Interviews with veterinarians, nutritionists and researchers about topics related to beef cattle production in Canada
Dr. Colin Palmer, one of our reproductive specialist veterinarians from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine here at the University of Saskatchewan joins the podcast again this week to discuss the important topic of subfertility in beef bulls. Today we focus on the parts of the breeding soundness exam that greatly impact fertility - scrotal circumference and semen morphology. Dr. Palmer describes some of the most common sperm defects and why they occur.00:00 –Welcome and introductions01:05 – Importance of body condition score in bulls03:16 – Scrotal circumference and it's impact on fertility10:02 – Identifying testicular and scrotal problems16:05 – Accessory sex glands and seminal vesiculitis18:45 – Evaluating the semen sample21:55 – Abnormal sperm morphology – why does it occur?24:12 – Common sperm morphology abnormalities – Distal midpiece reflexes and proximal droplets32:00 – What does the term “Rusty load” mean in terms of sperm defects?35:05 – Genetic sperm abnormalities37:12 – Why is 70% normal sperm considered acceptable?40:21 – Summary and wrap up
Dr. Colin Palmer, one of our reproductive specialist veterinarians from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine here at the University of Saskatchewan joins the podcast to discuss the important topic of subfertility in beef bulls. Why do we need to perform bull breeding soundness exams? What are the implications of various factors such as lameness and other physical problems on bull fertility? These are just some of the topics we discuss in this first part of a two part episode.00:00 –Welcome and introductions03:54 – Importance of herd fertility in cow-calf operations and factors that affect it10:45 – Value of a limited breeding season14:22 – Subfertility vs Infertility16:08 – Importance of the breeding soundness examination of the bull19:21 – Meaning of the various classification categories27:22 – Impact of lameness on bull fertility31:06 – Other factors that may affect fertility that can be identified in physical examination34:23 – Summary and Wrap-up
This week, Dr. Nathan Erickson and Dr. John Ellis join me to discuss the emergence of Bovine influenza A virus in cattle. We discuss what is currently known about this emerging disease issue at this point in time. New information is being acquired about the impacts and spread of Bovine Influenza A virus and this podcast gives information on the disease as known around April 12, 2024. Please rely on your local veterinarians or government veterinary offices for the most up to date information on this issue. Emerging diseases remind us of the importance of preventive practices. Using raw colostrum only from your own herd, not introducing orphan calves or nurse cows from dairy herds and quarantining new animals for 21 days will help prevent the introduction of diseases like Bovine Influenza A virus, Foot and Mouth Disease, and many other diseases. Find tips at https://www.beefresearch.ca/topics/biosecurity/00:00 –Welcome and introductions04:10 – Clinical signs seen in dairy cow outbreaks in US08:06 - A primer on Influenza viruses10:28 – Influenza D virus role in respiratory disease in cattle12:15 – Hosts for Influenza A virus16:09 – High pathogenic vs low pathogenic influenza viruses18:21 – How influenza viruses change and jump to other species20:00 – Possible ways of spread of Bovine influenza A virus25:00 – Possibility of Bovine Influenza A virus in beef cattle27:14 – Human health implications28:29 – Herd to herd spread and biosecurity precautions31:59 – Summary and Wrap-up
Dr. Chris Clark, an internal medicine specialist from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine joins the podcast to discuss how best to treat neonatal diarrhea in calves. We discuss how to detect dehydration and acidosis in an affected calf and the best ways to utilize oral electrolytes. We also discuss when a calf will need intravenous therapy and the limited value of antibiotic therapy. Check out the great resources on the Calf 911 section of the BCRC website for more information.https://www.beefresearch.ca/producers/calf-911-resources/00:00 – Welcome and introductions02:33 – Preventing calf scours is the best option06:02 - Causes of calf scours08:58 – Assessing hydration in a calf 14:36 – Acidosis20:43 – How to utilize oral electrolytes25:31 – What to look for in an electrolyte solution29:18 – Antibiotics are of limited value for scours therapy31:39 – Summary and wrap up
The calf that presents with acute abdominal issues or colicky symptoms is not uncommon on cow-calf herds around calving time. In this episode, Dr. Blake Balog from Cattle Health Management in Brooks, Alberta joins the podcast to discuss the causes of colic in young calves and how the producer should approach these cases when faced with them.00:00 –Welcome and introductions04:08 – How do calves present with colic or acute abdominal problems?05:06- What should you do if you identify a calf with colic?08:11– Atresia coli and atresia ani13:16 – Intestinal accidents 18:46 – Abomasal ulcers and other abomasal issues26:25 – Navel problems that may cause colic33:36 – Final advice for dealing with calves with colic34:39 – Wrap up
This week my guest is Dr. Mariana Guerra-Maupome. Mariana is a veterinarian with PhD training in bovine respiratory disease. She works as a feedlot consultant for Telus Agriculture and Consumer Goods and as part of her job, helps to provide feedlot consultation services to feedlots across North America and farther abroad. She joins me this week to discuss the challenges of designing health protocols that help to protect calves as they transition from one sector of the industry to another.00:00 – Welcome and introductions04:40 – Segmentation of the beef industry 07:11 – Factors affecting the value of the calf at the feedlot12:16 – Importance and impacts of BRD14:15 – Strategies that lower the risk for BRD18:21 – How often do we currently utilize those strategies at the cow-calf level?20:55 – How can the cow-calf producer capture value?23:59 – The importance and value of data26:31 – How will things change in the future?28:21 – Summary and Wrap up
Dr. Roy Lewis joins the podcast again to discuss Remote Drug Delivery Devices (RDDD). These are the dart guns, cross bows, and pole syringes that are sometimes used by producers to administer antimicrobials to cattle on pasture. Dr. Lewis discusses their proper use and why they should be only used as the last resort if no other option is possible. Here is a link to more information on the Beef Cattle Research Council website.https://www.beefresearch.ca/producers/remote-drug-delivery/00:00 - Introduction01:55 - Defining Remote Drug Delivery Device (RDDD)02:55 – Basic guidelines for injecting animals with any antimicrobial03:48 – How commonly are these devices used and what are the advantages of these devices?07:05 – What are the downsides of using a RDDD?08:32 – Withdrawal times and damage to tissues11:30 – Proper use of RDDD's when warranted14:38 – Do pharmaceutical companies support the use of RDDD's?16:13 – Getting a correct diagnosis when treating foot rot on pasture.19:07 - Closing comments and Wrap up
Jenifer Heyden, a livestock extension specialist from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture joins me again on the podcast to discuss high nitrate levels in feeds and how to prevent nitrate toxicity in your cow herd. We discuss the details on the clinical signs of nitrate toxicity and how to interpret a feed test for nitrate levels as well.00:00 – Opportunity to participate in Cow-calf Health and Productivity Enhancement Network02:07 – Welcome and introductions04:00 – Feed sources that might have issues with nitrates05:53 - Drought and plant stress affecting nitrate levels06:53 – How does nitrate toxicity occur and what are clinical signs?11:40 – Difficulties in the treatment of acute nitrate toxicity10:23 – Confirmation of diagnosis and possibility of treating cases of lead toxicity12:26 – Prevention of nitrate toxicity14:03 – Understanding a feed test for nitrates17:10 – Utilizing feeds with higher nitrate levels20:35 – Advice for producers that might have high nitrate feeds23:00 – Wrap upSaskatchewan Agriculture Website on Nitrate Toxicity https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/agriculture-natural-resources-and-industry/agribusiness-farmers-and-ranchers/livestock/animal-health-and-welfare/nitrate-toxicityCanadian Cow-Calf Health and Productivity Enhancement Network (C3H-PEN)Contact: Jayce Fossen, Project Coordinatorc3h.pen@usask.ca306-966-7870
Dr. Greg Penner discusses some of his latest research findings on determining the optimum time to harvest cereal forages when feeding in bales or swath grazing.00:00 - Intro04:10 - Defining "Green-feed"05:50 - Stages of cereal maturity08:27 - Why do we need updated recommendations on harvesting cereal forages?10:47 - Changes in barley forage nutrient compensation at different stages of maturity12:45 - Changes in oat forage nutrient compensation at different stages of maturity14:18 - Impacts at the animal level in terms of digestibility17:05 - Impacts on body condition score and performance19:15 - Economic benefits22:00 - Recommendations for producers using cereal forages23:26 - Wrap upThe Canadian Cow-Calf Survey: https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/discovering-the-realities-of-the-2023-canadian-calf-crop/The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is asking all Canadian cow-calf producers to share insight into their on-farm management and production practices, which will help inform future beef research and extension strategies. The 2023 Canadian Cow-Calf Survey is an online questionnaire set up to collect data to help understand longer-term trends in production methods and efficiencies. Collecting credible information directly from beef cattle producers helps the BCRC identify research priorities and information gaps, develop provincial benchmarks and examine changes over time that impact farms and ranches. Canadian Cow-Calf Health and Productivity Enhancement Network (C3H-PEN)Contact: Jayce Fossen, Project Coordinatorc3h.pen@usask.ca306-966-7870
This week I'm pleased to welcome Dr. Vanessa Cowan to the podcast. Vanessa is a veterinarian and a specialist in veterinary toxicology who has recently joined our faculty at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. She joins me this week to talk about lead toxicity, one of the most common toxicities of beef cattle that also has important public health implications.Here are the links to some of the research opportunities that I talk about at the start of the podcast:The Canadian Cow-Calf Survey: https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/discovering-the-realities-of-the-2023-canadian-calf-crop/The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is asking all Canadian cow-calf producers to share insight into their on-farm management and production practices, which will help inform future beef research and extension strategies. The 2023 Canadian Cow-Calf Survey is an online questionnaire set up to collect data to help understand longer-term trends in production methods and efficiencies. Collecting credible information directly from beef cattle producers helps the BCRC identify research priorities and information gaps, develop provincial benchmarks and examine changes over time that impact farms and ranches. Canadian Cow-Calf Health and Productivity Enhancement Network (C3H-PEN)Contact: Jayce Fossen, Project Coordinatorc3h.pen@usask.ca306-966-787000:00 – Opportunities to participate in Canadian beef surveys and projects02:55 – Welcome and introductions04:58 – Sources of lead in the environment of cattle06:37 - How much lead is necessary to cause toxicity?07:37 – Rapidity of onset and clinical signs10:23 – Confirmation of diagnosis and possibility of treating cases of lead toxicity13:04 – How commonly do we see lead toxicity in Western Canada – seasonality and age groups17:05 - Public health significance of lead toxicity in cattle20:42 – How long does lead last in the tissues?22:37 – Prevention of lead toxicity24:56 – Wrap up
This week I'm presenting another case from the files of our Disease Investigation Unit. This case has particular relevance to those producers that have been dealing with drought conditions over the last year. The case focuses on a cow-calf herd that has calves affected with neurological signs and blindness at birth.00 - Introduction1:36 - Herd background and presenting complaint3:43 - Post mortem findings and lab results4:40 - Details of on farm visit and continued cases10:24 - Presumptive Diagnosis of Vitamin A Deficiency12:54 - Other research results on impacts of low Vitamin A in calves and cows13:52 - Concluding remarks on Vitamin A testing and supplementationLinks to BCRC Webinar Series: https://www.beefresearch.ca/webinars/
Dr. Andy Acton joins me this week in the podcast to discuss the impacts, treatment and prevention of coccidiosis in cow-calf herds. Dr. Acton is a veterinarian and owner of a mixed practice in Ogema, Saskatchewan with lots of practical experience in working with cow-calf herds. He is the 2022 recipient of the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners Veterinarian of the Year Award. Andy recently sent me a message about a nervous coccidiosis case he dealt with and we begin the podcast with a brief discussion about nervous coccidiosis before moving on to discuss the more common presentation in calves which manifests as a bloody diarrhea.
Dr. Zach Johnson joins me to discuss an infertility case that he investigated a few years ago. Dr. Johnson is the current president of the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association and he is a veterinarian who owns a rural practice in Melville, Saskatchewan. Zach has led a number of these types of infertility investigations and we discuss the challenges with sorting out the cause of an infertility problem and the various diagnostics that might be used.00:00 – 2:20 Welcome and Introductions 02:21 – 04:17 Infertility case history04:18 – 5:58 The challenges associated with investigating infertility problems05:59 – 07:40 What diagnostics did we do?07:41 – 09:32 Neospora caninum as a cause of abortion or infertility09:33 – 11:45 IBR and BVD, Leptospira, Trich and Campylobacter11:46 - 18:27 Discussing the diagnosis – Copper deficiency18:28 – 19:43 What was recommended for the herd19:44 - 21:33 The value of pregnancy checking the herd21:34 – 22:35 Wrap up
Barry Yaremcio is a nutritionist from Camrose, Alberta who provides nutrition and management consulting to beef producers. Barry spent years working as a nutritionist with Alberta Agriculture and has a wealth of practical experience. He is joining the podcast to discuss the challenges associated with drought and to discuss the important things to focus on when trying to stretch your feed supplies when forage may be limited. Here is a link to Barry's website where you can read his blog and learn more about his consulting services. https://www.beefconsultant.com/00:00 – 1:25 Welcome and Introductions 01:26 – 05:09 Importance of maintaining body condition05:10 - 07:28 Correcting less than ideal body condition scores07:29 - 09:16 Drought impacts on feed quality09:17 - 13:42 Importance of feed testing, bale weights and cow weights when feed is limited13:43 – 24:44 Using alternative feeds that might be used to stretch supplies -Kochia, Green Feed, Screening pellets, Distillers grains, Canola regrowth, Cocktail mixes for grazing24:45- 27:33 Rules of thumb for feeding straw27:34 – 29:29 Dealing with tight feed supplies29:30 – 30:55 Wrap up
Dr. Chris Clark is my guest this week. Dr. Clark is an internal medicine clinician in large animals who also serves as the Associate Dean at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. We have a short conversation on the agriculturally focused seats at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and then take a deep dive into some of the causes of sudden death in cattle. We also discuss the importance of getting a post-mortem diagnosis when deaths do occur in your herd.00:00 – 1:25 Welcome and Introductions 01:26 – 06:04 Agriculturally focused seats at WCVM06:05- 08:23 Definition of Sudden death08:24 - 13:42 Infectious causes of Sudden death in cattle – Clostridial Diseases(Blackleg)13:43 - 23:33 Infectious causes of Sudden death in cattle – Anthrax23:34 – 28:04 Traumatic causes of sudden death (Lightning)28:05 – 34:27 Nutritional causes of sudden death (Bloat)34:28 – 36:25 Other nutritional causes of sudden death (Lead toxicity, Blue green algae, white muscle disease, monensin toxicity, water deprivation, magnesium deficiency)36:26 - 38:25 White muscle disease38:26 – 41:45 The importance of a post-mortem diagnosis41:46 - 42:30 Wrap up
Dr. Emily Snyder returns as a guest expert on the podcast to answer a listener question. What are the best practices to follow when introducing animals to your herd? It's an important aspect of biosecurity and Dr. Snyder gives us some of the diseases we worry about and what we can do to mitigate the risks.00:00 – 1:54 Welcome and Introductions 2:01 – 3:13 What do we mean by the term biosecurity?3:14 – 5:01 The importance of source of incoming animals5:02 – 6:57 Diseases of concern when purchasing new animals6:58 – 9:17 Johne's Disease9:18 – 14:26 Salmonella dublin14:27 – 17:30 Bovine Viral Diarrhea17:31 – 19:32 Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis Virus19:33 - 21:35 Timing of introduction and impact on calf scours and BRD21:36 - 23:14 Minimizing stress for the incoming animals23:15 - 25:00 Wrap up
Jayce Fossen recently completed his Masters degree at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine focused on antimicrobial usage in Canadian cow-calf herds. Jayce joins me to discuss his results as well as a pitch for recruiting new herds for the Canadian Cow-Calf Health and Productivity Enhancement Network.If you have a cow-calf herd that meets the criteria mentioned in the podcast, and are interested in participating in this new study, contact Jayce at 306-966-7870 or via email at C3H.PEN@usask.caLink to BCRC website on antimicrobial use and resistance: https://www.beefresearch.ca/topics/antibiotic-resistance/00:00 – 1:22 Welcome and Introductions 1:23 – 3:37 Why do we need to study antimicrobial use in cow-calf herds?3:38 – 5:10 Description of herds that were followed in the study5:11 – 7:01 Most common reasons for antimicrobial use7:02 – 8:17 Proportions of animals being treated8:18 – 12:22 Classification of antimicrobials based on importance for human health12:23 – 14:53 Reasons for higher treatment numbers and mass medication14:54 – 20:52 Antimicrobials and remote drug delivery20:53 – 23:26 Differences between Eastern and Western Canadian herds23:27- 26:00 General principles of wise antimicrobial stewardship26:01 - 30:54 The Canadian Cow-Calf Health and Productivity Enhancement Network30:55 – 31:54 Wrap up
In this episode, I recorded a presentation by Dr. Anatoliy Trokhymchuk at the annual field day of the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence at the University of Saskatchewan. Anatoliy is a veterinarian and epidemiologist who serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at our local veterinary diagnostic laboratory (Prairie Diagnostic Services). Anatoliy will describe some of the new technology that may make it possible to learn what bacteria or viruses are present in a swab in a much faster manner than traditional laboratory techniques. New technology might make it possible to perform DNA fingerprinting for bacteria and viruses on the farm or at your local veterinary clinic rather than sending the sample into the diagnostic lab and waiting 5-7 business days for an answer to come back.
Dr. Greg Penner from the Dept. of Animal and Poultry Science returns as my podcast guest this week. Greg is discussing some of his latest research efforts on the effects of high sulphate water on cattle performance and how we can mitigate some of the subclinical effects such as copper deficiency in high sulphate water situations.00:00 – 2:00 Welcome and Introductions 2:01 – 5:21 Where and when do we see high sulphates?5:23 – 7:01 Polioencephalomalacia – nervous disease caused by high sulphates7:02 – 9:25 Subclinical effects of high sulphates9:26 – 11:32 Current guidelines for high sulphate levels11:33 - 17:18 Describing results of a trial where high sulphate water was given to cattle17:19 – 24:25 An attempt to mitigate high sulphates with Bismuth subsalicylate24:26 - 27:38 Evaluating mineral strategies to mitigate the low copper caused by high sulphates27:39 – 30:07 Next steps in future research30:08 – 32:42 Recommendations for producers with high sulphate water or feed32:43- 33:52 Wrap up
Dr. Diego Moya joins the podcast to discuss some of his research on pain control for calves during painful procedures such as castration. Dr. Moya is an assistant professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and his research focuses on beef cattle welfare and behaviour. In this episode he provides us with some summaries of what we know about pain associated with castration and how to mitigate it. In addition, he provides a glimpse into some of the new products that might be available in the future to help with pain control specifically with castration.00:00 – 03:09 Welcome and Introductions 03:10 – 06:50 How do we measure pain in calves?06:51 – 08:25 The relationship of age of castration and amount of pain08:26 – 11:27 Are there major differences in pain between methods of castration?11:28 – 13:53 Drugs for pain mitigation for calves13:54 – 16:11 Can we show benefits for using pain mitigation?16:12 – 15:18 Combining local anesthesia with an NSAID15:19 – 21:20 Potential of new castration band product infused with local anesthetic22:21– 22:20 Wrap up
This week Dr. Murray Jelinski returns to the podcast for a 2nd week in a row, to discuss a completely different topic. He will summarize some of his recent research on the value of deworming yearling cattle in Western Canadian pastures. We discuss the basics of the life cycle of the internal roundworms of cattle and the impact they can have on productivity.00:00 - 00:45 Intro00:45 - 02:51 Why the interest in internal parasites?02:51 - 06:00 Types of internal parasites of cattle06:01 - 10:27 Life cycle of roundworms10:28 - 15:54 Difference in species of roundworms and changes in distribution of species15:55 - 17:50 How do the roundworms impact performance?17:51 - 22:05 Limitations of the fecal egg count test22:06 - 27:11 Factors that affect the level of parasite load27:12 - 34:15 Summary of clinical trial on yearling cattle in Saskatchewan34:16 - 35:50 Emergence of Haemonchus roundworms in Western Canada35:51 - 38:31 Risk factors for higher parasite loads38:32 - 44:23 Recommendations for when to decide if deworming is necessary44:24 - 45:00 Wrap up
Dr. Murray Jelinski joins the podcast to discuss the syndrome of abomasal ulcers in calves. Dr. Jelinski holds the Alberta Beef Chair at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and is involved in a wide range of research projects from lameness to parasites and antibiotic resistance. Although abomasal ulcers are not an exceptionally common problem, it is one of those syndromes that seems to affect the best calves in the group and can be frustrating for those herds that occasionally see it crop up. Dr. Jelinski will describe his original research findings on this syndrome and helps to sort out the fact from the fiction in what factors may be involved.00:00 - 8:00 Introductions8:01 - 17:19 Description of the syndrome of abomasal ulcers17:20 - 24: 12 Does it cluster by herd, what are the risk factors?24:13 - 30:33 Hairballs aren't really associated with ulcers30:34 - 36:09 The theories on the cause of ulcers36:10 - 38:13 What to do if you suspect abomasal ulcers in your calves?38:14 - 39:00 Wrap up
Dr. Gabriel Ribeiro from the Dept. of Animal and Poultry Science at the University of Saskatchewan is my guest this week. He has been researching the impacts of ergot in feed sources on cattle performance and he will discuss the levels of ergot that are safe for cattle, their impacts on cattle health, welfare and performance as well as how to test for and deal with feeds that might be high in ergot.00:00 - 01:50 Introduction01:51 - 02:54 What is ergot?02:55 - 04:55 How to identify ergot in feed sources04:56 - 07:30 Ergot and climatic conditions07:31 - 08:39 Clinical effects of ergot alkaloids08:40 - 09:36 Fescue toxicity vs Ergot toxicity09:37 - 11:04 Effects of ergot on rumen function?11:05 - 15:20 A clinical trial on the effects of ergot on cattle15:21 - 17:51 Effects on the animals in the trial17:52 - 21:06 The heat stress effect21:07 - 22:44 Effects on performance22:45 - 23:56 What levels of ergot are safe?23:57 - 29:22 Recommendations for dealing with ergot contaminated feeds29:33 - 30:52 Wrap up and conclusions
Dr. Bart Lardner is my return guest this week. He joins the podcast to discuss the implications of water quality on beef cattle.00:00 – 01:45 Introductions01:46 – 2:53 Why is water considered one of the most important nutrients?02:54 - 04:35 How do we assess water quality?04:36 - 07:11 Sulphates in water07:12 – 10:20 Total Dissolved Solids10:21 – 12:45 High Bacteria counts12:46 - 13:50 Cattle preference for water sources13:51 – 15:56 Impact of water quality on weight gains15:57 – 17:12 What should producers consider doing if water quality may be an issue?17:13 – 18:00 Wrap up
This week I'm presenting a quick mini episode with a case from our disease investigation files. This particular cow-calf herd had a disappointing pregnancy rate and we suspected a bacteria called Ureaplasma may have been responsible for the infertility. Ureaplasma is a bit of a tricky organism as we can find this bacteria in completely normal animals and so it is difficult to determine when it is truly responsible for infertility issues. Have a listen to learn what we do know about Ureaplasma diversum as a cause of reproductive failure.
Dr. Joe Stookey, professor emeritus from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine joins the podcast this week. Joe has spent his career researching various aspects of animal behavior with a focus on beef cattle. He joins me to discuss the problem of mis-mothering in calving cows. It can be a frustrating situation and Joe gives some practical tips on how to deal with these situations. Just a quick heads up, there were some technical difficulties in recording this episode and there are a couple of segments in the podcast where the sound quality is not great for my microphone. Hopefully you can get the gist of the conversation, but apologies for the segments where the sound isn't great.00:00 – 02:32 Introduction02:33 – 3:37 How common is mis-mothering in cows and heifers?03:38 – 06:28 How does the maternal bond form?06:29 - 10:22 Risk Factors for mis-mothering10:23 – 13:40 How does calf behavior contribute to maternal behavior?13:41 – 15:32 Dealing with cows that claim calves from other cows15:33 – 17:07 Genetic inheritance of maternal behavior17:36 – 21:25 Cross-fostering calves21:26 – 23:05 Minimizing mis-mothering behavior23:06 – 24:00 Closing comments
Dr. Karin Orsel from the University of Calgary School of Veterinary Medicine joins the podcast to discuss an emerging cause of lameness in beef cattle herds and feedlots known as digital dermatitis. She explains the importance of this disease as a cause of lameness in cattle, how to recognize it, and the challenges with treatment and prevention.00:00 – 01:46 Introduction01:47 – 3:45 Digital dermatitis – what are all the different names for this condition?3:46 - 5:37 Prevalence of digital dermatitis in dairy cattle05:37 – 09:50 Prevalence of digital dermatitis as a cause of lameness in beef cattle09:51 – 12:34 What bacteria are involved in digital dermatitis lesions?12:35 – 14:41 How does digital dermatitis get into a herd?14:42 – 17:35 Risk factors for DD17:36 – 19:19 Recognizing DD lesions in a lame cow19:20 – 20:53 Welfare and production consequences of DD20:54 – 25:16 How is DD treated?25:17 – 27:20 Challenges with foot baths as a treatment option27:21 – 28:42 Potential for vaccines for DD28:43 – 31:36 Keeping DD out of your herd31:37 – 32:30 Resources for learning more about DD32:31 – 33:20 Closing comments
Dr. Emily Snyder is a veterinary clinician and professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. She has expertise in bovine respiratory disease, preventive medicine and antimicrobial resistance. This week, she joins the show to discuss the risk factors of pre-weaning respiratory disease in calves and some tips on how to prevent it from occurring in your herd.00:00 – 01:41 Introduction01:42– 03:47 How commonly do we see BRD in pre-weaned calves03:48 - 05:29 When does preweaning BRD occur and explanations for two peaks in disease incidence?05:30 – 6:24 How host, pathogen and environment factors interact to cause disease06:25 – 8:43 Calf factors that impact BRD8:44 – 10:19 Environmental factors that impact BRD10:20 – 11:52 Bacteria and viruses involved in pre-weaning BRD11:53 – 12:33 Clinical signs of pre-weaning BRD12:34 – 13:26 Treating calves with pre-weaning BRD13:27 – 16:57 Risk factors associated with herds that have outbreaks of pre-weaning BRD16:58 – 18:28 Prevention of pre-weaning BRD18:29 – 19:50 Summary thoughts19:51 – 20:34 Closing comments
Dr. Roy Lewis joins the podcast to discuss breeding soundness evaluations of bulls. Dr. Lewis is an experienced bovine practitioner who has practiced for many years in the Westlock, Alberta area. He has also worked as a technical service veterinarian for the pharmaceutical industry and he writes extensively for many producer publications. Roy has a special interest in bovine preventive medicine and reproductive fertility of cow-calf herds. He chats with me about how the breeding soundness evaluation of bulls has become more commonplace and what the various components of the evaluation can tell us about bull fertility.00:00 – 01:51 Introduction01:52– 04:07 How breeding soundness examinations have evolved over the years04:08 – 05:31 Good facilities for bull testing05:32 – 08:22 Seminal vesiculitis in bulls08:33– 10:38 Measuring scrotal circumference in bulls10:39 – 11:57 Testicular degeneration in bulls11:58 – 13:28 Equipment improvements for obtaining semen samples13:29 – 15:12 Penile frenulums, warts, and hair rings15:13 – 16:37 Bulls that don't protrude during collection16:38 – 18:12 Evaluating the semen18:13 – 20:06 Pass, Failure and Decision Deferred Categories20:07 - 21:50 Testing pubertal bulls21:51 – 24:29 Other factors that may impact fertility of the bull24:30 – 25:24 Closing comments
Dr. Chris Clark joins the podcast to discuss foot rot and sole abscesses. Dr. Clark is a faculty member and large animal medicine clinician at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. He has a special interest in lameness and discusses two of the common causes of lameness in cattle: foot rot and sole abscesses. We'll discuss the differences in how they develop and how they have to be treated in a very different fashion.00:00 – 02:45 Introduction02:46– 05:20 Costs and productivity losses associated with lameness05:21 – 07:12 Importance of lameness in cow-calf industry07:13– 09:33 General lameness categories09:34– 11:02 The 90:90:90 rule11:03 – 14:32 How foot rot cases develop17:18 – 18:55 How to identify a case of foot rot18:56 – 20:46 How to identify a sole abscess20:47 – 29:30 Treatment differences between these conditions29:30 – 31:09 Concluding thoughts31:10 – 31:58 Closing comments
Dr. Kathy Larson is a researcher in the Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan. She joins me to discuss the economics of raising replacement heifers and gives some tips on heifer selection as well.00:00 – 01:50 Introduction01:51– 03:15 Replacement rate for Canadian cow-calf herds03:16 – 04:14 Percentage of producers raising vs buying heifers04:15 – 05:38 Advantages of purchasing heifers05:39 – 06:58 Advantages of raising heifers06:59 – 08:16 Opportunity costs associated with raising heifers08:17 – 11:16 Costs of raising replacement heifers11:17 - 12:48 What is the lifetime calf production you need to pay for raising heifers?12:49 – 15:50 Selecting replacement heifers15:51 – 18:13 Heifers born in the first 21 days of the breeding season and lifetime productivity18:14 – 19:30 Development of a heifer raising calculator with Canfax and BCRC19:30 - 20:15 Closing commentsBCRC webinar on Managing Replacement Heifers https://www.beefresearch.ca/webinars/managing-replacement-heifers/New Heifer Development Page on BCRC website https://www.beefresearch.ca/topics/heifer-development/Bull Valuation Calculator https://www.beefresearch.ca/tools/bull-valuation-calculator/
Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed joins the podcast again this week to discuss proper vaccine handling, storage and administrationVaccinating Your Beef Herd unlisted playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL16s0XbcZVIurNHLqLLB58yc-cwdvush- Administering Vaccines: https://youtu.be/B4WlOlQffWw Vaccination Protocols and Records: https://youtu.be/giOJsaQbEGA Cleaning Equipment: https://youtu.be/HspCXNlpizQ Types of Vaccines and Mixing: https://youtu.be/oETQ_UMAZ6U Vaccine Transport and Storage: https://youtu.be/gH4FsfrXBGo Vaccine Disposal: https://youtu.be/GNY0kjMLcOo 00:00 – 00:55 Introduction00:55– 03:24 Why is vaccine handling an important issue?03:25 – 6:59 Most common reasons for vaccine failure due to poor handling of vaccines7:00 – 9:59 Transporting and storage of vaccines10:00 – 13:03 Reconstituting modified live vaccines13:04 – 15:52 Vaccine administration Tips15:53 – 17:51 Avoiding Vaccine Wastage17:52 – 21:12 Needles and multi-dose syringe care21:13 – 21:49 Avoiding contamination of the vaccine bottle21:50 – 25:15 Vaccine record keeping25:16– 27:17 Vaccination handling resources for cow-calf producers27:18 -28:23 Closing comments
Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed joins the podcast to discuss her latest project on working to improve the efficiency of vaccine usage in Canadian cow-calf herds.Link to Western Canadian Animal Health Network Resources (WeCAHN) https://www.wecahn.ca/wecahn-networks/beef-networkVaccination Video Resources:Vaccinating Your Beef Herd unlisted playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL16s0XbcZVIurNHLqLLB58yc-cwdvush- Administering Vaccines: https://youtu.be/B4WlOlQffWw Vaccination Protocols and Records: https://youtu.be/giOJsaQbEGA Cleaning Equipment: https://youtu.be/HspCXNlpizQ Types of Vaccines and Mixing: https://youtu.be/oETQ_UMAZ6U Vaccine Transport and Storage: https://youtu.be/gH4FsfrXBGo Vaccine Disposal: https://youtu.be/GNY0kjMLcOo 00:00 – 02:45 Introduction02:46 – 07:19 Improving vaccination success in Canadian cow-calf herds07:20 - 08:10 Reasons producers vaccinate08:11 – 9:47 Replacement Heifer vaccinations9:48 – 10:52 Breeding Cow Vaccinations10:53 - 11:56 Vaccinating Breeding Bulls11:57 – 12:58 Preweaned calf vaccinations12:59 – 14:46 Gaps in vaccine programs and reasons for not vaccinating14:47 – 18:37 Core vaccines for Canadian cow-calf herds18:38 – 21:10 Risk based vaccines for Canadian cow-calf herds21:11 – 25:01 Vaccination resources for cow-calf producers25:02 - 26:34 Improving vaccine success in your herd26:35 – 27:45 Closing comments
Dr. Cheryl Waldner from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine joins the podcast to discuss the challenges of controlling Johne's Disease on cow-calf herds and the results of some of her latest research.https://www.beefresearch.ca/tools/johnes-disease-calculator:00 – 2:25 Welcome and Introductions 2:26 – 3:02 What causes Johne's Disease3:03 – 7:11 How does the MAP bacteria spread from animal to animal?7:12 – 10:02 Why is this disease so difficult to control in cow-calf herds?10:03 – 12:39 How commonly are cows and herds infected?12:40 – 16:21 What are the diagnostic tests that are available?16:23 – 22:22 Factors to consider before starting a control strategy?22:23 = 24:22 Differences in dairy herd control programs24:23- 29:23 Deciding on a testing strategy for your herd29:24 – 32:11 What else do we need to do beyond testing? 32:12 - 36:45 Biosecurity practices to prevent introducing Johnes into the herd 36:46 - 38:38 Johnes Testing Decision 38:39 – 39:50 Wrap up
This weeks episode is a bit different from usual. I don't have a guest this week, but I'll be presenting an outbreak from our Disease Investigation Unit case files. This case was also presented as part of a series of cases in a webinar organized by the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System: “ Beef Cattle Vaccines: the Good, the Bad, and The Ugly” webinar with Drs. John Campbell, Tim Nickel, Bruce Kostelansky, and Eugene Janzen. You can access that webinar here for more information about core vaccines and vaccination issues: https://youtu.be/nRYHzysFHtE
Dr. Claire Windeyer from the University of Calgary School of Veterinary Medicine joins the podcast to discuss the importance of colostrum in neonatal beef calves and gives advice on how and when to intervene. She also discusses the pros and cons of various methods of colostrum supplementation.BCRC Calving Management Link with Resources on Colostrum: https://www.beefresearch.ca/topics/calving-calf-management/00:00 – 2:10 Welcome and Introductions 2:11 – 5:02 Why is colostrum important for newborns?5:03 – 5:49 How long can calves effectively absorb antibodies after birth?5:50 – 8:25 How much colostrum does a calf require?8:26 – 10:54 Assessing colostrum quality in beef cows10:55 – 12:40 Factors affecting colostrum quality12:41 – 15:00 What are the consequences in calves getting inadequate colostrum?15:01 – 16:32 How common is less than adequate colostral intake occurring?16:33 - 20:42 Risk factors for inadequate transfer of immunity20:43 – 24:55 When to intervene and supplement a calf24:56 – 26:25 Best option for colostrum supplementation26:26 – 28:11 The dangers of utilizing purchased dairy colostrum28:12 - 30:55 What to look for when using colostrum replacers30:56 – 32:38 Storing and using extra colostrum32:39 –35:45 Bottle vs Tube Feeding Colostrum35:30 – 38:20 Assessing colostrum management in a herd38:21 – 39:30 Wrap up
Dr. Jennifer Pearson from the University of Calgary joins the podcast to discuss when to intervene in calvings and the consequences of dystocia in beef cows and calves.BCRC Web Link: Calving 911: When and How to Assist with a Difficult Birth https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/calf-911-calving-decision-tree/00:00 – 2:42 Welcome and Introductions 2:43 – 4:25 What does the term dystocia mean?4:26 – 7:08 What should a normal calving look like?7:09 – 8:30 What signs should we look for to identify cows that need assistance?8:31 – 10:20 How common are dystocias in beef cows currently in Canada?10:21 – 14:35 What are the consequences to the calf and cow of experiencing calving difficulty?14:36 – 16:44 How to decide when to intervene in a calving?16:45 – 21:15 When do we need to call for assistance?21:16- 24:45 What can we do to ensure better outcomes once the calf is delivered?24:46 – 27:09 Preventing dystocias from occurring 27:10 – 28:00 Wrap up
Dr. Van der Meer's contact information if you are a Western Canadian cow-calf producer interested in participating in his field study on causes of calf diarrhea: frank.vandermeer@ucalgary.ca00:00 – 2:34 Welcome and Introductions 2:35 – 4:20 The importance of neonatal calf diarrhea4:21 – 5:39 Pathogens involved in neonatal calf diarrhea5:40 –7:37 Can you diagnose the cause of neonatal calf diarrhea clinically?7:38 – 14:11 Coronavirus and Rotavirus as causes of calf diarrhea14:12 - 16:29 Treating calves with viral diarrhea16:30 - 22:23 Challenges with developing effective viral vaccines for neonatal calf diarrhea22:24 – 26:50 Where do these viruses come from and the importance of booster vaccines26:51- 31:39 Current field study on causes of calf diarrhea31:40 – 32:48 Wrap up
00:00 – 2:23 Welcome and Introductions 2:24 – 4:28 The difficulties associated with investigating fetal losses4:29 – 7:25 What amount of fetal loss would be expected as normal?7:26 – 10:03 What should you do when your herd starts to experience fetal losses10:04 – 12:01 Percentage of abortion cases that are successfully diagnosed12:02 - 13:25 What other diagnostic tests can we use?13:26 - 16:44 Common causes of abortions16:45 – 20:25 The importance of vaccines in preventing fetal losses20:26 - 25:26 How to reduce the risk of fetal losses25:27 – 26:30 Wrap up
00:00 – 02:00 Welcome and Introductions02:01 - 03:28 Moisture and Dry Matter03:29 - 05:44 Dry Matter Intake Estimates and factors that affect DMI05:45 – 07:03 As Received vs Dry Matter07:04 - 09:50 Energy Estimates: TDN, Net Energy (maintenance, gain and lactation)09:51 – 13:47 Protein Estimates: Crude Protein, DIP, UIP, ADFCP, NDFCP, Adjusted Crude Protein13:48 – 15:37 Rules of thumb for Crude Protein and TDN at different stages of gestation/lactation15:38 – 17:35 Acid Detergent Fiber vs Neutral Detergent Fiber17:36 - 20:26 Maximum NDF values for cow rations20:27 – 23:21 Calcium and Phosphorus ratios23:22 – 26:22 Magnesium and Potassium (Tetany ratios)26:23 – 29:31 Sodium levels, Sulfur levels, body condition scoring29:32 – 30:39 Where can producers get help?30:40 – 31:35 Wrap up
00:00 – 2:18 Welcome and Introductions 2:19 – 4:09 The importance of feed efficiency4:10 – 6:17 Explaining Residual Feed intake6:18 – 8:04 Measuring feed efficiency in research trials8:05 – 9:28 Limitations of feed efficiency measurements in beef cow systems9:29 – 12:27 Describing an alternative system for ranking beef cow efficiency12:28 – 15:18 Variability in the indicators of efficiency and why they were chosen15:19 – 7:30 Evaluating the digestive physiology in high efficiency and low efficiency cows17:31 - 19:45 Main differences between HE and LE cows19:46 – 23:37 Describing ruminal differences between HE and LE cows 23:38 – 25:00 Limitations and advantages of this research approach25:01 – 27:25 How to use this concept to select efficient cows on your own ranch27:26 – 29: 51 Wrap up and conclusions
00:00 – 2:51 Welcome and Introductions 2:52 – 4:02 Importance of neonatal calf diarrhea in cow-calf herds4:03 – 6:48 What are the pathogens that are associated with calf diarrhea?6:49 – 7:29 When are diagnostics important?7:30 – 8:42 Strategies to employ to minimize risk of diarrhea8:43 - 11:00 Sandhills calving system effectiveness11:01 - 13:15 How do you implement the Sandhill's calving system?13:16 – 17:03 The Foothills Calving System17:04 - 19:10 How to implement a new calving system on your ranch19:11 – 20:31 Using these calving systems on more intensive operations20:32 – 22:10 Other challenges with implementing new calving systems22:11 – 25:43 The importance of colostrum and an easy method for deciding if a calf needs supplemental colostrum
00:00 – 1:37 Welcome and Introductions 1:38 – 3:32 Who is Animal Health Canada3:33 – 6:14 What is emergency health management mean?6: 15 – 10:21 Why is it important to be prepared for emergencies in livestock operations?10:22 – 12:37 The consequences of a serious disease outbreak12:38 - 14:38 What to do if you suspect an unusual disease outbreak14:39 - 16:31 What are the clinical signs of foot and mouth disease16:32 – 19:12 What happens once an exotic disease is reported?19:13 -20:10 The importance of premises identification20:11 - 24:28 What would happen once FMD was confirmed?24:29- 26:29 Where can producers go for help? 26:30 - 29:04 AHEM resources for producers29:05 – 31:00 Wrap up and summaryLink to Animal Health Emergency Management Website and Resourceshttps://animalhealth.ca/ahem/
00:00 – 1:57 Welcome and Introductions 1:58 – 3:24 Defining a low quality forage3:25 – 4:57 Common characteristics of low quality forages4:58- 7:05 How do they impact animal health and performance?7:06 - 9:57 Management issues to consider when utilizing lower quality forages9:58 - 14:04 The importance of identifying animal classes that can utilize these feeds14:05 - 16:03 Fiber levels impact on feed intake16:04 – 25:45 Supplementation when feeding low quality forages25:46-29:18 Post harvest physical treatments29:19-34:00 Post harvest chemical treatments34:01-38:51 Summary and Wrap up Link to a BCRC webinar where Dr. Ribeiro presents on this topichttps://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/nutrition-webinar-3-make-most-of-low-quality-forage/
00:00 – 02:08 Welcome and Introductions 1:50 - 3:30 What role does copper play in the body3:31 - 4:56 How commonly Is copper deficiency diagnosed?4:57 - 6:29 How does copper deficiency occur?6:30 – 9:37 Primary vs secondary copper deficiency (effects of molybdenum and sulphates)9:38 - 13:32 Clinical signs of mild to moderate copper deficiency13:33 – 16:40 How is severe copper deficiency manifested?16:41 – 22:53 How do we assess copper levels in animals?22:54 - 28:57 Dangers of Copper toxicity28:58 – 31:55 Approaches to dealing with copper deficiency issues31:56 – 34:50 Closing thoughts and wrap up
00:00 – 01:50 Welcome and Introductions 1:50 - 2:53 Age categories for young calf vaccinations 2:53 – 5:07 What diseases can we vaccinate young calves for? 5:07 – 9:03 Immune system development in the calf 9:03 - 11:33 The effect of maternal immunity on vaccine response 11:33 - 17:45 Intranasal vs Injectable Vaccines: What's the difference? 17:45 – 19:30 Evidence of vaccine protection against summer pneumonia of calves 19:30 – 21:00 Intranasal vaccines currently available in Canada 21:00 – 25:08 Best practices for administering modified live intranasal vaccines 25:08 – 28:10 The importance of working with your veterinarian to design a vaccination protocol Links to Related InformationVaccination of the Beef Herd https://www.beefresearch.ca/topics/vaccination-of-the-beef-herd/BCRC Webinar on Using Nasal Vaccines Effectively https://www.beefresearch.ca/webinars/using-nasal-vaccines-effectively/Blog article featuring intranasal vaccines https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/intranasal-vaccines-are-timely-and-effective/
Link to BCRC website where Dr. Bart Lardner describes 7 tips for grazing corn https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/seven-tips-for-grazing-corn/?utm_source=BCRC+Blog+Subscribers&utm_campaign=2b9ff72122-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_11_15_10_08&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8c6acbd1df-2b9ff72122-88320359Link to BCRC website page with extended grazing resourceshttps://www.beefresearch.ca/topics/extended-grazing/
00:00 - 01:45 Welcome and introductions01:46 - 02:54 Stressors in weaned calves2:55 - 04:29 Definition of Preconditioning04:30 - 05:50 Components of a preconditioning program05:51 - 09:43 Evidence associated with improved health in preconditioned calves09:44 -12:29 Average daily gain in preconditioned calves12:30 - 14:49 Ranch staff thoughts on low stress weaning14:50 - 16:53 How common is preconditioning or low stress weaning strategies?16:54 - 19:20 Is there an economic advantage to preconditioning?19:20 - 21:23 Concluding thoughts
00:00 - 01:07 Welcome and introductions01:08 - 4:47 Importance of feed testing - 3 main reasons4:48 - 06:28 How to collect samples from bales0:6:29 - 11:04 How to collect sileage samples11:05 - 12:43 Collecting grain samples12:44 - 14:26 Collecting samples from extended grazing forages14:27 - 17:03 Pooling feed samples - Disadvantages17:04 - 21:30 Wet Chemistry vs NIR analysis21:31 - 25:55 Key lab tests that need to be evaluated on feeds25:56 - 28:59 Specialty analysis such as nitrates, ergot, mycotoxin, sulphur analysis29:00 - 33:34 Where to go for help with feed analysisLink to BCRC feed testing analysis toolhttps://www.beefresearch.ca/tools/feed-testing-analysis-for-beef-cattle/#singleFeedContainer
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