Florida researchers say yes—discover how heat stress at birth could shape a cow’s future.