The fall season can be problematic for a beef producer. As you go into it after a dry, hot summer, the entire herd may be stressed. The combination of high heat, short grass, and low water tanks can stress cattle and make them more prone to disease.
This time of year can be a problem for all of your cattle. At the end of summer, the cows are likely pulled down to a thin body condition because of lower-quality forage and nursing calves. Your bulls are worn out from breeding and may also be on the light side. A typical situation during this time of year is that the calves deal with the most stressful time of their lives during weaning.
Producers can prevent or minimize health problems in the fall by reducing stress. You can do this by providing adequate nutrition and improving sanitation. Below is some information about four types of diseases you might encounter during this time of year.
Acorn poisoning
As the cold fronts start rolling in, they can knock green acorns from oak trees. Most cattle like the taste of acorns and will try to seek them out if they can. The thing is that eating a little bit is not that bad, but hungry cattle that eat too much of them will get sick. Their digestive tract will get upset, leading to things like diarrhea. Along with this, they can become dehydrated, constipated, and can even die.
The poisoning from acorns is caused by chemicals called tannins. The poisoning is typically a problem when they are in the green stage. Usually, overeating happens in pastures where there is not much grass or hay for them to eat. Cattle eating the buds and young leaves straight from the oak tree can also cause this problem.
Effects from this start 8-14 days after cattle have started eating acorns. The protein content of their diet will influence the number of acorns tolerated by the animal. For example, if the protein intake is high, the animal can consume more acorns without showing much sign of poisoning.
Symptoms and treatment
The effects of this are typical for stomach issues. Cattle affected by this will have a poor appetite, appear dull, become constipated, and suffer weight loss. They may also pass blood either in the manure or from the nose. Bad diarrhea may follow after constipation. Your affected animals will drink large amounts of water.
The treatment for this will depend on the severity of the poisoning. There is not much that you can do for the ones that are severely affected. For the rest, provide a supplemental feed containing hydrated lime and protein. These two work as a type of antidote to the tannins. You will want to mix and cube the feed for breeding cattle and feed at a rate of 4 pounds per head per day.
Plant poisoning in fall pastures
Deaths in early fall are often caused by nitrate and toxic plant poisoning. It is a problem when cattle are turned out on an overgrazed summer pasture just because there was a little green-up. After the fall rains have stimulated new growth, cattle may consume too much of the new growth. Consuming too much will cause them to suffocate because of something called ” fog fever“.
The “fog fever‘ is caused by respiratory distress syndrome that can occur in 5 to 10 days. Nitrate poisoning occurs when heavily stressed forages, like in a drought, start rapidly growing again due to rain. All plants have nitrates that they use to store nutrients while growing. When it experiences sudden rapid growth, the nitrates stay in the leaves of the growth where cattle consume them.
Cattle with mild conditions can recover just as quickly as the symptoms appear. The issue with nitrate poisoning is that usually, by the time the symptoms are noticeable, the cow is already dead. Prevention is really the key when dealing with this. You should test any questionable forages for nitrates before feeding them.
Nitrate poisoning symptoms and treatment
Along with the lack of oxygen, there are a few different symptoms to keep an eye out for. Muscle tremors, weakness, lack of coordination, diarrhea, frequent urination, and dark red blood are other typical symptoms. Salivation and bloat are also typical in this situation. It is also likely that this scenario will result in rapid and noisy breathing.
Due to how quickly it kills, there are no suitable treatments out there; prevention is the key. One such thing is that, as I mentioned before, you have your forages tested. If you have any good rain, you should wait 3-5 days before turning your cows out in the pasture. If your hay has levels of nitrates, you can mix them with non-nitrate toxic forages to water down the amount cattle can eat.
Coccidiosis
As the weather gets cooler, that means that moisture will not evaporate as quickly as during the summer. Feeding hay during this time can also be problematic because cattle gather in a small area, churning up the soil. With this combination, you can end up with a muddy mess and the potential for coccidiosis.
A protozoan parasite causes it called the coccidia. Both carriers and affected animals shed it in their feces. This parasite becomes mature in moist, warm environments. Affected animals consume contaminated feed, water, and pastures when they consume contaminated feed, water, and pastures. This parasite is very resilient and can survive in moist, shaded areas for several years.
Exposure and infection do not always result in symptoms in animals. They can go on to develop species-specific immunity.
Prevention of this disease is pretty simple. Providing a clean, dry environment goes a long way in keeping this disease in check. The most effective treatment for sick animals is supportive therapy and antibiotics. Ideally, you should isolate the infected animal to prevent getting the others sick. According to Oklahoma State, giving Amprolium at 10 mg/kg/day for five days is a typical treatment.
Pinkeye in the fall
Now, you might think that pinkeye is something that only happens during the summer, but you would be wrong. It can happen anytime cattle come across eye irritants. Things like dust or hay can get in there, causing pinkeye to appear.
There are three stages of pinkeye, depending on the severity of the condition. Stage 1 involves more tearing and sensitivity to sunlight, and the cornea will develop a slightly cloudy grey appearance. In stage 2 is similar, except the eye will become more cloudy, and the blood vessels on the outside of the eye will begin to grow to make it appear pink. Stage 3 is the most severe, where the inflammation spreads to the inner part of the eye, and the inside will fill with a pus-like substance.
The treatment that you go with will depend on what stage the cow is in. A tetracycline or similar antibiotic will always be needed, regardless of the phase of the disease. Placing a patch over the cow’s eye to prevent further irritation is also essential.
If you are looking for more information about pinkeye, then check out my previous post, “Ultimate revelation of cattle pinkeye”.
