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Veterinary

Dr William Morland

2012-08-01 16:03:31

Q- How can I prevent grass tetany in my cows this spring?

A- Grass tetany is a common problem in the spring when pastures are greening up and calving season has started. Some ways to prevent this disease are as follows: Be sure cows have free choice access to a salt-mineral mix with added magnesium (Mg). Most feed companies have a "high-mag" mineral. Make sure it also has about 25% salt in the mix. If you mix your own, a good mix is 25% of each of these: TM salt, Di-cal, Mag oxide, finely ground corn. Mag oxide tastes terrible and you need the corn to force intake. If you feed corn gluten or DDGS, you will likely not have concerns with grass tetany as both products are high in Magnesium. About 5# of dry product/head/day will supply about half the cows Mg requirement each day. Do not graze small grain (cereal grain) pastures with cows with young calves unless you are force feeding Mg and salt. These pastures are very low in Mg and the highest risk pastures. If you fertilized the pasture with potash this spring, do not graze with cows with calves. High potassium in the forage is one of the highest risk factors for grass tetany. Never fertilize grass or mostly grass pastures with potash in the spring. Do it in fall if needed. Fertilizing with nitrogen in the spring is also a risk factor. If you have some legume hay, feed some every day to the cows on mostly grass pasture. Adding legumes to the pasture mix is a great way to decrease the chance of having grass tetany, but it is not fool-proof. Grass grows faster than legumes in the early spring and early mixed pastures are still mostly grass. I hope these suggestions will be helpful- just remember to check those cows at least once daily.

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Veterinary

Dr William Morland

2012-02-28 12:10:14

Q: When is the right time to spay or neuter puppies and kittens?

A: The answer to this question depends on the situation. Juvenile spay/neuters or early spay/neuters were first introduced in the late 1970’s to help animal shelters begin to seek new ways to combat pet overpopulation. Years of careful observation have shown that pets that were fixed very young have lives that are as long and healthy as any other. In fact research does show that spaying before the first heat prevents the development of mammary tumors and has found that there is no increase in physical or behavioral problems in thousands of animals studied some as long as 11 years after neutering. Puppies and kittens can thus be spayed/neutered very early. It is suggested anywhere between 10 and 16 weeks and when the pet weighs at least 2 lbs. Young animals heal faster and are lower surgical risks than older animals. It is ideal to incorporate the surgery into the very important vaccination schedule and have it completed by four months of age.

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Veterinary

Dr William Morland

2012-01-26 15:26:49

Q: Do I need to worry about pests on my cattle in the winter?

A: The answer is yes. Winter is the prime time of year when lice infestations peak on cattle due to several factors. Lice are small wingless insects that feed on the blood and skin tissues of cattle. They are spread in the herd through direct animal-to-animal contact. Decreased sunlight and low levels of Vitamin A and the normal crowding of herds, all common in the winter months, will influence the spread of lice. Symptoms of lice infestations or pediculosis are: loss of hair, excessive rubbing against the fence or buildings, biting of infested areas of the skin, rough and patchy coat and general unthrifty appearance. There are four different species of lice commonly found on cattle in the U.S. and all four may be present at the same time. The general areas to examine are the neck, back, hips and tailhead. Cattle lice can reduce weight gain and lead to poor reproductive performance as well as damage to property such as fences, hay racks and buildings. Fortunately, there are many broad-spectrum insecticides that will treat lice infestations as well as other parasites. However, since lice infestations usually build up later in the season, fall treatments may not be enough to satisfactorily control cattle lice. Pour on treatments are favored for lice control but insecticide dust bags and oilers can also be effective. See your veterinarian for the most recommended treatments for your herd.

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Veterinary

Dr William Morland

2011-07-01 08:19:00

Question: What is this new disease in horses, and are my animals susceptible?

Answer: First of all, the Equine Herpes virus (EHV) is not a new disease. It is a group of viruses that are found in most horses all over the world. Almost all horses have been infected with the virus and have no serious side effects. It is unknown what causes some of the horses to develop the serious neurological forms that may be fatal. Equine herpes virus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) is another name for the neurologic disease associated with the EHV infections. The two most common strains of EHV are EHV-1, which causes abortion, respiratory disease and neurologic disease; and EHV-4, which usually causes respiratory disease only, but can occasionally cause abortion and rarely neurological disease. Respiratory disease caused by EHV is most common in weaned foals and yearlings, often in autumn and winter. Adult horses are more likely than younger ones to transmit the virus without showing signs of infection. EHV-1 is contagious and spread by direct horse to horse contact via the respiratory tract through nasal secretions. It is important to know that this disease can also be spread indirectly through contact with physical objects contaminated with the virus: • Human contaminated hands or clothing • Contaminated equipment and tack • Contaminated trailers used for transporting horses • Contaminated wipe rags or other grooming equipment • Contaminated feed and water buckets The suspect and confirmed cases of EHM/EHV have been primarily from Western States. The full extent of the outbreak is unknown but under investigation. Since horses move in order to do their jobs, there is always the risk of contact between horses in the western U.S. and those from other regions of North America through contact at events or transport, however, the risk is not a problem in this area. The incidents of the disease in the horses exposed at the Western Horse Show seems to be contained and to date there has been no confirmed cases in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. At this time there are only travel restrictions for horses entering Colorado and Wyoming. Signs of the infection may appear as soon as 24 hours after exposure, but more typically it is 4-6 days. With respiratory infections there is often nasal and ocular discharge, but not a lot of coughing. There may be some enlargement of the lymph nodes. With the neurologic form there are minimal respiratory signs and a high fever may be the only warning sign. Unfortunately, none of the current EHV-1 vaccines carry a label claim for prevention of EHM. However, it is advised that you vaccinate and booster all horses going to regular show and rodeo events. This is one method of trying to avoid a disease outbreak but you should also take precaution when returning from an event to be sure your animals are safe. If you have further question see your local veterinarian.

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Veterinary

Dr William Morland

2011-06-01 12:22:00

Question: What should I do for my calves this spring?

Answer: Newborn calves as they ingest colostrum, gain temporary immunity from diseases. This “first milk” contains maternal antibodies which only last for a few weeks and then the calves must build their own immunities. Vaccinating calves at the proper time can help protect them until weaning age. Usually, you can get a good response to vaccinations by about 3 months old but it depends greatly on how much protection the calf received at birth. The quality and quantity of the colostrum will protect 70 to 80 percent of the calves. When developing calf vaccination programs, it is important to know what disease problems are going on in the herd. There are many different vaccines both for viruses and bacteria, and your local veterinarian will be the best source for which ones to use. Vaccination at some point during the first three months of life can be extremely beneficial and can reduce stress at weaning. The calves are already accustomed to going through the facilities and you will get a better response to weaning-time vaccine which will act as a booster. It is beneficial to vaccinate the calves while they are still on the cow. They are not as stressed and will build better immunity. If you don’t do early vaccinations, it is recommended to vaccinate two to four weeks prior to weaning. Then the calves will get boosters at the day of weaning. Don’t forget to ask your veterinarian about the timing of other procedures such as castration, implanting and protection against external and internal parasites.

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Veterinary

Dr William Morland

2011-02-01 14:24:00

Question: What is trichomonaisis and are my cattle susceptible?

Answer: Trichomoniasis is a reproductive disease in cattle caused by a protozoan parasite that results in early pregnancy loss. It is passed from the bull to the cow or heifer during breeding. While bulls are the primary reservoirs and vector of the organism, cows are also a reservoir of infection. This is not a new disease but it is emerging as a problem in this area. Infected cows and bulls display no clinical symptoms but the disease manifests itself in cows in a number of ways: •A number of open cows at pregnancy check •Abortions •Extended calving season •And in a few infected cows - pyometra and infertility Good record keeping and maintaining a closed herd are the best methods of prevention. Sharing or leasing bulls and “bad fences” will increase risk factors in possibly introducing the disease to your herd. It is only through awareness that trichomoniasis can be managed and reduced. It is a devastating problem if it enters your herd as it is believed to be the biggest reproductive threat to the U.S. cattle industry. Your veterinarian is available for testing bulls and for administering the vaccine that is available. It is important to be aware that this disease is beginning to show up in the four state area and can be prevented if careful management practices are utilized.

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Veterinary

Dr William Morland

2010-12-01 14:26:00

Question: Can you tell me what precautionary steps I can take to keep my young and older livestock healthy during the winter months?

Answer: Cattle need care during cold or wet weather to make sure they stay healthy and perform well. A well managed program to prepare cattle for winter and minimize cold stress can save money and reduce the number of sick animals. Body condition should be assessed as a cow goes into winter, she should be fed to maintain or regain moderate to good condition. Thin cows suffer more from cold stress. In an effort to keep warm, they burn more of their stored body fat. Calves may be born weak, cows may not produce adequate colostrums, and calf survivability is lowered, as is the cow’s ability to breed back on time. To help cows maintain healthy body conditions, vaccinations should be kept up to date. Parasite populations should be controlled, windbreaks and bedding should be provided during the worst of winter’s storms. How much feed or supplement a cow needs depends on weather, body condition, available pasture, age of the cow, whether they are still nursing calves, dry, or ready to calve again soon, or fall calved and need extra nutrition to milk well and breed back again. Young cows need extra nutrition for growth as well as reproduction, especially pregnant yearlings and two year olds that have just weaned their first calf. The two-year-old cow is at the most difficult age, (growing, milking and putting energy into the developing fetus of her second calf). By contrast, mature cows, especially if they enter winter in good body condition, can get by on plainer feed, available in fall pasture or crop residue until they get close to calving again. Older cows may need to winter separately or with the younger ones, if they are thin. It is also important to supplement with salt and minerals, especially in the last two months of gestation and the first three months after calving. If weather is cold and windy, cows need extra feed just to keep warm. This means they need to eat more roughage in cold weather as the fermentation and breakdown of cellulose creates heat energy. During severely cold weather, cattle also need bedding to insulate them from the frozen ground, which will help conserve their body heat. It is most important to closely monitor the conditions of your cattle in the winter months to insure a healthy cow and calf pair once spring arrives.