November 4, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSU Extension offers advice on evaluating soil health

Image via: nrcs.usda.gov

Image via: nrcs.usda.gov

BOZEMAN – Experts with Montana State University and MSU Extension have recommendations for growers on evaluating soil quality and health.

The concept may seem subjective, but there are ways to measure and improve soil health. It takes time to measure, monitor and manage to improve soil health, but it can be worth the effort for potential benefit in sustainability and productivity.

“With ‘soil heath’ now being a frequently heard term, we want agricultural producers to be aware of what factors contribute to soil heath and how they can be reliably measured,” said Clain Jones, Extension soil fertility specialist at MSU.

Soil productivity is influenced by its chemical characteristics, physical structure and biological activity. Measurements of these properties provide an estimate of the soil’s ability to produce crops. Indicators of soil productivity can be tracked over time, compared in side-by-side fields, or compared to a reference soil and are useful to assess the effect of management or evaluate problem areas.

Chemical soil characteristics, including pH, soil organic matter, nutrient levels and cation exchange capacity are often part of routine soil analyses done by analytical labs. The physical properties such as available water holding capacity (also called plant available water), bulk density, porosity and aggregate stability, are also most reliable if measured by an accredited lab, yet not all labs perform these measurements. Field tests are available for many of these soil properties but they often rely on subjective interpretation of potentially imprecise measurements. Microbial activity is also important, yet has the least defined set of measureable factors by which it can be quantified.

For a quick assessment of soil health, get out a shovel and dig. Compare a cropped soil with undisturbed fence-line soil. How deep do roots go? Does it break apart easily? Does it smell earthy? Is there evidence of worms? Darker color indicates more soil organic matter or soil carbon.

“The shovel test can give the grower an idea of their soil quality and identify what problems they might be facing,” said Jones.

Major steps towards increasing soil health are to reduce tillage, increase crop diversity and reduce fallow time by including alternative crops or cover crops into the rotations.

For more detailed information on soil health indicators and measurements, see Jones’ The Soil Scoop on his website, or contact Clain Jones at [email protected] or 406-994-6076.

November 3, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Quality Beef from Quality Cattle Care | 10 Things To Know

Ed & David Fryer BQA at Castle Mountain RanchQuality beef comes from cattle who are well cared for and raised with a strong code of ethics and values. Ranchers providing that care are passionate and dedicated in what they do. Despite some reports from activists groups who use online forums to promote mistreatment of animals and solicit fund raising for their programs, cattle ranchers across the country devote significant time and resources to ensuring their livestock are cared for properly.

Beginning in the 1970s, cattle producers began to develop programs to evaluate, measure and ensure quality care for livestock and a safe beef supply. Today, that program has developed into the Beef Quality Assurance Program with guiding principles to establish standards for animal care.

  • WE BELIEVE production practices affect consumer acceptance of beef.
  • WE BELIEVE the BQA Program has and must continue to empower beef producers to improve the safety and wholesomeness of beef.
  • WE BELIEVE these fundamental principles are the fabricoftheBQA Program.
    1. Empowering people…because producers can make a difference.
    2. Taking responsibility…because it’s our job, not someone else’s.
    3. Working together…because product safety and wholesomeness is everyone’s business.
Beef Quality Assurance ProgramsCattle ranchers take pride in their responsibility to raising cattle, taking care of their land, and being good stewards of their resources. To suggest ranchers lack the proper values in raising safe, quality food, would be misleading. Thousands of cattle ranchers across the country participate in the Beef Quality Assurance programs which outline a Code of Cattle Care to ensure proper care and handling of livestock:
  1. Provide necessary food, water and care to protect the health and well-being of animals.
  2. Provide disease prevention practices to protect herd health, including access to veterinary care.
  3. Provide facilities that allow safe, humane, and efficient movement and/or restraint of cattle.
  4. Use appropriate methods to humanely euthanize terminally sick or injured livestock and dispose of them properly.
  5. Provide personnel with training/experience to properly handle and care for cattle.
  6. Make timely observations of cattle to ensure basic needs are being met.
  7. Minimize stress when transporting cattle.
  8. Keep updated on advancements and changes in the industry to make decisions based upon sound production practices and consideration for animal well-being.
  9. Persons who willfully mistreat animals will not be tolerated.

Want to hear from some of these ranchers? Take time to view interviews with Montana ranchers as they discuss their dedication to the livestock and the lifestyle by visiting our YouTube channel.

The Beef Quality Assurance Program outlines the minimum expectations of ranchers for cattle care and handling. To learn more about the program, visit BQA.org or contact your state’s coordinator. Learn more about Montana’s BQA program by visiting their Facebook page or by contacting Bill Pelton at (406) 671-5100 or by email at [email protected].

What questions do you have about Beef Quality Assurance? Leave a comment below or email [email protected]. This is part of a month-long series of 10 Things to Know about Cattle. To read other posts in the series, click the image below.

Click this image to view all posts in the 30-day blogging series, 10 Things to Know About Cattle

Click this image to view all posts in the 30-day blogging series, 10 Things to Know About Cattle

November 2, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Introduction to Cattle Digestion | 10 Things To Know

Image via extension.umn.edu

Image via extension.umn.edu

Forages are the number one source of nutrition for cattle. Cattle are able to utilize a great number of forages, plants, and crop by-products as feed that humans cannot digest. They’re great recyclers and by utilizing cattle we’re able to produce food on millions of acres that otherwise wouldn’t be suitable for growing crops. Cattle are ruminants, meaning they digest feeds through microbial processes, compared to digestion through enzymes in monogastrics like horses, pigs and humans. Many scientists dedicate entire careers to the understanding of ruminant nutrition and are continually learning more about helping cattle to be more efficient and optimal producers through their diets.

Cattle have the capacity to consume 2-3% of their body weight in dry forages each day. That’s 24-36 pounds for a 1,200 lb animal. Less mature, higher quality forages will be digested more quickly and increase capacity for consumption. Lower quality feeds, high in lignin require more time for digestion and slow intake.

  1. Cattle have 1 stomach with four compartments – rumen (major digestion site), reticulum (honeycomb structure), omasum (has many folds, major site of water absorption), abomasum (true stomach, acid producing).
  2. The rumen is similar to a fermentation vat that can contain up to 50 gallons of material in adult cattle. The other stomach compartments regulate particle size. Once small enough, particles are allowed to pass from the rumen, to the other stomach compartments for continued digestion and absorption.
  3. Cattle spend about 8 hours each day “chewing the cud. They are regurgitating food boluses from the rumen and chewing up fibrous materials making them smaller for quicker digestion. This action stimulates saliva production, up to 45 gallons per day, that helps to maintain proper pH levels for rumen function.
  4. Most digestion in cattle occurs through bacteria and protozoa present in the rumen that digest feedstuffs to produce nutrients that the animal utilizes. The lining of the rumen is filled with finger-like projections called papillae that increase absorption capacity of the products of microbial digestion.
  5. Cattle are able to utilize a great number of feed sources because of the rumen microbes. Two basic groups of rumen bacteria exist to digest either structural (cellulose or hemicellulose from forages) or nonstructural (starch from grains) carbohydrates to obtain energy. Other feedstuffs broken down in the rumen include sugar, organic acids, protein or fat.
  6. Volatile Fatty Acids are the major products of rumen digestion and supply 80% of the animal’s energy requirements. The primary VFAs produced are acetic acid (60%), propionic acid (up to 20% on a high grain diet), and butyric acid (12-18%). Other products include heat, gases, amino acids and B-complex vitamins.
  7. The digestion of rumen microbes supply 60% of the animal’s protein requirement. To maintain microbial growth and function in the rumen, a minimum of only 7% crude protein from dietary intake is required. Excess protein in the diet is an inefficiency in the cattle diet and is broken down and excreted as ammonia through the urine.
  8. Fistulated cow with nutrition researcher examining rumen contents. Image via ans.iastate.edu

    Fistulated cow with nutrition researcher examining rumen contents. Image via ans.iastate.edu

    The balance of microbe populations in a proper diet keeps rumen pH in a range of 5.8 to 6.4. An abrupt change in major components of cattle diets (i.e. forages to grains), can result in excess acid production, resulting in a condition known as acidosis.  A transition period allows adjustment of rumen microbe populations and prevents this condition.

  9. Much of the information we learn about cattle digestion is learned through research using a fistula. This is a hole placed in the side of a cow where a rubber seal and plug are surgically placed. The plug can be removed and researchers can observe and sample rumen activity and contents. The fistula doesn’t harm or injure the cow and they are rarely used outside of research efforts.
What questions do you have about cattle digestion and the feeds they eat? Leave a comment below or email [email protected]. This is part of a month-long series of 10 Things to Know about Cattle. To read other posts in the series, click the image below.
Click this image to view all posts in the 30-day blogging series, 10 Things to Know About Cattle

Click this image to view all posts in the 30-day blogging series, 10 Things to Know About Cattle

November 1, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Montana Farm and Ranch Facts | 10 Things To Know

Click this image to view all posts in the 30-day blogging series, 10 Things to Know About Cattle

Click this image to view all posts in the 30-day blogging series, 10 Things to Know About Cattle

We spend our entire lives working on ranches, going to meetings with other ranchers, and talking about the markets… with other ranchers. Sometimes it is easy to forget that many of the things we take for granted and the knowledge we see as second-nature may not always be known by someone who hasn’t been in the business very long. The ranching community is finally recognizing the fact that many customers buying our beef may not always realize these things either. That is part of our responsibility in advocacy – sharing the knowledge and information we have with those who are asking questions and seeking out answers.

During the month of November, we’ll be sharing “10 Things to Know About Cattle” as a part of Holly Spangler’s blogging challenge. Each day will be a different topic that will hopefully share some insightful information about things we encounter in the Montana ranching business. Some of it may be old hat for those of you who have been in the business a while. Hopefully, we will be sharing information for readers who are looking to learn more.

This won’t be an easy task, but we are always up for a good challenge! Have any suggestions for topics to cover? Leave your questions in the comments section below or email [email protected].

Granville Stuart Montana StockgrowersIt only seems right to kick off the series with an introduction to the Montana cattle business. Here are 10 things you may or may not have known about the history of Montana farming and ranching and where we’re at today.

  1. The Montana Stockgrowers Association has been representing the interests of Montana’s ranchers since 1884. A launching effort to organize the group was by Granville Stuart leading up to the “Cowboy Legislature” of 1885 which established many laws focused on protecting cattle from predators, diseases and rustlers that were taking a toll on the early ranchers.
  2. Cattle ranching in Montana has its roots beginning in the 1850s. One of the earliest ranches was started by Conrad Kohrs. This ranch is now the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site owned by the National Park Service.
  3. Montana is home to 28,100 farm and ranch operations that cover 59,700,000 acres of land (63%  of state land area). The average size of these Montana farms and ranches is 2,125 acres.
  4. There are 93,155,800 acres of land in Montana. 32,473,220 acres, 34.86%, are public lands managed by state and federal agencies. Montana ranchers utilize much of this land through grazing leases to feed cattle during the summer months, which helps to manage wildlife habitat.
  5. Montana ranks number 10 in the country for number of cattle and calves; number 7 for the number of sheep and lambs (236.646).
  6. Cattle outnumber people in the state of Montana, 2.5:1. There are 2,550,000 head of cattle in Montana, as of January 1, 2014, and only 1,015,000 people (2013).
  7. Most cattle on Montana are on cow/calf operations. There are only 45,000 cattle on feed and 14,000 dairy cows in the state.
  8. The average Montana farmer and rancher is 58.9 years of age. 84% of primary operators are men. 45% of operators have another primary source of income, outside of farming and ranching.
  9. Agriculture is Montana’s number 1 industry, cattle being the largest commodity with $1,783,908,000 in sales. The 2012 market value of all Montana agricultural products sold was $4,230,083,000, ranking 29th in the U.S.
  10. Each year, farms and ranches contribute $3,516,180,000 to the Montana economy in purchasing power. The average annual net farm income is $41,855.

Have questions or suggested topics for this 30 day series? Leave them in the comments section below or email [email protected].

Here is a list of all the bloggers participating in the challenge. Be sure to click on over and show your support for their blogging efforts too!
October 29, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Why is Biosecurity so important in my cattle operation?

MSU Extension Montana Nutrition Conference and Livestock ForumBy Dr. Jeanne M. Rankin, MSU Extension, Agro-Emergency Projects Coordinator- [email protected]

This is the time of year that people are showing their cattle at large exhibitions across the country and exposing them to many other ranches and farms and different diseases and parasites. We don’t often think about the potential to bring home disease from shows that we are so excited to exhibit our animals in to advertise our great breeding programs.

We are busy feeding, clipping and prepping our animals and getting all of the feed and tack ready to go, we often forget to think about minimizing our animals’ risk of picking up an infection at the show. Our animals are tied next to others and may have the ability to be nose to nose with other animals or to share feed and water buckets, thereby increasing the risk of bringing home a disease.

Most diseases of any significance to beef cattle are spread via the respiratory or GI tract- BVD, Johne’s, or any of the shipping fever diseases (IBR, BRSV, Pasturella, Haemophilus or PI3) and take several days to a week to develop an infection in our show animal. Most people might be feeding them separately at home prior to the show but afterwards they are often turned out amongst the rest of that age group, able to spread any respiratory or GI secretions with everybody. By simply keeping them or any new additions to the herd penned separately for 2 -3 weeks we can avoid spreading a contagious disease to our entire herd.

I have heard stories of people going to cattle shows and coming home with either BVD or Johne’s. BVD can be managed and treated- of course with reproductive losses as a potential; but Johne’s disease is completely devastating and impossible to remove from your landscape once it is present. If we can apply good Biosecurity practices for the common diseases we will be able to minimize the risk of highly contagious diseases like FMD, wiping out our individual herd as well as the national herd.

Top 10 Livestock Biosecurity Tips

My top ten taken from my Farm First Biosecurity ™ program:

  1. Have a Bio-Security Plan posted, review it annually and stick to it.
    • Assess your risks (Animal movement, Disease risk, Facilities, Feed and bedding, Veterinarian, Human movement)
    • Manage the risks after identification
    • Communicate the mitigation factors (Signs, Boot wash, Employees, Visitors)
  2. Keep a Closed herd-limit/restrict non-natural additions
  3. Isolation pen for sick or purchased animals
  4. House common aged animals together-“All in-All out” Neonates are very susceptible to diseases and many neonatal diseases can be prevented by reducing exposure to older animals.
  5. Reduce stress of crowding by having adequate bunk space, shelter and limiting additions
  6. Proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for environment- footwear, coveralls, foot baths, gloves etc.
  7. Separate cleaning utensils for sick pen and healthy pens. Different forks for hay versus manure pile
  8. Limit visitors from:
    • Similar species operations- Dictate fresh change of footwear and clothing before visiting your barn and pens
    • international visitors from livestock operations- Foreign Animal Diseases
  9. Wildlife/Pets Biosecurity
  10. Have an Emergency Preparedness/Evacuation Plan

Selected websites for further review

Please visit with your herd veterinarian for more information relative to managing/minimizing risks specific to your herd.

October 21, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Addressing Antibiotic Resistance and Livestock Use

Antibiotics Use Livestock ResistanceFor many Americans purchasing food products at local grocery stores and retailers, there has been a growing movement to learn more about where our food comes from. Many food consumers have been asking to know who produces their food and under what conditions it was raised. Many people are asking for more transparency from food companies in order to learn more about the farming and ranching practices in place. As members of the farming and ranching community, we have a vital role in providing that information.

One of the more frequently discussed topics among food customers today is about the role of antibiotics use in livestock systems. As livestock producers, we understand there are variety of tools used on farms, ranches and feedlots which include vaccines, good nutrition programs and proper housing to keep animals healthy. Antibiotics are only one tool in a plan of good production practices to raise healthy animals. We also understand the importance of judicious use of these tools to keep them effective for animal health, food safety, costs, and proper management.

Last week, PBS Frontline aired an episode focused on the use of antibiotics and questions surrounding the cause of increasing antibiotic resistance in the human population. Though there are several possible sources for this medical trend, livestock were focused on as a possible cause. As members of the livestock we understand the continual to improve the way we utilize tools such as antibiotics, but we may not always communicate that clearly. It is a cooperation between local producers, veterinarians and federal officials who collaborate to improve our methods with food safety in mind.

With that in mind, we have a few points to address on the issue of antibiotic use in food animals and it’s relation to food safety. To learn more about these topics, be sure to consult your local veterinarian and be sure to share examples of how you ensure judicious and responsible antibiotic use on your livestock operation.

Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is incredibly complex and it’s rare for a strain of bacteria from our food supply to be resistant to antibiotics. 

  • Antibiotic resistance occurs when antibiotics attack the majority of bacteria but a few may survive and “mutate” or adapt to the drugs in ways that help them resist treatment by the same drug in the future.
  • The vast majority of antibiotic resistant bacteria are non-foodborne, emerging decades ago in hospital settings or communities and are not linked to animals in our food system.
  • There are occasional cases of antibiotic resistant foodborne bacteria, such as antibiotic resistant salmonella, but those cases are rare.

The chance a person becomes ill from antibiotic resistant foodborne bacteria and not being able to be treated with alternative antibiotics is slim, with many safeguards built in to keep it from happening, such as responsible antibiotic use, research and surveillance.

  • In order for foodborne bacteria to become resistant and impact human health, the bacteria would have to develop a resistant animal strain, survive food processing and handling, proper cooking and find a human with an illness/weakened immune system as the host, survive the human’s body (which will naturally fight the bacteria) and result in a human seeking treatment with the same antibiotic that was used to treat the animal. If antibiotic resistant bacteria were to cause human illness, it means that the standard treatment doesn’t work and that other treatments may have to be considered. So, people becoming ill from antibiotic resistant foodborne bacteria and not being able to be treated in some manner, is extremely rare.  

Farmers, ranchers, veterinarians and animal health experts work together to make sure they’re using antibiotics responsibly, in order to reduce the chances of antibiotic resistance forming. 

In the animal agriculture industry, we work hard to stop the potential formation of antibiotic resistant bacteria by using antibiotics responsibly:

  • Identify the right illness that the animal has by consulting with animal health experts and veterinarians when necessary
  • Pinpoint the right treatment and dose needed to treat that specific illness, condition or concern
  • Administer the antibiotic for the right amount of time by following the law and clear label instructions (not stopping antibiotics early, which is a threat for antibiotic resistance in humans)
  • Conduct the right research to make sure that we continue to protect both animal and human health

Continued research on antibiotic resistance is needed to fully understand antibiotic resistance and address questions about multiple resistance, or co-resistance, which is when bacteria become resistant to several different types or classes of antibiotics and the agriculture community is committed to being part of this important research and dialogue.

  • The agricultural community is proactively working to minimize future risk and continuing to conduct research to look at this important topic.
  • Everyone – farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, doctors, the government, researchers and companies working in animal or human medicine – needs to work collaboratively to protect animal and human health.
  • The agricultural industry is committed to looking at any and all opportunities to mitigate antibiotic resistance in order to make sure we’re continuing to improve the way we use these very important tools.

Antibiotic Use in the Livestock Industry

We can all agree that healthy animals are the basis of a healthy, humane and safe food supply.

  • When antibiotics are used, they are used judiciously to keep the potential risk extremely low of developing antibiotic resistant bacteria that is harmful to people.
  • The beef community has invested in quality assurance programs, research and education designed to maintain high standards of animal care and health and to help us continuously improve how we use antibiotics.
  • Farmers and ranchers have no reason to overuse antibiotics but rather every reason to use them as selectively as possible. For one, it’s the law, but antibiotics also are a costly input for the small business men and women who raise cattle for beef.
  • If farmers did not treat sick animals, many would suffer and die.  This would be inhumane.

The livestock community, including farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, the federal government and the animal health companies that make antibiotics, proactively are working together to continuously improve the way we responsibly use antibiotics in livestock.

  • Changes in FDA Guidance 209 and 213 that will eliminate growth promotion uses of medically important antibiotics and extend veterinary oversight.
  • Within about four years, any medically important antibiotics used in animals will only be for therapeutic purposes and under the supervision of a veterinarian.

To learn more about the use of antibiotics in livestock production, visit with a local veterinarian or find a farmer or rancher in the area to ask their perspectives. You can also find more online tools and information at these links:

October 17, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Tips and tools to integrate safety into your cattle operation

IMG_7623When raising livestock, even the most gentle cows may unintentionally cause injury to a handler. In fact, the National Agricultural Safety Database statistics show that one in three farm worker injuries involve handling animals. Many of these injuries include broken bones and crushed limbs that lead to missed days of work and unnecessary medical expenses due to a lack of safety awareness. That’s why an understanding of animal behavior is essential to prevent accidents.

“Handlers must be aware of how animals react in different situations,” said Dr. Roger Winter, technical services veterinarian, AgriLabs. “Cattle are extremely sensitive to loud noises, shadows or too much pressure, and this kicks in their ‘fight or flight’ reaction. In turn, this could lead to a potentially dangerous predicament.”

Understanding the flight zone

The flight zone is one of the most important principles regarding cattle behavior and safe handling. It can be thought of as a circle around an animal, or in essence, the animal’s personal space. The radius of this circle is the distance at which an animal will move away from a “predator” that comes too close.

The flight zone varies with each animal, depending on its previous life experiences or perhaps just not recognizing a shape or movement of the “predator”. Cattle that have never seen a human before may have a very large flight zone. While cattle more familiar with people, depending on how they are approached whether on foot, RTV, truck or horse, will be more comfortable and have a very small flight zone. In both extremes, whether it is a large or small flight zone, it can lead to dangerous situations when it comes to trying to move cattle from one location to another.

“In fact, when producers are working cattle, a lack of patience leads to pushing cattle too hard or too fast,” said Winter. “Animals then experience a feeling of slight anxiety (which is the goal) and then react with fear. At this point, their ‘flight’ reaction kicks in, causing them to run and crash into fences, gates or vehicles. Cattle then can sustain bruises, broken legs, foot injuries, or lacerations, and when humans are in the wrong location when this occurs, they can be injured as well.”

Ways to enhance safety

It’s best to remember that animals don’t think the way we do. Learning a few basic tips can help to reduce the chance of injuries to people and livestock, and will help improve handling skills, whether cattle are being gathered from the pasture or processed. Some safety tips include:

  • Know your animals — Learn how cattle think. Cattle are prey animals and as such, are constantly on the lookout for predators, whether that be wolves or people. Understanding how cattle react and behave is key to ensuring safety.
  • Get acclimated — Injuries to cattle and people can be minimized by taking the time to let them get use to their surroundings and movements of the people working around them.
  • Appropriate application of pressure — If producers spend a little time slowly walking at a distance from their animals without causing them too much anxiety, their livestock will eventually realize they are not a threat. In time, the producer can move in a little closer and as the flight zone is approached, the animals will begin to move away. This concept, when used properly, will allow the producer to apply and release pressure at appropriately times and positions to gently move animals with limited excitement.

“When producers learn to utilize these techniques effectively, everyone benefits,” said Winter. “This means fewer injuries for everyone involved and better performance for the cattle due to a lower-stress environment.”

Effective horn fly control; less disruption for cattle

Building upon the safety and low-stress aspect, AgriLabs has an innovative approach to control horn flies and lice on cattle called the VetGun™ which requires no confining or handling.

The VetGun is a precision-engineered remote delivery device powered with CO2 to project a precise dosage of an insecticide-filled gel capsule known as AiM-L™ VetCaps™.  Upon impact, the VetCap bursts on the animal, releasing its contents to treat the animal.

The entire process is completed quickly and with far less disruption or stress than any conventional process that requires cattle to be gathered, yarded or run through a chute. Essentially, it improves the overall welfare by making the process safer for both cattle and ranchers.

“While everyone handles livestock a little differently, it’s all about using common sense and good judgment,” said Winter. “It’s a plus when producers also understand animal behavior, which in turn can increase their level of safety when handling livestock.”

About AgriLabs

AgriLabs is a leading animal health, sales and marketing organization with distribution throughout the United States. Through technology transfer and cooperative development agreements, AgriLabs has introduced state-of-the-art products for beef, dairy and companion animal industries. The wholly-owned ProLabs® (www.prolabpets.com) division focuses on new product development of companion animal products into the over-the-counter channel. The VaxLiant™ (www.vaxliant.com) company is an adjuvant company designed to modernize how vaccines deliver antigens to prevent disease with its ENABL™ and Biomize™ adjuvants.

About SmartVet

SmartVet is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in developing novel formulations optimized for topical and transdermal delivery for free-ranging livestock. Established in 2006, its mission is to make livestock producers’ lives easier by providing simple and convenient solutions to common problems, to deliver product onto livestock at the time it would be most effective and to apply medications to cattle without needing to handle them. The VetGun delivery system optimizes both the delivery process and the timing of treatment, reducing the impact of parasites and other diseases. SmartVet’s headquarters are located in the International Animal Health and Food Safety Institute in the Kansas Biosciences Park in Olathe, Kansas. Visit smartvet.com for more information.

Thank you to AgriLabs for being a supporter of the Montana Stockgrowers Association. If you’d like to learn more about becoming a member or supporter, please see our Allied Industry Information listed at mtbeef.org.

October 15, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Industry Offers New Tool for BVD Management

Article Courtesy of Micky Burch, Nebraska Cattlemen

Montana Rancher Feature Q&A: Scott Wiley of MusselshellMany of us have heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” That lesson can be taken to heart when managing your cow herd for bovine viral diarrhea (BVD). BVD is a transitional disease, which means you can’t tell by looking if an animal has the virus. Years of research has helped identify the disease as having significant effects on productivity, especially reproductive and respiratory health, and now a new tool – BVD CONSULT (Collaborative Online Novel Science-based User-friendly Learning Tool) – has been introduced to the industry to help manage the virus at the cow-calf level.

BVD Background

In his article “Use of a BVD Management Tool: BVD CONSULT,” Bob Larson, DVM, Ph.D., Kansas State University, explains that the virus is costly to cattle producers, because it causes immune suppression, respiratory disease, infertility and fetal infection.

One of the most detrimental effects of BVD takes place between (approximately) Day 45 and Day 135 of gestation – when the fetus hasn’t fully developed an immune system. If a fetus contracts the virus from its dam during this window of time, it becomes persistently infected (PI) with the BVD virus. Shortly after this time frame and up to about Day 160 of gestation, if the fetus contracts the BVD virus, congenital defects can result. “There can be skeletal, eye or brain defects or stillbirths may occur,” explains Dale Grotelueschen, DVM, MS, University of Nebraska Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center. “Cerebellar hypoplasia is an example of a brain defect resulting from a fetal BVD virus infection where the calf may be born alive, but is unable to rise and is uncoordinated.” Most calves that contract BVD in utero get it when their dams are exposed to and are undergoing acute infections of BVD, often following nose-to-nose contact with another animal that has the disease.

PI calves can also seem perfectly healthy, and healthy-appearing replacement females that are PI may enter your herd. In this instance, a PI dam will always give birth to a PI calf. PI cattle carry the disease their entire lives and shed the virus from every orifice of their body, especially through nasal discharge, saliva and feces. “Preventing the birth of PI calves is a major focus for control in herds and in the cattle industry,” Grotelueschen explains. He also says that an extensive study found herds with PI calves had five percent lower pregnancy rates than herds without infected calves.

Because you can’t tell by looking, PI BVD cattle must be identified through lab tests. According to the National Animal Health Monitoring System’s (NAHM’s) 2007-2008 beef cow-calf study, 8.8 percent of U.S. cow-calf ranches identified one or more PI animals, meaning that one in every 11 to 12 herds have PI calves, and most are not aware of their presence.

In recent years, Larson adds, the cattle industry has made huge strides understanding BVD. “Our current knowledge of BVD, the availability of effective vaccines, and the improvement in diagnostic tools have made the control of BVD feasible,” he says. The key to using these resources, Grotelueschen continues, is to design individualized herd-control plans for the disease. That’s where BVD CONSULT comes in.

BVD Consult

BVD CONSULT is an internet-based tool for developing herd health plans for cattle operations; this means the producer makes choices and then sets goals for how BVD control can be accomplished in their herd. BVD CONSULT was designed for producers to work with their herd veterinarians to develop BVD control and prevention plans. For herds that currently have PI cattle present, the tool helps create a plan to identify and remove those cattle and establish a strategy to reduce the likelihood of the herd becoming infected again, Larson explains. For herds that are currently virus-free, BVD CONSULT can be used to decide how to minimize the likelihood of the disease entering the herd and to reduce the impact if the herd is exposed.

“Using BVD CONSULT is simple,” Larson continues in his article. “The system is set up online as a series of questions with responses designed to mimic a conversation between a veterinarian and a producer who is concerned about BVD.” The program then provides recommendations specific to individual operations. After clicking “yes” or “no” to answer each question, an appropriate response is given based on the choices that have been made, followed by another question. The questions that are asked, and the responses given, vary depending on the previous answers. There are six to 10 questions depending on the choices made. A printable report is available at the end of the questionnaire, which records the choices that were made and responses given.

Sample questions from the BVD CONSULT questionnaire include:

  • Do you have active BVD in your herd?
  • Will you institute a testing strategy that identifies all PI BVD cattle and remove them from your herd?
  • Will you quarantine and test all new cattle coming into your breeding herd?
  • Can you prevent fence line and direct contact of your pregnant herd with other cattle?

Jeremy Van Boeing, DVM, Republican Valley Animal Center, Alma, Neb., and chairman of NC’s Animal Health committee, has already started helping his clients utilize BVD CONSULT in their herds. “This program simplifies decision making for producers when it comes to BVD management,” he explains. “It’s a tool that allows producers to look at the disease on their own time, then discuss the questions they have with their veterinarian so they know what the next step is and how to take it.”

All-in-all, Grotelueschen says, BVD CONSULT is an opportunity to increase the level of herd health plans in a way producers are comfortable with. More information and the online questionnaire can be found by visiting www.bvdinfo.org.

Reprinted with permission from September 2013 Nebraska Cattleman magazine.

October 13, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Managing Cow Body Condition At Fall Working

By Dr. Rachel Endecott, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Montana State University

cattle rampIt’s finally starting to feel a bit like fall, and with that come chores like weaning, shipping, and pregnancy checking.  While those cows are in the pen for fall work, it might be worth your while to evaluate their body condition.

Body condition scores describe relative fatness of a cowherd using a 9-point system, where 1 is “emaciated” and 9 is “obese”.  The main components of body condition scoring are visible bone structure, muscling, and fat cover. A body condition score 1 cow has shoulders, ribs, backbone, hooks, and pins that are sharp to the touch and easily visible.  She would exhibit no evidence of fat or muscling.  In contrast, the bone structure of a body condition score 9 cow is not seen or easily felt and her tailhead is buried in fat. My theory is that most body condition score 9 cows have names, not numbers!  Happily, neither body condition score 1 or 9 cows are common sights in Montana beef cattle herds.

Most industry recommendations suggest that mature cows be in condition score 5 at calving and that first-calf heifers be in condition score 6 for optimal reproductive performance and colostrum production.  Characteristics of a body condition score 5 cow include that her 12th and 13th ribs are only visible if she is shrunk, and she has visible muscling and some fat on each side of her tailhead.  On the other hand, the ribs of a body condition score 6 cow are fully covered and not visible, and she has noticeable springiness over her foreribs and tailhead.

Post-weaning is a great time to improve condition of thin cows because it coincides with their lowest nutrient requirements of their production cycle.  This phenomenon can often be observed when cows graze dormant forage pastures post-weaning and gain body condition going into the winter, and shows that even in late lactation, the production of milk requires a large proportion of nutrients.  Energy requirements decrease nearly 25% when a cow transitions from late lactation to a dry cow in mid-gestation, and protein requirements decrease by nearly a third from pre-weaning to post-weaning.

Three important times of the year to take a critical look at body condition would be at weaning/preg check, the start of the third trimester, and calving. Keep in mind that as time passes between weaning and calving, the opportunity to take advantage of lower nutrient requirements of the cow slips away. Post-weaning is usually the best time to put weight on thin cows in an economical and efficient manner.

October 8, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Flooding Rains cause issues in Montana hay

Emily Glunk Montana State Forage ExtensionProvided by Emily Glunk, PhD, Forage Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor, Montana State

After the large amounts of rain received throughout Montana in recent days, we have been receiving reports of heating and molding of hay bales stacked and stored outside. Rain can be detrimental at several points of the haying process, including after storage. It will increase the amount of wasted hay, due to molding and quality issues, as well as pose a safety hazard due to fire and health risks.

Problems following heating and water damage of hay include decreased quality, increased waste, and molding. Generally, the larger and more dense the bale of hay, the greater chance for heating and storage losses. Large round bales and large square bales are more susceptible than small square bales to losses and spontaneous combustion.

Rained on hay can cause increases in the internal temperature of the bale, which can then lead to spontaneous combustion. An Oregon report stated that the bottom bales of large stacks of hay stored outside had soaked up a large amount of moisture from the ground after a heavy rain, causing heating and internal combustion in the hay stack.

Spontaneous hay fires usually occur within six weeks of baling, however when external moisture such as heavy rain is added, issues can arise outside of that timeframe. Increases in bale moisture increase microbial activity, with heat as a by-product. It is typical to see temperatures peaking 3 to 7 days post-rainfall, but should return to normal by 60 days. This will depend on factors such as relative humidity, bale density, and amount of rainfall received. The longer it takes for the bale temperature to return to normal the more likely for a fire or significant damage will occur to the hay.

When available, a bale thermometer will be the most accurate estimate of internal bale temperature. Ensure that the thermometer can read up to 200⁰ F and is long enough to reach the middle of the bale. If a thermometer is not available, an easy way to test the temperature of your bale is to stick a crowbar or a metal rod into the middle of the bale and keep it there for approximately 10 minutes. When the crowbar is removed, it should cool to the touch. If it is warm to the touch, then it is an indication of internal heating and should be taken care of immediately. If the crowbar is too hot to touch, this indicates that spontaneous combustion could be imminent. All stacked bales should be spread out, to allow for as much air movement through and around the bale as possible. (See Table below)

Round Bale Fire Temps

Beyond possible spontaneous combustion, there are other quality losses associated with rained-on hay, especially hay that continues to sit in water. When hay begins to heat due to additional moisture, some of the proteins become unavailable for digestion due to binding with fiber, and is known as acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN). Unfortunately, this will still show up as crude protein on a standard lab test, and so may not exactly represent the amount of protein available to the animal.

You can ask for an analysis to include ADIN, which depending on the lab may also be referred to as acid detergent fiber nitrogen (ADF-N) or acid detergent fiber protein (ADF-P), usually at an additional charge. If the ADIN is <10%, then you do not need to adjust the crude protein (CP) levels. If the ADIN is >10%, then you should subtract 10% from the ADIN value to determine available CP. As an example, your analysis comes back with ADIN= 27% and CP=12%. To determine the available CP:

  • 27 (% ADIN) – 10 = 17% ADIN
  • 17 (calculated % ADIN from above) * 12% (CP) * 100 (conversion factor) = 2.
  • Subtract this from the total CP, so 12% (CP) – 2 (calculated above) = 10% CP available.

Perhaps a more well-known effect of rained-on hay is molding. In a standing crop of forage, the plant surfaces are covered with bacteria to help protect the plant against external assaults such as fungal infections, yeast, and potentially visible light. Once cut, the forage moisture begins to decrease, altering the bacterial populations and potentially increasing fungal and yeast populations. In normal moisture hay (<15% moisture), fungi will not grow well and there are usually limited mold issues. However, when the bale moisture is increased, this opens the opportunity for fungal and mold growth.

Hay left in field after an intense rainstorm in Phillips County. Photo courtesy of Marko Manoukian.

Hay left in field after an intense rainstorm in Phillips County. Photo courtesy of Marko Manoukian.

Cereal hays are especially prone to molding issues. At harvest, the stems of the plant are sufficiently dry, however the moisture in the grains is still above desirable levels. The grain loses moisture at lower rates than the rest of the plant, and so at baling are often above 15% moisture. Mold is commonly seen in these areas first, which then can spread to the rest of the bale.

Mold, and especially the mycotoxins that some molds produce, can be harmful to animals and humans alike. Horses are the most susceptible, with ingestion of moldy hay potentially resulting in respiratory and digestive issues. Ruminants aren’t as sensitive to moldy hay, but can have experience negative effects such as abortions or aspergillosis. Additionally, there is a condition known as “farmer’s lung” that can occur in humans due to fungus growing in lung tissue after fungal spores have been inhaled.

Moldy hay can be fed to ruminants, however it does not come without risks. If the hay is dusty from mold spores, then do not feed it to sensitive animals, and ensure that where you are feeding it is properly ventilated. Make sure to dilute the moldy forage by feeding with “clean” hay, or hay that is not moldy. Mold does decrease the palatability of the forage, causing animals to avoid it, but if mixed in with other hay it will generally be accepted. However, ensure to remove any rejected forage that animals will not consume, and provide new hay at the next feeding.

If you are experiencing moldy hay, it is advised to have it tested. Laboratories such as Midwest Laboratories (Omaha, NE) and Dairyland Laboratories, Inc. (Arcadia, WI) have tests that can check for mold and mycotoxin levels in your hay.

If you have any further questions, please contact Emily Glunk, Forage Extension Specialist, at [email protected] or 406-994-5688.