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Beef Herd Health and Quality Assurance

All Beef Herd Health and Quality Assurance Content

Fence line along a broad, open pasture.

Lameness in Cattle: Causes Associated With Injury

Most cattle in pastures and feedlots are exposed to multiple potential causes of injury. Learn some of the injury-related causes of lameness in cattle, starting with the foot and working our way up.

Injured calf resting in a feedlot with a cast around its leg.

Treating Lameness in Cattle

Successfully treating most cases of cattle lameness usually involves more than a simple injection of antibiotics. Knowing the best intervention for a particular animal starts with a good diagnosis of the problem.

small group of cattle eating forage

Feeding Drought-Stressed Crops to Cattle

Can drought-stressed crops be be utilized as feed? The answer is yes, if we know what the levels of nitrates are in the feedstuffs in question.

black angus cow at pasture

Hot Weather Challenges Beef Cattle

Hot weather conditions create challenges for grazing beef cattle.

small group of cattle on a small piece of dry land surrounded by flood waters. FEMA News Photo

Preserving Your Ability To Care for Your Animals When Flooding Occurs

When winter snowfall begins to melt, severe spring flooding can be a real possibility. Of the people witnessing the rising water, livestock producers and other animal caretakers have perhaps the most daunting task.

Three claves isolated in a feedlot pen.

Cryptosporidiosis: A Potential Source of Illness in Calves and People Alike

Cryptosporidiosis is a pertinent example of a disease with zoonotic potential: one that can be passed from animals to people. Dairy and beef producers should consider the potential for Cryptosporidiosis to impact their animals, employees and family members.

ranchers observing cattle in late winter pasture

Late-Term Reproductive Losses in Beef Cattle: Diagnosing the Cause

Reproductive losses account for $1 billion in lost revenue to the beef industry each year. With cattle reproduction, focusing on what we can control and diagnose is the key to avoiding these losses.

Hereford calf nursing from mother cow.

Updated Guidelines for Monitoring Colostrum Consumption and Antibody Transfer in Calves

Dairy and beef producers have long understood the importance of colostrum for the short- and long-term health of their calves. Calf health experts have determined the minimum level of serum protein to categorize a calf as having received sufficient colostrum.

Black cow and calf out on muddy pasture with hay and straw bedding. Photo by Sara Bauder.

Planning for a Muddy Breeding Season

Early calving spring cow herds have wrapped up calving and are preparing for breeding season. If you are having flashbacks to breeding in the mud of 2018, try approaching this year with an open mind and review breeding season protocols with a “mud” backup plan.

A calving barn.

How Often Should You Check Cows During Calving Season?

The routine “calving check” is one of the most important tasks on the list of beef cattle producers during calving season.