The Beef Cattle Health and Nutrition Podcast

Dr. Colin Palmer, one of our reproductive specialist veterinarians from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine here at the University of Saskatchewan  joins the podcast to discuss the important topic of subfertility in beef bulls.  Why do we need to perform bull breeding soundness exams? What are the implications of various factors such as lameness and other physical problems on bull fertility?  These are just some of the topics we discuss in this first part of a two part episode. 00:00 –Welcome and introductions 03:54 – Importance of herd fertility in cow-calf operations and factors that affect it 10:45 – Value of a limited breeding season 14:22 – Subfertility vs Infertility 16:08 – Importance of the breeding soundness examination of the bull 19:21 – Meaning of the various classification categories 27:22 – Impact of lameness on bull fertility 31:06 – Other factors that may affect fertility that can be identified in physical examination 34:23 – Summary and Wrap-up

This week, Dr. Nathan Erickson and Dr. John Ellis join me to discuss the emergence of Bovine influenza A virus in cattle.  We discuss what is currently known about this emerging disease issue at this point in time.  New information is being acquired about the impacts and spread of Bovine Influenza A virus and this podcast gives information on the disease as known around April 12, 2024.   Please rely on your local veterinarians or government veterinary offices for the most up to date information on this issue.  Emerging diseases remind us of the importance of preventive practices.  Using raw colostrum only from your own herd, not introducing orphan calves or nurse cows from dairy herds and quarantining new animals for 21 days will help prevent the introduction of diseases like Bovine Influenza A virus, Foot and Mouth Disease, and many other diseases.  Find tips at https://www.beefresearch.ca/topics/biosecurity/ 00:00 –Welcome and introductions 04:10 – Clinical signs seen in dairy cow outbreaks in US 08:06 -  A primer on Influenza viruses 10:28 – Influenza D virus role in respiratory disease in cattle 12:15 – Hosts for Influenza A virus 16:09 – High pathogenic vs low pathogenic influenza viruses 18:21 – How influenza viruses change and jump to other species 20:00 – Possible ways of spread of Bovine influenza A virus 25:00 – Possibility of Bovine Influenza A virus in beef cattle 27:14 – Human health implications 28:29 – Herd to herd spread and biosecurity precautions 31:59 – Summary and Wrap-up

Dr. Chris Clark, an internal medicine specialist from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine joins the podcast to discuss how best to treat neonatal diarrhea in calves.  We discuss how to detect dehydration and acidosis in an affected calf and the best ways to utilize oral electrolytes.  We also discuss when a calf will need intravenous therapy and the limited value of antibiotic therapy.  Check out the great resources on the Calf 911 section of the BCRC website for more information. https://www.beefresearch.ca/producers/calf-911-resources/ 00:00 – Welcome and introductions 02:33 – Preventing calf scours is the best option 06:02 - Causes of calf scours 08:58 – Assessing hydration in a calf  14:36 – Acidosis 20:43 – How to utilize oral electrolytes 25:31 – What to look for in an electrolyte solution 29:18 – Antibiotics are of limited value for scours therapy 31:39 – Summary and wrap up

The calf that presents with acute abdominal issues or colicky symptoms is not uncommon on cow-calf herds around calving time. In this episode,  Dr. Blake Balog from Cattle Health Management in Brooks, Alberta joins the podcast to discuss the causes of colic in young calves and how the producer should approach these cases when faced with them. 00:00 –Welcome and introductions 04:08 – How do calves present with colic or acute abdominal problems? 05:06-  What should you do if you identify a calf with colic? 08:11– Atresia coli and atresia ani 13:16 – Intestinal accidents  18:46 – Abomasal ulcers and other abomasal issues 26:25 – Navel problems that may cause colic 33:36 – Final advice for dealing with calves with colic 34:39 – Wrap up