Article published the October 5, 2017
Cross-species infections with influenza A viruses readily occur between humans and pigs. Pigs often have been infected by human epidemic viruses (1), and swine workers and their family members are at increased risk for swine influenza virus (SIV) infection (2–4). We studied swine shows as a setting for influenza A virus transmission (5).The StudyAfter acquiring informed consent, we recruited ...
Article published the August 17, 2017
Cold weather is not just hard on the people taking care of animals, it can be tough on the animals themselves. Consider respiratory disease (pneumonia) in dairy calves. It’s not just our imagination that cold temperatures often bring with them an increase in sick calves; there are physiologic reasons why cold weather increases the risk of respiratory disease. Cold weather enhances the g ...
Article published the August 12, 2014
A previous iGrow article, The Many Shades of Lameness looked at detection of lameness in feedlot and pasture cattle. What are the processes that contribute to these cases of lameness? One way to classify the various cause of lameness in cattle is to group them into two different categories: bacterial infection and injury. Some lameness cases will bridge these two classifications: sometimes lamenes ...
Article published the August 11, 2014
As area beef herds become involved in making decisions about bulls for next breeding season, herd health and reproductive disease should be considered in the context of what age and type of bulls are being purchased.
Perhaps the one reproductive disease for which the bull plays a critical role in transmission is that of trichomoniasis, or “trich”. This disease has been around for gene ...
Article published the June 17, 2014
Recently, livestock producers and veterinarians have been hearing about changes coming in the way antibiotics are used in food animals. In mid-December, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a final “guidance for industry” that starts the clock running on some of these changes. Initially, it’s the animal health companies that will be adjusting their practices -- adjust ...
Article published the November 20, 2013
In the last column we discussed supplies a cattle producer should have around in case they need to help a mother cow deliver her calf. What about after that calf is on the ground? Do you have the right supplies on hand to help that calf get up and running?
Immediately after delivery of a calf, it's oftentimes necessary to help the calf start breathing. The “straw in the nose” trick wo ...
Article published the October 10, 2013
Even before the big "snow event" of last week, I was getting calls from herds in the middle of calf scours wrecks. Now, there really haven't been that many - it's been about an average year so far, but I expect that will be changing as our snow melts. The resulting muddy sloppy conditions usually mean a great environment for the germs that afflict baby calves in their first few weeks of life.
Man ...
Article published the September 23, 2013
Pneumonia in beef calves following the stress of weaning or shipping has been very well-documented. However, not as much is known about the risk factors that contribute to pneumonia in calves on pasture prior to weaning.
Pneumonia in young beef calves on pasture can manifest itself in several different ways. The clinical picture may include obvious signs such as increased respiratory rate or coug ...
Participation in Forum on September 2, 2013
The oocysts can be visualized under the microscope when fecal smears are treated with acid-fast stains. A picture can be seen at http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/disease-images.php?name=cryptosporidiosis.
Thanks, Russ Daly
Article published the August 28, 2013
One of the germs that contributes to calf scours cases is cryptosporidia, or "crypto". Crypto is a one-celled protozoa that is normally present in small numbers in the digestive tract of cows and calves. As such, it's not an organism you can eliminate from a farm. Calves pick this bug up from manure on their mother or in their pen. It's a very hardy germ; in cool temperatures it can survive for we ...