Reading Time: 5 minutes From cattle vaccination and stomach ulcers to headline-making diseases like bovine tuberculosis: Thoughts from a long-time western Canadian veterinarian
Hot tips for cow-calf beef farmers
From cattle vaccination and stomach ulcers to headline-making diseases like bovine tuberculosis: Thoughts from a long-time western Canadian veterinarian
Uterine amputations a routine occurrence in calving season
Cows can still be lost, but these days its a rarity
Reading Time: 3 minutes Most uterine prolapses are uneventful for an experienced veterinarian, and the owner ends up with a lively cow that breeds again without missing a beat. Producers will often ship these cows, but any veterinarian will tell you this isn’t a heritable trait and should not reoccur. If the cow rebreeds, there is no greater likelihood […] Read more
The importance of pairing up at calving
A little extra effort to foster mothering can pay big dividends
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Calving season always comes with anticipation about the incoming calf crop, and great cow-calf managers have tips that help them save more calves and improve productivity . For the spring calver, great observation skills combined with the ability to go the extra mile will generally be rewarded. It pays to check for […] Read more
Be ready to help if livestock involved in accidents
First responders can benefit from local livestock knowledge when disaster strikes
Reading Time: 3 minutes Every day hundreds of thousands of animals are transported across Canadian highways without mishap, but every so often, there is an unfortunate accident with animal deaths and injuries. Alberta has developed an emergency network because of the huge numbers of cattle transported to feedlots and packing plants. While this network is invaluable, there’s also an […] Read more
Are remote drug delivery devices the right choice for your cattle operation?
Beef 911: There are resources available to help with that decision
Reading Time: 3 minutes Many producers use remote drug delivery devices. If you are thinking of using one, or if you have used one in the past, this article may be a good review. Dart guns have their pros and cons but the Beef Cattle Research Council has some great resources that can help. It offers guidelines on usage […] Read more
Smoke inhalation can affect cattle
Beef 911: Research shows an effect in housed dairy cattle so outdoor beef animals are also susceptible
Reading Time: 3 minutes Wildfires have exceeded all records in the 2023 season. Both British Columbia and Alberta are expected to see more than two million hectares destroyed. There has been steady growth in the number and size of wildfires since the 1980s. Drought, global warming and storms are generally the culprits and there has been plenty of smoke […] Read more
Automatic syringes a better solution
Retire those old guns that have done their duty, and get better results
Reading Time: 3 minutes Vaccinations are a cornerstone biosecurity practice for cow-calf operations and feedlots. It is not uncommon for two or more vaccines to be given twice a year. There has been lots written about proper vaccination techniques, vaccine storage, maintaining the chain of refrigeration and other things that affect the way these vaccines perform. I want to […] Read more
Expert beef advice via audio
Podcasts are convenient and can offer what producers need to know, when they need to know it and with many ways to listen
Reading Time: 3 minutes We are all trying to get factual information on the health, production and welfare of our herds. Sometimes it is hard to stay abreast of all the information. Publications like this one, and websites of the Beef Cattle Research Council, Canadian Cattle Association and provincial beef producers’ groups, can help with that. YouTube videos, if […] Read more
More information is better when looking for your next herd sire
Scrotal size is a key indicator and getting reliable, consistent measurements isn’t difficult
Reading Time: 3 minutes Scrotal circumference and scrotal palpation are among the quickest, repeatable and fact-revealing pieces of information we can get on bulls. Some breeds get away with less scrotal size, but we have also seen that scrotal size, on average, has gone up through selection. Because it is quite heritable, fertility improves. However, we are probably reaching […] Read more
Detection and prevention of rectal and anal tears
They’re rare, but the consequences may make slaughter necessary
Reading Time: 3 minutes It is worthwhile to discuss ways to recognize, treat and prevent rectal and anal injuries in livestock. They are rare, but occur often enough to warrant a review in case producers or veterinarians encounter them in cattle or other animals. The causes are many and varied but some preventive measures may be obvious. Depending on […] Read more
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