Spring weather has finally arrived to many parts of the country. The snow (if you got any) has started to melt away and things are starting to grow again.
With the warmer weather and the winter moisture forage grasses have started their “spring Greenup”. It is during this time that forages come out of their dormant stage and begin growing rapidly again.
Though this may seem like the greatest time of the year, what with all of the green across the pasture, it is not without it’s own challenges. It is during this time of year a particular problem know as grass tetany can cause issues with your cowherd.
For those who are not in the know you may be asking “what is grass tetany?”, “what kind of problems can it cause in my operation?” and “How do I treat or even prevent it from happening?”. Well in regards to those questions here are some things that you should consider.
Anyone involved in cattle production is aware of the danger of internal parasites in cattle. Internal parasites, such as lung worms and coccidia, live in the gastro-intestinal tracts of cattle. They will cause decreased production and in some cases even death.
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 it can quickly affect all of your cattle.
Spring weather has finally arrived to many parts of the country. The snow (if you got any) has started to melt away and things are starting to grow again.
Treatment protocols are often seen as something used only by feedyards and large stocker operations. People that deal with large numbers of animals at a time.
Knowing when to assist in calving can be a tricky matter. It requires a delicate balance between not reacting too quickly and not reacting too late. Finding this balance can require a lot of experience and maybe a little luck.
Trichomoniasis, or more commonly know as Trich, is a very serious economic problem for cattle producers. It is a reduced calf crop as well as lower weaning weights. It does this by causing infertility in your breeding cows and requiring a longer breeding season.
It is never good whenever your cattle are suffering from a disease. It can rob you of performance while increasing your expenses.
A well planned out preventative health plan is important for any operation. It prepares weaned calves for the next stage of the production cycle. When it is running correctly they receive a leg up and perform better than those from a less than effective one. Keeping vaccines effective is a very important part of any animal health plan.
