Agricultural News
Regular Summertime Checks of Your Beef Cattle Herd are the Right Thing to Do
Mon, 21 Jul 2014 05:22:52 CDT
Cattle on pasture are often unattended for a period of time during the summer months. Veterinarian Gregg Hanzicek believes that it's a good idea for producers to still take time and check their herds. The summertime may be more relaxed, but producers should monitor the health of their cattle. Suummer pneumonia is a respiratory disease that may be among those summer pasture problems, which can interfere with calf performance. Dr. Hanzicek says the worry with this disease is that it can slow down the growth of your calves, as it can hang on for a extended amount of time if not detected.
Another problem to be watching for during the summer season is Pinkeye. Hanzicek says that mature grass that is headed out can brush up against the eye as the cattle graze and irritate the eye enough to allow the bacteria to get into the eye and allow Pinkeye to develop- another cause of Pinkeye can be flies which are always a concern during the summer season.
Beyond the need to monitor for health issues- it's a good idea to make sure that your mama cows are making good progress in improving their body condition score before that next calf. A beef cow in good shape when she calves means several things to the health of that next calf, "we'll have less scours, we'll have less calving problems, we'll have better weaning weights, we'll have better reproduction."
Dr. Gregg Hanzicek's comments are featured on today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network- but is also a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show- and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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