Herd Health

Economically important parasites often differ according to geographic region, but, according to Gary Sides, Cattle Nutritionist, Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Operations, there is one parasite for which cattle producers in all parts of the country should keep an eye out this spring: the brown stomach worm.

Winter’s short days and long, cold nights often bring less outdoor activity and more time to rest, physically and mentally. Both man and beast benefit from rest and recuperation.

Calving difficulty (dystocia) is an important economic problem in the U.S. beef cattle industry. According to the USDA, the economic impact of calving difficulty is $350 million each year, and approximately 3 percent of all beef calves born in the U.S. will be lost due to calving difficulty.

The cow’s first milk is crucial to the health and survival of her calf. It contains fat that provides energy (and generates body warmth in cold weather), acts as a laxative to help pass first bowel movements and provides important antibodies against disease.

How do other cattle producers ensure a successful calving season? We’ve gathered their advice.

Every cowboy knows that the cardinal rule of calving is that calves need colostrum as soon as possible within their first few hours of life. That’s when they have the ability to absorb the colostrum’s immunity-boosting antibodies directly through the gut wall and into the bloodstream – the opportunity for that direct absorption ends after the calf is about 24 hours old.

Year-in and year-out, fescue foot occurs in late November and early December somewhere in southwest Missouri. That was the case again in 2010 according to Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri.