Most dairy producers don’t need to be reminded that mastitis is one of the most prevalent and costly diseases facing the industry. But beyond its frequency and economic impact, it’s important to note that mastitis can be one of the most painful conditions a dairy cow can experience. Intensive research conducted over the past several…
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…
Pain can be acute, chronic, emotional, physical, generalized, localized, adaptive and maladaptive. Since many types of pain can be experienced simultaneously, its presence is easier to identify than its intensity. Pain can be caused by disease as well as standard practices including branding, castration and dehorning. WHY PAIN CAN BE BENEFICIAL A certain amount of…
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…
PAIN IS GOOD… AND BAD Pain cannot be completely eliminated, nor should it. It serves a very real purpose in both humans and in cattle. Acute pain is protective and triggers avoidance behaviours. It helps cattle avoid further injuring themselves, supports the recovery process and teaches them to avoid similar injury in the future. This…
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…
The idea that animals are sentient creatures is not new, in fact, it dates back to the Renaissance period. What is new, is the idea that animals can experience pain and suffering. It was not until the 1980s that veterinarians in the United States were trained that animals can indeed feel pain. Since the idea…
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…
