There has been lots said about Johne’s disease over the years but a recent webinar by Dr. Cheryl Waldner (available at beefresearch.ca) gave me lots of food for thought. Herds are getting bigger and as that happens, they are more confined. And since the bacterium that causes Johne’s can be spread in the manure, infection
We can’t hide our head in the sand when it comes to Johne’s disease
Beef 911: There are concerns that this contagious, costly and chronic condition is on the rise in beef herds
It’s time to get out your calving season to-do list — and check it twice
Beef 911: Being well prepared not only saves headaches during calving but can prevent future problems
For the vast majority of you, calving is underway or will be shortly, so a quick review of a few points may lead to more live calves and minimizing disease problems. First, review your list of calving supplies and make sure you have extra on hand. You know what you have needed in the past,
Videos are an easy way to add to your skill set on the farm
Beef 911: Having an expert show how to investigate or fix a problem is a great way to learn
We can always pick up ways to improve our cattle operations. One method is to ask lots of questions of the right people. Another is reading and investigating specific topics. And an increasingly popular way is to watch instructive videos. The issue here is making sure the source is ethical, reliable and not sensationalized. A
The simple act of taking a temperature is a powerful health aid
Beef 911: A reading can be a warning, a sign that treatment is working or can define how sick an animal is
All of us in cattle production need to have thermometers and take the temperature of animals we are treating, especially when it comes to respiratory disease. Normal bovine temperature is 38.5 C to 39.5 C (or 101 F to 103 F), which is higher than for humans (or horses). While you as producers are very
Lessons learned on the farm apply to the pandemic
Beef 911: Maintaining herd health has taught us about the same good practices being used to combat COVID
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association designates the first week in October every year in order to increase awareness of veterinary involvement with all animals. Every year there is a theme and this year’s is most appropriate. It is Animal Health + Human Health + Planet Health = One Health. One Health really encompasses the entire
The pandemic taught us many lessons in the animal health field
Beef 911: The supply chain stayed strong and co-operation made it stronger, and that’s very important
The direct contact between veterinarians and producers and pharmaceutical reps and technical services veterinarians has begun to open up again. Each pharmaceutical company had different restrictions on travel and rules on in-person contact and, of course, are fully abiding by the local health rules of the different provinces. The good news is that during the pandemic, the manufacturing and
Things to consider after a drought has hit
Beef 911: The drought and intensive heat wave have created plenty of issues for producers to deal with
Droughts always teach (or remind) us of things we need to be prepared for to maintain health and production in our herds, including ways to access feed and, if need be, marketing. The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) recently put on a very good question-and-answer webinar relating to drought concerns and cattle health. Here are
There will be more heat waves, and we need to be prepared
Beef 911: Extreme heat is no different than any natural disaster, so get an emergency checklist ready
By the time you read this, one of the longest heat waves to hit the Prairies should be ancient history and you’ll be assessing what the ramifications were. If this becomes an event we see every few years (global warming?), we need to explore how we can potentially initiate emergency measures to help cattle cope.
Our thinking about vaccinations is evolving for the better
Beef 911: We want the best bang for our vaccine buck, and research is looking for ways to do that
This article will focus on some recent work on vaccination by Dr. Nathan Erickson and others at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. They basically had different calf groups vaccinated with different respiratory virus products in different ways, and measured the results. They solidified some knowledge we have about how we vaccinate our calves, but
Don’t be fooled into thinking a ‘closed herd’ is an excuse for inaction
Beef 911: Transmission can occur from wildlife, via spores or breeding bulls, so be proactive
In my travels, on calls or when talking to other veterinarians’ producers, I still hear some hide behind the proverbial, ‘I don’t do that because I have a closed herd.’ It is an absolute misconception that because a herd is ‘closed,’ it is protected. That is a very broad statement and may apply to a
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
