On-Call / Vet

The holidays always result in multiple calls to my clinic. This is the time of year that pets get into trouble eating things they should not. One of the most common toxins that we encounter is chocolate. Small animals seem to really enjoy consuming candy including wrappers. Many candies contain the toxin known as theobromine. The bitter cooking chocolate is higher in theobromine than the sweet. This is such a common problem I have an app, which allows me to calculate in a matter of a few minutes. A 30-pound dog consuming 2 ounces of baking chocolate is enough to be fatal. If your pet should consume chocolate contact your veterinarian immediately.

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.

This is the machinery issue of Ozarks Farm and Neighbor; in thinking of a topic for this column, I wanted to somehow tie into that theme. So why not discuss the care of the equipment we use around livestock everyday?

Last year producers experienced falling calf prices and input costs that went through the roof. This year calf prices are still expected to be low but for cow-calf operators these difficult times can be seen as an opportunity.

Recently in southwest Missouri we have seen an increase in number of herds affected with Trichomoniasis. This disease is a reproductive nightmare. It can be devastating to the owner. Reducing the calf crop and eliminating any significant income for that herd.

Creating a biosecurity plan is one of the most powerful means of preventing disease-related problems in beef cow-calf herds. The primary goal of a biosecurity plan is to prevent the introduction of disease into the herd.  This can be coupled with efforts to prevent transmission of disease within the herd and plans to eliminate disease carrying individuals. This is particularly applicable to purebred producers in that a disease-free status can add significant value to marketable seedstock. Similarly, however, smaller commercial producers can also benefit greatly from some basic biosecurity practices.

The wet weather we have been dealing with for most of this year has brought with it several challenges for livestock producers throughout southwest Missouri. Wet and cold weather led to increased calf losses early this year, and wet fields have not allowed farmers to harvest hay crops that appear plentiful to the average person driving down the road. But I have observed another problem this year affecting horses and cattle. While I don’t have scientific proof or hard statistics to prove my theory, it is my opinion that I have had a number of cases where the problem seemed to stem from access to tall fescue, and I am concerned that fescue toxicosis could be a significant problem this year.

This time of the year it is common to see cows standing in the shade and wading in ponds in an effort to find relief from the heat. Unfortunately, the summer sun is not the only factor affecting heat stress on cattle grazing Southwest Missouri pastures.

Many times clients ask about treatment for Fescue foot, but after several questions and upon physical exams, they are asking for a treatment for the wrong problem. There are major differences between Fescue toxicosis and foot rot.

Animal agriculture is becoming more and more advanced each and every year and unfortunately, even though dairy producers are more efficient and producing a higher quality product than ever before, remaining profitable has become even more challenging. Therefore, in order to maximize cow health and milk production and to minimize treatment cost and milk discard, I encourage producers to consider implementing a pre-planned mastitis treatment protocol.