Tag: respiratory

How to overcome BRD and protect your profits

How to overcome BRD and protect your profitsBRD, or bovine respiratory disease, is a general term for any respiratory disease in cattle. There is a range of factors that 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—things such as environmental factors, host factors, and pathogens. The environmental factors are things like weaning, transport, commingling, and crowding, to name a few. These factors serve as stressors that adversely affect the immune system of calves.

While feedlot and stocker operations usually are 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.

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What you need to know about summer pneumonia

What you need to know about summer pneumoniaSummer 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 that have yet to be weaned from just one-month-old to even five months of age. The issue with this disease is that not much is known about it, and it can pop up from nowhere.
Why do your seemingly healthy-looking calves suddenly come down with pneumonia? Why this happens is a question that has plagued many producers over the years. Respiratory diseases in pre-weaned calves are always producers’ concerns, with unpredictable outbreaks.
The frustrating thing is that your calves may not even be considered “high risk” for pneumonia. They are still with their mother and are not having to deal with any stressors, such as changes in environment or diet. Understanding the why and how of this disease is crucial for any cow/calf producer.

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4 Tips for Managing BRD

4 tips for managing brdBRD, or bovine respiratory disease, is a general term for respiratory disease in cattle. A range of factors can cause this disease. The common names normally used for this disease is pneumonia or shipping fever. Stocker and feedlot operations is often where this disease occurs.

This disease has multiple different causes and develops as a result of complex interactions between different factors. Things such as environmental factors, host factors, and pathogens. The environmental factors are things like weaning, transport, commingling, and crowding to name a few. These factors serve as stressors that adversely affect the immune system of calves.

While feedlot and stocker operations are normally 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 3 weeks of age and older. To keep your calves right on track consider these 4 tips to keep BRD under control.

Continue reading