Bulls can be hard to handle, but there are good facilities for examining and treating them. They should be vaccinated for most things you give to cows, with the exception of scours vaccines. Deworming and lice control should always be considered, since bulls get the highest load of flies in summer. When handling bulls, get […] Read more
Stories by Roy Lewis, DVM
New stress reliever has many uses on cattle operations
A new product released into the cattle and swine market has strong potential to help cattle producers in many ways. Its main premise is calming cattle for a considerable period of time. Making cattle calmer in the most stressful stages of their life can go a long way toward reducing sickness and improving weight gains. […] Read more
Producers can manage a change in their health protocols
Producers are sometimes forced to change the medications they use because of availability. Other times, a change is prompted by bad experiences or adverse drug reactions. As well, new products will enter the market that need to be considered. How new medications enter the market depends on whether they are generic or a new standalone […] Read more
Products to relieve stress in cattle continue to evolve
Reducing stress on cattle should take pressure off the treatments for respiratory disease. Less stress results in less shrink, so cattle performance may improve, but it also reduces morbidity and mortality due to disease. Cattle will do better if we can calm them down at the stressful times of their lives, such as weaning, showing […] Read more
Swelling under the jaw in cattle requires close attention
I recently dealt with a bovine case of swelling under the jaw, and it wasn’t what I expected. As a result, I would like to go through several things to look for when dealing with cases like this. Don’t assume anything. Look closely for clues and remember that treatment may be different in each case. […] Read more
Stomach tube an essential tool in cattle operations
A good bovine stomach tube is useful for relieving bloat, administering oral medication or relieving an esophageal obstruction or choke. As well, dehydration is caused by many things and a good stomach tube and pump can address that problem. Properly maintained equipment and proper restraint make the job easy. The procedure is generally innocuous but […] Read more
One sick cow could indicate larger problem with the herd
Experienced veterinarians and producers can take steps to avoid livestock health issues. An observant set of eyes and use of the other senses can often provide clues about problems that led to illness, and those can pertain to the entire herd. It’s important to recognize whether an individual disease or health condition is a one […] Read more
Producers can achieve maximum use from their vaccines
Cattle producers spend a lot of time deciding which vaccine to use, getting the timing right and applying it the correct way. However, In order to get maximum efficiency out of the vaccines, we also need to look after them right up until the time of injection. Much has been written on this, but several […] Read more
Tick trouble calls for proper treatment
Ticks seem to be expanding their territory in North America and are trending north. Animal movement facilitates this but climate change and adaptation may play a role. With ticks comes fear of potential diseases they may carry. Then there is blood loss, irritation, and performance losses in cattle if numbers get too high. Most ticks […] Read more
When to butcher a downer animal not an easy decision
There are many decisions in either feedlot, cow-calf or backgrounder situations where timely decisions have to be made regarding whether to treat, harvest or euthanize. I am hoping this article, by citing a few examples, may make this clearer. Producers don’t need to make these decisions alone. Modern communications such as cellphone cameras, videos in […] Read more
