Bovine herd health Flashcards
Herd health in cattle is
Managing a disease outbreak is much more costly than implementing a preventative health program
Ensure colostrum intake (dairy, cow/calf)
Maintain recommended vaccination schedule
Have antibiotic protocols in place
Meat/milk withdrawal times
Establish a yearly VCPR
Vaccination and Antibiotic protocols
Beef herd–pregnancy detection
Feedlot, dairy– intentional yearly site visit
Benefits of bull castration
Benefits
Increased growth/weight gain
Prevent unplanned mating
Decreased aggression
Increased price premiums/reduced price discounts
Bull castration is done when
Performed by an experienced person using a clean technique and well-maintained instruments
Ideally as young as possible (<6months)
Elastrator band
Greater than 6 months
MUST have analgesia
Surgical
Burdizzo
Avoid castration during weaning/stressful events
Increased risk of infection
benefits of dehorning
Reduce risk of injury to other cattle
Increased safety for handlers
Prevent financial loss from damaged carcasses
Minimize space for feeding and transport
Disbudding in cattle
Disbudding at <3 months of age
horns not attached to skull yet
Pain medication strongly recommended <3 months of age
Options:
Caustic paste-few days old, run off can damage skin and eyes**
Electric disbudder
Dehorning in cattle
Dehorning ≥3months horns are part of the skull.
Pain medication Required >3 months of age
Options:
Large bolt cutter/guillotine
Giggli wire saw/ hand saw
Surgical ideal but rarely performed due to $$
Analgesia for dehorning cattle
Cornual nerve block
3-10 ml 2% Lidocaine injected at a point approximately 1/3 the distance(~3cm) from the horn on a line between the base of the horn and the lateral canthus of the eye along the lateral temporal ridge of the frontal bone
+/- sedative (e.g. an α-2 agonist such as xylazine) will also provide some analgesia.
Metacam® (meloxicam) for post procedure pain.
Why wean calve
Ensure cows can recover body condition before winter
Allow specialized feeding of calves
Types of weaning calves
Abrupt separation
Two-stage weaning
Fence-line weaning
Abrupt weaning advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
Calves handled once
Less labour/equipment
Disadvantages
↑ Stress =
↑ Bawling, wandering
Reduced long term weight gain
Increased BRD
Two stage weaning is
Stage 1: nose-paddle or flap to prevent weaning but calf stays with cow.
Stage 2: 4-7 days later nose flap removed and calf separated from cow.
Advantages and disadvantages of two stage weaning calves
Advantages
Improved feed intake
Lower BRD treatment rates
Reduction in pacing/bawling
Disadvantages
Nose-paddle costs
Calves handled twice
Fence line weaning in disadvantages and advantages calves is
Fence-line weaning
Advantages
Calves handled once
Less stress on calves
Better weight gain
Lower BRD treatment
Reduction in bawling/pacing
Disadvantages
Extra fencing/land allotment
External parasites control in cattle
External parasites
Flies, mosquitos, midges, ticks, lice
Irritation, stress, production loss, grazing
Disease transmission
Parasite Control Options for External Parasites in cattle
Integrated Pest Control
Use of other living organism to kill pests
E.g. Other insects, animals, fungi
Cultural
Physical, mechanical to reduce sites favourable for reproduction
E.g. Water management, Pen cleaning
Chemical
Insecticides–often topical
