Livestock
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Preparing the Beef Calf for Weaning
One fact on which cattlemen, veterinarians, and animal scientists can agree is that of all the events in most calves’ lives, weaning is the most stressful of them all. If a calf can weather this stress unscathed, they have cleared a major hurdle to a productive future in the feedlot or as a replacement in the breeding herd.
Mud Reduces Beef Cow Performance
Every late winter and early spring beef producers usually face the same problem. Whether it is pooled water resulting from melting snow or excessive rainfall, they both lead to mud accumulation.
Mud and Lameness in Beef Cattle
Melting snow and spring rains produce conditions that can increase lameness in beef cattle. Mud is among the predisposing causes for cattle lameness.
Lingering Health Effects in Cows and Bulls Following a Harsh Winter and Spring
While mortality directly due to harsh winter weather is much more likely in calves rather than adult cattle, older animals can be affected too, and some of those effects might linger into the days of better weather and warmer temperatures.
Johne’s Disease Management: Preventing Manure Contact is Key
The key to decreasing Johne’s Disease transmission is preventing young stock from coming in contact with manure from potentially infected animals.
How the Veterinary Lab Diagnoses Anthrax in a Beef Herd
Anthrax is a serious disease of cattle that pops up somewhere almost every year in South Dakota. It’s caused by a bacteria that survives as a very tough spore form in the soil. Knowing whether a death on pasture has been caused by anthrax is important for several reasons.
Horse Flies and Deer Flies Becoming Abundant
The above-average precipitation this year has led to increased numbers of horse flies and deer flies across South Dakota. Widespread flooding and an overall abundance of available water has made conditions perfect for these flies.
Does Cold Weather Contribute to Pneumonia in Calves?
Prolonged winter cold has some fairly obvious effects on cattle of all ages.
Anthrax: Vaccination Considerations
Anthrax is caused by bacteria, Bacillus anthracis, which has the ability to form very resistant spores in the soil. These spores can remain viable for many years on pasture, and become reactivated when the right environmental conditions exist. Fortunately for cattle producers, losses due to anthrax can be prevented through use of a vaccine that has proven its effectiveness through the years.
Anaplasmosis: Is it a problem in the Northern Plains?
Cattle producers have been hearing more and more about a disease called anaplasmosis. This disease recently appears to have become more common in areas not previously affected. The disease is typically associated with cattle herds in warmer areas of the country, but is it ever a problem up here on the Northern Plains?