Health

Forage quality . . . what’s better than snowballs?

– Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension

Much of Ohio’s 2025 first cutting hay was beyond optimum maturity when it was harvested. Lab analysis indicates little first cutting has adequate quality to meet the nutritional needs of beef cows in lactation or even gestation.

As we recently began our 30th year of publishing the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter I took a look at the hot topics that were up for discussion in 1996. Looking back it’s interesting to note we were concerned with how best we could manage feeding poor quality hay resulting from a very wet spring of ‘96, alternatives for feeding cows when faced with a shortage of high-quality feed, and marketing calves from a declining U.S. cow herd. Sound familiar?

While it may feel like déjà vu all over again, today let’s only consider the feed management concerns we’re dealing with and leave calf marketing for another time. If there was any question regarding this year’s hay and forage quality, I hope you agree they were laid to rest a couple weeks ago when the results of 180 forage samples collected by OSU Extension throughout Ohio were released. To recap, only one of all the 180 samples tested will support a 1200 pound lactating beef cow and only a few will Continue reading Forage quality . . . what’s better than snowballs? →

FAQs about Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in Farm Ponds used to Water Livestock

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, DVM, MPH UK Ruminant Extension Veterinarian

Figure 1: Pond in Scott County-Photo courtesy of Dr. Michelle Arnold, University of Kentucky

Water is the most essential nutrient in the diet of cattle and during hot and dry weather, it is especially important to monitor water quality if using farm ponds for livestock.

What is a “harmful algae bloom” or “HAB”? During periods of hot and dry weather, rapid growth of algae to extreme numbers may result in a “bloom”, which is a build-up of algae that creates a green, blue-green, white, orange, or brown coloring on the surface of the water, like a floating layer of paint (see Figure 1). Blooms are designated “harmful” because some algal species release toxins (poisons) when stressed or when they die. The majority of HABs are caused by blue-green algae, a type of bacteria called “cyanobacteria” that exist naturally in water and wet environments. These microorganisms prefer warm, stagnant, nutrient-rich water and are found most often in ponds, lakes, and slow moving creeks. Farm ponds contaminated with fertilizer run-off, septic tank overflow or direct manure and urine contamination are Continue reading FAQs about Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in Farm Ponds used to Water Livestock →

Current Status of New World Screwworm (NWS) Infestations in the U.S.

– Gustavo M. Schuenemann, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University

New World Screwworm, a parasitic fly

The NWS has been largely eradicated in the United States for over 50 years, but a current outbreak in Central America and Mexico is moving closer to the U.S. On August 18, 2025, the Secretary of Health and Human Services issued the emergency declaration after determining that NWS “has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of United States citizens living abroad and that involves New World Screwworm.” This emergency declaration allows veterinarians to use certain treatments under extra-label use provisions, to help control potential infestations.

What is NWS?
It is a parasitic fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) that lays eggs in and on open Continue reading Current Status of New World Screwworm (NWS) Infestations in the U.S. →

Open Cows and Mid-term Abortions – Could it be Neospora caninum?

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, DVM, MPH UK Ruminant Extension Veterinarian

Figure 1: Neospora caninum Life Cycle in Cattle. From: “Diagnosis and Control of Neosporosis” by. M. McAllister. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2016 Jul;32(2):443-63.

Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite that has become the most detected cause of bovine abortion in the United States in recent years. A majority of abortions occur from 5-7 months’ gestation (ranging from 3-8 months) and the dam often retains her fetal membranes after delivery. The fetus that dies in utero may become dehydrated and shrunken (mummified) but usually the time delay between fetal death and expulsion results in delivery of a slightly rotten, soft fetus. Rarely, a Neospora-infected calf is born alive but with neurologic problems ranging from poor balance in mildly affected calves to those born weak and unable to stand. Economic losses experienced by beef operations beyond the reproductive failures include increased calving intervals, increased culling, and potentially reduced value of breeding stock. The disease is challenging to control because the Continue reading Open Cows and Mid-term Abortions – Could it be Neospora caninum? →

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FAQs: What Producers Should Know About Rabies in Cattle

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, Ruminant Extension Veterinarian, University of Kentucky

Figure 1: Confirmed Cases of Skunk Rabies over the previous 10-year period. Chart courtesy of UKVDL Epidemiology, Dr. Jackie Smith

This year, the number of skunks diagnosed with rabies in Kentucky is already unusually high, especially in the Blue Grass area of central Kentucky (Figure 1). With that fact in mind, now is a good time to review rabies in cattle and what to do in the event of human exposure.

Do cattle get rabies? Yes, all species of livestock are susceptible to rabies although cattle and horses are the most frequently reported infected livestock species. Rabies is caused by a virus that affects the nervous system and is transmitted by the saliva of an infected animal, usually via a bite or by infected saliva coming in contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth) or an opening in the skin. The virus then travels Continue reading FAQs: What Producers Should Know About Rabies in Cattle →

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The hidden cost of liver abscesses for the cattle producer

– Jerad Jaborek, Michigan State University Extension

Losses due to liver abscesses is more than condemned livers.

Liver abscesses are characterized by the accumulation of pus (bacteria, tissue debris and white blood cells) caused by the abnormal colonization of bacteria, most commonly Fusarium necrophorum and Trueperella pyogenes. While the exact root cause of liver abscesses is uncertain, it is commonly believed that liver abscesses are the result of ruminal or intestinal tissue damage caused by a low pH from the consumption of high-grain-based diets containing insufficient roughage over an extended period of time. Liver abscesses in cattle are typically identified post-slaughter when the liver becomes available for visible inspection at the beef processing facility. Cattle livers containing an abscess, regardless of size, are condemned at the beef processing facility, resulting in a direct economic loss.

Recent estimates published in the Journal of Animal Science by Taylor and others, predict the United States beef industry loses approximately $256 million annually to liver abscesses or $9.07 per animal sold. At the beef processing facility, this includes losses to liver condemnation ($26.4 million), losses to other offal condemnation ($45.9 million) and processing speed delays ($11.6 million). These are costs incurred by the beef processing facility due to liver abscesses.

Currently, the cattle producer doesn’t receive a . . .

Continue reading The hidden cost of liver abscesses for the cattle producer

Watch for downed cherry trees!

– Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

Downed cherry trees pose a health risk for livestock.

Many people are aware of the danger when grazing animals consume wilted leaves from black cherry trees.  These leaves contain prussic acid which can result in cyanide poisoning.  If this sounds familiar, it is also the compound that causes toxicity issues with some warm season annuals after a frost.

Signs of toxicity can set in within 15 minutes of ingesting wilted leaves.  You may notice excess salivation, labored breathing, and convulsions.  Symptoms set in quickly so often you may find dead animals without seeing signs.  The lethal dose for cattle has been reported as 1.2 to 4.8 pounds of wilted black cherry leaves for a 1,200-pound cow and .18 to .72 pounds for a Continue reading Watch for downed cherry trees! →

The New World Screwworm: Texas is at Risk but what about Kentucky (and the Midwest)?

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, Rminant Extension Veterinarian, University of Kentucky

Figure 1: NWS larvae are pale with encircling black spines and sharp mouth hooks. Accessed from “Update on New World Screwworm 2025”; Gleeson Murphy; Parasitology, Chemistry, Analytical Services (PCAS), USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services.

The New World screwworm (NWS, Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a blow fly that is native to the Western Hemisphere. Unlike most species of blow flies, adult female screwworms do not lay eggs on dead and decaying flesh. Instead, they lay eggs on living mammals at the borders of fresh wounds or at the edge of body orifices. The larvae (maggots) feed on the host’s living flesh, causing extensive damage by tearing at the host’s tissue with sharp mouth hooks (see Figure 1). The term “myiasis” is used to refer to the infestation of wounds by fly larvae/maggots. The wound will become larger and deeper as more eggs hatch and larvae feed on the living tissue, which may result in secondary infection and death if left untreated. New World screwworm is a pest that poses a dangerous and Continue reading The New World Screwworm: Texas is at Risk but what about Kentucky (and the Midwest)? →

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Managing Heat Stress in Cattle: Tips for Summer Success

– Dr. Katie VanValin, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Kentucky

Not the first choice to minimize heat stress.

Temperatures and humidity are on the rise, and this combination makes cattle more susceptible to complications from heat stress. Cattle have a thermoneutral zone which is a range of temperatures and humidity where they do not need to expend extra energy to maintain their body temperature. When environmental conditions are outside of this zone than cattle are susceptible to cold or heat stress. Heat stressed cattle will exhibit increased respiration and panting to try and stay cool. Heat stress results in decreased feed intake, milk production, and average daily gains. Some cattle are more susceptible to heat stress than others, and it is important to understand that heat stress compounds other conditions such as fescue toxicosis, or respiratory disease intensifying complications from these conditions. While we have little control over weather patterns, there are several steps that can be taken to minimize the negative impacts of heat stress on the herd.

Provide adequate shade
Shade is critically important for combatting heat stress in beef cattle. In grazing animals, care should Continue reading Managing Heat Stress in Cattle: Tips for Summer Success →

Help! I have hemp dogbane

– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension

Dogbane is poisonous to livestock.

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve had several inquiries about hemp dogbane concerns and requests for help with keeping it under control in agricultural systems.

Both hemp dogbane and milkweed are easy to find this time of year and are often growing in the same habitat, which can be anywhere from roadsides, creek edges, open fields, forest edges, and flower beds. These two plants are related but have some distinct differences that can help landowners identify them and implement control measures when needed.

Similarities between the two plants include that they have creeping roots; leaves that appear on opposite sides of the stem; and they produce a milky sap. Differences include that young milkweed leaves have fine hairs and hemp dogbane are nearly hairless; milkweed stems are generally thick and green, but hemp dogbane stems are usually red to purple and thinner in comparison; hemp dogbane frequently branches in the top canopy, while milkweed will typically Continue reading Help! I have hemp dogbane →