Anyone who has dealt with a calf scours outbreak knows how difficult it can be. Not only do producers have to keep on top of treating sick calves and keeping them alive, but they must also deal with the extra labour associated with calving. Veterinarians and producers must focus on three key factors to prevent […] Read more
Stories by John Campbell, DVM, DVSC
Salmonella strain in cattle causes abortions, death
Most of us are familiar with salmonella bacteria as a potential cause of gastrointestinal disease in humans. The severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, headaches and dehydration can cause serious consequences in people, especially in the elderly and young children. Salmonellosis in humans is most often associated with poultry and poultry products such as eggs. However, […] Read more
Calving difficulties lead to risks for newborns
Calving season is a critical time on cow-calf operations. Producing and weaning live calves is an important component of cow-calf profitability, and problems that occur at this time of year can have significant consequences. The birthing period and the first few days of life have been shown to be the most hazardous time for calves. […] Read more
Pain assessment in animals important for welfare research
Pain control for routine management procedures has become an important animal welfare concern for the beef industry. It can be achieved in several ways: Local anesthetics can cause a lack of sensation in the affected area. This may eliminate pain during a procedure but will usually not provide long-term pain control. Analgesics are drugs that […] Read more
While rare, uterine prolapses pose a serious threat
A uterine prolapse in a cow that has calved is one of the true emergencies of food animal veterinary medicine. This condition occurs at a relatively low frequency. Estimates would suggest that a maximum of two cows in every 1,000 calvings would have a uterine prolapse. However, it is a serious life threatening condition for […] Read more
Diagnostic testing unable to achieve 100 percent accuracy
Veterinarians often rely on clinical and laboratory tests to diagnose disease in livestock species. Diagnostic tests can be as simple as listening to a rumen with a stethoscope or as complicated as a laboratory procedure that isolates and identifies a particular virus or bacteria or measures a specific enzyme in the blood of an animal. […] Read more
Roundworm discovery in Manitoba bison herd baffles researchers
A recent case report has described the discovery of an unusual parasite in a bison calf from Manitoba. Toxocara vitulorum is a roundworm parasite that is usually seen only in Asian water buffalo and cattle from sub-tropical regions. Dr. Murray Woodbury from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and other researchers published the report in […] Read more
Diagnosing lumps and bumps
Lumps on the head and jaw area of cattle are common. There are several potential causes, and treatment can vary depending on the cause. Lumpy jaw is a bacterial infection of the jaw bone of cattle. It can affect either the lower or upper jaw but is most commonly seen on the lower jaw in […] Read more
Pain control methods recommended if castrating older calves
Cattle producers sometimes find it necessary to castrate bulls at weaning time. They may have bought the calves as backgrounders or feeder cattle or perhaps they didn’t have access to the calves at a younger age. In some cases, seed stock producers may not decide which males to keep as potential breeding bulls until weaning […] Read more
Histophilus somnus bacteria linked to many cattle diseases
Histophilus somnus is a species of bacteria that lives in the nasal passages and reproductive tracts of healthy cattle. It was first identified in 1960 as the bacteria responsible for infectious thromboembolic meningoencepahalitis (ITEME), a nervous disease that predominantly affects feedlot cattle. Since that time, many other disease manifestations have been associated with the bacteria, […] Read more
