Reading Time: 4 minutes When an animal dies, producers often simply have it disposed of. But that often means valuable information is lost — so decisions for the rest of the herd or altering treatments for subsequent cases cannot be made. An experienced veterinarian can glean very valuable information from a complete autopsy and often give you the cause […] Read more
It’s worth the effort to find out what happened
Beef 911: Autopsies can provide very valuable information you can use to enhance preventive medicine protocols
Ways to reduce incidence of navel ill
You need to pay close attention to this costly problem and take steps to reduce it
Reading Time: 4 minutes Much has been written about omphalophlebitis — inflammation of the umbilical veins also known as navel ill — in calves. The bovine species appears to be fairly susceptible to developing infection, with the incidence increasing when calves are born into wet or damp conditions and in close confinement. With more producers calving later — many […] Read more
When the need arises, fetotomy is the best solution
The goal is always to protect the cow from further trauma and hopefully give her many more productive years
Reading Time: 4 minutes Fetotomy — a veterinarian’s fancy word for cutting up a dead calf within the cow during the birthing process — still has a valuable place in a competent veterinarian’s bag of tricks. The whole object with a fetotomy is to minimize trauma or damage to the cow. The calf at this point is a lost […] Read more
Calving problems are decreasing
Vets aren’t called out during calving as often as they used to be, but producers need to know when to call for backup
Reading Time: 4 minutes With genetic selection of lower birth weights and easy calving bulls, calving problems due to fetal oversize are becoming rarer and rarer. But there are still common problems, which are worth reviewing to help producers recognize and assist these deliveries to save more calves as calving season is upon us. Fetal malpresentations today are the […] Read more
Crypto presents a number of challenges for vets and producers
These protozoa are difficult to detect so vigilance is needed to spot and deal with outbreaks
Reading Time: 4 minutes The incidence of ‘crypto’ diarrhea is most definitely higher on dairy farms where calves are raised in close confinement and the wet or moist environment is conducive to the transmission of these protozoa. But large-animal veterinarians are also detecting it more often in our beef herds out west. Crypto is a protozoa with a very […] Read more
Watch for newer respiratory pathogens
Beef 911: Corona virus and B. trehalosi bacteria aren’t always easy to spot
Reading Time: 3 minutes We have all heard of corona virus being one of the main causes of viral scours in our newborn calves. It and a couple of strains of rotavirus are the two main viruses we see in our scours vaccines. (It also causes a winter dysentery bloody diarrhea in mature cattle, especially housed dairy cattle in […] Read more
Preventing negative side-effects of vaccinations in cattle
Beef 911: Vaccinating is a great tool, but producers need vaccination protocols and should be ready to deal with their negative effects
Reading Time: 4 minutes There is now a multitude of vaccines on the market for all facets of the beef and dairy industry. Vaccinating has become part of the biosecurity program on your farm, ranch or dairy. It is good for our industry as it controls disease, minimizes antibiotic use, improves production, and decreases death or losses from abortion. […] Read more
Ways to reduce the risk of bloat when pasturing on alfalfa
Beef 911: Producers can take steps to reduce the risk through management and preventive products
Reading Time: 3 minutes Pasturing alfalfa can improve gains, but bloat is always a worry. Thankfully, advancements in technology, along with pasture management, can make this a viable option. Adhering to several principles can go a long ways to preventing unnecessary deaths when turning cattle out into leguminous pastures. Cattle should initially be turned out in the heat of […] Read more
Sick cattle: When to treat, call the vet, or pull the plug
Make an informed decision, but do it sooner rather than later
Reading Time: 3 minutes When first assessing sick mature cattle, there are four main choices or treatment streams to choose. Is it a treatable condition in which a positive response is likely? Is this a condition where the animal can be shipped for immediate slaughter? If the condition has gone past the point of return and the animal should […] Read more
A full breech birth is a dangerous situation
Beef 911: Cows with a history of twins more likely to have a full breech birth
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the true breech, the calf presented tail first with both back legs pointing forward under the body of the calf. A lot of producers refer to a straight backwards calf as a breech, but that is a misnomer. The true full breech has both back legs forwards so the first thing you feel when […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
