Every year during the first few hot days of summer we hear media warnings about leaving pets unattended in closed vehicles, where temperatures can rise to over 50 C. We often don’t realize how susceptible livestock are to the same condition. Many a farmer or veterinarian has been fooled by symptoms resembling a toxemia or
Beef 911: Hyperthermia (overheating) in farm animals
Calving during hot weather with no shade is a recipe for trouble
Beef 911: Preventing bloat when pasturing alfalfa
Producers can take steps to reduce the risk through management and preventive products
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. 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 the day.
Beef 911: On-farm semen collection is a valuable tool
With a valuable bull, on-farm collection becomes like an insurance plan preserving his genetics for the future
This is the time of year when either your own hot breeding prospects or ones for sale are coming to the forefront. A good insurance plan is collecting semen on these hot new or proven prospects, especially when you incorporate artificial insemination into your program. This article will review some of the finer points of
Beef 911: Working with your vet will improve your bottom line
With higher cattle prices, some consultation can be a good investment
The cattle market has rebounded significantly in recent months to the point where a large, mature bull could bring upwards of $2,000. This will no doubt increase the calls veterinarians will get to look at sick calves, as well as dealing with production losses from decreased weight gains or lack of cows getting pregnant, which
Summer is the time to keep an eye out for water deprivation
Beef 911
Water is the most essential nutrient of life and even though most areas have more than enough this year, it’s still a good time to talk about water deprivation. We need to focus on the preventive and what to watch for should water deprivation become a problem. Many articles have been written about water quality
Looking after the other half of your genetic pool
Since bulls are half the genetic value of your herd, they are definitely worth looking after. There are various steps and management procedures which will give your bulls more longevity and make them more productive. If you can get more years and/or more cows bred from these top genetic bulls it will benefit you greatly,
Survey shows how calf diseases are treated
A comprehensive survey was completed by Dr. Cheryl Waldner at the Western Veterinary College in Saskatoon looking at the incidence of early calfhood diseases across Western Canada. Surveys were distributed to veterinary clinics across this region and randomly distributed to their clients. Thanks to the participating veterinarians and their clients who responded and answered the
Redwater — severity can vary by area
In talking with other veterinarians it is amazing to me how variable the prevalence of a specific disease can be between geographic areas. We always think of the huge difference between warm climates and colder, more temperate climates. Sometimes these differences can be as close as a one-hour drive in the same province. This becomes
Common errors in handling vaccines
In order to achieve the maximum benefit out of vaccines or antibiotics this fall they must be handled properly right up to the time they are administered. You as producers pay good money for these products and the pharmaceutical companies want to ensure you get the maximum benefit. Vaccine failures are not desirable in anyone’s
Western water hemlock is a deadly killer of cattle
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
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