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Every year offers different stressors for cattle. Vaccination at least reduces the severity when calves get sick.

Beef cattle, Livestock

More progress needed on livestock vaccination report card

Beef 911: The latest in-depth survey of the cow herd shows higher rates of vaccination, but gaps remain

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A recent article on the results of a very in-depth survey of cow-calf herds across Western Canada notes there has been decent improvement in vaccination usage since surveys done in the early 2000s. But it pinpoints gaps in vaccine coverage that could be improved. There are things to be learned by every producer and veterinary
Beef cattle, Livestock

Mistakes with pharmaceuticals are costly

Beef 911: There are several things you should do regularly to ensure you’re using products properly

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Now that I’m in the pharmaceutical industry, I get lots of calls in regard to which products can and can not be used. Or what happens if they are given by the wrong method in the wrong location. I am hoping this article will shed some light on the situation and ensure that our livestock
With the codes of practice, which have a heavy focus on animal welfare, many positive changes have been initiated in the livestock sector.
Beef cattle, Livestock

There have been many gains on many fronts in the cattle industry

Beef 911: We’re reducing stress, using early disease detection, and improving animal welfare in a host of ways

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One only has to take a step back to see the advances the cattle industry is making. This article is a small overview of some of the major ones I have seen. Canada is unique because the different seasons require different management strategies and our distances are great when it comes to stress of transportation.
Much of Western Canada is deficient in selenium so it must be supplemented.
Beef cattle, Livestock

Not using minerals will cost you in the long run

Beef 911: Not feeding minerals to your herd will mean more sick calves, lower performance, and reduced reproductive rates

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In spite of greatly increased knowledge and better mineral supplements, veterinarians are probably encountering more mineral issues than we ever have. This is despite more collaboration between nutritionists, feed mills, veterinarians and other agricultural professionals. Why is this? I will explain some of the nutritional deficiencies we see. There is no doubt the BSE problem
Beef cattle, Livestock

To ensure breeding soundness, make sure warts are treated

In the vast majority of cases, penile warts can be successfully and simply dealt with

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When examining bulls, especially young ones, for breeding soundness, one of the more common issues we see involving the bull’s penis are warts. This article will go into the cause, treatment, clinical signs, and outcomes expected when dealing with penile warts. All purebred breeders will get some eventually and commercial cattlemen may have some crop
The bison code of care covers topics not seen in other livestock.
Livestock

The updated bison code of care has a wealth of information

Beef 911: Although written specifically for bison, the code also has good tips for beef producers

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In 2017, new codes of practice came out for bison and veal cattle, following revisions to the codes for dairy cattle in 2009 and the beef, sheep, and equine sectors in 2013. Other codes have also been released or are in progress. The format has multiple chapters (with numerous appendices at the end) and each
Arthritis comes on with age, but longevity can often be increased with proper diet and keeping cows in a good body condition.
Livestock

Lameness can have many causes

Beef 911: In some cases, knowing the cause and adjusting your management can prevent problems

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This article will outline some of the more common arthritic conditions and touch on some preventive measures. A lot of these conditions of course are brought on by age. In order to get more longevity out of our cows, we need to look at lameness as it is one of the common reasons for culling.
If an animal becomes injured for some reason, in most cases they still have value – but there is also a need to end suffering as quickly as possible.
Beef cattle, Livestock

How to make the best of a bad situation

Beef 911: If you plan ahead, you can still get good value for an animal that suddenly needs to be put down

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All producers run into the need for emergency slaughter of their livestock from time to time. With a co-ordinated effort between producers, abattoirs, and veterinarians we can realize good value and prevent the waste of good meat protein. It is important to preplan the chain of events that would happen in the event of emergency
Beef cattle, Livestock

Make the most of passes through the cattle chute

Beef 911: Don’t take a ‘we can do it later’ attitude and miss the opportunity to get more done in one pass

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Some preplanning by the cattle producer in consultation with the herd veterinarian ahead of a major processing will accomplish many things, including herd improvement. This article will describe a specific example of this. Certain points may fit into the management of your operation. Some points may become obvious when the processing starts and can be
In a year where feed may be short, extra culls need to be considered.
Beef cattle, Livestock

When feed is in short supply, time to cull

Beef 911: Downsizing the herd will be profitable if you have good records and good reasons for culling

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With the shortage of feed across Western Canada, this may be a good year to downsize by extra culling. The question of what the next wave of culls should be goes beyond reproduction — the fall is also an ideal time to consider culling problem cows. The yearly cost to maintain those cows is at

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