On-Call / Vet

Over the past several months, I have examined several beef cows that presented with chronic weight loss and diarrhea. Based on clinical findings, I decided to test several for Johne’s disease, and found cows from four separate farms that tested positive for the disease.

Warts are a common condition seen in cattle, which for the most part is a nuisance. But in sever cases warts may cause other problems, like secondary bacterial infections, which may lead to unthriftiness. Many say warts are due to compromised immune systems or poor nutrition, that may be so, but most cases I see are in fat, slick show animals. I see these animals because they cannot be shown or sold if warts are visible. In some of these cases, depending on the severity, we can surgically remove or freeze the warts. This allows the animals to recover from the problem at a faster rate, allowing a quicker return to the show or sale ring.

Blackleg is a disease that most cattle producers are relatively familiar with, if for no other reason than the ‘blackleg’ vaccine is probably the most commonly administered vaccination by cattle producers. And this for good reason, because for those producers that may have elected to forgo vaccination and unfortunately experienced the disease firsthand as a result, blackleg can be truly unforgettable. The disease frequently affects the biggest, fastest growing calves and renders them acutely dead in the majority of cases.

My practice has several small ruminant herds in it. We see a few cases each year of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) or Infectious Leukoencephalomyelitis. This disease is devastating to the animal it affects. CAE is usually seen in young goats. The most important thing to remember is there are no effective treatments for CAE. Prevention is the only way to control this syndrome.

Once again this year we are seeing a rise in the number of cases of rabies in our state. This year according to the Missouri Department of Health, the state has had 23 cases compared to 17 cases at this same time last year. Currently, four counties are on alert those counties are Bollinger, Howell, Oregon and Wayne. Alerts are issued when the disease has been reported in domestic animals. The majority of cases this year has been in skunks, with 15 positive. The remainder of these cases have been in domestic animals including horses, dogs and cats.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is arguably the most economically significant health concern for the beef cattle industry. Shipping Fever, respiratory disease complex and pneumonia are all common synonyms used to describe BRD. Given its significance, there is a wealth of information available regarding the condition. The purpose of this article will be to provide a general overview and a basic understanding of BRD and the diagnostic and treatment tools available to cattle producers as well as currently recommended prevention strategies.

Fall is now officially here, fall calving is in full swing and now is the time to start thinking about your bull power for breeding season coming in less than two months. Too many times in my practice over the past 20 years I have seen cattlemen plan and strategize for handling cows and heifers for the upcoming breeding season, only to forget that their bulls are an equally important part of the breeding equation. I would suggest, rather than a last minute rush, that you start planning now to make sure the bulls are ready to perform.