Latest News From Herd Health

Beginning June 11, 2023, most livestock antibiotics will no longer be available over-the-counter. Ohio State University dairy veterinarian Kevin Jacque shares his thoughts on adapting to the new rules.

Household units and mini fridges are often unsuitable for maintaining veterinary products, according to a recent study by Emmanuel Rollin, DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia.

Scoring teat ends tells a story of how happy a cow is with how she is milked and treated. It also provides insights into whether the milking process is harmful to the animal and needs to be changed.

On June 11, 2023, the following antibiotics will no longer be available for purchase over-the-counter.

The new indication is for control of pyrexia in dairy cows due to acute mastitis. There is a short milk withhold of 48 hours. 

Detecting respiratory disease in calves early – when treatment is most effective – should start by examining the head and facial features, according to veterinarian Tiago Tomazi with Merck Animal Health.

Somatic cell counts have long been an indicator of milk quality and udder health. But can a cow’s SCC get too low?

If you listed the top three disease problems in young dairy calves, diarrhea and pneumonia would likely come to mind immediately. The third one might not be as obvious: umbilical infection.

Just because we have easy access to the thousands of beef-on-dairy cross calves eventually headed for feedyards doesn't mean we should be vaccinating them every week, according to Dan Thomson.

By using precision technologies such as automated milk feeders and pedometers combined with machine learning, dairy producers can detect illness earlier and make informed decisions about treatment.

It has been well-documented that feeding preweaned calves on a higher plane of nutrition improves calf health and performance. However, providing calves more nutrients may also promote wound healing.

That jolt from your morning java also could be a handy helper in stimulating struggling newborn calves. Caffeine could help calves before they receive colostrum, or at other times when calves appear dull and lethargic.

Move over, artificial insemination. There’s a new “A.I.” in town, and it’s more intelligent than you.

Sometimes called “sudden death syndrome” or “bloody gut,” Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome is characterized by dark, tarry, and sometimes bright red, bloody feces; dehydration; and decreased feed intake.

Inflammation creates additional stress at calving.

The transition period, 3 weeks before and after calving, is challenging for all cows. But for first-calf heifers, it’s likely the scariest and most stressful time in their young lives.

“Similar to Staph aureus and mycoplasma, Prototheca [mastitis] is hard to detect, has no known cure, and is contagious by intermittently shedding from cow to cow."

On June 11, 2023, over-the-counter antibiotics will no longer be available through traditional retail channels. Instead, these antibiotics will now require a prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

Creating a herd where all the individuals are healthy and normal increases your chances of economic success.

This is the story of one dairy producer's struggle with the impact of stray voltage on her cows and family. She wants her family's experience to be something veterinarians and dairy producers can learn and benefit from.

Monitoring calves’ body temperature is a critical metric to maintaining their health, and is especially valuable if temperature changes can be detected early.

To highlight the voices of individuals and companies helping beef producers on their sustainability journey, Trust In Beef™ is spotlighting the collaborative value chain program’s partners in a new video series.

While Lung Ultrasound is the cornerstone of any good Calf Herd Health Program, there are many other benefits to getting your herd vet in your calf barn on a regular basis.

Recycled bedding has the potential to help dairies save on their bedding costs and provide more efficient manure management.

What was once a relatively invasive and tedious procedure has become a potentially standard method of monitoring the health and nutritional status of dairy cows.

Curtail transmission levels by stopping the so-called super shedders, says Ron Erskine, DVM and professor emeritus at Michigan State University, by identifying and culling them. He explains the process here.

Neospora is the most commonly diagnosed cause of abortions in cattle both domestically and worldwide.

When forced to make a choice, cows will pick resting over eating.

Extra water – along with a possible electrolyte boost -- is never more important than in the heat of summer.

Providing assistance too early during stage II labor may result in an increased risk of metritis.

As the thermometer starts to creep its way into the upper 80s, 90s or even the 100°F mark, nobody wants to put in physical work during the hottest part of the day - cows included.

The time of consistent heat stress is upon us. Heat-stressed cows produce less milk, have reduced fertility, and have higher SCC. Providing proper heat abatement can have both an economic and welfare impact on the farm.

A new insurance concept is being launched to allow dairy producers around the world to financially insure against the production losses caused by heat stress.

Keep an eye on water intake and feedstuffs. Avoid vaccinations when heat levels are high. Address the environment for management steps you can take to improve cow comfort.

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

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

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

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

Access to livestock drugs through over-the-counter (OTC) channels was curbed considerably starting in 2017. Soon, OTC antibiotics may no longer be available through traditional channels at all.

A long-anticipated “origin of livestock” final rule has been released by the UDSA that illustrates the uniform standards for transitioning dairy cattle to organic production.

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

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

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

The dairy, beef, and veal sectors are collaborating to form a first-of-its-kind program to promote the health and welfare of calves throughout the supply chain.

Mastitis infections are divided into one of two categories — environmental or contagious — based on the source of the infection.

Breakdowns in the global supply chain are hitting home for U.S. livestock producers and the veterinarians who serve them, in the form of shortages of commonly used medications.

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) recently released a first-of-its-kind document on cattle vaccine guidelines.

As one of the top scourges to calf raisers, cryptosporidium is an ever-present challenge that rarely takes a holiday.

Have you ever had a cow come down with a disease while she was pregnant? Probably so. But does that illness impact the calf? Maybe not.

Factors for consideration include colostrum management, group composition and dynamics, bedding and space, nutritional management, early disease detection and the need for "real life" observations.