Reading Time: 4 minutes There has been a lot written about the revised Beef Code of Practice, which was released in 2013 and was the first revision since 1991. It is most definitely worth a read, whether you are a beef producer, transporter, marketer, nutritionist, veterinarian, or are involved with the cattle industry in any way. At 56 pages, […] Read more
The revised Beef Code of Practice a win for everyone
Beef 911: Everyone involved in the cattle industry should keep a copy handy and consult it frequently
Don’t let freemartins become a management headache in your herd
Beef 911: Some will reproduce normally and are well worth keeping, but others need to be culled
Reading Time: 3 minutes With better nutrition and management and a higher incidence of twins in the Charolais, Simmental, and Holstein breeds, some larger herds can have up to a 10 per cent twinning rate. With the odds of 50 per cent of the twins being mixed sexes, it is no wonder freemartins are not an uncommon occurrence. Remember […] Read more
The criteria for selecting the right antibiotic
Beef 911: There are a lot of factors at play and all of them need to be considered in every case where antibiotics are an option
Reading Time: 4 minutes Although a few very effective antibiotics have been removed from the marketplace over the years, the choice has never been greater. The challenge is there are so many factors hinging on the outcome, so deciding which antibiotic to use — or if one is necessary at all — can be a very difficult decision. Also […] Read more
Hormone-free beef pros and cons
Beef 911: There’s a lot of confusion about these programs — here’s a take from a veterinary perspective
Reading Time: 4 minutes With all the terms we are hearing in the beef industry — such as organic, natural, hormone free, sustainable — there is no doubt confusion even for you the producers trying to raise cattle to fit into these programs. Most of these branded or niche programs are trying to differentiate themselves from the traditional ways […] Read more
A lack of macrominerals for cattle can be a true emergency
Beef 911: Grass tetany can be successfully treated if caught early, but you need to watch for symptoms and contact your vet immediately
Reading Time: 3 minutes Over the last few years several herds have been affected with grass tetany in our area. These herds will often have multiple cases in short order. Once clinical signs occur and cattle go down, chances of recovery are very poor so treatment-wise they are a true emergency. Early in the course of the disease, treatment […] 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
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
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