HEALTH & NUTRITION...
Nitrate Poisoning in Cattle
Nitrate levels in cereal hay/straw need to be checked by producers before feeding it to cattle.
Consuming forage with high nitrate levels can be dangerous for ruminants, says Russ Daly, Extension veterinarian and associate professor at South Dakota State University.
Signs of acute nitrate poisoning include labored breathing, muscle tremors or twitching, staggering gait/incoordination, weakness, etc. These animals generally have blue mucous membranes, due to lack of oxygen in tissues; fast breathing; high pulse rate; weakness and other signs of oxygen shortage because red blood cells lose their ability to carry oxygen. Read more.
Prepare for FMD
Support sought for greatly expanded U.S. foot-and-mouth vaccine bank.
“Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a disease we never want to see. We haven’t had it [in the United States] for 89 years, and if we did, it would really be devastating.”
That was the somber message veterinarian Jim Roth, distinguished professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University (ISU), shared with individuals attending the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Ag & Food Policy Committee meeting Feb. 2 at the 2018 Cattle Industry Conference in Phoenix, Ariz. Read more.
Dealing with Broken Bones in Calves
Occasionally cattle suffer fractures, and it’s generally a leg bone. Often it’s a young calf, and the fractured limb can be cast or splinted.
Legs are sometimes broken when calves are pulled with improper pressure, says Brandon, S.D., veterinarian Bill Lias of Interstate Vet Clinic. “If we’re not careful when delivering calves during a dystocia, this can be a cause of fracture. Other common causes include being stepped on by the cow or the herd,” he says.
Luckily fractures in young calves heal quickly. The bones are growing fast, so they remodel very effectively, says Lias. On top of that calves are just generally hardy and stoic; they can withstand the pain issues better than a foal, for instance. This also helps their chance for good recovery. Read more.
Shortage of Feed-grade Vitamins
Check vitamin A level in feedstuffs to know if levels are adequate to meet needs.
What does a shortage of a substance used in perfumery have to do with the price of livestock feed supplements? Well, it’s because the lemony-scented citral used in aroma and fragrance products also is important to the manufacture of feed-grade vitamins A and E.
More cattle producers are learning how important citral is when they seek answers to why some feed supplement prices are climbing. It’s the kind of question asked of Purina Livestock Nutritionist Christina Hayes during the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Phoenix, Ariz. Read more.
Lengthy, Difficult Births Adversely Affect Newborn Calves
Provide calves that are slow to stand with the best source of colostrum available via bottle or tube feeding.
Calves born after a prolonged, difficult birth are at a high risk of failing to receive adequate colostrum by natural suckling because of greatly decreased colostrum intake. Calves failing to receive adequate colostrum in a timely manner are more prone to diseases such as scours and respiratory diseases later in life. Calves that are born to a prolonged Stage 2 of parturition very often suffer from severe respiratory acidosis. Stage 2 is defined as the period of labor from first appearance of the water bag until the calf is completely expelled and on the ground. Read more.
Select Your Trace Mineral Source to Maximize Vitamin Activity
Choice of trace mineral form can affect nutrition supplied to the animal.
When it comes to maximizing vitamin activity in animal rations, not all trace minerals are the same. Research has shown that different trace mineral forms can have dissimilar effects on both vitamin retention and stability. Choice of trace mineral form can also impact nutrition levels supplied to the animal. Read more.
Tips for Using Clostridial Vaccines
For disease that often doesn’t allow time for treatment, vaccination provides means of protection.
Clostridial vaccines, also commonly referred to as “seven-way” or “eight-way” vaccines, are primarily administered to calves to prevent blackleg, malignant edema and redwater. All of these diseases can cause rapid death of affected cattle.
During a Cattlemen’s College® session at the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention in Phoenix, Ariz., Victor Cortese offered tips to ensure efficacy of clostridial vaccinations in cattle. Cortese is a veterinarian and director of cattle and equine immunology for Zoetis. Read more.
Cattle Diseases: Common Conditions/Terms
Click here for a list of common conditions and terms related to beef cattle diseases, such as anaplasmosis, brucellosis, BVD, E. coli, IBR and others.
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