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Too much grain — or any carbohydrate — can cause a digestion emergency in cattle.
Beef cattle, Livestock

It’s more rare these days, but grain overload has a big impact in cows

Beef 911: Mixed rations and better storage have reduced cases, but take care when increasing grain in a ration

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Grain overload has been drastically reduced over the years thanks to nutritionists, total mixed rations and fewer incidents of accidental ingestion. But let’s review the condition, treatment and, most importantly, the ways to prevent it. Grain overload occurs when there is over-consumption of a carbohydrate source, most often grain. I have treated severe overload when
Beef cattle, Livestock

We have very safe pharmaceuticals, but they must be used properly

Beef 911: Mistakes can happen if you don’t pay close attention to labels and used the correct route of administration

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There are various toxicity tests that determine how effective a product is and how to safely use it. There is an acronym called LD 50 (for lethal dose), which is the concentration or amount of a product to kill 50 per cent of the patients. Fortunately, most cattle products we use are very safe. But
Vaccinations are a huge part of biosecurity on farms and ranches.
Beef cattle, Livestock

We should celebrate change and raise those low vaccination rates

Beef 911: Thoughts on how things are getting better, the joy of hydraulic chutes, and vaccination hesitancy

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They say the only constant is change, and one only has to think back on how we used to do things to see the great changes that have happened in the cattle industry. Advancements in technology, vaccines, reproductive technologies, nutrition, handling, production genetics and animal welfare are abundant. I think most of these changes have been positive and, above
cow and calf
Beef cattle, Livestock

Birthweight isn’t as straightforward as it should be

Beef 911: Believe it or not, the methods for determining this critical number can vary a great deal

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Purebred producers diligently weigh their calves to give the purebred bull purchasers an accurate prediction, adding that information to data on bull selection and calving ease. It is highly heritable, so birthweight and birthweight EPDs, as well as calving ease, are usually listed in bull sale catalogues. Purebred and commercial products need to be aware of several
It should always be on a producer’s radar when it comes to reproductive failure or clinical cases of bloody urine but there are many other causes of these signs.
Beef cattle, Livestock

Leptospirosis and reproductive losses in beef cattle

Beef 911: While clinical cases are not common in Western Canada, detection of lepto titres in AI bulls can be a problem

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Leptospirosis has been seen rarely in Western Canada. The three large pharma companies have leptospirosis vaccines, usually in combination with the standard five-way viral vaccines. They do not sell many doses, which indicates low frequency. In veterinary practice, we have suspected it when seeing bloody diarrhea or with a high open rate or abortions. Leptospirosis
When weaning bull calves, you always need to have lots of space and some operations have rocks to rub on.
Beef cattle, Livestock

What’s your secret to keeping bull calves from being injured?

Beef 911: Raising bulls is challenging, and sharing tips and tricks would be very helpful

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I don’t think this research has ever been done, but if one were to track purebred bull calves from an early age until sale you would find the two top reasons for culling, selling, death and other losses are fertility and injuries. I would include lameness in this tally as a high percentage of this
Under the supervision and guidance of your veterinarian, producers should have at least the two main classes of painkiller anti-inflammatory drugs.
Beef cattle, Livestock

Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is hitting the next level

Beef 911: There are now a variety of NSAIDs and we can select the right ones for specific situations

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I just listened to a talk by two technical services veterinarians with Merck animal health. What I liked about the presentation was they broke down the different disease categories we have on our farms and ranches, and went over what probably would be the first choice for an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) and the second
We should all use our skills to diagnose, confirm and search out other potentials in the herd to really cut down the transmission rate.
Beef cattle, Livestock

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

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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
When it comes to the big three – scours, pneumonia and navel infection – biosecurity and colostrum uptake go a long way.
Beef cattle, Livestock

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

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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,
Make sure any video sources you’re learning from are reputable.
Beef cattle, Livestock

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

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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

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