2015  Na(onal  Angus  Conven(on,  Overland  Park,  Kan.  

11/4/15  

Angus  University  —  Randall  Spare,  Healthy  CaGle   1  

Randall K. Spare, DVM Ashland Vet Center Ashland, KS

EXCEEDING CUSTOMER

EXPECTATIONS

Ashland, Kansas, Clark County USA | Community of 850 People Clark County | 977 sq. miles More than 60,000 head of cattle

BUILDING CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS

Building A Business Happens One Person At A Time.

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q 4 Full time veterinarians q 1 Part time vet

(certified veterinary acupuncture) q 1 Office manager q Receptionist q 3 Vet technicians

WHO IS ASHLAND VET CENTER?

q Mixed animal practice—primary cow/calf q Serving 14 counties in Kansas q New Mexico, Oklahoma & Texas q Export work—Mexico, Canada, Russia, Egypt &

Kazakhstan q Heifer development—AI 10,000 head q BVD lab testing >30,000

Help our customers to be “price makers” by creating demand, adding value and decreasing risk.

OUR GOAL FOR OUR CLIENTS

Management practices mitigate risk

As veterinarians, we must understand… þ Our customers’ needs… þ Our customers’ goals…

To Exceed Their Expectations

þ Practice Preventive Herd Health þ Purchase sound, athletic bulls from

reputable seedstock producers þ Know the value of genetics þ Biosecurity protocols

“The two most important criteria in purchasing feeder cattle is health and genetics.” —Tom Brink, former Risk Officer & Senior VP,

Five Rivers Cattle Feeding

STRIVE FOR PROBLEM-FREE ENVIRONMENT

“The cattle business ain’t what it used to be!” þ  Average beef cow herd size is 40.2 cows þ  Average producer is 59 years old þ  Income is supplemented by “job in town” þ  Labor is an issue…

Large commercial operations staff 1-2 employees per 1,000 head þ  Increasing social pressure on production agriculture

Antibiotic use Animal welfare

SO… WHAT’S THE “LOW-HANGING” FRUIT?

It’s more than a large, well hung scrotum!

WE HAVE THE TOOLS AND THE

RESPONSIBILITY!

Your choices determine whether you become a “price maker” OR a “price taker”.

2015  Na(onal  Angus  Conven(on,  Overland  Park,  Kan.  

11/4/15  

Angus  University  —  Randall  Spare,  Healthy  CaGle   2  

THE PRODUCER IS IN CONTROL

Genetics Genetics

Temperament Temperament

Nutrition Nutrition

Health Health

Producer

The Information Is Available!

þ  Calving ease direct (CED) þ  Birth weight (BW) þ  Docility (Doc) þ  Fertility (HP) Heifer Pregnancy

Avoid dystocia & other problems by using the tools

GENETICS

CED BW YW YH Milk $EN MW MH SC DOC

+18 -1.1 +122 + .5 + 37 -39.40 +26 + .5 +1.4 +31 Carcass Wt. Marb RE Fat

+35 +1.12 +.78 +.024

$Values $Wean $Feedlot $Grid $QG $Beef

+87.11 +96.61 +50.14 +43.75 +148.52

CED BW YW YH Milk $EN MW MH SC DOC

-6 +4.4 +119 + .9 + 30 -37.78 +101 +1.2 +.34 -10.6 Carcass Wt. Marb RE Fat

+44 +.60 +1.27 -.035

$Values $Wean $Feedlot $Grid $QG $Beef

+63.92 +50.08 +46.01 +31.05 +124.60

Not For Heifers!

Dystocia Avoidance!

Bottom 100%!

Top 1%!

Bottom 100%!

Top 5%!

Top 5%!

Top 3%!

Bottom 100%!

Top 2%!

GENETICS Compare Production Percentile Rankings!

Heritability @ .37% 63% chance of environmental influence

Disposition: Economic or Convenience trait?

Our responsibility to manage! ❏ Low Stress Handling ❏ Facilities ❏ Choose seedstock in top percentile for docility

DOCILITY

þ  Very difficult to merchandise wild, aggressive bulls þ  Poor marketing strategy!

“Sporty” cattle create a myriad of challenges

Docility Pays in the Feedyard!

*$40 per head advantage for docile compared to nervous to aggressive steers *(Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity (2002-2009)

Docility Effects… þ  Gain þ  Quality Grade þ  Yield Grade þ  Treatment & Death Loss

DOCILITY

✔  23% of calves fail to receive adequate colostrum* ✔  3X more likely to get sick* ✔  5X more likely to die within first 28 days of life* ✔  Gained 24 lbs. less in 242 day feeding period*

❏ Colostral Immunity LIQUID GOLD!

* Perino, Wittum, et.al

NUTRITION

2015  Na(onal  Angus  Conven(on,  Overland  Park,  Kan.  

11/4/15  

Angus  University  —  Randall  Spare,  Healthy  CaGle   3  

þ  Timing…6, 12 & 24 hours þ  Cow nutrition and body score at calving…

Goal: BCS 6 heifers and 5 for cows þ  Age of dam…

First calf heifers = less quantity and quality þ  Dystocia decreases colostral intake þ  Respiratory acidosis…

strength & length of calving decreases absorption þ  Dam’s size of udder & teats þ  Dam’s temperament…genetics & environment þ  Mastitis þ  Fetal Programming?

Colostral Intake Influenced By…

NUTRITION

þ  Science indicates gestational nutrition is even more important than previously believed.

þ  Early scientific indicators… The nutrition of the dam during fetal development impacts the offspring’s health and development.

Colostrum quantity and quality may be decreased and calf vigor impaired in underfed dams.

What is Fetal Programming?

Watch for continued research from this exciting area!

NUTRITION

þ  Avoiding high starch in early feeding builds healthy rumens

þ  Grain by-products with forage programs promote adequate gain

þ  Remind buyers that young bulls need good care.

Eating capacity not fully mature. Parasite control is very important. Feeding to continue to maintain BCS and gain weight in new environment.

Feeding young bulls in growing programs—A few nuggets of truth!

NUTRITION PREPARE YOUR CALVES TO SUCCEED

Vaccinate prior to weaning

Preparing your calves to succeed is

good risk management.

Successful calves must be prepared to co-mingle!

Promote a healthy rumen

Feed high quality, low energy forage

❏  Persistently Infected (PI) is the source of 90% of infections

BVD Mutates Constantly

❏  Reproductive wastage/congenital defects ❏  Can be the cause of other disease prevalence ❏  Can be shed in semen for 18 mos. after infection

ImmunoSuppressive

Prevent BVD Contol ❏ Bio-security ❏ Vaccination ❏  Test Calves

HEALTH

❏  Fetus is susceptible between day 40 & 120 days

❏  Don’t take unnecessary risk to expose your herd ❏  Vaccination & Testing: All seedstock MUST BE

PI negative ❏  Establish sound BVD prevention protocols ❏  Don’t lease bulls ❏  Don’t purchase “sale barn” bulls ❏  Maintain young herd bull battery ❏  Cull open cows

Biosecurity Inclusive Approach

Legislation will not keep your herd disease free. Common sense and vigilant biosecurity are best safeguards.

HEALTH

2015  Na(onal  Angus  Conven(on,  Overland  Park,  Kan.  

11/4/15  

Angus  University  —  Randall  Spare,  Healthy  CaGle   4  

THE PRODUCER IS IN CONTROL

Genetics Genetics

Temperament Temperament

Nutrition Nutrition

Health Health

Producer

The Information Is Available!

“The compassion we, as American producers, share in agriculture is unique. By providing the highest quality of life for an animal that is going to give its life, we have created a food supply that is both safe and abundant. Yet, we pay attention to and fulfill the needs of those animals. It is our way of life.”

—Mark Spare

THANK YOU!