HOW PAIN MANAGEMENT HELPS The castration of male cattle is nothing new. Historically, bulls were castrated so that the oxen used to pull plows and wagons would have decreased amounts of testosterone in their system. This made it easier to control them. Today, castration is used for a number of reasons ranging from decreasing aggression…
Calving is one of the most critical times for producers. While most births go smoothly, complications can arise during this process. First-calf heifers are the most likely to have a problem when birthing, as less than 2% of calving difficulties occur in mature cows. Of the calves that are lost at birth, approximately 80% are…
Diarrhea occurs when intestinal fluids are not absorbed properly in the intestines. Anything that affects the intestines’ ability to absorb fluid can result in diarrhea. The cause of diarrhea can be both nutritional and infectious. Nutritional causes of diarrhea can include grain overload, cobalt or selenium deficiency, copper toxicity, or in young calves, changes in…
You don’t have to be in the Canadian cattle business to know that animal welfare, as a movement and a way of doing business, is garnering a lot of support. But what are the benefits? To the cattle the answer is pretty obvious, but what’s in it for producers? As it turns out, plenty and…
In today’s market, consumers are looking more closely at the ways in which their food is produced. Socially conscious consumers use their purchasing power to try and positively influence the markets around them. They support products and brands that align with their moral values. People base their grocery consumption on their personal values. They usually…
Cattle branding has been happening for more than 4,000 years, dating back to the Ancient Egyptians. In fact, a painting in an ancient Egyptian tomb from 2,700 BC is the earliest record of livestock branding. Today, producers brand cattle to mark their property. It’s part of the rich history and culture of cattle farming. Branding…
Disbudding and dehorning cattle are different procedures with the same outcome – no horns on cattle. Disbudding is the process of cauterizing the bud before it grows into horns, and it typically occurs before a calf is three months old. Dehorning is the process of removing a calf’s horns. While there are different methods of…
Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland and udder tissue. It is one of the most common diseases among dairy cattle. Mastitis normally occurs as an immune response to bacterial invasion or as a result of injury to the cow’s udder. A cow with mastitis can be a financial burden for producers. According to…
Lameness is a leg or foot pain that affects how cattle move. It can be caused by injury, nutrition or a variety of infections. Regardless of the cause, lameness negatively affects the welfare and performance of cattle. It is estimated that more than half of beef cattle experience lameness problems in any given twelve-month period.…
