Beef 911

animal health Cancerous eyes are the leading cause of carcass 
condemnations at slaughter and so it pays to deal with this condition early

Reading Time: 3 minutes Cancerous eyes are a regular occurrence in most western Canadian beef herds, but early detection and treatment will alleviate the pain and suffering — and provide financial benefits for the producer. Cattle with white pigment around the eyes are more susceptible to this condition, as well as pink eye. Ultraviolet light, flies and other irritants […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes There is a multitude of diseases to consider vaccinating for, and vaccines for them come in a multitude of combinations with different types of administration (subcutaneous or intramuscular) as well as different dosage amounts (usually two to five cc). These possibilities should all be considered when choosing vaccines. First and foremost, use the advice of […] Read more

Beef 911 Once almost never seen, this highly toxic plant has been 
found in several locations in my practice area this year


Reading Time: 3 minutes This year’s wet spring has seen increased sightings of western water hemlock — one of the most poisonous plants known in cattle production. Prior to 2006, I had only seen one occurrence of this highly toxic plant in 25 years of practice. This year, several multiple plants have been found a great distance apart in […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes An effective prevention for frothy bloat is back on the market. Alfasure was pulled over a licensing issue (whether to be classed as a feed additive or a drug), but requirements were met and it has been relicensed as of June 2012. In the past producers have understandably been reluctant to plant and graze alfalfa […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes In our practice, the incidence of tetanus has definitely been increasing in the last several years. This article will review some of the pertinent signs of tetanus and look at the prevention of this deadly disease. Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium Tetani, which is in the same family of organisms that causes blackleg. […] Read more

beff 911 It’s best to only AI for one or two cycles and then use good-quality cleanup bulls

Reading Time: 3 minutes When looking into any artificial insemination program, several goals must be kept in mind. Achieving pregnancies is of course the most important. Improving your genetic base is always a desire of any breeder whether you are a commercial operator or seedstock breeder. In order to be successful though, costs both for supplies and labour must […] Read more