A survey of recommended practices made by veterinarian practitioners to cow-calf operations in the United States Fike, G.*, J.C. Simroth, D.U. Thomson, R. Spare, and A.J. Tarpoff 1 *Red Angus Association of America, Denton, TX 76207 Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506 Ashland Veterinary Center, Inc., Ashland, KS 67831 Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506
Objective Describe recommended practices made by veterinarian practitioners who service clients with commercial beef cow-calf herds in terms of vaccine protocol, health practices, and production practices and share those results with the beef industry.
Background Practicing veterinarians (n = 148) who service commercial beef cow-calf herds responded to a survey describing general recommendations made to their clients in terms of vaccine protocol, health, and production practices.
Demographics Responding veterinarians represented 35 states in the USA and 3 provinces in Canada.
Demographics - USA Kansas 1 Nebraska 1 Iowa 10% Oklahoma 6% South Dakota 6% Missouri 6% Minnesota 5% Texas 5% Georgia 4% Montana 3% Alabama 2% Colorado 2% Illinois 2% Oregon 2% Virginia 2% Wisconsin 2% Arkansas 2% Florida 2% Idaho 2% North Carolina 2% North Dakota 2% Arizona Kentucky Ohio South Carolina West Virginia Hawaii Indiana Loiuisiana Michigan Mississippi Pennsylvania Tennessee Utah Wyoming Other 8%
Demographics - Canada Quebec 20% Ontario 20% Alberta 60%
Percentage of vets practice devoted to beef cow-calf producers % 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 < 10% 11-25% 26-50% 51-75% > 76%
Vets years in practice % 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 > 30
Beef cows serviced Provide genetic advice 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 < 1,000 1,001-2,500 2,501-5,000 5,001-10,000 > 10,000 54% No Yes 46%
Recommended vaccines and practices for calves at branding Vaccine % Clostridial 96 IBR 94 BRSV 91 PI3 90 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Type I 78 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Type II 77 Mannheimia haemolytica 45 Moraxella bovis 31 Pasturella multocida 26 Histophilus somni 18 Leptospirosis 5 Others not listed 5 Mycoplasmal pneumonia 1.5 Vibriosis 0.7 100 80 60 40 20 0 %, 75 %, 1 Modified Live (MLV) 88% %, 64 Killed 12% %, 84 %, 18 %, 38
Recommended vaccines and practices for calves before weaning Vaccine % IBR 99 BRSV 98 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Type I 96 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Type II 96 PI3 93 Clostridial 88 Mannheimia haemolytica 77 Histophilus somni 45 Pasturella multocida 42 Leptospirosis 10 Moraxella bovis 9 Others not listed 4 Mycoplasmal pneumonia 2 80 60 40 20 0 %, 58 Calfhood implant %, 76 Dewormer Modified Live (MLV) 90% %, 74 %, 45 Injectable Pour on Paste/oral Killed 10% %, 30
Recommended vaccines and practices for calves after weaning Vaccine % Bovine Viral Diarrhea Type II 97 IBR 97 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Type I 96 BRSV 96 PI3 91 Clostridial 58 Mannheimia haemolytica 49 Histophilus somni 37 Pasturella multocida 30 Leptospirosis 15 Moraxella bovis 12 Mycoplasmal pneumonia 3 Others not listed 3 Vibriosis 3 100 80 60 40 20 0 %, 56 %, 1 Modified Live (MLV) 93% %, 81 %, 65 Killed 7% %, 58 %, 35
Number of days the last preventative vaccine should be administered to calves prior to loading 31-45 15% 22-30 2 7-14 30% 15-21 3 > 45 3%
Recommended calf management practices Type of weaning protocol recommended to clients Recommended number of days weaned 64% Fenceline weaning 57% Abrupt dry lot weaning or onto truck 10% Two stage weaning with nose clips 8% Low-stress handling techniques training recommended for all employees? Yes 83% Is creep feeding regularly recommended to clients? Yes 40% Should calves be bunk broke before marketing? Yes 54% No 10% Maybe 1 36% Are additional booster vaccines recommended if clients keep calves past weaning? Yes 32%
Recommended age for castrating bull calves % 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 0 to 7 days < 1 mo 1-2 mo 2-3 mo > 3 mo Branding Other
Castration methods selected as best option for calves at: 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 11 Branding 99 Banding Knife Cut Burdizzo Don't recommend 1 5 70 60 50 97% veterinarians recommend that calves 40 get a tetanus vaccine 30 when 25 banding is recommended as 20 castration method 10 0 Weaning 67 15 61 Banding Knife Cut Burdizzo Don't recommend
Recommended practices for BVD total control program 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Biosecurity Quarantine Testing and removal Vaccination
Earliest age recommended for weaning calves 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 31-60 days 60-90 days 90-120 days 120-150 days > 150 days
Should calves be ear tagged? No, 3 Yes, 69%
Recommended annual booster antigens for the female herd: Antigens % IBR 99 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Type II 98 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Type I 97 Leptospirosis 94 PI3 86 BRSV 81 Vibriosis 72 Clostridial antigens 43 Moraxella bovis 20 Others not listed* 11 Histophilus somni 5 Mannheimia haemolytica 2 Pasturella multocida 1 Mycoplasmal pneumonia 1 MLV 65% Killed 35% *Others not listed: Anaplasmosis, Pinkeye, Scour, E. coli, Rotaviros, Coronavirus, Perfringins, Moraxella bovoculi, Anthrax, Salmonella, Brucellosis
Cow herd management Are bulls in the herd vaccinated at the same time as cows? Yes 79% Is de-worming of the female herd recommended? Yes 93% Number of times per year recommended to de-worm the female herd: 1 to 2 96% > 2 2% Other 1 2% Type of de-worming product most highly recommended for the female herd: Injectable 56% Pour on 50% Oral/paste 24% 1 Depends on need and fecal exam; prior to turn out.
Preventative scour vaccine recommended in the breeding herd health protocol? Recommended antigens Yes, 80% No, 20% % 93 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 Bovine rotavirus Coronavirus Escherichia coli
Importance of calf nutrition during preconditioning Very important Important Extremely important 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Importance of cow s mineral status as it relates to calf health Very important Somewhat important Important Extremely important 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Injectable vitamins and chelated minerals recommended for the cow herd? Injectable Vitamins Chelated Minerals Yes, always, 25% Never, 14% Yes, 45% No, 55% Sometime s, 6
Fly control programs Insecticide impregnated ear tags recommended? 80 Recommended programs 24% 70 60 50 40 30 20 76% No Yes 10 0 Dustbags Herd spraying Individual animal paint ball application Oil-based back rubbers Other:
Questions?