Abiqua Animal Clinic

•  Mixed animal practice in Silverton

•  Purchased in 2009

•  Dr Dietrich’s agrarian interests include dairying, sheep farming, forage and pasture management.

•  Dr Varney’s veterinary interests include cattle and small ruminants, in addition to small animals.

Beef Breeds

Dairy

Breeds

Dual-purpose Breeds

Restraint

Restraint

Handling Equipment

Handling Techniques

A G I N G

C A T T L E

Nutrition •  Roughage •  Concentrates •  Water •  Vitamins •  Minerals

Roughages •  Forages

–  Cool season grasses •  PRG, ARG, TF, OG, Timothy,

RCG –  Warm season grasses

•  Sorghum-sudan grass, forage corn, Bermuda grass, pearl millet, teff

–  Legumes •  Alfalfa, clovers, trefoils,

medics, beans –  Forbs

•  Broadleaf “weeds” –  Toxic plants

•  Tansy, poison hemlock, bracken fern, etc.

Pasture management

•  Rotational grazing –  Keep forage in growing

phase –  Minimum 4 inch stubble

•  Noxious weed control

Roughages

•  Hay –  Alfalfa –  Grass –  Grass/legume –  Grain

•  Straw –  Grass –  Grain

•  Silage/haylage •  Test, TEST, TEST!

Grains •  Whole grains •  Processed grains

–  Rolled/Flaked/Steamed –  Cracked/Ground –  Pelleted

•  Mixes •  By-products

–  Grass seed screenings –  Cannery waste

Water

•  Clean and abundant •  Sources

–  Man-made –  Natural

•  Parasite risk •  Algae

Vitamins

•  Fat-soluble –  A, D, E, K

•  Water-soluble –  B vitamins, C

c a M

o r c

i M

or

Minerals

•  Calcium •  Phosphorus •  Potassium •  Magnesium •  Sulfur

•  Cobalt •  Copper •  Manganese •  Molybdenum •  Zinc •  Iodine •  Iron •  Selenium

2:1

Balancing a Ration •  Assess the main

components •  Determine needs based

on: –  Age –  Gender –  Use

•  Balance first for protein and energy, then vitamins and minerals

Balancing a Ration

•  Diet will consist of: –  Local grass hay –  12% livestock grain

•  Feeding a 1200 lb cow –  Mid-gestation –  Non-lactating

Balancing a Ration

Balancing a Ration

•  Balancing ration to achieve 18 lbs of a 7.5% protein diet

•  Local grass hay: 6% protein based on feed test

•  Livestock grain: 12% protein based on label

Pearson Square Local grass hay 6%

Livestock grain 12%

4.5 parts

7.5

1.5 parts

6 parts total (1.5 /6) x 100 = 25% grain

(4.5 /6) x 100 = 75% hay

18 lb x 25% = 4.5 lb grain

18 lb x 75% = 13.5 lb hay

Choke

•  Blockage of esophagus •  Usually able to breathe •  Results in bloat •  Risk of inhaling saliva

and feed material, leading to pneumonia

•  Object must be removed –  Up –  Down

•  Common culprits –  Apples –  Pears –  Beets –  Onions –  Potatoes –  Cauliflower –  Pineapples –  Et cetera

Bloat

•  Frothy bloat –  Legumes –  Treat with surfactant –  +/- trocar

•  Free-gas bloat –  Choke –  Grain overload –  Nerve dysfunction –  Relieve with tube +/-

trocar

Acidosis •  Due to:

–  Grain overload –  Lack of dietary fiber –  Decreased gut motility

•  Evidenced by: –  Inappetance –  Lethargy –  Bloat

•  Sequelae: –  Lameness –  Liver abscesses

•  Prevention –  Change diet slowly –  Ensure adequate fiber –  Provide sodium bicarb?

•  Treatment –  Call your vet… –  …who may give a

neutralizing mixture via stomach tube

Grass Tetany •  Causes

–  Low dietary magnesium –  Decreased magnesium

absorption due to excessive potassium

•  When? Often during spring pasture growth

•  Signs –  Incoordination –  Inability to stand –  Irritability –  Death

•  Treatment –  Calcium/magnesium IV

infusion –  Call your vet!

•  Prevention –  Provide magnesium blocks

starting with spring grass growth

–  Add dolomitic lime to pastures

Respiratory disease

•  Causative agents –  IBR –  PI3 –  BVD –  Mannheimia hemolytica

•  Contributing factors –  STRESS –  Transportation

Respiratory disease

•  Prevention –  Vaccination (see program

mentioned later) –  Space out stressful events –  Provide good nutrition

•  Treatment –  Hydration/Electrolytes –  Antibiotics

Clostridial diseases •  Group of bacterial diseases

caused by Clostridium spp. •  Require anaerobic environment •  Produce potent toxins •  Spores persist in the

environment •  Examples: Black leg, red water,

big head, enterotoxemia, tetanus, botulism

•  Prevention: Vaccinate! •  Treatment: Largely ineffective

Reproductive diseases— Abortion

•  Toxic causes •  Bracken fern •  False hellebore •  Pine needle abortion

•  Infectious causes •  Leptospirosis

–  Vaccinate!! •  Brucellosis

–  Bang’s vaccine •  Trichomonas fetus •  BVD •  Neospora

Reproductive diseases—Abortion

•  Signs –  Usually late term –  May find fetus, placenta,

or just dirty tail

•  Determining cause is difficult

•  Abortion testing –  Fetus and placenta –  Blood sample

Reproductive diseases—Dystocia

•  Signs –  Restless/Straining –  Vaginal fluid –  Placenta

•  Types –  Leg back –  Head only –  Breech/backwards

•  Call your vet! –  Within 1-2 hours if no

progress

Reproductive diseases—Uterine prolapse •  Due to continued

straining following calving

•  Risk factors include difficult calving, calcium deficiency, and selenium deficiency

•  Keep uterus clean and call your vet

Reproductive diseases—Milk fever

•  Signs –  Severe weakness –  Head on flank –  Hypothermia (ears)

•  Risk factors –  High milk production –  Older cows –  Inadequate or excessive

dietary calcium during last trimester

Reproductive diseases—Milk fever

•  Sequelae –  Hind limb nerve damage –  Uterine prolapse –  Decreased gut motility

•  Get them up ASAP! –  IV CMPK infusion –  Oral supplementation

Reproductive diseases—Retained placenta

•  Placenta should drop within 12 hours

•  Treatment –  Wait 72 hrs –  If not out on its own, call

the vet –  +/- Antibiotics –  Never pull on it!

Reproductive diseases—Metritis

•  Uterine infections •  Due to unsanitary

calvings and uterine injuries

•  Treatment includes antibiotics +/- hormone therapy

•  Monitor closely following parturition

Reproductive diseases—Mastitis •  Bacterial infection of

one or more udder quarters

•  Contracted from the udder environment or fecal contamination

•  Risk factors –  Milking machines –  Dirty environment –  Teat trauma

Reproductive diseases—Mastitis

•  Treatment –  Culture first –  Strip quarter frequently –  Hot packing/topical

ointments –  +/- Antibiotics

Other infectious diseases

•  Johne’s disease –  Contagious bacterial disease

that causes diarrhea –  No treatment

•  Tuberculosis –  Federally regulated –  Zoonotic

•  BLV –  Viral disease that causes

tumors

Toxin-induced disease

•  Plant poisoning –  Bracken fern –  Tansy ragwort –  St John’s wort –  Poison hemlock

•  Lead poisoning –  Farm junk piles

Parasites—Gastrointestinal worms

•  Live in stomach, small intestine, and cecum

•  Suck blood and protein from the host

•  Cause anemia, decreased body condition, and scours

Parasites—Gastrointestinal worms

•  Life cycle –  Eggs deposited in feces –  Develop over days to

weeks into infective larvae

–  Climb grass and are ingested

–  Develop into adults which produce eggs

Parasites—Gastrointestinal worms

•  Prevention –  Rotational grazing –  Multi-species grazing –  High tannin forages –  Genetic selection –  Parasitic fungi? –  Vaccines?

Parasites—Gastrointestinal worms •  Treatment

–  Treat based on fecal test! –  Dewormers

•  Use 1 until it doesn’t work •  For oral medications, fast

for 24 to 48 hours •  For resistance, consider

mixing classes –  Ensure adequate

nutrition –  Diatomaceous earth? –  Herbal remedies?

Parasites—Gastrointestinal •  Coccidia

–  One-celled organism –  Life cycle takes ~3 weeks –  Replicates in small intestine cells –  Results in cell rupture –  Bloody diarrhea and weight loss –  Prevention

•  Maintain sanitary environment •  Maintain nutrition level •  Rotational grazing •  Coccidiostat in feed or water

–  Treatment •  Sulfa drugs •  Amprolium •  Must treat for 5 days to break life

cycle

Parasites—Gastrointestinal •  Cryptosporidium

–  Causes diarrhea in calves –  Short life cycle –  Autoinfection –  Prevention

•  Hygiene –  Treatment

•  Time •  Supportive therapy •  Good nutrition

–  Zoonotic!!

Parasites—Liver Flukes •  Live in bile ducts of liver •  Cause liver failure

–  Edema –  Jaundice –  Weight loss –  Death

•  May predispose to clostridial disease

•  4 to 6 month life cycle requires snails

Parasites—Liver Flukes •  Prevention

–  Fence off water ways and low ground

–  Tile fields –  Control snail populations

•  Copper sulfate •  Slug bait

•  Treatment –  Clorsulon –  Albendazole –  Kills mainly adults –  Treat in early fall

Parasites—External •  Flies

–  Irritating, blood-sucking –  Lead to stress and

decreased production –  Some species have

migrating larvae (warbles) –  Spread pinkeye –  Prevention/Treatment

•  Ear tags •  Dust bags •  Air movement •  Topical insecticides

Parasites—External

•  Lice –  Two main varieties

•  Blood–sucking •  Skin chewing

–  Cause hair loss, itching, anemia, decreased body condition

–  Treatment •  Injectables (only work on

blood-suckers) •  Pour-ons, powders, DE?

Skin disease—Warts

•  Caused by a virus •  Usually in young

animals •  Unsightly, may bleed •  Treatment

–  Neglect –  Autovaccination –  Commercial vaccine

Skin disease—Ringworm •  Caused by several species of

fungi •  Lives in soil and on equipment •  Causes dry skin and hair loss •  Can be zoonotic •  Treatment

–  Neglect –  Sunlight –  Various topicals (FDA!)

Skin disease—Photosensitization

•  UV light causes reaction in unpigmented skin

•  Skin dies and sloughs •  Secondary to plant toxins or

liver disease –  St John’s Wort –  Tansy Ragwort –  Liver flukes

Hardware disease •  Metal objects penetrate

reticulum •  Cause pain and thoracic/

abdominal infection •  Manifested by hunched

posture •  Prevention

–  Magnets •  Treatment

–  Abdominal surgery –  Antibiotics

Calf Management •  Colostrum •  Nutrition •  Hygiene

•  Calf scours –  E. coli –  Rotavirus –  Coronavirus –  Salmonella –  Cryptosporidium

Calf Management •  Navel ill/joint ill

–  Swollen joints and umbilicus –  Colostrum! –  Difficult to treat

•  Pneumonia –  Snotty nose, coughing, labored

breathing –  Early treatment important

•  White muscle disease –  Prevention: Bo-Se

Castration •  Technique options vary with

age, size and/or season •  Banding

–  “Easy” to do, no blood –  Increased risk of tetanus –  Use appropriate band!!

•  Cutting –  Fail-safe, bloody –  Increased risk of flies/infection

•  Crimping –  Difficult to do right –  May be price docked at sale

Breeding Programs

•  Natural service vs artificial insemination

•  Heat detection and synchronization

•  Purebred vs crossbred •  Seedstock vs

commercial •  Flushing and embryo

transfer

Production Benchmarks •  90% of cows should calve every

year •  Breed less than 83 days after

calving (2-3 heat cycles) •  Breeding season should be 45-60

days long •  90% of calves should survive to

weaning •  Wean calves at 6-7 months old •  Calves should weigh 45-50% of

cow weight at weaning •  Calves should gain 2.5-3 lb/day •  Breed heifers at 60-65% of

mature weight (14 months)

Beef Herd Health—Calves •  At Birth

–  BoSe – 1cc/25# (for white muscle)

–  Vitamin A&D – 1cc/75# –  Dip navels with 7% iodine; do

not spray –  Make sure calf nurses cow

within first 6 hours. If not, tube feed calf 2 quarts colostrum. Repeat in 4-6 hours.

–  Intranasal IBR/PI3 if calf pneumonia has been a problem

Herd Health—Calves cont. •  One Month of Age

–  Burn off horns with electric dehorner –  Castrate bulls

•  Three Weeks Prior to Weaning

–  IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV vaccination –  Haemophilus, if a problem –  7-way or 8-way Clostridium (blackleg) vaccination –  Check for parasites – lice and worms. Treat if indicated.

•  Weaning

–  Repeat IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV vaccination

–  Haemophilus, if a problem –  7-way or 8-way Clostridium

(blackleg) vaccination

Herd Health—Heifers •  Four to Twelve Months of Age

–  Brucellosis vaccination for heifers (must be done by veterinarian)

•  Heifers at Breeding Age

–  IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV vaccination –  Haemophilus, if a problem –  Lepto 5-way vaccination –  MuSe – 1cc per 125-150# –  Repeat Clostridium (blackleg)

vaccination –  Vaccinate for Vibriosis (if bull breeding) –  Deworm – use injectable or oral

dewormers (not pour-on)

Herd Health—Cows •  Every 4-6 Months

–  Lepto 5-way vaccination •  Annually (prior to breeding)

–  Killed IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV vaccination –  Haemophilus (optional) –  Vibriosis vaccination (if bull breeding)

•  At the End of Breeding Season –  Rectal examination for pregnancy –  Check teeth, teats, etc., and cull any open

or problem cows •  Three to Four Weeks Before Calving

–  Deworm – use injectable or oral dewormers (not pour-on)

–  MuSe – 1cc per 125-150# –  Check udders –  Vaccinate for E. coli, Rota and Corona

virus, if scours caused by these organisms have been a problem in calves

Herd Health—Bulls •  Annually (prior to

breeding) –  Killed IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV

vaccination –  Haemophilus (optional) –  Vibriosis vaccination –  Lepto 5-way vaccination

Marketing Options •  Direct marketing

–  More personal interaction –  Limited customer base

•  Niche marketing –  Able to set the price –  Customized product

•  Auctions –  Easy, available, convenient –  No price control

•  On-line marketing –  Huge customer base –  Minimum quantities

Harvesting Options

•  Federal law requires that products to be sold be processed in a USDA-inspected facility

•  Products for home use are exempt

•  USDA mobile slaughter vs slaughterhouse

•  Beef share program