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
Common errors in handling vaccines
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
A safe product for grazing alfalfa
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
Tetanus — a nasty disease, but easy to prevent
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.
Tips on practical heat detection for AI programs
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
Common pitfalls of semen evaluation
In the past 31 years of semen evaluating bulls, I have come across many tricks of the trade to make this procedure run very smoothly. Every situation is different and every set of bulls somewhat unique so most of these points involve common-sense and casual observations I have made over the years. A common dilemma
Diagnosing common problems in young calves
Every calving season veterinarians are called on to examine calves with a multitude of problems. Some are herd related but many are individual problems of no concern to the rest of the herd. Most cases fall into a few broad categories. Each category has a much different treatment regime. This article will break out these
Calf pulling needed less often, but be prepared
There are different ways and means to pull a calf either by hand or the use of the calf jack, and different malpresentations are dealt with slightly differently. When pulling, you need to be very aware of the stress this puts on both the calf and cow. Pulling is a skill less needed these days
Tips To Minimize Stress When Handling Cattle
There are many small improvements we can make to the way we handle cattle. I have gathered numerous hints in watching experienced producers handle their stock. There are also very good tapes and written information available through experts such as Dr. Temple Grandin. This article will attempt to summarize some of these findings. I guarantee
Protocols For Chronically Ill Cattle In Feedlots
Times are changing and with change comes new ways we should look at our chronic pens in feedlots. Each decision should be based on sound medical judgment, economics and the possibility for salvage. All these factors must be weighed on each individual case to determine the course of action. There are no cookbook answers to
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
