Beef Cattle Health and Nutrition Podcast: Recent Episodes
Dr. John Campbell
Interviews with veterinarians, nutritionists and researchers about topics related to beef cattle production in Canada
In this episode, I recorded a presentation by Dr. Anatoliy Trokhymchuk at the annual field day of the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence at the University of Saskatchewan. Anatoliy is a veterinarian and epidemiologist who serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at our local veterinary diagnostic laboratory (Prairie Diagnostic Services). Anatoliy will describe some of the new technology that may make it possible to learn what bacteria or viruses are present in a swab in a much faster manner than traditional laboratory techniques. New technology might make it possible to perform DNA fingerprinting for bacteria and viruses on the farm or at your local veterinary clinic rather than sending the sample into the diagnostic lab and waiting 5-7 business days for an answer to come back.
Dr. Greg Penner from the Dept. of Animal and Poultry Science returns as my podcast guest this week. Greg is discussing some of his latest research efforts on the effects of high sulphate water on cattle performance and how we can mitigate some of the subclinical effects such as copper deficiency in high sulphate water situations.
00:00 – 2:00 Welcome and Introductions
2:01 – 5:21 Where and when do we see high sulphates?
5:23 – 7:01 Polioencephalomalacia – nervous disease caused by high sulphates
7:02 – 9:25 Subclinical effects of high sulphates
9:26 – 11:32 Current guidelines for high sulphate levels
11:33 - 17:18 Describing results of a trial where high sulphate water was given to cattle
17:19 – 24:25 An attempt to mitigate high sulphates with Bismuth subsalicylate
24:26 - 27:38 Evaluating mineral strategies to mitigate the low copper caused by high sulphates
27:39 – 30:07 Next steps in future research
30:08 – 32:42 Recommendations for producers with high sulphate water or feed
32:43- 33:52 Wrap up
Dr. Diego Moya joins the podcast to discuss some of his research on pain control for calves during painful procedures such as castration. Dr. Moya is an assistant professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and his research focuses on beef cattle welfare and behaviour. In this episode he provides us with some summaries of what we know about pain associated with castration and how to mitigate it. In addition, he provides a glimpse into some of the new products that might be available in the future to help with pain control specifically with castration.
00:00 – 03:09 Welcome and Introductions
03:10 – 06:50 How do we measure pain in calves?
06:51 – 08:25 The relationship of age of castration and amount of pain
08:26 – 11:27 Are there major differences in pain between methods of castration?
11:28 – 13:53 Drugs for pain mitigation for calves
13:54 – 16:11 Can we show benefits for using pain mitigation?
16:12 – 15:18 Combining local anesthesia with an NSAID
15:19 – 21:20 Potential of new castration band product infused with local anesthetic
22:21– 22:20 Wrap up
This week Dr. Murray Jelinski returns to the podcast for a 2nd week in a row, to discuss a completely different topic. He will summarize some of his recent research on the value of deworming yearling cattle in Western Canadian pastures. We discuss the basics of the life cycle of the internal roundworms of cattle and the impact they can have on productivity.
00:00 - 00:45 Intro
00:45 - 02:51 Why the interest in internal parasites?
02:51 - 06:00 Types of internal parasites of cattle
06:01 - 10:27 Life cycle of roundworms
10:28 - 15:54 Difference in species of roundworms and changes in distribution of species
15:55 - 17:50 How do the roundworms impact performance?
17:51 - 22:05 Limitations of the fecal egg count test
22:06 - 27:11 Factors that affect the level of parasite load
27:12 - 34:15 Summary of clinical trial on yearling cattle in Saskatchewan
34:16 - 35:50 Emergence of Haemonchus roundworms in Western Canada
35:51 - 38:31 Risk factors for higher parasite loads
38:32 - 44:23 Recommendations for when to decide if deworming is necessary
44:24 - 45:00 Wrap up
Dr. Murray Jelinski joins the podcast to discuss the syndrome of abomasal ulcers in calves. Dr. Jelinski holds the Alberta Beef Chair at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and is involved in a wide range of research projects from lameness to parasites and antibiotic resistance. Although abomasal ulcers are not an exceptionally common problem, it is one of those syndromes that seems to affect the best calves in the group and can be frustrating for those herds that occasionally see it crop up. Dr. Jelinski will describe his original research findings on this syndrome and helps to sort out the fact from the fiction in what factors may be involved.
00:00 - 8:00 Introductions
8:01 - 17:19 Description of the syndrome of abomasal ulcers
17:20 - 24: 12 Does it cluster by herd, what are the risk factors?
24:13 - 30:33 Hairballs aren't really associated with ulcers
30:34 - 36:09 The theories on the cause of ulcers
36:10 - 38:13 What to do if you suspect abomasal ulcers in your calves?
38:14 - 39:00 Wrap up
- 00:00 – 01:50 Welcome and Introductions
- 1:50 - 2:53 Age categories for young calf vaccinations
- 2:53 – 5:07 What diseases can we vaccinate young calves for?
- 5:07 – 9:03 Immune system development in the calf
- 9:03 - 11:33 The effect of maternal immunity on vaccine response
- 11:33 - 17:45 Intranasal vs Injectable Vaccines: What’s the difference?
- 17:45 – 19:30 Evidence of vaccine protection against summer pneumonia of calves
- 19:30 – 21:00 Intranasal vaccines currently available in Canada
- 21:00 – 25:08 Best practices for administering modified live intranasal vaccines
- 25:08 – 28:10 The importance of working with your veterinarian to design a vaccination protocol
Links to Related Information
Vaccination of the Beef Herd https://www.beefresearch.ca/topics/vaccination-of-the-beef-herd/
BCRC Webinar on Using Nasal Vaccines Effectively https://www.beefresearch.ca/webinars/using-nasal-vaccines-effectively/
Blog article featuring intranasal vaccines https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/intranasal-vaccines-are-timely-and-effective/
Dr. Bart Lardner from the University of Saskatchewan, Dept. of Animal and Poultry Science joins me to discuss the important factors to consider when utilizing extended grazing management systems such as bale grazing, swath grazing or whole corn grazing
Dr. Karin Orsel joins me to discuss the stresses associated with weaning and the benefits of preconditioning
A discussion with Dr. John McKinnon from the University of Saskatchewan, Dept. of Animal and Poultry Science about the basics of feed testing for beef producers.