Injected antimicrobials using a dart gun, crossbow or pole syringe can be an attractive option when cattle are in the pasture and not easily accessed, but they also come with significant disadvantages.  |  Alex McCuaig photo

Remote delivery of antimicrobials should be a last resort

It’s a dilemma. We have an animal on pasture that requires antimicrobial treatment for a condition such as foot rot or pneumonia. If the pasture is remote or has no handling facilities nearby, your treatment choices are limited. You may rope and restrain the animal to administer an injectable, long-acting antibiotic or you can try […] Read more


Some calves lay in the remains of a large round bale in a field.

Parasite causes diarrhea outbreaks in cow-calf herds

The basic principles of reducing the infection pressure by maintaining a clean calving area, spreading cow-calf pairs out and using separate turn-out areas or some form of calving system that minimizes environmental infections is important in preventing the disease, just as it is in all causes of scours outbreaks.






Recent research determined that the individual fecal PCR test has the highest level of sensitivity and will detect the highest proportion of cows infected with the bacteria that causes Johne’s disease. | Jeannette Greaves photo

Johne’s less prevalent in Western Canada than in the East

Johne’s is a bacterial infection that results in chronic diarrhea that leads to weight loss, wasting and eventual death. The disease is primarily seen in mature cows. The bacterium that causes the disease is referred to as MAP (Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis) and the disease is sometimes also known as paratuberculosis. The MAP bacterium that causes […] Read more

A purchased animal that has had infectious bovine rhinotracheitis in the past can start shedding the virus again, infecting animals that aren’t vaccinated.  |  William DeKay photo

IBR abortion storms tough to deal with but preventable

I had a conversation with a veterinarian recently who was trying to deal with an abortion storm in a client’s cow-calf herd. The producer had seven cows abort and most of these abortions were occurring at about six to seven months of gestation. A fetus was submitted to the diagnostic laboratory and it showed signs […] Read more

Salmonella infections are becoming more common in dairy calves and we occasionally see outbreaks in beef calves as well. | File photo

Livestock producers must watch for zoonotic diseases

Cryptosporidia and giardia are two intestinal parasites that can cause diarrhea in both people and calves. These parasites are single-celled organisms (protozoa) and Cryptosporidium is a common cause of diarrhea in both beef and dairy calves under a month of age. Young children, pregnant woman, and immune-compromised adults who are infected can have severe diarrhea […] Read more


If calves become infected with liver flukes as a fetus, this could potentially result in redwater disease occurring in animals at a much younger age than what would normally be seen.  |  File photo

Deer liver fluke can damage liver in fetus, newborn calf

There are several liver flukes that can affect cattle, and although they are not a common parasite in Western Canada, producers and veterinarians should be aware that they can occur. The most common liver fluke in Western Canada is the giant liver fluke, which is also known as the deer liver fluke. Its scientific name […] Read more