Many commercial producers, purebred producers and heifer sales management are realizing the benefits of palpating heifers before breeding. A lot can be learned from the procedure, which can also be done at pregnancy checking. It involves a more thorough exam than simply determining if heifers are pregnant. With the advent of very early-maturing breeds such […] Read more
Several benefits to palpating heifers
Animal Health with Roy Lewis: An important tool in determining reproductive capability
Very doable synchronization programs
Animal Health: Timing and attention to detail are key for breeding beef by AI
Several factors must be considered when deciding what AI synchronization program to use in your herd. One of the first is whether you have the time to heat detect yourself or if you want timed breeding. Cost is a consideration, as timed AI programs require more financial commitment and more passes through the chute. The three main synchronization programs I find most successful […] Read more
Don’t semen test bulls too young
Animal Health: What are these droplets in young bulls really telling you about semen quality?
Many commercial producers and purebred seed stock cattlemen often start to question the appearance of lots of droplets appearing on the semen evaluation forms of young bulls. It can lead to frustration when bulls have to be retested. These droplets collectively are probably the most numerous defects we as veterinarians see when performing breeding soundness […] Read more
Gruesome, but sometimes necessary
Animal Health: When there’s no other options, a dead calf needs to dismembered for removal
Fetotomy is a veterinarian’s fancy word for cutting up a dead calf within the cow during the birthing. While it sounds gruesome the process still has a valuable place in a competent veterinarian’s bag of tricks. The object is to reduce trauma or minimize damage to the cow. The calf at this point is a […] Read more
Preparedness checklist for calving season
Animal Health: Start with clean facilities and equipment and have all supplies in stock
As with any work area on the farm, having the proper equipment, keeping it maintained, disinfected and the area properly stocked with pharmaceuticals, will help insure a successful calving season. The one critical and often-forgotten component is biosecurity. With many cows and their mothers moving through the calving area at a stressful time it is […] Read more
Watch for newer respiratory pathogens
Animal Health: One is a virus, the other a bacteria — both can be hard to identify
We have all heard of coronavirus being one of the main causes of viral scours in newborn calves. It alone, with a couple strains of rotavirus, are the two main viruses we see in scours vaccines. It also causes a winter dysentery (bloody diarrhea) in mature cattle, especially housed dairy cattle in the winter. What […] Read more
Various treatments for calf diphtheria
Animal Health: Injury to mouth or throat can allow bacteria to set in
I am sure most producers over the years have had calves (on a sporadic basis) develop a throat infection. These are the calves which have an extremely loud inspiratory and expiratory sound which can be heard, across the pen. They generally have extended neck breathing and are in various forms of respiratory distress. The cause […] Read more
Peritonitis more than hardware disease
Animal Health: Understanding the cause can often prevent it from happening again
Peritonitis refers to the inflammation or infection around the peritoneum, which is the inside lining in the abdomen of cattle and other species. Any infection involving or in the abdomen has the nondescript term peritonitis to describe it. This could be infection around the intestines, stomachs, liver or uterus in cows and heifers. What is […] Read more
Determine the risk level of feeder calves
Animal Health: Knowledge of how weaning was handled is useful information
There are many factors to consider when bringing in calves to feed to minimize BRD (bovine respiratory disease). It is still the number one cause of morbidity and often mortality in our feedlots. Knowing the history of the calves at weaning time, distance transported, vaccination and health history, as well as upcoming weather conditions will […] Read more
Magnesium key to prevent grass tetany
Animal Health: Chances are that if one animal goes down, others are soon to follow
Over the last few years several herds in our area have been affected with grass tetany. These herds will often have multiples 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
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
