Health

Check for Contaminants in Hay

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

If feeding purchased hay, scout for toxic weeds before, during, and after feeding.

Making and feeding hay can be tricky business. After a long season feeding hay, livestock producers are getting a lot of experience judging hay by its appearance. The way hay looks and feels can be helpful for making assumptions about hay, but appearance, smell, and texture are just a few indicators of quality. It takes these factors plus a laboratory analysis to truly understand the nutritional value of hay.

Even with a hay test in hand, we should still use our senses of sight, smell, and touch to help evaluate quality because sometimes we can spot an unwanted contaminant in hay that a lab test would miss.

The following are hay quality indicators that we can pick up on using our senses to determine if hay is worth Continue reading Check for Contaminants in Hay →

The Top Ten New Years’ Resolutions for Cow/Calf Producers

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, DVM – Ruminant Extension Veterinarian (UKVDL)

Figure 1: The UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool can be found at http://forage-supplement-tool.ca.uky.edu/

The Top Ten New Years’ Resolutions, first published in January 2022, serves as a good reminder of the management practices that almost always need fine-tuning in cow/calf operations. As winter gives way to spring, try to incorporate one or more of the following resolutions, updated for 2025.

In 2025, I resolve to . . .

1. Improve the water the cattle drink: Water is exceptionally important, relatively inexpensive, and readily available but it is often the most ignored nutrient. Water consumption varies depending on age, breed, stage of pregnancy or lactation, and outdoor temperature and humidity, but it can reach as high as 25-30 gallons per day during hot weather. Water-related health problems are seldom due to what is in the water but rather the decrease in water intake because of the poor quality, bad taste and offensive odor. Decreased consumption is just as harmful as not having enough water available. When cattle do not drink enough, feed intake and milk production drop, heat stress worsens, and overall immunity suffers. If cattle are allowed to stand in their water sources such as in ponds, fecal and urine contamination will decrease water quality and certain diseases (for example Continue reading The Top Ten New Years’ Resolutions for Cow/Calf Producers →

Caring for Livestock in Late Winter and Early Spring

– Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension, Perry County (originally published in Ohio Farmer on-line)

New grass can’t get here soon enough!

As spring approaches, we eagerly anticipate the arrival of green grass, especially after the challenges of a drought-stricken summer. While the promise of warmer days is on the horizon, it’s important to navigate the transitional period of late winter and early spring with care. Proper management during this time is crucial to ensure the health and productivity of livestock.

Fluctuating temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns necessitate providing adequate shelter for livestock. Protecting animals from cold winds, rain, and muddy conditions is essential to prevent stress and illness. Constructing windbreaks, barns, or other well-built shelters can shield animals from the harsh elements. Additionally, maintaining a Continue reading Caring for Livestock in Late Winter and Early Spring →

Dairy Beef Feeder 101, a look at calf health, nutrition and economics

In recent years the dairy beef feeder calf project throughout Ohio has gained interest and shown tremendous growth. During the same time the cost of participating in the dairy beef feeder calf project has grown significantly.

On February 19, 2025, Ohio State University Extension hosted a webinar via ZOOM and took a detailed look into the economics of dairy beef feeders in 2025, strategies for keeping calves healthy, and providing proper nutrition for the dairy beef feeder from birth until the conclusion of the project.

Listen in below as OSU Extension Beef Field Specialist Garth Ruff introduces the evening’s program, Dairy Beef Feeder 101. Regardless if you are raising dairy beef feeders as youth projects or commercially, you will find the presentation embedded below to be valuable.

Keep Them Fit!

– Dr. Les Anderson, Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky

Treat your herd bull like an athlete.

While reading some industry information, I was reminded about an article Dr. Burris wrote for Cow Country News a few years ago. The focus of his article was to treat your herd bulls like an athlete; keep them fit and in great working shape. As always, it was a super article and is still relevant. Recently, more research has been done on bull fitness and fertility that is quite interesting.

We have known for years that over-conditioning bulls is detrimental to their fertility. When bulls are over fed and their body condition score get excessive (> 7), fat begins to build up in the scrotum and in the spermatic cord. Fat is an excellent insulator and this buildup of fat in the neck of the scrotum leads to an increase in scrotal temperature. For optimum sperm production, the testis needs to be about two degrees cooler than body temperature and this buildup of fat especially in the neck of the testis (around the spermatic cord) can lead to abnormal sperm development. When these fatter bulls are subjected to a Continue reading Keep Them Fit! →

A vaccination strategy for newborn, and calves under 4 months of age

Many health challenges on the farm can be avoided with a proper whole herd health management program. With calving season upon us, its a good time to review the calf health concerns that might be avoided by following a proper herd health management program.

During the third session of the 2022 Virtual Beef School held on Monday, March 21st Dr. Justin Kieffer, Clinical Veterinarian for the Department of Animal Sciences at OSU, offered a beef herd health management update. Specifically, embedded below is what Dr. Kieffer had to say about vaccination protocols for newborn and young calves. You will find Dr. Kieffer’s presentation on whole herd health in its entirety here:    • A whole herd beef cattle health manag…  

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Scours Vaccines*: What are the Options?

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

“Neonatal” calf diarrhea is defined as scours occurring within the first 3 weeks of a calf’s life. Viruses (rotavirus, coronavirus), certain bacteria (E. coli K99; Clostridium perfringens Types A and C, Salmonella spp.) and the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum are the most common causes in beef cattle operations. Controlling rotavirus, coronavirus, Clostridium perfringens Type C, and E. coli K99 scours through vaccination can significantly reduce calf sickness and death loss when given correctly. Scours vaccines are formulated to be given to pregnant cows and heifers during the third trimester of gestation so they will make the specific antibodies against the pathogens that cause diarrhea while colostrum is being formed. It is important to remember that scours vaccines given to pregnant cattle will only work if an adequate amount of good quality colostrum is consumed by her newborn calf within the first 12 hours (preferably the first 6 hours) of life. If unable to vaccinate the pregnant females in the herd, a variety of products can be given to newborn calves to help reduce the risk of sickness and death from scours as well.

The three most popular vaccines available for use in pregnant cattle are ScourBos®9 and 4 (Elanco), ScourGuard®4KC (Zoetis) and Guardian® (Merck). The first time scours vaccines are used, a two-shot series must be given in the third trimester of pregnancy consisting of a first or “primary dose” followed by a booster dose. After the first year, just one annual revaccination in late gestation is required every year throughout the cow’s reproductive life. Vaccination timing is critical to stimulating and optimizing antibodies in colostrum. If cows are vaccinated too early in pregnancy, the antibody response may start to fall off prior to the colostrum being made. Vaccinating too late and the colostrum may already be produced before an antibody response is mounted. Which product is chosen often depends on when cattle will be worked; Scour Bos® is administered earlier during pregnancy, ScourGuard® is used latest in gestation and Guardian® is in-between these two options. Obviously not all calves will be born the first week of calving season but plan to give the scours vaccine based on when the first calves of the season are expected. Consider administering an additional dose to those females who have not calved within 2 months of receiving their scours vaccine.

Table 1: Retrieved from : https://firstdefensecalfhealth.com/dual-force-bolus-gel/

It takes some planning to vaccinate correctly; timing is critically Continue reading Scours Vaccines*: What are the Options? →

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Cattle in a Cold Snap

– Haley Shoemaker, OSU Extension AGNR Educator, Columbiana and Mahoning Counties

While I’m not sure the “if you’re cold, they’re cold – bring your animals inside” concept originated with cattle in mind, cold snaps like we’re experiencing now tend to bring out the misconception that keeping cattle sheltered is synonymous with keeping cattle warm. In reality, cattle are designed with the capability to endure the winter’s cold, as long as we as producers provide them with the necessary means to keep their metabolic processes running and keep cold stress at bay.

Give Your Cattle the Tools They Need

Out of the Wind
You’ve probably caught yourself before stating that “if it weren’t for the wind, it wouldn’t feel so cold”, and the same goes for cattle.  In bouts of extreme weather, access to a windbreak can determine whether Continue reading Cattle in a Cold Snap →

Update on the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in Germany

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

If traveling outside the US, take steps to help prevent bringing back FMD.

On January 10, 2025, Germany announced an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in water buffalos near Berlin. This is first FMD outbreak since 1988. The National Reference Laboratory for FMD, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut in Germany, has pinpointed the virus serotype O responsible for the recent outbreak.

What is FMD?
FMD is a severe, fast spreading viral disease affecting cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, and other animals with divided hooves. Most infected animals survive, but FMD causes significant losses in milk and meat productivity, as well as economic impact due to the closure of export markets. FMD was first discovered in the United States in 1870 and eradicated 1929.

What is the source of the FMD outbreak?
The exact origin and route of entry into Germany is still unknown. The FMD virus serotype O has been found in Continue reading Update on the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in Germany →

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Adjusting for Cold Weather

– Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

A few years ago, I used to smile a little when my wife complained that our house was too cold at 64°. Now I find myself sneaking over to the thermostat and bumping it up a couple degrees. It is easy for us to know when we are cold but how do we know when livestock are cold? In some situations, it is easy to see, such as if they are hunched up and shivering. Often it is hard to tell when they are cold. Their comfort range is not the same as ours.

Research has shown that below a certain point, our grazing animals will increase their metabolism to produce heat. This maintains body functions such as rumination and keeps the animal comfortable. To meet the needs of increased metabolism, the animal will consume more feed. How much extra feed they can consume is related to the Continue reading Adjusting for Cold Weather →