Lead Poisoning In Cattle

Lead Poisoning In Cattle

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Why lead affects cattle | The sources of lead | How lead poisoning occurs | How much loss to expect | Recognizing lead poisoning | Treatment of lead poisoning | Preventing lead poisoning

Lead is the most common cause of cattle poisoning in Alberta. Hundreds of animals in the province die each year or perform poorly after accidentally ingesting lead. Gradual poisoning may also occur in areas with heavy industrial pollution.

Lead poisoning can affect any cattle operation. Lead was likely responsible for the death of thousands of cattle and illness among tens of thousands of cattle over the past 20 years.

Some trends have emerged from the incidents of lead poisoning in Alberta. Poisonings usually involve animals from well-managed farms and ranches. Sometimes only one calf is affected. At other times more than 20 cows have been lost in a single poisoning incident.

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Colorado State Student Named Intern at Leading A.I. Organization

Colorado State Student Named Intern at Leading A.I. Organization

Cattle Today

Bryce Borror, Gerber, Calif., has been selected as the summer beef-marketing intern for Select Sires Inc. In this role Borror will assist with the preparation for advertisements and brochures, help photograph bulls and bull progenies and perform other beef-marketing projects. He will be based at the company’s headquarters in Plain City, Ohio.

Borror is a junior at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., where he is majoring in both animal science and agricultural business. He is an active member of the intercollegiate meats judging team and the seed stock marketing team.

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Foot Rot Drivers Define Prevention

Foot Rot Drivers Define Prevention

Cattlenetwork.com

Up front, researchers estimate about 20% of all diagnosed lameness in cattle is due to Foot Root. And, lameness costs the cattle industry heavily each year. As an example, in one study of five western feedlots, 13.1% of the 1.8 million head of cattle on feed were treated for health problems—lameness accounted for 16% of those and 5% of the death loss. The lame cattle accounted for all non-performing cattle that were sold, returning only 53% of the original purchase price.

Closer to home, research continues to underscore the increased cost of gain and reduced gains stockers experience at the hands of Foot Rot.

 

Typically Foot Rot infection is caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum bacteria, which invade and infect the feet of cattle. Initial causes, created pathways for the bacteria to gain access, include injury or the softening and thinning of the skin between the toes by puncture wounds or prolonged exposure to wet conditions.

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Board orders testing of imported bulls

Board orders testing of imported bulls

Farm and Ranch Guide

The North Dakota State Board of Animal Health has ordered testing requirements for most bulls imported into the state to prevent the spread of trichomoniasis.

A venereal disease of cattle, trichomoniasis causes fetal abortions, uterine infections and increased numbers of open cows. It is a reportable disease in North Dakota.

The requirements were implemented July 23, according to the state veterinarian, Dr. Susan Keller, as a result of trichomoniasis infections reported in surrounding states.

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Livestock Angles: Optimism in the cattle market

Livestock Angles: Optimism in the cattle market

The Land

The cattle market has been uneven during the past few weeks and is generating mixed signals. Cash prices are near steady, although they have fallen and rebounded during the past few weeks, while the futures market has rallied particularly in the deferred contracts.

Cutouts prices appear to have stabilized and have even inched slightly higher in recent days, but packers are still not in a profitable margin situation at this point. Boxed beef movement has been slow, reflecting retail reluctance to accumulate beef while competitive meats are much cheaper and easier to feature, providing a better profit margin.

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Cattle Feedlot Odors Can Be Controlled

Cattle Feedlot Odors Can Be Controlled

Cattlenetwork.com

The recent hot, humid weather is bringing out odors at some North Dakota cattle feedlots.

“Feedlots do not need to smell,” says Karl Hoppe, area Extension Service livestock specialist at North Dakota State University’s Carrington Research Extension Center. “Feedlots may have a slight odor, but they do not have to have an overwhelming odor.”

Proper feedlot design and management are the keys to keeping smells to a minimum, he adds.

One of those management tools is pen stocking density.

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Now is the time to plan for preconditioned calves

Now is the time to plan for preconditioned calves

By Kris Ringwall, NDSU Extension Service

Farm & Ranch Guide

The time is fast approaching in the annual cow-calf cycle when thoughts shift from production to marketing. Now is the time to start thinking about preparing calves for market.

One might say this is old hat by now, but it really isn’t. The need to provide protection for calves, whether one weans them at home or sells them right off the cow, is a vital part of successful management.

At the Dickinson Research Extension Center, the calves receive vaccinations for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), bovine viral diarrhea type I and II (BVD), bovine respiratory syncitial virus (BRSV) and bovine parainfluenza 3 (PI3). These viral agents typically are present and can negatively affect calves.

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Cattle producers work with agencies to manage grasslands

Cattle producers work with agencies to manage grasslands

By ANDREA JOHNSON

Farm and Ranch Guice

There are three tools available for grassland management – burning, haying and grazing.

Several agencies are turning to grazing to help reduce unwanted weeds and improve habitat for flora and fauna in central Minnesota.

Representatives of three agencies – U.S. Fish & Wildlife, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and The Nature Conservancy – are working with cattle producers Dan and Linda Jenniges, of rural Glenwood.

The Jennigeses raise Angus and SimAngus (Simmental and Angus) cattle, as well as Rambouillet cross sheep.

Dan has long appreciated the value of grazing. He started farming and ranching after graduating from high school in 1977, following his father’s interest in using the rolling and rocky hills of Pope County for grazing.

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Beef tour showcases industry diversity

Beef tour showcases industry diversity

The Land

“The primary purpose of our annual tour is simply to highlight the various regions that host the tour each year,” said Tom Pyfferoen, president of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association.

“We have an extremely diversified state both in terms of geography, and in our cattle producers as well. This annual tour lets us showcase all aspects of the Minnesota beef industry, plus the many agribusiness firms that help make this possible.”

The July 10 summer tour was hosted by the Glacial Ridge Cattlemen’s Association, with Glacial Plains Co-op of Sunburg providing the facilities for both indoor and outdoor exhibitors, plus sit-down space for a noon lunch and an evening steak barbecue.

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Cattle Preconditioning Forum: Are All Breeds Equally Susceptible To Coccidiosis?

Cattle Preconditioning Forum: Are All Breeds Equally Susceptible To Coccidiosis?

Cattlenetwork.com

Coccidia occur in all breeds of cattle. Calves may acquire infection as soon as they begin grazing or eating food other than their mother’s milk. Although the disease is seen more commonly in calves three weeks to six months of age, it may occur in yearlings and adults.

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Obituary: UC Davis professor sought to better feed world

Obituary: UC Davis professor sought to better feed world

By Robert D. Dávila

Sacremento Bee

G. Eric Bradford, a longtime UC Davis professor of animal science who studied livestock and lab mice for ways to increase the food supply, died Sunday. He was 77.

The cause was heart failure, said his daughter Margaret Aumann.

Mr. Bradford was a leading researcher of animal breeding and genetics since joining UC Davis in 1957, colleagues said. His work focused on reproduction and growth in livestock and laboratory animals, sheep breeding and international agriculture.

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Honeymoon with U.S. beef may be brief

Honeymoon with U.S. beef may be brief

Korean Herald

Major discounters are bracing for an abrupt and indefinite end to U.S. beef sales, which have jumped more than two-fold in the past few weeks compared to a year ago, because of the government’s latest decision to halt inspections of U.S. beef imports.

Korea’s halt in inspections of U.S. beef imports on Wednesday was prompted by the discovery of banned bone fragments in the latest shipments. Suspending inspections would mean no new supplies of U.S. beef on the market, although shipments can still arrive in the country.

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Corn outreach project in Rapid City Aug. 21

Corn outreach project in Rapid City Aug. 21

FarmForum.net

BROOKINGS, S.D. Ð The South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service will host a project entitled “Corn, Cattle and Energy: Developing Successful Strategies for Managing Your Beef Cattle Operation in an Ethanol World,” Aug. 21 in Rapid City.

SDSU Extension Beef Specialist Cody Wright said the event can provide beef cattle producers with valuable information on how to manage their businesses in an era of increasing corn demand from energy producers.

The one-day event will include seminars and discussions covering the interconnection of corn, cattle, and energy markets, consumer response to natural programs, along with breakout sessions where participants can take part in three topical sessions on a wide range of concerns.

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Annual summer race is on to get corn silage cut for dairy cows as feed

Annual summer race is on to get corn silage cut for dairy cows as feed

Harvest in gear for commodity worth millions

By CAROL REITER

Merced Sun Star

A 650 horsepower Clauss Speed Star corn chopper blows chopped corn silage into a truck near Highway 99 Thursday afternoon. The field was being cut for a Merced dairy for feed for their milk cows.

Standing with his arms crossed and his feet planted between furrows, Doug Aue watched as 12-foot-high stalks of corn were reduced to small, bite-size pieces of silage.

A $300,000 corn chopper, with its 12-inch knives cutting through the tough, 2-inch corn stalks like butter, blew the brand new silage into a holding truck rumbling alongside the chopper.

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USDA Partners with NMPF on Animal ID

USDA Partners with NMPF on Animal ID

KRVN

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has another industry partnership in its National Animal Identification System efforts. The latest partnership – with the National Milk Producers Federation – is designed to facilitate the registration of dairy farm, dairy calf and heifer grower premises.

According to USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs – the agreement with NMPF is another important step forward as the department advances the National Animal Identification System. He notes the agreement builds on those previously announced with the National Pork Board, the National FFA Organization and the U.S. Animal Identification Organization. Knight says all are designed to promote animal health by giving producers the information they need to take that step of registering their premises and protecting their animals.
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