Mark Johnson talks with a special guest, OSU Extension beef cattle specialist Parker Henley, about breeding soundness exams.
When selecting bulls, producers should not overlook a breeding soundness evaluation (BSE) conducted by a veterinarian before the breeding season. Check out this article for an overview on breeding soundness evaluations.
In this article, Jason Hartschuh provides info on how you can better detect respiratory diseases in calves:
“Usually, I find winter calf management to be slightly easier than summer, especially with the addition of calf jackets helping to manage cold stress. This winter has been the opposite of simple — with temperatures on a roller coaster ride rivaling Steel Vengeance — that keeps me guessing as to how much to open and close my naturally ventilated calf barn.
Even if I had the advantages of positive pressure ventilation helping to manage air turns per hour, the 40-degree temperature swings can be hard on calves and humans. Factor in the high moisture in the air, and you have the perfect recipe for pneumonia. […]”
To read more, click here.
Looking to save on your electric bills? In this article Taylor Leach discusses how inefficient fans can drive your costs up:
“Have you noticed your electricity bill starting to climb up? Maybe it’s time to check the efficiency of your fans.
The energy used to operate ventilation systems on the farm typically accounts for 20-25% of your total energy bill, according to Dan McFarland, an agricultural engineer at Pennsylvania State University. Regardless of the barn style, proper ventilation is an important part of cow comfort to ensure cows are in an environment that allows them to perform to their potential. Here are three areas to focus on when analyzing your ventilation system’s efficiency.
While the purpose of every fan is to get air moving, not every fan is created equal. Fan efficiency is affected by several factors including blade design, fan enclosure design, and motor efficiency, according to McFarland.
“There has been too much emphasis on ‘cheap’ fans in the ag industry and this is costing more in operating expense and maintenance. If you are looking to buy new fans, make sure you take a look at the efficiency rating of the fans as you compare,” McFarland says. “Typically, larger fan will have better efficiency than smaller fans.”
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To read more, click here.
Looking for information on how to best use calf feeding tubes? Check out this article from Maureen Hanson with Bovine Vet Online:
“Colostrum, milk and electrolytes all can be vital to calf survival, and may need to be delivered via an esophageal tube feeder if calves are unable to suckle a bottle.
But tube feeders also can be the source of bacterial infections, pneumonia and even sudden death if used incorrectly. The University of Wisconsin Dairy Extension team has produced a short video demonstrating the best practices for using esophageal feeders in young calves. […]”
To Read More, Click Here.
