Alsike clover, in either hay or pasture form, is poisonous to horses. It can trigger a severe skin reaction to sunlight or it can kill horses within 24 hours of exposure. The alsike clover plant contains a toxin, thought to be an alkaloid, which damages liver cells. It is also called big liver disease because […] Read more
Stories by Jeff Grognet, DVM
Infected ears can lead to a calf’s death
Otitis media, or middle ear infection, is a common bacterial infection in children that often requires antibiotic therapy. Though this disease also strikes calves, it frequently goes undiagnosed because affected calves do not bellow in pain like afflicted babies. Many calves, more beef than dairy, have unseen infections. Otitis media occurs in calves up to […] Read more
Grass tetany can be fatal to cows
The first sign of grass tetany, or staggers, is often a cow found dead in a spring pasture. To prevent this condition, producers need to be aware that it is triggered by low blood magnesium. Not surprisingly, grass tetany, also called hypomagnesemia, occurs when cattle don’t consume enough magnesium. Grass tetany is seen most often […] Read more
Natural medicine has its place in livestock production
There is an increased desire to use natural remedies when treating production animals. For dairy farmers, the driving force behind this approach is the opportunity to market organic milk. Other dairy producers also believe their cows are healthier when raised holistically. A holistic approach to raising dairy cows means addressing everything that affects the animals. […] Read more
One in four bulls fails fertility test
There are many bulls out there “shooting blanks.” Researchers came to this conclusion after assessing bulls using a breeding soundness evaluation. Of those tested, 25 percent failed to meet fertility standards. These bulls are a problem because they reduce conception rates, which in turn lower profits. A breeding soundness evaluation is a quick and economical […] Read more
Needle, syringe care important for herd health
Anyone who works with cattle is familiar with the concerns about injection site blemishes in beef. Imagine the impact of a piece of needle being found in a steak by a beef consumer. These needles, once broken off, can migrate through the animal, ending up almost anywhere in its body. The key to avoiding this […] Read more
Cattle may be unfairly blamed for crypto outbreaks
Cryptosporidium is a protozoal parasite that lives in the intestines of many animal species. It can also be passed from one species to another, including cattle to humans, which has prompted controversy. Do cattle grazing close to human water sources pose a threat to public health? Many people confuse coccidiosis with “crypto.” Though these parasites […] Read more
Mycoplasma can cause devastating pneumonia
The bacterium Mycoplasma creates a wide spectrum of symptoms in cattle. In feedlot animals, it attacks the lungs, causing pneumonia, and commonly spreads to the joints, inducing arthritis. In dairy cattle it causes pneumonia but also diarrhea and mastitis, as well as middle ear infections in calves. Cattle transmit Mycoplasma through respiratory secretions. An infected […] Read more
Heterosis introduces vigour to cattle herd
Introducing a different breed of bull into your herd makes economic sense because of a principle called heterosis. Also known as hybrid vigour, it is the added performance you can expect from a calf that has parents of different breeds. To illustrate heterosis, consider this example. An Angus cow, which typically weans 495 pound calves […] Read more
Hormone vaccine can safely tame aggressive stallions
Aggression can be a serious problem in some stallions, particularly mature ones. Unruly or violent behaviour may endanger a stallion’s rider and handler and limit a stallion’s ability to perform to its potential. The good news is that these aggressive traits may be easy to eliminate in the future with a behaviour-controlling vaccine. When training […] Read more
