BRD, or bovine respiratory disease, is a general term for any respiratory disease in cattle. A range of factors can cause this disease. The common names usually used for this disease are pneumonia or shipping fever. Stocker and feedlot operations are often where this disease occurs. It occurs more often there because of the extreme stress that calves are put under from weaning and then being shipped.
This disease has multiple causes and develops due to complex interactions between various factors—environmental factors, host factors, and pathogens. Environmental factors include weaning, transport, commingling, and crowding, to name a few. These factors serve as stressors that adversely affect calves’ immune systems.
While feedlot and stocker operations are usually affected by this, it can also happen to cow/calf producers. Almost 20% of cow/calf operations experience nursing-calf pneumonia. It is the leading cause of death for calves three weeks of age and older. To keep your calves right on track, consider these four tips to keep BRD under control.
Despite the time and equipment costs, growing your own feed can be a powerful strategy. It allows you to maintain an inventory, reducing the risk of short supplies and protecting you from seasonal price fluctuations. Moreover, it empowers you to tailor energy and protein production to match your herd’s feed requirements, giving you a strong sense of control and confidence in your operations.
Gut health, often overlooked but crucial, is a vital component of a successful operation. While most people have a basic understanding of its role in nutrient absorption, there’s much more to it. As producers, fully grasping the concept and the factors that influence it can empower us to make informed decisions for our cattle’s well-being.
Trichomoniasis, or Trich for short, is not just a disease; it’s a severe economic problem for cattle producers. It impacts your bottom line significantly, leading to a reduced calf crop and lower weaning weights. This disease can render your breeding cows infertile and potentially extend your breeding season, causing substantial financial losses.
Internal parasites are a problem that every beef producer must face. They are a constant annoyance that can rob a beef operation of its productivity. They impair production by increasing maintenance energy costs, diet digestibility, and immune activity.
Summer pneumonia, sometimes referred to as pasture pneumonia, is a disease that is usually observed in calves on pasture late in summer. It can affect calves from one month old to even five months old who have yet to be weaned. The issue with this disease is that little is known about it, and it can pop up from nowhere.
With summer arriving, treating pinkeye is an issue many cattle producers will face. As conditions get drier, dust levels rise, increasing eye irritants that can lead to this painful infection. Pinkeye doesn’t just affect the health of your cattle; it has a significant economic impact as well. Each year, pinkeye costs the cattle industry approximately $150 million due to decreased weight gain, reduced milk production, and the expenses associated with treatment.
It is never good when your cattle suffer from diseases. They can reduce your performance and increase your expenses.
Pinkeye is a very common as well as a highly contagious disease in cattle. Once it shows up, if you do not take proper steps immediately, it can quickly affect all of your cattle.
Bovine Leukemia Virus is a hidden but damaging infection. In fact, it could be in your herd right now, and you would likely not even know it is there. It already has a significant impact on the cattle industry at large.
