Reading Time: 4 minutes There are many factors to consider when bringing in calves to feed in order to minimize BRD (bovine respiratory disease), which is still the No. 1 cause of morbidity and often mortality in our feedlots. Knowing the history of the calves regarding weaning time, distance transported, vaccination, and health history — as well as upcoming […] Read more
Here’s how to assess the risk when bringing in calves
Beef 911: Mingling animals, transport times, light weights, and even weather can be factors that increase the risk of BRD
WHOAS reining in wild horse numbers
Olds charity is using dart guns to administer a contraceptive vaccine that greatly reduces a mare’s chance of getting pregnant
Reading Time: 3 minutes An Alberta group is trying to rein in the province’s wild horse population and forever end a controversial cull of the feral horses. The Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS) has just completed the first year of a five-year pilot contraception and field monitoring program, a first of its kind in Canada. The provincial government […] 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
Prevention truly is worth a pound of cure
Vaccinations and biosecurity go hand in hand when managing cattle diseases
Reading Time: 3 minutes For many producers, biosecurity is a little like closing the barn door after the cows have bolted. “Sadly, in many cases, what it takes for producers to make the change is the ‘big problem’ where they get their butt kicked,” said Dr. Frank Garry, a veterinarian and professor at the University of Colorado. “Then, eventually […] Read more
New vaccine for most common type of food poisoning
Campylobacter jejuni infections outnumber all the well-known causes of food poisoning combined
Reading Time: 2 minutes A team of Alberta researchers has developed a poultry vaccine that can protect against a little known but common type of food poisoning — campylobacter jejuni. “Reported infections of campylobacter in Canada outnumber all the well-known causes of bacterial food poisoning including salmonella, shigella, listeria, and toxigenic E. coli combined,” said Christine Szymanski, CEO of […] Read more
Beef conference to focus on infectious diseases
Beef Cattle Conference takes place June 16-17 in Calgary
Reading Time: < 1 minute The University of Calgary Faculty of veterinary medicine’s annual Beef Cattle Conference takes place June 16-17 in Calgary. This year’s focus is on infectious disease diagnosis and control, including overviews of diarrhea, respiratory disease, and other diseases; biosecurity; vaccination; and preconditioning. There will also be workshops on managing pre-weaning diseases, infectious lameness in the feedlot, […] 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
Warning issued as anthrax shows up early
Having a case this early in the year is unusual and the dry spring may be to blame
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has confirmed a case of anthrax in a cow in Mackenzie County. A few cases of anthrax are reported in Western Canada nearly every year, typically between July and mid-September and usually following hot weather. This case is unusual in that it was detected in March. Anthrax spores survive in soil, […] Read more
Tips on the proper use of livestock antibiotics
Reading Time: < 1 minute Here are Dr. Craig Dorin’s recommendations for using antimicrobials effectively. Don’t use antimicrobials for diseases that they are not indicated for. For example, abscesses are a common problem, but these are localized infections. If the animal does not have a fever and the infection is not systemic, it doesn’t need an antibiotic. Similarly, don’t use […] Read more
Nasal spray vaccine more effective against BRD than injection
Reading Time: < 1 minute Vaccines for bovine respiratory disease are more effective when administered via nasal spray than injection, according to a University of Saskatchewan study. Dr. Philip Griebel’s study found vaccines administered at branding (age three to six weeks) and at weaning (age six to seven months) were more effective when given via nasal spray. “Intranasal vaccination at […] Read more
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