Herd Health

While labels on most injectables say they require refrigeration, our cold-weather winters are just a little too cold. But since beef production is 24-7, 365 days a year at all temperatures, we need to figure out how to keep our injectables at the proper temperature.

Lice are a common winter problem in cattle, especially in northern climates with cold weather and short winter days.

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, the potential for hoof injuries and infections exists in all types of environments. Producers’ “beef” with this is understandable.

“If a horse isn’t safe and bombproof, he doesn’t stay at our house,” says horsewoman, wife and mother of four Korrina Tomes-Hughes. When Korrina acquired a “witchy” horse who often squealed and kicked out, she quickly told her husband they had one year to solve her behavioral issues or she was “out of here.”

Reproductive diseases can damage a cattle operation’s profitability for months and even successive years.

“Foot-and-mouth disease [FMD] is going to be a bigger disaster when it comes to market disruption than what we faced with COVID-19,” said Danelle Bickett-Weddle, associate director for the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University.