August 2015 Hereford World by American Hereford Association and Hereford World

Published by the American Hereford Association

August 2015; Vol. 106, No. 3

Reliable Profit Herd

HEALTH

Section starts on page . . . . 26

BIF Hosted in Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . . 64

PHOTO BY DUSTIN MONKE

August 2015 Hereford World

Inside…

Power in Political Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Black Diamond Acres and its customers prefer Hereford genetics in their commercial herds. by Julie White

F Genetic Summit — Continuing the Conversation:

Focused on Females . 72

inding what works to meet customer demand is the goal for Black Diamond Acres, Regent, N.D.; and Leon Monke says it’s the black baldie heifers that fit the bill. The Monkes own and operate Black Diamond Acres in southwest North Dakota, where Leon and his son, Scott, have a grain farm and breed and sell, on average, 150 head of black baldie heifers each year. continued on page 22...

Commercial cow-calf producers using Hereford bulls on an Angus-based cow herd will produce baldie females with superior fertility, longevity and efficiency while maintaining moderate mature size and lower feed costs.

CHURCHILL’S

WORLD CLASS FEMALE SALE Friday, Sept. 18, 2015

150 Churchill Ladies Sell! Churchill Sensation 028X

HH Advance 3022A ET

BW -2.8; WW 52; YW 71; MM 40; UDDR 1.30; TEAT 1.41; REA 0.31; MARB 0.28

BW 0.7; WW 54; YW 86; MM 37; UDDR 1.12; TEAT 1.18; REA 0.23; MARB -0.02

• Daughters sell! • Service sire on many of the bred heifers. His females are incredible!

• His first daughters sell! • Service sire on the Sensation and A1 bred heifers.

Churchill Stud 3134A

H/TSR/CHEZ/Full Th ottle ET

BW 3.0; WW 74; YW 120; MM 25; UDDR 1.39; TEAT 1.40; REA 0.73; MARB 0.24

BW 1.9; WW 49; YW 87; MM 19; UDDR 1.13; TEAT 1.08; REA 0.45; MARB 0.13

• His heifer calves are very fancy and a sale feature! • You will hear a lot more about Stud!

• 10 heifer calves by Full Throttle sell! Ready to show! From our best donors.

The Bred Heifers:

These are herd-building females that are offered in volume so there is something for everyone. They are mated to the best calving ease bulls in the breed. Donor quality is found in both straight horned and polled pedigrees, backed up by breed leading EPDs. These bred heifers have a tradition of being some of the best maternal genetics available each year. We sell some of the best of each sire group.

Located only 10 minutes from the busy Bozeman Airport.

• 60 Elite bred heifers mated to the best calving ease bulls. The heart of the sale! • 20 of our best heifer calves. Females that will be great cows and very competitive. Broke and ready. • Elite donors, including 5 incredible Outcross daughters that are 5 years old. • 3 flushes from new and exciting donors! • 50 commercial Hereford heifers bred to Sensation.

The Heifer Calves:

These are elite females of donor quality with excellent EPDs. If you want, they can be shown very competitively at any level. Three Denver and Junior National champions have been born at Churchill and purchased from us. There were 15 Churchill heifers at Junior National this year with a very strong showing.

Churchill Red Bull 200Z

BW 0.5; WW 66; YW 111; MM 32; UDDR 1.28; TEAT 1.37; REA 0.81; MARB 0.23

• Eight of his curve bending daughters sell bred to KCF Encore. Service sire on polled bred heifers.

Catalogs on Request We pay half the delivery cost! Dale and Nancy Venhuizen 1862 Yadon Rd. Manhattan, MT 59741 406-580-6421 Office 406-284-6421 dale@churchillcattle.com www.churchillcattle.com

Hereford.org

August 2015 /

THE WIESE

ADVANTAGE Producing bulls with generations of selected and proven genetics for the production of profitable beef cattl .

HERD HEALTH

August 2015 • Vol. 106 • No. 3

Cover Reliable Profit

Black Diamond Acres and its customers prefer Hereford genetics in their commercial herds.

26 Vaccinating Cattle Safely

Follow these best practices for safety of both crew and cattle.

30 Water Quality: Not a Drop in the Bucket Get a head start on your fall breeding program from our great genetic selection. Available Now! • Most bulls are offered from 14-24 months of age — ruggedly grown and developed for ease of adaption to various environments. • Wiese and Sons offer a selection of our fully developed bulls under near natural conditions. All bulls are grown with a low energy ration with careful evaluation for structure, do ability, breed character, disposition and fertility, then sold with the Wiese guarantee.

Producing "Good Doin'" bulls and females with years of careful selection of genetic traits that can produce profit

Providing regular access to high-quality water to cattle improves health.

34 Managing Minerals

Boost herd health and animal performance with a well-managed mineral program.

36 Early Weaning Equals Added Cow Weight

Trey Patterson, COO of Padlock Ranch, discusses the benefits of weaning calves ahead of schedule.

40 Hardware Disease of Cattle 42 Bite Back

48 Knife or Band?

Explore the pros and cons of castration methods.

52 Pesky Parasites

Without careful management, parasites can be costly.

56 Hoof Health

Tough Cull. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

What’s New?

Association News and Events . . . . . . 8

Member Service

Association Customer Service Tips and Tricks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

CHB Bites

Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) Program Happenings . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Leadership Lessons

Tips from ‘Highly Productive People’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Beef Talk

Parasites/May Calving. . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Consider these tips to curb the fly population in your herd.

46 Heat Stress… Don’t Let It Ruin Your Year

Breed Focus

Identify common foot problems and treat them accordingly.

Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 From the Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 National Show and Sale Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Advertisers’ Index . . . . . . . . 92

60 Changing Antibiotic Regulations

The FDA’s Veterinary Feed Directive final rule on antibiotics means changes for cattlemen.

64 BIF Hosted in Mississippi

Highlights of the 2015 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Meeting and Research Symposium.

68 No ‘Normal’ Seen for Beef Sector Cattle sold by private treaty with extensive performance records.

Groups of females for sale at different times of the year. Call us for the availability.

A return to typical market patterns is not expected for the second half of 2015.

70 Power in Political Pressure

Public policy crafted in Washington D.C. has an effect on everyday agriculture.

72 Focused on Females — Genetic Summit: Continuing the Conversation New EPDs encourage improvement in maternal traits.

76 Ways to Extend Fall and Winter Grazing

Call today! Gene 712-653-3413 Dave 712-210-6843 Helen 712-653-2446 Chance 712-210-6843 Office 712-653-3678 Fax 712-653-3027 wiese@mmctsu.com cdwiese@outlook.com Visit our Web site at

www.wieseandsons.com We welcome your interest 31552 Delta Ave. Manning, IA 51455 4

/ August 2015

Hereford World (ISSN 1085-9896), Vol. 106, No. 3, published monthly (except June) by Hereford Publications Inc., 1501 Wyandotte St., P.O. Box 014059, Kansas City, MO 64101. Periodical postage paid at Kansas City, Mo., and additional entries. Subscription rates, $35 a year. Postmaster: Send address changes to Hereford World, P.O. Box 014059, Kansas City, MO 64101. Hereford World agreement #1803689

Hereford.org

August 2015 /

by Jack Ward, executive vice president jward@hereford.org

Tough Cull This month’s issue is focused on animal health, and this topic has several parts that are important to sustainable beef production. Not only is beef cattle health important to the bottom line of the cow-calf producer, backgrounder and feedlot, but it also has an important role in regard to the consumer. There is no doubt the consumer is the most important. As the millennials become the biggest group of buyers in the marketplace, not only will they demand a good eating experience, but they will also want to know how their product has been handled, what it has been fed and if it has been treated properly with the right withdrawal. The biggest hurdle for the beef industry to cross is making sure that this new group of buyers is satisfied while producers are keeping the industry profitable and fulfilling the demands of a growing world population. How does this affect

The biggest hurdle for the beef industry to cross is making sure that this new group of buyers [millennials] is satisfied while producers are keeping the industry profitable and fulfilling the demands of a growing world population. the Hereford seedstock industry? It is simple; we must again be open to new technology and must identify the genetics that provide consumers what they want and need. At times, I hear producers say we are in information overload and we should not add any new traits to the already cumbersome set of numbers. I can assure you, however, that this is not going to be possible. Hereford cattle are continuing to add market share in the commercial cow herd, and this growth has been fueled mainly because

of both the direct and maternal heterosis effects when used on alternate breed cows. Through the various research projects that the American Hereford Association (AHA) has been involved with over the past few years, Hereford cattle provide a great alternative to a predominant black female. As the commercial industry continues to add Hereford genetics, it will be imperative for seedstock producers to put selection pressure on pedigrees that are healthier and take

American Hereford Association

Certified Hereford Beef Staff

Field Staff

Mailing address: P.O. Box 014059, Kansas City, MO 64101-0059 Physical address: 1501 Wyandotte St., Kansas City, MO 64108 816-842-3757 • Fax 816-842-6931 hworld@hereford.org • Hereford.org

Vice president of sales Mick Welch, mwelch@herefordbeef.org Vice president of retail Brad Ellefson, bellefson@herefordbeef.org Vice president of marketing Andrew Brooks, abrooks@herefordbeef.org Director of retail marketing Mark Layco, mlayco@herefordbeef.org CHB supply chain manager Trey Befort, tbefort@herefordbeef.org Business analyst Anne Stuart, astuart@hereford.org For information about Hereford Marketplace, visit HerefordMarketplace.com or call Trey Befort at 816-842-3758.

Western Region – Mark Holt Ariz., Calif., Idaho, Nev., Ore., Utah and Wash. 2300 Bishop Rd., Emmett, ID 83617 208-369-7425, mholt@hereford.org Mountain Region – Ben Brillhart Colo., Mont., Wyo. and western Canadian provinces P.O. Box 181, Musselshell, MT 59059 406-947-2222, bbrillhart@hereford.org North Central Region – Levi Landers Kan., Minn., Neb., N.D. and S.D. 1017 40 Rd., Minden, NE 68959 308-730-1396, llanders@hereford.org Upper Midwest Region – John Meents Ill., Ind., Ky., Md., Mich., Ohio, Pa., W.Va. and Wis. 21555 S.R. 698, Jenera, OH 45841 419-306-7480, jmeents@hereford.org Advertising Representative – Dustin Layton Okla. 1615 Castellina Court, Edmond, OK 73034 405-464-2455, laytond@yahoo.com Advertising Representative – Juston Stelzer Ark., La., N.M. and Texas 177 Aspen Ln., Aledo, TX 76008 817-992-7059, jcshereford@gmail.com Eastern Region – Tommy Coley Ala., Fla., Ga., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tenn. and Va. 1284 Stage Coach Rd., Sewanee, TN 37375 815-988-7051, tcoley@hereford.org Central Region – Contact the AHA Iowa and Mo. Northeast Region – Contact the AHA Conn., Del., D.C., Maine, Mass., N.H., N.J., N.Y., R.I., Vt. and eastern Canadian provinces

President Eric Walker, Morrison, Tenn. Vice president Sam Shaw, Caldwell, Idaho Directors Term expires 2015 Fred Larson, Spring Valley, Wis. David Trowbridge, Tabor, Iowa Term expires 2016 Curtis Curry, McAlester, Okla. Jonny Harris, Screven, Ga. Term expires 2017 Terri Barber, Austin, Texas Dave Bielema, Ada, Mich. Joe Van Newkirk, Oshkosh, Neb. Term expires 2018 Jim Mickelson, Santa Rose, Calif. Kevin Schultz, Haviland, Kan. Bob Thompson, Rolla, Mo.

SENIOR OFFICE STAFF

Executive vice president Jack Ward, jward@hereford.org Director of breed improvement Jack Ward, jward@hereford.org Chief financial officer Leslie Mathews, lmathews@hereford.org Director of communications and public relations Angie Stump Denton, adenton@hereford.org 785-363-7263 Director of records department Stacy Sanders, ssanders@hereford.org Director of youth activities Amy Cowan, acowan@hereford.org National shows coordinator and youth activities assistant Bailey Clanton, bclanton@hereford.org Records supervisor Tena Martin, tmartin@hereford.org BuyHereford.com manager Dennis Schock, dschock@hereford.org 903-815-2004

/ August 2015

Board candidates announced The AHA nominating committee has announced six Hereford breeders vying for positions on the Board of Directors. Candidates include: Northwest Region Pete Atkins Tea, S.D. 605-351-9847 atkins15@sio.midco.net

AHA C

AHA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

less maintenance. Health, just like all other traits, is heritable and selection pressure can be put on this trait while producers are making progress on other economically relevant traits of interest. The AHA has been committed to working with various U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded projects to build the tools that can make this selection process easier, but it does all start at the producer level. Do not be complacent with high cattle prices, and do not get caught in the game of being satisfied with marketing a product of less genetic potential because of a short-term gain in profit. We must be diligent in selection and tough with culling in all areas of production including health. The industry and consumers are counting on it.

Hereford World Staff Director of field management and seedstock marketing Joe Rickabaugh, jrick@hereford.org Production manager Caryn Vaught, cvaught@hereford.org Editor Julie White, jwhite@hereford.org Assistant editor Sara Gugelmeyer, sgugelmeyer@hereford.org Advertising coordinator Alison Marx, amarx@hereford.org Creative Services coordinator Nicole Woods, nwoods@hereford.org Editorial designer/assistant Christy Benigno Graphic designers Bruce Huxol and Sean Jersett Production assistant Debbie Rush Contributing writers Bridget Beran, Kindra Gordon, Troy Smith and Heather Smith Thomas

Member Cattle Registration Fees Up to 4 months 4-8 months 8-12 months More than 12 months

Regular $12.50 $18.50 $25.50 $50.50

Electronic $10.50 $15.50 $20.50 $50.50

Southeast Region Craig Bacon Siloam Springs, Ark. 479-601-4317 craig.bacon@tyson.com Northeast Region Jim Bellis Aurora, Mo. 417-466-8679 jimbellis@missouristate.edu Glen Klippenstein Maysville, Mo. 816-449-2556 lindaklip2@aol.com Southwest Region Gary Buchholz Waxahachie, Texas 214-537-1306 gary@gkbcattle.com Kyle Perez Nara Visa, N.M. 575-633-2038 kyleperez82@yahoo.com Four directors will be selected during the Annual Meeting on Oct. 31 in Kansas City. Candidate bios will be printed in the October Hereford World. The AHA would like to thank the nominating committee for their efforts: Chairman Marty Lueck, Mountain Grove, Mo.; Kevin Jensen, Courtland, Kan.; Bill King, Stanley, N.M.; Norris Fowler, Jonesville, S.C.; and Bob Morrison, Lexington, Ohio. HW

Member of

The publisher reserves the right to decline any advertising for any reason at any time without liability, even though previously acknowledged or accepted.

Hereford.org

August 2015 /

Selling Annually:

150 BULLS Hereford & Braford

Total Performance Records

by Angie Stump Denton, director of communications and public relations adenton@hereford.org

“What’s New?” is a column designed to keep you in-the-know about Hereford happenings. You can also sign up for Hereford eNews, a weekly electronic newsletter from the American Hereford Association (AHA). Send an e-mail to eNews@hereford.org to subscribe. Archived issues are posted at Hereford.org.

Plan to attend Annual Meeting Mark your calendar for the 2015 American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Meeting. Plan to join us in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown, 200 W. 12th St. To make reservations, call 1-877-303-0104 or go to Hereford.org/AnnualMeeting for a link to the reservation site. The room rate is $114, and the cutoff for reservations is Oct. 6. Plan to join the AHA and Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) LLC staff as we “Celebrate the Brand at 1501 Wyandotte” Friday night at 6 p.m. We will celebrate 20 years of CHB as well as honor our Hereford Hall of Fame and Merit recipients and our youth scholarship winners. Watch for more information about the event and the Annual Meeting in future Hereford World issues and in Hereford eNews.

Herefords; and Bar One Ranch, whose scholarship is given in memory of Ken Tracy. Gary Bishop Memorial Scholarship applications are also due Sept. 15. This scholarship awards a $1,250 scholarship for its recipient. Scholarship applications must be filled out online. Youth can access the applications by visiting JrHereford.org. For more information, contact Amy Cowan at acowan@hereford.org.

Fall 2015 data online

Southern Adapted

The fall 2015 Hereford expected progeny differences (EPDs) were released in July.

Order JNHE pictures online

400 Registered Cows

To view and purchase Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE) photos taken by AHA and Hereford Publications Inc. staff, visit the Hereford Photo Shop website, HerefordPhotoShop.com. On the site you’ll find pictures of show and award winners taken at JNHE events throughout the week as well as candid photos. Order your memories today.

HYFA scholarship applications due Sept. 15

Greenview Farms Inc. Jonny Harris 912-294-2470 Paul Harris 912-294-2472 334 K-Ville Rd. Screven, GA 31560 greenviewfarms@windstream.net www.greenviewfarms.net 8

/ August 2015

Applications for Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA) scholarships are due Sept. 15. More than $30,000 in scholarships will be awarded to members of the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) to assist in financing their college educations. These scholarships are made possible by the late Bill and Jo Ellard, EE Ranches Inc.; the late Bob and Dolores Call, CBY Polled Herefords; Lloyd Whitehead, Whitehead Ranches; Bob Kube, Fauquier Farms; the Vanier family, CK Ranch; the Blin family; Randy and Kelly Owen; Nancy and Tim Keilty, Edmond F. and Virginia B. Ball Foundation/ Cottonwood Springs; Larson Polled

Check out ShopHereford.com ShopHereford.com was created to be Hereford enthusiasts’ one-stop shop for everything they love about Herefords. Visitors to the site can find everything they need to promote the Hereford

breed and support the AHA, NJHA, HYFA and the CHB brand. A special feature of the site is the “Butcher Shop.” Here, visitors can order great tasting, flavorful and nutritious CHB® products. Throughout the year options will vary including ribeyes, T-bones, strips and tenderloin steaks. The “Home Décor” section features items to style your home or office. Current offerings include vintage Hereford signs, photo frames, pillows and a branded cutting board. Individuals looking for the latest Hereford gear can visit the “Apparel” section. Clothing for men, women and youth is available including coats, jackets, pullovers, vests and T-shirts. New items will be added regularly. Another feature of the site is the “Ranch Kit.” In this section, visitors will find AHA and CHB branded products to utilize at sales, trade shows or community events. Visitors to the site can also purchase electronic “gift cards” to send as birthday, holiday or “ just because” gifts for customers, family or friends. Gift cards are available for $10, $25, $50 or $100. See the July Hereford World Page 160 for information about the new site, or visit ShopHereford.com to place your order today. HW

Holden tops ‘Hereford Momma’ photo contest Congratulations to Tresha Holden, Valier, Mont., with “Give Me Some Lovin’,” winner of the June “Hereford Momma” photo contest. This photo will compete for the overall award in December with the other monthly winners. For more information about the “Hereford Shots” photo contest, see Page 15 of the May/June Hereford World, or go to Hereford.org. Here’s a list of upcoming themes and deadlines:

• Sept. 1 — Out to Pasture Scenic cow herd shots. This can include only Hereford cattle or can be a commercial herd with a Hereford bull and baldie calves.

• Oct. 1 — Working Cattle Images of working cattle from giving shots to branding to sorting cattle.

• Nov. 1 — The Sale Ring Images of Hereford or Herefordinfluenced cattle in a sale ring. Can be from a production sale or a sale barn. Can include any image related to sale day.

• Dec. 1 — Calving and Calves Images of new babies to preweaning. Can include the cow.

Note: all photos submitted become the property of the AHA. AHA staff reserves the right to use any images submitted in the Hereford World or for any AHA or Certified Hereford Beef marketing purpose. To submit an entry, email or Dropbox images to adenton@hereford.org. HW

Hereford.org

ANNUAL PRODUCTION SALE Monday, Oct. 12, 2015 • At the Ranch

60 Coming 2-Year-Old Hereford Bulls 10 Fall Calving Hereford Cows 10 Spring Calving Bred Hereford Heifers IMR 167Y CONVICTION 4009B • P43473859

Sire: NJW 33TB 100W Trust 167Y • MGS: LJR 023R Whitmore 10W BW 2.5; WW 62; YW 103; MM 24; M&G 55; FAT -0.004; REA 0.43; MARB 0.25

IMR 2037Z ADVANCE 4013B • 43473870

IMR L1 2037Z ADVANCE 4014B ET • 43473897

IMR L1 2037Z ADVANCE 4015B ET • 43473898

IMR 167Y CONVICTION 4051B • P43473861

IMR 167Y CONVICTION 4096B • P43473884

IMR BAR-S-MR 542 436 ET • 43512264

Sire: HH Advance 2037Z ET • MGS: IMR 408 Harland 9038W ET BW 3.2; WW 56; YW 86; MM 24; M&G 52; FAT 0.061; REA 0.23; MARB 0.00

Sire: NJW 33TB 100W Trust 167Y • MGS: LJR 023R Whitmore 10W BW 0.5; WW 57; YW 94; MM 23; M&G 52; FAT -0.030; REA 0.69; MARB 0.20

IMR L1 8542 DOMINO 4039B • 43473874

Sire: L1 Domino 08542 • MGS: HH Advance 367N 1ET BW 4.0; WW 45; YW 83; MM 29; M&G 52; FAT 0.004; REA 0.32; MARB 0.07

Sire: HH Advance 2037Z ET • MGS: HH Advance 396N BW 4.4; WW 55; YW 91; MM 24; M&G 51; FAT 0.036; REA 0.50; MARB -0.02

Sire: NJW 33TB 100W Trust 167Y • MGS: THM Durango 4037 BW 2.8; WW 55; YW 94; MM 23; M&G 50; FAT -0.003; REA 0.41; MARB 0.24

Lee and Jacqui Haygood 923 Hillside Ave., Canadian, TX 79014 806-323-8232 • Cell 806-323-2906 lee@indianmoundranch.com

Hereford.org

IMR 9038W ADVANCE 4087B • 43473868

Sire: IMR 408 Harland 9038W ET • MGS: Churchill Rancher 592R BW 1.0; WW 50; YW 73; MM 23; M&G 48; FAT 0.030; REA 0.40; MARB 0.22

Sire: HH Advance 2037Z ET • MGS: HH Advance 396N BW 4.4; WW 55; YW 91; MM 24; M&G 51; FAT 0.047; REA 0.54; MARB 0.00

Sire: L1 Domino 08542 • MGS: BAR S Mr 986 308 BW 3.1; WW 41; YW 75; MM 28; M&G 49; FAT 0.042; REA 0.19; MARB 0.26

IMR BAR-S- MR 216 474 ET • 43509216

Sire: CL 1 Domino 216Z 1ET • MGS: L1 Domino 890061 BW 0.7; WW 52; YW 83; MM 29; M&G 54; FAT 0.089; REA 0.03; MARB 0.02

Call or e-mail for a catalog or find mo e sale information at www.indianmoundranch.com.

August 2015 /

MEMBER SERVICE

by Christy Bradshaw, AHA education coordinator cbradshaw@hereford.org

Starting new fiscal year on Sept. 1

Credit card policy change

The 2014-15 fiscal year is coming to a close and the American Hereford Association (AHA) will be starting a new fiscal year on Sept. 1, 2015. With this in mind, please remember all member service fees will expire on Aug. 30, 2015. Watch your mail for an annual member service fee notice. Each adult member service fee will receive a one-year subscription to the Hereford World magazine. In addition to member service fees expiring, junior memberships also expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Junior memberships are different from adult memberships because they’re annually due for renewal on Sept. 1 each year. The annual membership due is $15. Junior memberships are available to any young person from birth through his 22nd birthday. Again, check your mail for a renewal notice or contact the customer service department for more information.

The AHA Board of Directors made a change in policy to no longer store credit card information in AHA systems in an effort to minimize risk of that information being obtained by others for malicious use. Therefore, your credit card information will no longer be stored and automatically used to pay your account balance as work is processed in the office. The AHA will continue to accept checks and credit card information by mail and take credit card information over the phone from members to make payments.

Whole Herd Total Performance Record (TPR™) deadline reminder

Hereford breeders may pay their Hereford Publications Inc. (HPI) account balance through MyHerd using credit cards or electronic checks. The MyHerd system is capable of storing credit card and electronic check information for future use, but that information is not stored at AHA and cannot

Fall 2015 herd inventories turned in after Sept. 1 will incur an additional $2 per head surcharge on every female maintained on inventory. Inventories must be turned in before fall born calves can be registered.

1) Login to your MyHerd account. If you don’t have an account set up, e-mail your AHA member number to MyHerd@hereford.org.

Technical support from the School of Myherd.org

Snedden Ranch Herd Sires of our 2014 Calf Crop BW 5W 38W BEEF 172Z

8 sons CE 6.2

BW 0.6

WW 41

172Z, bred by Bell Ward, was our pick in the 2013 NJW sale. He is long bodied and his pedigree brings together NJW 76S P20 Beef 38W and KCF Bennett 3008 M326. SR Beef Optiman 1465

YW MM M&G MCE MCW UDDR TEAT 69 24 45 3.9 76 1.32 1.29

SC FAT REA MARB BMI$ CEZ$ BII$ CHB$ 1.4 -0.015 0.27 0.40 29 23 26 29

SR X054 OPTIMAN 1257

5 sons CE 2.9

BW 3.2

WW 53

1257 was our pick from our 2012 calf crop. He is a stout made bull with good pigment and growth. WW Ratio 110%; MARB Ratio 137%. His first calves will be available for sale in fall of 2015. SR 1257 Optiman 1462

YW MM M&G MCE MCW UDDR TEAT 83 21 47 1.5 88 1.07 1.08

SC 1.4

FAT REA MARB BMI$ CEZ$ BII$ CHB$ 0.060 -0.01 0.28 24 18 22 25

SR W035 OPTIMAN 1153

6 sons

CE 3.2

BW 2.3

WW 43

1153 was our choice from our 2011 calf crop. He is out of one of our most productive cow families. He is a heavy muscled, sturdy boned bull. WW Ratio 103%; MARB Ratio 204%; Dam's Avg. WW Ratio SR Achieve Optiman 1453 105.3%. His second set of calves will be available for sale in fall of 2015.

YW MM M&G MCE MCW UDDR TEAT 57 23 44 2.2 37 1.29 1.34

SC 0.5

/ August 2015

2) Once you’re logged in, go to the account balance section of the home page and click on the “HPI Details” button to view creative service charges. 3) MyHerd will display a new screen listing your HPI transaction.

4) To pay by credit card, go to the bottom right side of the screen and enter your credit card information in the boxes provided. 5) The credit card number should be entered without spaces or hyphens, and the expiration date should be entered in the following format MM/YY (example 08/15). 6) After your credit card information is entered, click the “Pay” button located on the bottom left side of the screen to submit your online payment. 7) A receipt will be generated and e-mailed to you confirming your online MyHerd payment. Note: HPI charges paid within 30 days of billing receive a 5% discount. HW

Moderate, Maternal, And Maintenance-Free

For over 40 years Snedden Ranch has been raising Purebred Hereford seedstock. Our goal has been to raise productive bulls for our own commerical operation, as well as providing durable, athletic bulls for our customers. The bulls we raise are progeny of a closed cowherd that has been strictly selected for fertility first, as that is the number one profit driver for the cow-calf producer. A fertile cowherd then gives us the abiltity to refine our selection with all the other important traits, such as; calving ease, dam productivity, udder quality, consistency, structural soundness, longevity, docility, growth and carcass traits. Our cowherd is run in real world conditions, just as our commerical cattle are. Our range traverses 4,000 ft. of elevation in shortgrass country, so structurally sound, easy fleshing cattle a e the ones that excel in our operation. All of our herd sires are used natural service, as most of our sale bulls are sold to be used for natural service, it is one more way to insure that our cattle can and will do what they are expected to do. In most years, one of our three herd sires is an outside bull and two of the three are home raised. When buying bulls we select the most well rounded bull available and almost always try to get a look at his mother to see if her calf will compliment our herd. By doing this we preserve this consistency that we feel we have created in our cows and can then create bulls to sell that are genetically positioned to create consistency for our customers. "Curve benders" are good, but they often indicate genetic variabiltity, and consistency is where high market value lies. 16 of the 19 hereford bull calves trace back to King Ten.

14 Polled Hereford Bulls 5 Horned Bulls 14 Low BW Red Angux X Bulls

Annual Yearling Bull Sale 2nd Friday in October Come join us for Good Food and Good Cattle

FAT REA MARB BMI$ CEZ$ BII$ CHB$ 0.005 0.23 0.03 16 17 14 19

Richard and Susie Snedden P.O. Box 129 Maricopa, CA 93252 661-747-5646 10

be used by staff to make payments on a member’s behalf. Members must logon to MyHerd and initiate payment for AHA and HPI charges. HPI is a subsidiary of the AHA, and, therefore, the billing of creative services is separate from your AHA account. Please follow the instructions below to view HPI charges and to make an online payment.

www.sneddenranch.com sneddenranch@gmail.com

Austin and Sarah Snedden P.O. Box 592 Maricopa, CA 93252 661-565-6744 Hereford.org

Progeny From These Elite Donors Will Sell…

Remitall-West Marvel ET 76Y

Remitall Marvel 78T

CE BW WW YW MM TM MCE

CW STAY MPI FMI

-3.7 +4.5 +62.0 +99.9 +24.8 +55.8 +4.6

+1.1

+87.8 -2.1 +164.6 +139.1 +0.007 +0.31 +0.18

FAT

REA MARB

CE BW WW YW MM TM MCE

CW STAY MPI FMI

REA MARB

CE BW WW YW MM TM MCE

0.0 +3.2 +58.4 +100.4 +22.3 +51.5 +4.4

+1.6

+94.5 -1.3 +158.1 +159.3 -0.004 +0.30 +0.23

-1.8 +4.6 +57.6 +98.2 +18.5 +47.3 +6.3

+1.0 +113.6 -0.9 +151.0 +160.1 -0.017 +0.60 +0.10

CE BW WW YW MM TM MCE

CW STAY MPI FMI

+1.1 +2.3 +53.2 +86.2 +27.2 +53.8 +6.1

+1.3

+84.3 +1.0 +164.5 +171.4 -0.029 +0.29 +0.24

FAT

REA MARB

CW STAY MPI FMI

FAT

REA MARB

Remitall-West Marvel ET 38Y

Remitall Rita 13T

Remitall-West Yellow Rose 2Y

FAT

Remitall-West Marvel ET 40Z

CE BW WW YW MM TM MCE

REA MARB

CE BW WW YW MM TM MCE

CW STAY MPI FMI

-7.4 +6.7 +68.8 +117.4 +27.4 +61.8 +0.8

+1.1 +121.9 -2.7 +169.4 +156.2 +0.001 +0.54 +0.20

FAT

-6.1 +5.3 +55.9 +91.4 +20.9 +48.9 +3.6

+1.0

+97.0 -1.2 +153.0 +122.2 +0.011 +0.39 +0.12

FAT

REA MARB

SIRES: Remitall-West Game Day ET 74Y Remitall-West Chicago ET 83Y Remitall-West Havana ET 33A Remitall-West Beliveau 6Z CB 57U Can Doo 102Y FAT

MHPH 521X Action 106A

Glenlees 101N Bailey 78Y

STAR Miss Haylee 39U

CE BW WW YW MM TM MCE

CW STAY MPI FMI

-3.0 +5.1 +53.1 +84.6 +30.2 +56.8 +3.2

+0.6

+93.5 -0.1 +163.4 +130.2 -0.006 +0.38 -0.02

REA MARB

CE BW WW YW MM TM MCE

-0.2 +4.0 +44.4 +72.8 +30.7 +52.9 +3.5

+0.7 +87.4 +0.6 +155.3 +101.5 +0.020 +0.28 0.00

CW STAY MPI FMI

FAT

REA MARB

Boyd Banker 0015 ET NJW 73S W18 Hometown 10Y ET

The Remitall West Production Sale

D Saturday, Oct.10, 2015 d

Remitall-W Start Me Up ET 7B Last year’s high selling bull calf at $165,000 to Topp Herefords, N.D., and Castle Herefords, Okla.

Hereford.org

Bryan & Annette Latimer & Family Box 16, Site 2, RR #4 Olds, AB T4H 1T8 403-556-0301 ablatimer@xplornet.ca Request a catalog at www.remitallwest.com August 2015 /

MISS ADVANCE FEMALE PAGEANT 2015 September 17, 2015 SELLING 90 ELITE LINE ONE FEMALES

40 Proven Females — All females born in 2009 and 2010 including donors 20 March Calving 2-, 3- and 4-Year-Old Cows 15 Top Quality March Calving Bred Heifers 20 Outstanding Open Fall Yearling Heifers CL 1 Dominette 7136T 1ET {DOD}{DLF,HYF,IEF} 42788281

Sire: L1 Domino 890061 • MGS: CL 1 Domino 9126J 1ET • CE 3.3 (.32); BW 0.5 (.44); WW 49 (.40); YW 67 (.42); MM 27 (.35); M&G 52; MCE 2.0 (.28); MCW 70 (.36); UDDR 1.21 (.43); TEAT 1.21 (.41); SC 0.4 (.25); FAT 0.096 (.40); REA -0.04 (.40); MARB 0.06 (.35); BMI$ 11; CEZ$ 16; BII$ 8; CHB$ 16 • Powerful Cooper donor female that is light birth weight, great uddered and super fancy. 7136 is a maternal giant and a top producer of outstanding daughters. • Maternal grandam of CL 1 Domino 215Z that had the high selling sire group in Cooper’s 2015 sale. • Her daughter, 055Z, is one of the very top young females in Cooper’s herd. • Great embryo producer • Sells bred for a late October calf by 1069Y

HH Miss Advance 0121X {DLF,HYF,IEF} 43074007

Sire: HH Advance 8203U ET • MGS: HH Advance 4140P • CE -5.0 (.31); BW 3.9 (.49); WW 53 (.39); YW 78 (.43); MM 21 (.28); M&G 48; MCE 2.5 (.27); MCW 95 (.37); UDDR 0.92 (P); TEAT 1.00 (P); SC 0.7 (.28); FAT 0.007 (.32); REA 0.30 (.31); MARB 0.39 (.29); BMI$ 19; CEZ$ 11; BII$ 17; CHB$ 29 • Dam of the $240,000 4075B bull that sold in our 2015 sale • Great combination of pigment, udder quality, eye appeal and loaded with carcass strength • Produced another son that sold to Dufur Herefords for $20,000 in our 2013 sale

3139 Valier Dupuyer Rd. • Valier, MT 59486 • 406-297-3301 406-279-3300 Ranch • 406-450-1029 Jack’s Cell 406-450-0129 Jay D. Evans • 406-590-3307 Brad Holden jtholden@3rivers.net • www.holdenherefords.com

/ August 2015

Hereford.org

HH Miss Advance 0232X {DLF,HYF,IEF} • 43073866

• • • •

Sire: HH Advance 7034T ET • MGS: HH Advance 0094K CE 2.6 (.30); BW 3.4 (.49); WW 58 (.40); YW 92 (.43); MM 34 (.31); M&G 63; MCE 0.4 (.26); MCW 97 (.37); UDDR 1.14 (P); TEAT 1.23 (P); SC 1.4 (.23); FAT 0.052 (.34); REA -0.08 (.33); MARB 0.06 (.30); BMI$ 18; CEZ$ 16; BII$ 15; CHB$ 23 Elite donor female out of a great cow family Well marked, great uddered power cow that has produced some great daughters for our herd Daughter of the 4016P cow that sold for $37,500 in our 2010 Cow Sale

HH MISS Advance 9102W {DOD}{DLF,HYF,IEF} • 42999381 • • • • •

Sire: HH Advance 5104R • MGS: HH Advance 3196N CE -3.4 (.31); BW 5.6 (.51); WW 63 (.44); YW 112 (.46); MM 33 (.31); M&G 64; MCE 0.5 (.27); MCW 121 (.38); UDDR 0.97 (P); TEAT 0.91 (P); SC 0.9 (.25); FAT 0.009 (.37); REA 0.45 (.36); MARB 0.02 (.34); BMI$ 12; CEZ$ 9; BII$ 8; CHB$ 28 Powerhouse donor with a huge hip and phenomenal growth EPD's. Lots of look and style. Son sold for $37,500 in our 2015 sale. Daughter sold for $17,500 in our 2015 sale. Avg. NR of 108.5

HH Miss Advance 9234W ET {DLF,HYF,IEF} • 43039934

• • • • •

Sire: HH Advance 5212R • MGS: HH Advance 0094K CE 1.4 (.15); BW 3.6 (.35); WW 51 (.31); YW 84 (.31); MM 31 (.28); M&G 56; MCE 1.6 (.13); MCW 105 (.26); UDDR 1.11 (P); TEAT 1.15 (P); SC 1.2 (.20); FAT 0.019 (.23); REA -0.05 (.23); MARB 0.11 (.21); BMI$ 18; CEZ$ 16; BII$ 15; CHB$ 23 Big topped, perfect uddered, stylish female that has been a great donor for us. A daughter is one of our top young donor cows. Great set of ET calves by 8050U and 105Y Excellent embryo producer

HH Miss Advance 4262B {DLF,IEF} • 43528037

Sire: HH Advance 2037Z ET • MGS: CL 1 Domino 017X • CE -0.4 (.11); BW 2.9 (.43); WW 60 (.28); YW 90 (.30); MM 24 (.11); M&G 54; MCE 1.2 (.09); MCW 81 (.29); UDDR 1.12 (P); TEAT 1.22 (P); SC 0.6 (.14); FAT 0.054 (.19); REA 0.28 (.19); MARB 0.02 (.15); BMI$ 13; CEZ$ 12; BII$ 9; CHB$ 23 • Powerhouse fall heifer that was the #1 heifer in group on NR at 118 • Long bodied, fancy made and extra stout heifer with a great look

Hereford.org

HH Miss Advance 0078X ET {DLF,HYF,IEF} • 43073877

Sire: CL 1 Domino 7128T 1ET • MGS: HH Advance 0024K • CE 1.1 (.15); BW 4.9 (.31); WW 45 (.29); YW 78 (.29); MM 25 (.24); M&G 47; MCE -0.9 (.12); MCW 86 (.23); UDDR 1.18 (P); TEAT 1.21 (P); SC 0.6 (.20); FAT -0.021 (.27); REA 0.40 (.27); MARB -0.25 (.24); BMI$ 11; CEZ$ 13; BII$ 9; CHB$ 17 • Powerful donor with a huge hip, big middle and super fancy fronted • Dam topped our 2008 Female Sale at $32,000 • Backed by a great cow family. Maternal grandam is a full sister to the great 767G bull.

HH Miss Advance 9228W {DLF,HYF,IEF} • 43039928

Sire: HH Advance 6163S • MGS: HH Advance 4140P • CE 1.4 (.30); BW 2.1 (.48); WW 42 (.39); YW 73 (.43); MM 36 (.27); M&G 56; MCE 1.8 (.26); MCW 77 (.36); UDDR 0.97 (P); TEAT 1.01 (P); SC 0.5 (.25); FAT 0.000 (.29); REA 0.67 (.30); MARB -0.12 (.26); BMI$ 10; CEZ$ 14; BII$ 7; CHB$ 18 • Deep ribbed, well marked, extra fancy and a herd bull producer deluxe • Top donor cow that goes back to the great 1028L donor cow • Dam of HH Advance 3297A, feature young herd sire • Avg. NR of 106.3

HH Miss Advance 9065W ET {DLF,HYF,IEF} • 42999351

Sire: HH Advance 7101T • MGS: HH Advance 6052F • CE 2.5 (.32); BW 2.7 (.46); WW 45 (.41); YW 74 (.43); MM 35 (.32); M&G 57; MCE 1.0 (.27); MCW 88 (.37); UDDR 1.01 (P); TEAT 1.12 (P); SC 1.0 (.30); FAT -0.027 (.38); REA 0.48 (.38); MARB 0.11 (.35); BMI$ 18; CEZ$ 17; BII$ 16; CHB$ 25 • Super fancy donor that is well marked, great uddered and backed by a top cow family. • Dam of the 1098Y bull that sold for $102,000 in our 2012 sale • Excellent embryo producer

HH SR Miss Advance 4349B ET {DLF,HYF,IEF} • 43528115

Sire: HH Advance 8050U ET • CL 1 Domino 2136M • CE 4.7 (.27); BW 0.7 (.39); WW 53 (.32); YW 75 (.35); MM 35 (.24); M&G 61; MCE 2.6 (.22); MCW 63 (.35); UDDR 1.28 (P); TEAT 1.32 (P); SC 0.8 (.24); FAT 0.001 (.28); REA 0.56 (.28); MARB -0.15 (.25); BMI$ 15; CEZ$ 18; BII$ 11; CHB$ 22 • This heifer is a sale featu e. She is a daughter of the great 5139R donor cow and a full sister to one of our very top young donors. Foundation female deluxe right here with the cow family, look and EPDs to back it up. • A can’t miss prospect with breed changing potential!

August 2015 /

by Larry Brooks whiteface1881@gmail.com

“CHB Bites” is a column designed to keep you in-the-know about Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) program happenings. CHB LLC is celebrating 20 years with a “Farm-to-Fork” series featuring how Herefords become the ultimate eating experience. You can also follow CHB on Facebook at facebook.com/CertifiedHerefordBeef.

Dining out with CHB Farm -toFork Part 1: Seedstock Part 2: Stocker Part 3: Feedlot Part 4: Packer Part 5: Retail Part 6: Foodservice Part 7: Consumer

This month we are exploring the “fork in the road” of Certified Hereford Beef (CHB®). Last month, the retail supermarket was the stop on the farm-tofork tour of CHB. This month, CHB has made a left turn instead and headed down the foodservice distribution line where it ultimately would end up in one of the many fine-dining establishments. Did you know that the foodservice industry is a $660 billion industry in the U.S.? In fact, the industry is so large that more than half the adults in the world have worked in foodservice in some capacity during their lifetime. So, if you ever spent time working in a restaurant, a cafeteria, a campus dining hall, or for a caterer or vendor, then you worked in foodservice. The foodservice industry is broken into two groups — one side that prepares and serves the food and the other that provides services and distributes food and equipment needed by food providers.

Part 8: Future

Factor in a complicated and ever-increasing fast-paced lifestyle that makes cooking at home a challenge, and the food distribution industry enjoys steady growth year in and year out. In fact the National Restaurant Association projected sales of more than $680 billion for 2014. CHB is proud to be a part of that success.

CHB and foodservice How is CHB successful in the foodservice industry? Well, the answer is simple. It is all about relationships. Our program would not be as successful as it is without the help of a great foodservice distributor like Sysco Minnesota. CHB LLC and Sysco Minnesota have been partnering since August 2010, and they currently serve more than 5,000 customers. Having that many customers means that there is a lot of great tasting Hereford beef moving across the plates of fine dining establishments. Sysco Minnesota moves

approximately 2.3 million lb. of CHB a year. Why did Sysco Minnesota decide to partner with CHB LLC? Center of Plate, Premium Protein Specialist of Sysco Minnesota, June Dunn, says, “We are in a market that has multiple different ‘Angus programs’ from our competitors, so we felt the need to bring on something completely different, kind of a fresh start to our beef program. We were delighted with the overwhelming response from our customers.” Those responses enable CHB LLC to help Sysco Minnesota achieve its mission statement: “To market and deliver great products to our customers with exceptional service.”

Customers’ choice What do customers tell Sysco Minnesota about Certified Hereford Beef and why they choose it? “We hear about how juicy and tender the steaks are, and how it tastes like beef is supposed to taste. The ground chuck patties are a tremendous hit in this market as well. We stock many different sizes in both fresh and frozen,” Dunn says. How has CHB demand been with the rising prices? Dunn says, “Our beef sales are continuing to go up even with the higher prices. We have been talking to our customers about some newer underutilized cuts that are a little less expensive. We are starting to see a trend of smaller portions as well. A lot of our customers would still like to feature a nice cut of beef, but not necessarily a 16-20 oz. portion like in years past.” In the next few years, Sysco Minnesota is hoping to add some further processed CHB items like precooked prime rib, pot roast and even deli meat to enhance its customers’ opportunities. Dunn adds, “The decision

to bring CHB to our protein offerings was one of the best we could have made. It has set us apart from our competition. We sell a complete line of primals, portion cut steaks and burgers. Our partners at Greater Omaha Packing Co. Inc. are extremely helpful to work with. We have taken customers to their plant for tours, and each time we come back with another solid CHB customer. We also work with our local Hereford ranchers when we can, and have taken customers on tours to the farms, and invited them to join us at cuttings and restaurant openings. It is nice to be able to show them where their beef ends up. We look forward to our future with CHB.”

The Onion Grille One of those customers that uses CHB is The Onion Grille located in Hastings, Minn. The restaurant opened in 2011 and serves CHB burgers, top sirloin, New York strips and ribeyes. Its in-house-special steak is a coffee crusted New York, Montreal ribeye. Its best-selling CHB item is the Widow Maker Burger. Picture a delicious CHB patty, topped with succulent pot roast, bacon, mushrooms, onions, cheese and onion rings. Wendy Dodge-Agen, owner of The Onion Grille, has had CHB on the menu since day one. “I always get comments like, ‘this is the best steak I have had in ages,’ or ‘why are the steaks so tender?’ I am always getting compliments on the beef,” she says. Dodge-Agen says she chose to go with Sysco Minnesota and CHB because of Dunn. “She has been instrumental in the opening of this restaurant and was extremely excited to tell me about CHB. We have a few Hereford ranches within 30 miles of Hastings, Minn., so I thought this would be a great way to feature and support our Minnesota ranchers. After we did the cutting with June, my decision was easy, the flavor and tenderness of the steaks was better than any of the others I tried.” That’s just one of many examples of our great partner Sysco Minnesota and Dunn following through on their vision statement: “To be our customers’ most valued and trusted business partner.” Next month, we reach the end of the trail on our Farm-to-Fork series with consumer perspective. HW

/ August 2015

Hereford.org

A FANCY M326 DAUGHTER

4 Outstanding Pairs from… MCF 10R MISS RIBEYE 1003

Lot 5

43095775 • Calved: Jan. 31, 2010 Sire: SHF Rib Eye M326 R117 • BW 2.8; WW 47; YW 71; MM 27; M&G 51; REA 0.46; MARB 0.17 • Sells with Lot 61A, heifer calf born Feb. 22, 2015, sired by MCF 11X Mr T-Top 314T 62A ET. • Bred AI May 31 to MSU TCF Revolution 4R then pasture exposed to MCF 11X Mr T-Top 314T 62A ET.

Lot 61

MOHICAN RUBY 219W ET P43109389 • Calved: Sept. 25, 2009

RRH MR FELT 3008 {SOD}{CHB}{DLF,HYF,IEF} KCF BENNETT 3008 M326 {SOD}{CHB}{DLF,HYF,IEF} P42361822 KCF MISS 459 F284

FELTONS 517 {SOD}{CHB}{HYF} RRH MS VICT 6191 FELTONS 459 KCF MISS X4 B156

C -S PURE GOLD 98170 {SOD}{CHB}{DLF,HYF,IEF} RW RUBY 98170 2022 ET P42299928 TFS KEYSTONE 35D

C GOLD RUSH 1ET C MS DOM 93218 1ET REMITALL KEYNOTE 20X {SOD}{CHB} TFS MISS 83 42U

• Ruby is phenotypically correct, deep bodied, easy keeping and has an excellent udder. Pasture exposed March 1 to May 20, 2015, to NJW R125 67M Radar 71T ET (P42799143). Confirmed safe in calf Sells with Lot 5A, NCF MR. RADAR 1505 (P43589812), a bull calf born on Feb. 20, 2015, sired by NJW R125 67M Radar 71T ET. • BW 2.5; WW 48; YW 76; MM 14; M&G 39; REA 0.50; MARB 0.12

MCF 128P LIBERTY BELLE 071R 09Z

P43178470 • Calved: Feb. 16, 2011 • BW 3.9; WW 53; YW 78; MM 27; M&G 53 • Lot 63A: Bull calf born March 1, 2015, sired by THM TLs Trustmead 1243 ET. • Pasture exposed March 15 to June 20, 2015, to THM TLs Trustmead 1243 ET.

Lot 64

Lot 62

Lot 63

DESTIN EMMIE 77 J204 ET

P43133012 - Calved: Jan. 4, 2010 • BW 5.0; WW 52; YW 85; MM 26; M&G 53 • Lot 62A: Heifer calf born March 19, 2015, sired by THM TLs Trustmead 1243 ET. • Pasture exposed March 17 to June 20, 2015, to THM TLs Trustmead 1243 ET.

NOTCHEY CREEK FARM

LCC MISS VICTORY LANE 923 ET

P42999657 • Calved: Jan. 8, 2009 • BW 6.0; WW 51; YW 86; MM 10; M&G 35 • Lot 64A: Black whiteface steer, born Jan. 17, 2015. • Pasture exposed March 17 to June 20, 2015, to THM TLs Trustmead 1243 ET (P43246608).

Johnny and Tanuja Jonathan and Meghan Justin and Meghan 314 Letory Rd., Wartburg, TN 37887 423-346-7304 • Jonathan, cell 865-803-9947 www.mudcreekfarms.org.

Mitch and Kathryn Ingram 785 Old Tellico Hwy. N., Madisonville, TN 37354 423-420-1023 • Mitch 423-337-174 www.notcheycreekfarms.com

KICK-OFF CLASSIC White Pine, Tennessee

AUGUST 15, 2015

Bid live online at: www.cowbuyer.com

For more information, visit www.easttnpolledhereford.org or call Mitch Ingram 423-337-1074

Bringing Our Best!

Lot 29 CPH MS DARLING TIME Z242 P43343698 • Calved: Nov. 11, 2012

• BW 3.6; WW 50; YW 77; MM 19; M&G 44; REA 0.28; MARB 0.15 • Sells bred AI Dec. 9, 2014, to CL 1 Domino 144Y 1ET.

Lot 32 CPH MS COWGIRL OUTCROSS A314 P43437710 • Calved: Sept. 13, 2013

• BW 1.8; WW 43; YW 77; MM 21; M&G 43; REA 0.30; MARB 0.21 • Bred AI Dec. 3, 2014, to MSU TCF Revolution 4R.

Lot 30 CPH LADY DOMINO 8140 A309 P43435124 • Calved: April 29, 2013

• BW 2.5; WW 44; YW 76; MM 15; M&G 37; REA 0.07; MARB 0.23 • Sells bred AI Dec. 10, 2014, to CL 1 Domino 144Y 1ET.

Lot 34 CPH MS COWGIRL DOMINO 407 43574469 • Calved: March 16, 2014

• BW 1.5; WW 48; YW 77; MM 25; M&G 49; REA 0.36; MARB 0.14 • Sells pasture exposed April 15 to May 30, 2015, to a calving ease Simmental bull.

2 Bred Heifers and 1 Cow-Calf Pair

Lot 31 CPH COWGIRL OUTCROSS A313 P43437726 • Calved: Sept. 10, 2013

• BW 4.5; WW 51; YW 85; MM 22; M&G 48; REA 0.39; MARB 0.14 • Sells bred AI Dec. 2, 2014, to Feltons Legend 242.

CPH FELTON DAKOTA U13

P42959694 • Calved: May 16, 2008

• BW 4.2; WW 44; YW 71; MM 10; M&G 32; REA -0.08; MARB 0.11 • Bred AI Dec. 11, 2014, to TH 122 71I Victor 719T.

Hereford.org

CPH MS LACEY 719T B421

P43585345 • Calved: Sept. 14, 2014

• BW 2.6; WW 56; YW 84; MM 18; M&G 46; REA 0.39; MARB 0.08 • Fancy Show Prospect

• BW 2.9; WW 61; YW 97; MM 22; M&G 52; REA 0.68; MARB 0.08 • Pasture exposed Dec. 8, 2014 to April 20, 2015, to JCS 5216 Ranger 3466.

CPH MS COWGIRL OUTCROSS A327 P43437728 • Calved: Nov. 10, 2013

• BW 3.1; WW 52; YW 86; MM 20; M&G 45; REA 0.23; MARB 0.21 • Sells bred AI Dec. 2, 2014, to Feltons Legend 242.

KHF LEGENDS DREAM 418D

Lot 17

P43453331 • Calved: April 4, 2013

POLLED HEREFORDS Lot 27

P43409529 • Calved: Jan. 27, 2013

Lot 33

CUNNINGHAM

Lot 28

MS. REV 110

Lot 18

Larry and Michelle Cunningham 1075 Cunningham Rd. Spring City, TN 37381 423-365-6962 423-605-9241 cunninghamphfarm@aol.com

• BW 2.6; WW 38; YW 61; MM 21; M&G 40; REA 0.23; MARB 0.07 • Pasture exposed Dec. 8, 2014 to April 20, 2015, to JCS 5216 Ranger 3466. P.O. Box 146 • Morrison, TN 37357 Eric, Rhonda and Casey 931-607-6356 Cell Cody, Trisha and Hayden 931-635-2181 Home 931-668-4622 Offic 931-668-7365 Fax wphf@blomand.net • www.walkerpolledherefordfarm.com

August 2015 /

3 Stout Bred Heifers

3 Powerful Young Cow-Calf Pairs

Lot 25

Lot 25A

GTW ROCKIN TERRI 205

GTW 3018 SARAH 418

P43374094 • Calved: Oct. 22, 2012

P43566467 • Calved: Nov. 13, 2014

• BW 3.0; WW 49; YW 78; MM 19; M&G 43; REA 0.24; MARB 0.11 • Lot 26A: Bull calf born Dec. 11, 2014, by THM Reliable 3018 ET. • Pasture exposed Jan. 19 to May 27, 2015, to THM Reliable 3018 ET.

• BW 2.3; WW 47; YW 71; MM 12; M&G 36; REA 0.37; MARB 0.08 • Pasture exposed May 20 to Aug. 1, 2015, to KPH Duke Z3112.

Lot 24

Lot 26 GTW ADELE 203

P43528872 • Calved: Feb. 21, 2014

Sire: THM 100W Reliable 3018 ET • BW 2.8; WW 51; YW 83; MM 22; M&G 48; REA 0.47; MARB 0.13

• BW 2.5; WW 49; YW 79; MM 21; M&G 46; REA 0.22; MARB 0.11 • Pasture exposed Jan. 19 to May 5, 2015, to THM Reliable 3018 ET.

P43374092 • Calved: Oct. 17, 2012

KPH NICOLE B214

Lot 36

GTW DYNA GIRL 206

P43374095 • Calved: Nov. 1, 2012 • BW 4.1; WW 56; YW 88; MM 25; M&G 53; REA 0.35; MARB 0.12 • Lot 24A: Bull calf born Nov. 30, 2014, by THM Reliable 3018 ET. • Pasture exposed Jan. 19 to May 27, 2015, to THM Reliable 3018 ET. George, Tammy, William and Andy Ward 3404 Shady Grove Rd., Providence, NC 27315 336-388-2177 • 434-251-3637 Cell • waherfordfarm@comcast.net Visitors Always Welcome

KPH MISS MADDIE A1113

Lot 37

P43528870 • Calved: Nov. 26, 2013

• BW 3.2; WW 46; YW 71; MM 15; M&G 38; REA 0.36; MARB 0.06 • Bred AI May 3 to THM Durango 4037 and confirmed pregnant to AI date.

KERR POLLED HEREFORDS Larry and Ryan Kerr 847 Summerhill Dr., Friendsville, TN 37737 865-977-6194 • herefordkerr@gmail.com

KICK-OFF CLASSIC White Pine, Tennessee

AUGUST 15, 2015

Bid live online at: www.cowbuyer.com

For more information, visit www.easttnpolledhereford.org or call Mitch Ingram 423-337-1074

3 Big, Stout Bred Heifers… from Leonard Polled Herefords MLM RACHEL 144U B3

P43514782 • Calved: Jan. 8, 2014 • BW 5.4; WW 52; YW 89; MM 19; M&G 46; REA 0.53; MARB -0.10 • Sells pasture exposed April 6 to July 4, 2015, to Walker Billings 719T 545 419B.

Lot 56 LPH FLAVA 105T B8

P43501238 • Calved: Jan. 22, 2014 • BW 4.1; WW 48; YW 71; MM 26; M&G 50; REA 0.52; MARB 0.15 • Sells pasture exposed April 6 to July 4, 2015, to Walker Billings 719T 545 419B.

Lot 54 BL Joy 56Y B12

P43474297 • Calved: Feb. 13, 2014 • BW 5.4; WW 48; YW 81; MM 20; M&G 44; REA 0.27; MARB 0.02 • Sells pasture exposed April 6 to July 4, 2015, to Walker Billings 719T 545 419B.

Leonard Polled Herefords Lot 55 16

/ August 2015

Sherman and Peggy Leonard P.O. Box 280, Chatsworth, GA 30705 • 706-695-2008 Sherman, cell 706-280-9490 Seth Ridley 706-463-5331 • Matt McCurdy 706-280-9002 www.lphcatle.com

Hereford.org

Check Out These Girls!

Lot 12

Lot 4

DW MISS REVOLUTIONS VICKI 370 P43510473 • Calved: March 6, 2013

MJ TRUST-N-HALEY 2013

Sire: MSU TCF Revolution 4R • BW 3.2; WW 59; YW 96; MM 22; M&G 52; REA 0.54; MARB 0.10 • Bred AI Dec. 19, 2014, to TH 122 71I Victor 719T.

A powerful Trust daughter… plus 2 stylish bred heifers

P43391466 • Calved: Feb. 20, 2013 Sire: NJW 73S M326 Trust 100W ET • BW 2.2; WW 51; YW 91; MM 25; M&G 50; REA 0.68; MARB 0.14 • Lot 4A: Heifer calf born March 16, 2015, by Walker Whitehawk 7115 2328 162. • Bred AI May 13, 2015, to SHF Wyatt P20 W193 (P42991518).

Lot 1

TM MISS OZZIE A60 P43466277 • Calved: Oct. 26, 2013

DW MISS CLASSY MARLA 3395

Sire: FPH Victor Revolution Z9 • BW 2.0; WW 44; YW 73; MM 20; M&G 42; REA 0.24; MARB 0.13 • Bred AI May 13, 2015, to Walker Whitehawk 7115 2328 162.

Lot 11

P43389791 • Calved: April 12, 2013

M&J Polled Herefords

Lot 2

Sire: K-L DW Classys Image W19 • BW 2.8; WW 39; YW 65; MM 22; M&G 42; REA 0.13; MARB 0.05 • Bred AI Dec. 21, 2014, to VPI DW FPH Class Act P414.

CIRCLE L MISS REVOLUTION 209B

Diamond W Farms

P43466870 • Calved: Feb. 18, 2014 Sire: MSU TCF Revolution 4R • BW 3.6; WW 61; YW 100; MM 27; M&G 58; REA 0.55; MARB 0.08 • Bred AI May 13, 2015, to Walker Whitehawk 7115 2328 162 (P43245575).

Kenneth and Doris Worley 25052 Rich Valley Rd., Abingdon, VA 24210 276-944-345 • Cell 276-356-3458 kworley123@earthlink.net

Bryan Williamson 660 Rocky Springs Rd. Madisonville, TN 37354 423-442-6430 • Cell 423-261-5166 Doug Carter 423-295-5119 btwilliamson@charter.net

KICK-OFF CLASSIC White Pine, Tennessee

AUGUST 15, 2015

Bid live online at: www.cowbuyer.com

For more information, visit www.easttnpolledhereford.org or call Mitch Ingram 423-337-1074

Genetic Opportunity

A Powerful Open Heifer Sired by Miles McKee’s Full Brother

4 Embryos by “Wildcat” out of…

Lot 44 Lot 13 DKM MISS DANIKA 48W 1255 P43265977 • Calved: Feb. 20, 2012

Sire: TH 65R 45P Tank 48W • BW 3.4; WW 46; YW 86; MM 25; M&G 48; REA 0.28; MARB 0.14 • Here is an outstanding mating of power packed genetics. 1255 is our top donor and a former high selling female at the Tennessee Beef Agribition. Volume, thickness, good milk flow and femininity all describe 1255. The sire of the embryos, “Wildcat,” was junior calf champion at Denver and grand champion at Ft. Worth. Wildcat is dark red, pigmented and exhibits outstanding muscle expression. These embryos will move your herd forward. Buy with confidence Guarantee one (1) pregnancy if implanted by a certified tech

JL LADY LOVE 6016 U457 ET 207 P43298413 • Calved: March 20, 2012

Sire: Edisto E132 Plato Dom U457 ET • BW 2.6; WW 36; YW 55; MM 13; M&G 31; REA -0.07; MARB -0.01 • Lot 44A: Hometown 10Y heifer calf, tattoo 313, born April 9, 2915. • Bred May 29, 2015, to Walker Big League X51 545 441B.

P43007567 • Calved: Jan. 17, 2009

• BW 2.1; WW 47; YW 61; MM 21; M&G 45; REA 0.37; MARB 0.21 • Pasture exposed Dec. 10, 2014 to April 21, 2015, to SHF Wyatt P20 W193. Examined safe.

JL LADY LEGEND 389 L88

Hereford.org

NJW 98S R117 RIBEYE 88X ET {CHB}{DLF,HYF,IEF} C 88X GOLD RIBEYE 1312 ET {DLF,HYF,IEF} 43271372 C NOTICE ME ET {DLF,HYF,IEF}

SHF RIB EYE M326 R117 {SOD}{CHB}{DLF,HYF,IEF} NJW 9126J DEW DOMINO 98S {DOD}{DLF,HYF,IEF} C -S PURE GOLD 98170 {SOD}{CHB}{DLF,HYF,IEF} HH MISS ADVANCE 104A {DOD}

BR MOLER ET {CHB}{DLF,IEF} RF MOLLY JANE 0118 ET 43112298 RF GOLDILOCKS 6024 {DLF,HYF,IEF}

REMITALL ONLINE 122L {SOD}{CHB}{DLF,HYF,IEF} DM L1 DOMINETTE 820 FOUR L GOLDEN EYE 157 {CHB}{DLF,IEF} HH MISS ADVANCE 4005P

Lot 45

P43160301 • Calved: Nov. 17, 2010

Sire: PBC Mr Beef 412T L88 • BW 1.5; WW 37; YW 58; MM 21; M&G 40; REA 0.08; MARB 0.18 • Will calve by sale date to JL Mr Hereford 145 11Y 204 (P43298412). Contact us for more information

Russell and Beverly Crouch 194 Twin Lakes Dr., McMinnville, TN 37110 931-668-2157 • Cell 931-273-5819 racrouch@blomand.net

43576209 • Calved: Nov. 12, 2014

• Sire: BW 2.7; WW 50; YW 69; MM 38; M&G 62; REA 0.47; MARB 0.11 • Dam: BW 4.0; WW 52; YW 85; MM 21; M&G 47; REA 0.73; MARB -0.04

Also selling… GRANDVIEW CMR MISS GARRETT 9047

RF MOLLIE 4032

LOVE FARMS

Jim and Kathryn Love Blowing Rock, NC 28605 • Cell 828-266-1438

Mike Rogan 1662 McKinney Chapel Rd. Rogersville, TN 37857 423-272-5018 • 423-754-1213 Cell roganfarm@yahoo.com August 2015 /

Font: Serpentine Bold

Lot 60

by Kindra Gordon office@gordonresources.com

Tips from ‘Highly Productive People’ Recently, while I was perusing the web, a blog headline caught my eye: “6 Subtle Things Highly Productive People Do Every Day.” Of course, I had to click and read. While Internet headlines are often deceiving, I have to admit this particular blog, written by business writer Eric Barker, shared some suggestions with merit. He noted that even though most people think they are busy, there is often a lot of wasted and “unproductive” time in our days — we can probably thank Smartphones and the Internet for a lot of that. So how do productive people get more done? Barker’s blog shared comments from Tim Ferriss, author of the international bestseller “The 4-Hour Workweek.” I grant from the get-go that Ferriss is not living the life of a farm or ranch family; however, he does share some strategies that are useful no matter what your profession.

Manage your mood The first tip is to manage your mood. If you wake up and dive right in to phone calls, e-mails and other fires to put out — you spend the whole day reacting. Ferriss points out that you’re not in the driver’s seat working on your

priorities, you’re responding to what gets thrown at you — important or not. Instead, he advises, if you start the day calm, it’s easy to get the right things done and to focus. Specifically, Ferriss says, “I try to have the first 80 to 90 minutes of my day vary as little as possible. I think that a routine is necessary to feel in control and nonreactive, which reduces anxiety. It therefore makes you more productive.” One of his biggest strategies is to avoid checking e-mails or other social media at the start of the day, so that he can plan and prioritize his own goals to pursue. Another reason for managing your mood is that research has shown you procrastinate more when you’re in a bad mood. Conversely, studies have demonstrated happiness increases productivity and leads to more success. The bottom line is to think a little less about managing the work and a little more about managing your moods.

Prioritize Another “productivity” strategy shared was this: “Before you try to do it faster, ask whether it should be done at all.” Ferriss suggests most people are spreading themselves too thin and

doing too many things — many of which offer little or no return. He emphasizes that knowing your goals and having a plan are essential to help prioritize your projects and time management. Along with that, Ferriss says that having a daily routine to follow helps create a system for success. One important aspect in a routine should include setting your daily priorities the night before and writing them down. Ferriss reports that studies have shown these activities have a secondary benefit. Writing down what you need to do tomorrow relieves anxiety and helps you enjoy your evening. Some additional tips that I gleaned from a few of Barker’s other blog posts include these suggestions:

• Schedule everything. To-do

lists are evil. He says, “To-do lists by themselves are useless. They’re just the first step. You have to assign them time on your schedule. Why? It makes you be realistic about what you can get done. Until it’s on your calendar and assigned an hour, it’s just a list of wishful thinking.”

• Make a plan for the entire

week. Barker says, “…the last thing this world needs is more short term thinking…. You’ll never get ahead of the game by only looking at today and never thinking about tomorrow.” He also shares that research backs this approach up. Research shows you spend your time more wisely when you follow a plan, and studies show writing things down makes you more likely to follow through.

• Focus on the deep stuff. All

work is not created equal, points out Barker. Shallow work is little stuff like e-mail, meetings and moving information around — things that are not really using your talents, he says. “Deep work pushes your current abilities to their limits. It produces high value results and improves your skills.” Thus, he suggests, “Do less and be amazing at those things.” HW

Thank you to all that have supported BuyHereford.com. When making your marketing plans in 2015, consider BuyHereford.com first The source for merchandising semen, embryos, females and bulls.

BuyHereford.com Monthly Sales:

Sale Date Sept. 29 Oct. 27 Nov. 24

Entry Deadline Sept. 11 Oct. 9 Nov. 6

Texas Breeders Online Auction Oct. 8

BuyHereford.com The place to buy and sell Hereford genetics.

For more information, contact Dennis Schock, BuyHereford.com manager, 903-815-2004 or dschock@hereford.org; your AHA field representative or Joe Rickabaugh, AHA, 816-218-2280 18

/ August 2015

Hereford.org

August 2015 /

by Kris Ringwall, beef specialist, NDSU Extension Service chaps@ndsuext.nodak.edu

Parasites, the Unwanted Guests I was watching a video of what appeared to be a wiggling thing inside a very small sack. The wiggling thing was actually a small parasite larva inside the egg sac attached to a small blade of grass. The larva was about to hatch. Some time has passed since I watched the video, but the concept of parasites has not changed. Parasites are something that makes a living off of others. Parasites are not a problem of just one type of animal but all living things. Sometimes parasites can exist without even affecting the host, but other times they can be fatal to the host. I was reminded of this video because the Dickinson Research Extension Center utilizes sheep for small-pasture grazing on the center’s replicated agronomy plots. The sheep were starting to show signs of parasitism; their feces where quite loose, with some even starting to show evidence of diarrhea. With my background of raising sheep, I was reminded of how sheep producers can get caught in a parasite trap when raising sheep. Sheep are more sensitive to parasite infestation than some of our other domesticated species and are quick to manifest the symptoms of parasite infestation. Sheep producers always need to be monitoring their flocks and

implementing an aggressive parasite control program. More times than not, when a sheep producer experiences general unthriftiness in the flock, parasite control should be the first response. Although the sheep sensitivity to a parasite infection served as a reminder to me to implement a parasite-control program for the center’s sheep, the sheep actually reminded me of the need for producers to keep a constant vigil of all that is going on around the ranch. The question producers often find themselves asking is, “Why now?” The answer probably was evident in the subtle workings of the ranch at some time prior to the actual problematic outbreak. If we use parasites as an example, all parasites have a rather defined life cycle, a life cycle that often includes an external and internal component. Regardless of what parasite, timely managerial intervention that is based on the life cycle of each parasite and seasonal cycles of the host is critical. Although I am using the sheep as an example, cattle also are hosts to parasites, and the general principles are no different. Each parasite/host relationship is different, requiring a

broad understanding of the relationship, as well as a professional relationship with a herd health consultant. In simplistic terms, the issue, and the reason for this article, was a sheep’s response to the season this year. Bountiful moisture, moderate temperatures and ample forage set in play many life cycles. If you watch the numerous documentaries on interesting animals and insects or other life forms, you will see that many come to life with rain after months, if not years, of inactivity. When Mother Nature provides moisture, many life forms engage. That is true of parasites as well. As noted earlier, many parasites require a period of time outside of the host. Eggs are passed out of the host via the feces. These eggs may very well do nothing if the weather is not appropriate for development. A side note: Growing up on a farm or ranch that involved many types of plants and animals certainly taught many young minds the diversity of life and how different seasons brought different challenges. The bad always came with the good. The managerial question was sorting the difference and ending the season with more good than bad.

Anyway, many parasites are no different. When all is good for the grass to grow and calves to gain, the armies of weeds, parasites and other very small life forms also will take advantage and grow as well. Unfortunately, with parasites, when the external environment is ideal for their eggs to hatch, they can and will overwhelm the host. Young calves and lambs are more susceptible because they have not developed immunity to the many biological pathogenic invaders that constantly challenge all living things. A good point to keep in mind, just as the ewe or cow seeks out good pasture for the summer, is that parasites are always seeking out a good host for the summer. Yes, natural immunity is required for long-term survival, but as producers, you have managerial interventions that will handicap the parasite population and keep parasite effects on health at bay. As producers, when times are good and forage seems ample, always keep in mind the need to monitor parasites. One egg and a nice damp blade of grass can make for a troublesome meal for a young calf or lamb. May you find all your ear tags. HW

November. That is compared with the CHAPS typical age at weaning of 191 days and an average actual weaning weight of 558 lb. with traditional weaning dates. Those May-born calves grow, and they are certainly a marketable product using traditional management systems. What is even more interesting in reviewing last year’s records is that the center’s beef herd weaned 524 lb. of calf weight per exposed female. The CHAPS benchmark is 495 lb. of calf weight per exposed female. As noted earlier, traditional cattle management certainly survives the test of time. Change is not easy, but as those around us change, new doors need to be opened, some doors need to be modified and perhaps even some doors need to be shut. Like the old barn that had 12 stanchions for cows, a couple of stalls for the horses and perhaps a grouping pen or two for younger stock, seldom would the barn fit current production practices. Is there a particular point to May calving? The one point that comes up more and more is simply labor. That’s not just the availability of labor but the overall comfort of those who do the work. There comes a point in a producer’s life at which doing battle with Mother Nature becomes old. Granted, many previous battles were won, but at what cost?

Perhaps the biggest challenge is, even if the battle is won for this year, next year simply will call for more reinforcements. Producer choice is and always will be the bottom line. Back to May calving. I am pleasantly amazed by how the cow productivity remains competitive with traditional systems. The cattle remain in good condition (5.5 condition score), and of the overwintered beef cows, 97% of last year’s beef cows calved within the first 42 days of the calving season. The preliminary numbers for the beef cows this spring (2015) would suggest just a little less than 84% calved within the first 42 days of the calving season. The CHAPS benchmark value for cows calving within 42 days of the calving season is just a little more than 86%. That’s all right and indicative that the cows are breeding well in August. More specifically, this spring, 112 calves were born to 111 cows. As of June 24, two calves had died, and one cow did not calve. Another concern that looms in the future is udder soundness. In contrast to calving in facilities where cows can be handled, pasture calving requires more attention to udder soundness. Nine of the cows were marked for poor udders. This is a discussion for another time, but May calving is a go. HW

May Calving Is Productive I remember discussing calving with a beef producer during one of the lessthan-desirable mid-April days. You know the kind of day: 28 degrees, wind, rain, snow, mud and other combinations of weather. A stocking cap, another cap, wet gloves, heavy boots and other cold-weather clothing are common to the occasion. I asked how the day was going, and the response was garbled. In contrast, May calving is enjoyable, manageable and workable. With each passing year, at least for the Dickinson Research Extension Center, the shift to May calving is easier to affirm. The center continues to May calve, in contrast to the traditional early April calving for many Northern Plains producers. The center switched to May calving in 2012, and following late calving on grass in 2013, 2014 and 2015, the cows continue to rebreed very well. Again this year, the bulls will be turned out on August 1 at the center,

/ August 2015

with the expected start of the 2016 calving season set at May 10. The actual first full-term live calf was born on April 28 in 2013, April 27 in 2014 and April 29 in 2015. This timing is in contrast to mid-March for many Northern Plains producers. Do those six weeks make a difference? Granted, many producers are done calving by the time we start, and their calves have six weeks of growth. In other words, the calves have a 100-lb. head start on fall weaning weights. Is that a concern? Depending on how one measures the beef operation and what end point is used, those 100 lb. are significant. But the 100 lb. are not simply lost, and managerial tweaking can recapture those pounds easily. But even without any major tweaking, at least for the center, those May-born calves are holding their own. Last year, the center’s beef herd may have started 100 lb. light, but the calves actually had an adjusted 205-day weight of 681 lb. That was almost 50 lb. heavier than the Cow Herd Appraisal Performance Software (CHAPS) system’s typical 205-day weight of 632 lb. Some would say, “I don’t sell adjusted weights,” and that is true. But the center’s calves averaged 164 days of age at weaning, with an average actual weaning weight of 540 lb. at the end of

Hereford.org

HE R E F O R D

FALL CLASSIC September 12, 2015

1 p.m. (CST) at the farm near Taylorville, Ill. Selling: Bred Cows, including donors and Bred Heifers, Show Heifer Prospects, 3-in-1 Packages, Herd Bull Prospects, 50 Young Commercial Black and Black Baldie Cows bred for March and April calves. AHA Rep. : John Meents

Go Ms Excel M29

Auctioneer: Cody Lowderman

Churchill Lady 7163T

Bar-S Ms 913 123

42272318 Several daughters sell!

42790924 Bred to Churchill A1 for a late January calf.

43183607 Bred to NJW TwentyTwelve for an early January calf.

CH Enuff Desire 7116

Churchill Lady 0107X

Churchill Lady 796T

42785075 Several daughters sell!

43080342 Bred to Wildcat for early February calf.

42790853 A flush sells

Sires represented for 2016 calves: Wildcat, Right On, 10Y, 177R, Hutton, Full Throttle and Billy the Kid Videos of lots available at HerefordFallClassic.com GUEST CONSIGNORS:

TNT HEREFORDS Ramsey, Ill.

Mark Stephens Taylorville, IL 62658 217-825-7913

Hereford.org

Pete Loehr Peoria, IL 61614 309-692-6026

Chad Crane La Salle, IL 61301 815-712-5739

STEVE COLE Bethany, Ill.

August 2015 /

Leon and Scott Monke’s Hereford-Angus crossbred heifers roam the corral near the family’s farm north of Regent, N.D. ...Reliable Profit continued from the cover

Leon Monke says he prefers HerefordAngus cross heifers because of their performance and fertility.

Settling in North Dakota The Monke family homesteaded near Regent in 1908. “My grandpa started the operation, then my dad took over, then me, and now my son, Scott, is involved — four generations,” explains Leon. Black Diamond Acres has operated primarily as a grain farm and today seeds 6,500 acres of durum wheat, canola and sunflowers, but cattle have always graced the family’s land. “They bought the homestead and how they did that I don’t know, but they always had Holsteins and would use Hereford or Angus bulls,” Leon says. Leon served in the U.S. Army, and following his service, he took over Black Diamond Acres in 1976. “When my dad retired, he had stipulations on how we could run the farm,” he says. “We had lots of land and lots of pasture,

Pictured are Scott and Laurie Monke with their daughters McKenna (left) and Megan (right).

/ August 2015

but my dad hated cattle. When I took it over I could not have chickens, goats or cow-calf pairs, but he never said anything about feeder cattle.” Leon’s father-in-law, George Gabbert from Dickinson, N.D., was a cattle buyer and made a suggestion that would alter the trajectory of Black Diamond Acres. “He said, ‘well why don’t you buy heifers, and breed them and sell them?’ That way we wouldn’t have to worry about my dad’s stipulations — he wanted us out in the wheat fields, not messing with cattle,” he explains, laughing. And that’s how Leon began running bred heifers on the farm. “The first year I bought about 45 head and we bought all black baldies,” he says. “Most were from our neighbor who had Hereford cows and black bulls. We bought them in the auction ring and I think I paid $300 a head for them. Anyway, my father-in-law gave me hell because I paid too much,” he laughs The black baldie heifers grazed the farm’s pastures through the summer, got bred, and in the fall Leon sold them at Stockmen’s Livestock Exchange to Dickinson Experiment Station. “They bought the whole works and they used them in their herd. They let us know how they did and they were so happy with them. From then on I would do that and I would have certain guys that we bought from for years we buy their heifers,” Leon says. Of the heifers the Monkes purchased in the early years, Leon says they culled around 10-15% from the start — a practice they still employ today. “They were either free martins or they weren’t what we wanted in our herd. But from then on we started getting a little bigger and when my son came my dad said we could get a herd.” They purchased an Angus cow herd and solely used Hereford

bulls on the cows. “We would always top the market with those black baldie calves, always,” he says. “We’d have an average of 800 lb. calves by the first of the year and we would calve in March.” As Leon and his family acquired more land, they decided to go back into the bred heifer business and have been purchasing, breeding and selling black baldie heifers ever since.

Bred heifers and wheat “Since 1984, we’ve had nothing but bred heifers,” Leon says. “There were one or two years we didn’t have any because of drought, but we’ve always had heifers here anywhere from 100150 head that we would purchase in January, February or March.” When the heifers are purchased, they receive booster shots, then are bred the first of June. “The guys we buy them from mostly have Hereford cows and black bulls. And they seem to work out the best for breeding,” he says. “They are docile. That’s one of the reasons we went to black baldies. The baldies are always so tame. We feed them pellets and they come follow us like puppies,” Leon says. Today, Leon says they utilize an artificial insemination (AI) program and then turn out bulls

for 50 days. “Since we’ve been using AI, we get a bunch that are ready to calve early, and a bunch that are a month later. This year we bred about 150 head.” In the fall Leon sells the bred heifers at Stockmen’s Livestock Exchange in Dickinson. “We’re grain farmers and with as much grain as we have to seed, it’s better for us to have feeder heifers and not be calving when you are supposed to be out seeding wheat. That’s the main reason we’ve been doing it and it’s a little easier on me,” Leon explains. The Monke family owns approximately 1,000 acres of fenced pasture — land they cannot farm. To utilize the land, Leon says grazing the heifers works well. The Southwest Pipeline Project is state owned and transports water from Lake Sakakawea to Dickinson, where it is treated and delivered to customers in southwest North Dakota. The Monkes utilize the piped water for their heifers. “Since we went to Southwest water, the heifers are maybe 100 lb. heavier since they get that fresh water,” Leon says.

The Whiteface advantage Leon says they’ve always preferred black baldies because of their

Leon Monke of Black Diamond Acres says they prefer the Hereford cross like these because of their performance, maternal merit and docility. They however, purchase calves from Hereford females bred to black bulls. Hereford.org

PHOTO BY DUSTIN MONKE

performance. “We prefer them because they grow well, and breed easy. With the baldies we can buy heifers in March and breed them in June and they take,” he says. “We always have the biggest heifers in the fall — 1,150 lb. — which is where we want them, and not much bigger than that,” he explains. Leon says he enjoys working with the cattle because of their docility. “The baldies always are the tamest,” he says. “We have some here at home and

Hereford.org

they come up to the gate and want us to feed them.” The nature of the baldie females also attracts their customers. “That’s why a lot of them buy from us, because they are easy doing cattle,” Leon says. “They calve easy too. We never have too many complaints.” He goes on to explain that he prefers the F1 cross. “We buy the baldies that are the first cross with a Hereford bull. If there are any second crosses in there we can pick those out

and they go back to town. We feel the first cross with Hereford is best.” Speaking on customer satisfaction, Leon says no news is good news. “When you get no complaints that’s the main thing. The only complaint I ever got was I had a guy buy about 20 head of our AI-bred heifers and I told him they would calve in 10 days. He was mad because they calved in five,” he laughs. Another advantage of the HerefordAngus cross is longevity. “A lot of guys

buying our black baldie heifers are keeping them until they are at least 10 years old or so. With baldies you always have longevity. One guy I know has bought 40-50 heifers for the last 10 years and they try to breed their own and pretty soon they are back,” he says. And his baldie bred heifers bring a premium. “That’s mainly why we went to the baldies because they always sold the best. Always. The best average would always be the baldies.” HW

August 2015 /

/ August 2015

Hereford.org

Genetic Designs XI Friday, Sept. 18, 2015 At the Farm, Newburgh, ON SELLING 60 LOTS

Bulls • Show Prospects • Bred Heifers • Pairs RVP 100W AMBITION ET 79A

Junior herd sire by NJW 73S M326 Trust 100W ET Dam is Red Hills Ms Embrace 8006 L3 BW 3.7; WW 56.9; YW 102.7; MM 23.5; FAT -0.046; REA 0.97; MARB 0.06

SHE SELLS!

• 3-year-old by Star 2013 Battle Cry 45S

SHE SELLS!

• 2-year-old by H WCC/WB 668 Wyarno 9500 ET

Featuring the get and service of Trust, Boyd Masterpiece, MSU TCF Revolution 4R, Remitall Online 122L and TH 122 71I Victor 719T

SHE SELLS!

• 3-year-old by TH 122 71I Victor 719T

SHE SELLS!

• 3-year-old by TH 133U 719T Upgrade 69X

SHE SELLS!

• 4-year-old by Remitall Online 122L

• 3-year-old by NJB 3060 Gaucho 829

Elwyn, Donald and Pauline Embury 240 Embury Rd., R.R. 1 • Newburgh, ON K0K 2S0 Main Office 613-378-663 Cattle Office 613-378-27

Fax 613-378-1646 Res. 613-378-2224

Donald Embury cell 613-328-9065 Dale Stith Auctioneer 918-760-1550

rivervalleyherefords@kos.net • www.rivervalleyherefords.com

View our sale live on the Internet at

Catalogs available on request. Hereford.org

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

Vaccinating Cattle Safely Follow these best practices for safety of both crew and cattle.

by Heather Smith Thomas

ost beef herds are vaccinated at least once a year, and many go through the chute twice or more annually. It is important to make sure these cattle-working tasks are accomplished smoothly and safely, for safety of the crew doing the job and optimum health of the cattle being worked.

Human safety Veterinarian and assistant clinical professor, field service, at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine Nora Schrag says the place to start is to walk through the facilities you’ll be using to hold, sort and restrain the cattle. “Walk through them with two things in mind,” she explains. “Be thinking in terms of the people working around this facility and taking note of anything that might be dangerous to them. Many set-

/ August 2015

ups use pipes behind animals in the chute alleyway to keep them from backing up. Notice the way gates swing and the directions the levers go.” Schrag says to consider what kind of squeeze chute you have. “If you are standing in the wrong spot when an animal is released, or your head is in the wrong place, you may get hurt. You need to make sure that you and your crew — whoever will be working there, especially if some are people who aren’t used to working around cattle, or new to your particular facility — know about the danger areas. Point out the places they need to be aware of. Walking through the facility with these things in mind is very important.” She also says to look at the facilities from the animal’s point of view. “I always walk into the tub or down the chute alleyway, looking for any nails that might be sticking out or bolts, or maybe a flap of tin hanging out that an animal could get caught on, or anything they could put their foot through. There might be something that was perfectly fine the last time you worked cattle, but may not hold for today. Things change. These facilities are out in the weather, we use them, cattle bounce against things, and sometimes it’s not very obvious where it broke the last time. Then an animal

hits it again and it’s very obvious. So pay attention to these things at the start, and the whole time you are working cattle; keep facility functionality in mind.” It also pays to try to handle the cattle in the best possible way as they flow through the process. “You might point out to the crew that a certain corner is a bit tight and they need to be careful as they go around that, or not put too many through a certain gate at once. These things make a big difference. It’s a lot easier to prevent injuries than to fix them later,” she says. It’s also good to do some human safety reminders when working cattle. “It depends on how many people are involved. If there’s just one person pushing cattle up and one person working at the chute, it’s not very complicated. But sometimes there might be several people doing things, to make it go faster, and there are some things that can make a difference in how likely you are to get poked with a needle, or have some other kind of accident,” Schrag says. “I sometimes have students helping, who are inexperienced, and I always stress that they need to be aware of every person and every animal around them. This is wise, even for people who are very experienced. Keep safety precautions in mind.” It pays to do things in a routine, safe way. “When you are refilling or holding a syringe, always keep your elbows down at your sides. Then if someone walks past you, they’re not as likely to bump your elbow and bump your hand,” she explains. “If you are refilling syringes, one of the dangers is accidentally poking yourself or someone else. Most of the vaccines aren’t dangerous to humans, but blackleg can cause a serious inflammatory reaction. Avoiding accidental needle pokes should be high priority. Keep your elbows at your sides, and if you are holding a bottle to refill your syringe, stick out one finger

and touch your other arm for stability and steadiness. Then if someone bumps you, there’s no way that the needle will jump into your hand. You already have your hands locked together and braced. Thus when you are reaching out in front of you with both hands in the air, your elbows are tight and one hand is touching the hand holding the bottle already. Then if you are bumped, the needle has no chance of going into your hand.” Always keep safety in mind. When working cattle, you may be reaching through bars to vaccinate or apply medication. Depending on facilities, this process may be easy and safe or it may be risky — pay attention to what you are doing. “A couple of general rules can keep you from getting hurt,” Schrag says. “Always reach over rather than through, when possible. If you are reaching through, be aware of what you and the animal are doing, and be ready to pull back if the animal moves. Any time that you can open a bar instead of reaching through it is preferable.” The animal may lunge or jump and catch your hand, wrist or arm between it and the bar. “Even people who have been working around chutes for a long time sometimes get hurt. Anything you can do to minimize situations where your arm could get pinched will help,” she says. Think ahead to what might possibly happen. It’s all about trying to predict those problems rather than helplessly watching them happen. And it helps if the people who are doing the vaccinating have had some experience and know the risks.

Animal safety “From the animal’s standpoint, adequate restraint is very important,” Schrag explains. “I personally have filled an alleyway with cattle, and vaccinated them without catching heads, and it can work fine, in the right facility. This works, as long as we keep in mind the Beef Quality Assurance Hereford.org

(BQA) criteria. We need to be injecting into the neck, and if this is not possible in the alleyway, then we really need to be catching them,” she says. “Broken needles are another concern when cattle are not properly restrained and are moving around. It also helps if you are using a very short needle; a short one is less apt to bend or break. You can use a very short needle when giving subcutaneous injections, and most vaccines today are given subcutaneously. We like to use a 16-gauge 5/8 in. needle, which makes it almost impossible to get it into the muscle. It’s pretty foolproof, even if you are vaccinating quickly and the animal moves. It will end up in the right place and that needle isn’t likely to break, because it’s big enough and short enough,” she explains. Another advantage of the short needle is that it eliminates the need for tenting the skin, and allows the person doing the vaccinating to keep his free hand out of the way of the needle, even if the cow or calf is moving around. Depending on the vaccine you are giving, however, you may be using different needles. “With some there might be a little bit of leak-back with a needle this large. In this instance you can drop down

to an 18-gauge. It all depends on the type of vaccine and the volume being given. For most purposes, however, I really like the 5/8 in. length for subcutaneous injections,” Schrag says. “Depending on the brand, some of the reproductive vaccines (like leptospirosis) are still labeled for in the muscle, and then you can go to a 1 in. needle. I like the 1 in. 16-gauge needles because they don’t bend or break as easily as the longer, smaller ones,” she says. If a needle breaks off in the animal, you have a food safety issue as well as a cattle health issue. “If this happens, you need to stop that animal right where it is, mark the spot, and call a veterinarian, and see if they can get it out. If they can’t get it out, that animal cannot enter the food chain,” she explains. Also pay attention to the temperature when vaccinating cattle. “If it will be a hot day, we prefer not to vaccinate if it gets above 85 degrees and 40% humidity,” Schrag says. “I won’t vaccinate cattle if it gets above 95 degrees. We are already stressing those cattle, and on a hot day we see more vaccine reactions. Think about what the day will be like, and what time of day you will be doing this. If

Check dates and labels Follow label directions for vaccine handling and storage, dosage and administration, and check expiration dates before you use the vaccines. Make sure the vaccine purchased on sale last spring is still viable this fall. Expired vaccine may not be as effective for stimulating immunity. Most vaccines need to be refrigerated. If it’s an older refrigerator out in the barn or on the back porch, make sure the refrigerator stays at the proper temperature — keeping things cool enough but not freezing. “It pays to keep a thermometer in there and make sure the refrigerator is actually capable of maintaining the proper temperature,” says Nora Schrag, DVM and assistant clinical professor, field service, at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “When vaccinating cattle, remember that modified live vaccine is only good for two hours after it’s been mixed together. Try to use it up within an hour. My rule of thumb is to mix only what you think you’ll use in an hour. That way, if a cow gets out of the headcatch or flips over in the alley, you have time to deal with the situation before your vaccine is inactive. Your vaccine will still be good up to about two hours.” HW

we can start early morning and be done by 9 a.m. then it’s fine. But if we can’t get it done that quickly and we know it might get up toward 100 degrees that day, we should choose a different day to vaccinate. If an animal has any sort of reaction at all to the vaccine, in addition to high temperatures, this can be very hard on them.” Proper restraint is important to get the vaccine in the right place. The adverse reaction rate to vaccination goes up drastically if you accidentally inject directly

into a blood vessel. “The most frequent time we see this is when people are roping and dragging calves, and injecting into the neck of the roped calf. If you get a little bit too low, it may go right into the calf’s jugular vein. Just having someone paying attention to this is important. The people vaccinating the calves may start out in the perfect spot and then as things get rolling along may creep down a couple inches. On a little calf, a couple inches can put it right into the jugular vein,” she says. continued on page 28...

2. Wash the syringe inside and out with soap and water.

3. Lubricate rubber rings with cooking oil spray — it’s sterile.

4. Draw up boiling hot distilled water into syringe and squirt it. Repeat three times.

5. Put clean syringe in zipper storage bag, but do not seal it tight until it dries out completely.

“The final step is to boil some distilled water or heat it in a microwave for two minutes to get it boiling. Put the recently cleaned syringe back together. Then suck up the boiling water and blow it out the end of the syringe, three times. After you’ve done that, the syringe is not perfectly sterile (not like it would be in an autoclave), but it is very clean, and safe to use to vaccinate cattle,” she explains. “After the syringes are thoroughly rinsed with boiling water, we put them in Ziploc bags to store in a cabinet so

they won’t get dusty,” she says. “Don’t tighten the Ziploc or it will seal dampness inside. Leave it open enough to dry out. Then you can come back in a day or so when it’s all dry, and seal it up. Then we can put that syringe in our treatment box or wherever we will be using it next or storing it until the next use. Then when we pull it out, it’s clean and ready to go.” HW

1. Supplies needed: soap, cooking oil spray, distilled water and a zipper storage bag.

Cleaning syringes The repeat dosing syringes (multi-dose syringe guns) are a little bit difficult to clean, but they always need to be cleaned. “A good rule of thumb is to clean them with regular soap and hot water on the outside, and on the inside. If you’ve used a vaccine that’s very thick, take the syringe apart completely and clean it with soap and water, and then rinse thoroughly with clean water,” says Nora Schrag, DVM and assistant clinical professor, field service, at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “You should use distilled water to rinse with, so it won’t leave any deposits or residue from the water. Many people have hard water, and modified live virus vaccines are very sensitive to mineral deposits and disinfectants. The minerals in hard water will mix with the components of the vaccine sometimes and cause problems. You also don’t want to clean a syringe with disinfectant and then use it for a MLV vaccine, or the vaccine will be deactivated,” she says. The syringe should be clean. Use soap and water, and then rinse it with distilled water. Hereford.org

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

...Vaccinating Cattle Safely continued from page 27

“This can even happen in a chute if the calf is bouncing around and turns his head. You might inject where you normally do, but his neck is now sideways. Just keep in mind that there’s a jugular vein down there at the lower part of the neck and make sure you are staying away from that area.” Also keep in mind that almost all vaccines have a withdrawal time. “Some people forget this. They may remember that antibiotics have a withdrawal time — a certain number of days you have to wait before the treated animal can be slaughtered for

human consumption — but might forget that this applies to vaccines, too. Many vaccines contain a preservative, and this is why they have a withdrawal time on the label. Make sure to observe this, from a food safety standpoint. Some of those withdrawal times, depending on the preservative, is quite long; a few are more than 30 days. Read the label.” It’s also wise to change needles periodically when vaccinating a large group of cattle, even if the needle you are using is not yet dull or bent. Schrag says how often to change needles may depend on the operation.

“For a purebred operation that is trying to control leukosis or make sure we are not spreading any kind of bloodborne disease around, we actually recommend changing needles for every animal — using a separate, sterile needle for each one. This recommendation sometimes surprises people, but if you have high dollar animals or breeding stock, this is very cheap insurance and it’s really not that hard to do. It might take another couple of seconds. It seems cumbersome if you are not used to changing needles that often, but you can

Don’t take a shot in the dark Reduce vaccine failure by understanding cattle status, employing vaccination management techniques and using the right vaccines at the right time. by John Comerford Fall vaccinations are a vital part of successful health programs for beef herds. These programs include preconditioning programs for feeder calf sales as well as maintaining effective health status in the cow herd. I often hear about cattle and calves that get sick anyway after vaccination, and the usual answer is “that vaccine wasn’t any good.” However, there is a lot more to vaccine failure than just the stuff in the bottle. Vaccination failure to prevent disease comes in three parts: the animal, the people and the vaccine.

The animal Despite administration of a good vaccine, the cattle will get sick anyway. The causes are numerous but are usually confined to the environment for the animal, the parasite, and other health status, stress and nutrition status. Otherwise healthy cattle, primarily calves that are under some form of stress from the environment, will not respond to vaccines adequately. This stress includes extremes in hot weather, dehydration or other environmental factors. Stress from transportation, weaning, castration, comingling or simply handling can reduce the ability of the animal to develop the desired immunity to disease from the vaccine because these activities are additive sources of stress. When you are weaning calves this fall, either vaccinate ahead of this date or wait a few days until the stress has subsided. Combine as few other management activities as possible with vaccinations. When you are receiving cattle, the 24-hour rest period before handling new cattle will allow the transportation stress to subside and the cattle to rehydrate. Cattle that are already sick will not respond to vaccines. If there is some signal the cattle are sick, use treatment for the disease to fix the problem. This feature also includes heavy parasite loads. Cattle obviously in a malnourished state will also not respond well to vaccines. The immune status of young cattle can also be decreased from maternal antibodies for the very young calf, and for calves under 3 months of age, the immune system may not be fully developed.

The people Vaccines also fail because people do not use them correctly. Understanding the causes of stress already outlined should be considered when handling the cattle and planning vaccinations. The protocol for the use of a vaccine is on the label of the product and should be followed to the letter. Vaccines that are not mixed correctly, usually modified live vaccines, will not work under the best of conditions. Mix only the amount of vaccine you are going to use in a short period of time, keep a cold cooler at the chute to hold the mixed product, use transfer needles for mixing and do not shake the mixed product harshly. Never mix different vaccines in the same syringe. Storage of any vaccines in the pickup is another source of failure because they may become overheated or freeze or be exposed to sunlight. Mix, handle and store vaccines according to the label.

/ August 2015

A good general rule is to use a new needle for each animal. Needles used on multiple animals can distribute bugs through the herd, including diseases like bovine leukosis virus, for which there is no vaccine. Sometimes the vaccine just does not get in the animal properly. The desired route of administration is always subcutaneous, but those requiring intramuscular (IM) administration can fail from leakage at the vaccination site, not getting the product deep enough in the muscle to allow vascular contact and using the wrong needle size. In most cases, an 18 gauge needle 1 inch long should be used for IM vaccinations in the neck. Needles too small or too short do not deposit the product correctly internally, and those too big cause injury and bleeding that will disrupt uptake of the vaccine. Contact your state beef council for information about becoming a Beef Quality Assurance certified producer and for information about effective drug use and injection technique.

The vaccine The main reason the vaccine itself fails is because it is the wrong product for the disease. Most of the time, however, vaccines contain most of the major serotypes for the disease they are intended to control. If there is a disease issue in the herd, use the best vaccine for that disease by making sure you know from necropsy or other tests what disease is present. A vaccine can fail when the disease challenge is greater than the level of immunity, and this situation occurs most often when proper boosters were not given or the challenge occurs a short time after administration and the immunity has not developed. Again, the label will describe the timing and the need for boosters. Some boosters are recommended for multiple times each year. Timing of vaccination is critical in some cases. For example, pinkeye and scours vaccines must be administered at the right time ahead of a challenge. Modified live vaccines for cows should be given after calving and before breeding starts to prevent abortions. Vaccinations and boosters will be needed prior to transportation, weaning and other high-stress activities for feeder cattle. No vaccination program will prevent 100% of disease challenges, but the odds can be improved by understanding the status of the cattle, using good vaccination management techniques and using the right vaccines at the right time. HW Editor’s note: John Comerford is a professor emeritus of animal science at Penn State.

become very efficient at it once you get used to doing it.” She recommends that for commercial cattle and feeder calves, you change the needle every 10 to 15 head. “This seems to work well,” she says. “Sometimes it gets pushed to 30 head, but that should be the limit, for one needle, especially since it may get damaged.” If you bumped something with the needle, it may have a slight burr on the tip and isn’t as sharp anymore, causing more pain and tissue damage when you use it. “Also, every once in a while you get a little blood back into that needle and this will transfer it to the next animal. It pays to change needles, and a person can just make a habit of changing needles each time you refill the multi-dose syringe gun. This is an easy way to remember. It’s not that people don’t want to change needles, but sometimes you just get going through the cattle and forget. So if you make a habit of changing each time you fill the syringe, this is a good way to do it,” she says. When filling a syringe from a large bottle that may not be used up that day (a killed vaccine product that will keep longer), use a sterile needle. “It might be a 50 ml bottle of blackleg or some other clostridial vaccine and you are only going to use 25 doses. Don’t go back into that bottle with a needle that’s been in a calf. Use a new needle, or designate a certain needle that you are using only for going into the bottle, and inject the calves with another needle,” Schrag says. Always try to vaccinate into a clean area on an animal. Sometimes when it is waiting its turn in the runway to the squeeze chute it gets manure on its head and neck from the animal in front of it. “We want to vaccinate into the triangular area of the neck but sometimes we have to move to the other side (that’s cleaner) or even something different. If the neck is dirty on both sides you may have to put an injection (subcutaneous) under the loose skin behind the shoulder,” she says. “When people rope and brand calves, this is actually an easier spot to vaccinate the calf than in the neck. Someone usually has their leg on the neck, holding the calf on the ground. It’s safer for both the calf and the human to inject over the ribs.” This injection site is not a meat quality issue, and the animal will be able to function just fine with the vaccine put into this location. “It’s really safe for the person administering the vaccine.” Bottom line — the goal is to keep the people and the animals safe and healthy and to not impact the animal adversely. HW Hereford.org

Hereford.org

August 2015 /

PHOTO BY BLAKE TUCKER

Herd HEALTH

Water Quality:

Not a Drop in the Bucket Providing regular access to high-quality water to cattle improves health. by Megan N. Brew, Extension agent; Jeffrey Carter, assistant professor of animal science; and Mary K. Maddox, biological scientist, Department of Animal Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension

mportant for the transport of nutrients between cells and as a vital medium for intracellular metabolism, water is the most abundant component in all living organisms. In fact, the typical body composition of an

/ August 2015

adult mammal contains about 60% water. When the nutrient needs of beef cattle are listed, water is often added only as an afterthought. Despite its low profile, water may be the most important nutrient of all. Indeed water is needed for body temperature regulation and the digestion, absorption and utilization of all other nutrients. Water plays an essential role in every life process. Beef cattle need regular access to clean drinking water in order to experience optimum health. Research has demonstrated a positive relationship between access to clean drinking water and performance factors such as growth, reproduction and milk production. Animals that drink clean, contaminant-free water are generally less prone to illness and disease, gain more weight, and produce more milk. Producers have a great deal of control over

both the quantity and quality of water that is provided to animals. Monitoring water quality and observing best management practices for water management are inexpensive yet effective ways to improve overall animal performance.

Common contaminants of drinking water Livestock drinking water may be contaminated by a number of factors including minerals (total dissolved solids, or TDS), manure, microorganisms and algae. These contaminants can affect the appearance, odor and taste of drinking water as well as its physical and chemical properties. See Figures 1 (fountain), 2 (tank) and 3 (pond), and compare those photos with data found in Table 1 to see how appearance and measurable quality characteristics correlate.

Some contaminants may directly affect animal health by causing disease and infection; others have a more indirect effect and may cause cattle to decrease their overall water intake. When water intake is suppressed, feed intake will also decrease, and, as a result, animals will gain less weight. Livestock can survive for as long as 60 days with little or no food but only seven days without water. When the mineral content of water exceeds safe levels, animal performance can suffer. High levels of sodium (salt) depress water intake and result in weight loss and diarrhea. Animals exposed to water that is high in sulfur have increased incidences of polioencephalomacia (PEM) and experience higher mortality rates. Salinity of water, the concentration of dissolved salts in water, can be expressed as either TDS or TSS (total soluble salts), Hereford.org

which is also known as electrical conductivity (EC). Therefore, TDS and conductivity results presented in Table 1 are complementary. Electrolytes, or ions that regulate or affect metabolic processes, such as magnesium (Mg+), calcium (Ca+), sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl–), contribute to the salinity of water. At certain high levels, these electrolytes can cause toxic effects by themselves or by interfering with the absorption of other important nutrients. Alone, TDS, TSS or even EC tells us little about the quality of any water sample. However, these are benchmarks that when elevated, give us a clue that some minerals may merit further and more precise analysis. Manure is a common contaminant in cattle drinking water, particularly when the primary source of water is a pond where cattle may spend a good deal of time loitering. Manure is carried into drinking water on the cattle’s hooves and is deposited directly when the animals defecate. Livestock drinking water that is contaminated with manure can become a hotspot for bacterial growth, which in turn can cause animal disease. High levels of bacteria have been found in cattle watering ponds where they may contribute to outbreaks of coliform related illnesses caused by E. coli, E. aerogenes and Klebsiella species. These can lead to mastitis, urinary tract infections, diarrhea and numerous other unsavory and often lethal infections. Fecal contamination of livestock drinking water can cause algae blooms through a process known as nutrient loading or eutrophication. Blue-green algae are common contaminants in standing water. When ponds become overgrown with algae, cattle will avoid drinking from them in favor of other water sources, if any exist. If no other source of fresh drinking water is available, they will decrease their overall water intake, which results in poorer performance. In addition to blue-green algae, other water-borne microbes can negatively impact animal health. Leptospirosis, which causes reproductive loss in cows, is spread by a microorganism found in water contaminated by urine. The soil-borne microbe believed to be primarily responsible for foot rot (F. necrophorum) can also be spread by consumption of contaminated water.

Evaluation of drinking water management practices You have the opportunity to enhance animal health and performance by improving the quality of water offered to your animals. Small changes in water Hereford.org

management may result in improved performance, as well as financial gains associated with decreased potential for illness and disease. The first step in improving water quality is to do a thorough evaluation of your current situation. Following are some tips to help guide the development of your on-farm protocol for water quality:

Figure 1: Fountain watering system and photo (inset) of water sample.

• Is water offered in

adequate quantity for the number and type of animals on your property? At least two feet of accessible linear water space is needed per 10 head of cattle.

Figure 2: Tank watering system and photo (inset) of water sample.

• Are watering devices

spaced appropriately and located away from stream banks? Watering devices should be easily accessible by animals. Strategic placement of watering devices can influence grazing, compaction and nutrient deposition patterns.

• Is water offered fresh

or from a pond? Recent research has shown that heifers with access to water pumped from a well or spring gained 23% more weight than heifers drinking pond water.

Figure 3: Pond watering system and photo (inset) of water sample.

• How often are watering

devices cleaned? Increasing the frequency of cleaning may improve milk production in brood cows.

As part of the evaluation process, it may be useful to have the water on your property tested for contaminants. Your county Extension agent can help you develop a testing plan and identify an appropriate laboratory. Once any problems are identified, steps can be taken to improve them. Evaluate water quality regularly in order to ensure a constant supply of high quality drinking water. The quality of drinking water provided to beef cattle can have a significant effects on animal health and performance. Reducing the concentration of TDS, blue-green algae and other microorganisms; preventing fecal contamination; providing fresh rather than pond water; and cleaning watering devices regularly can all result in measurable improvements in beef cattle health and performance. HW

Table 1: Water analysis report from three different sources Nutrient1

Pond Limits2

Critical levels (%)3

Nitrate N

3.3

1.2

8.3

<100.0

Phosphorus

0.1

0.9

0.04

–

0.19-0.73

15.6

36.1

75.4

–

0.12-0.34

Calcium

–

1.5

1.8

1.7

–

0.10

Sodium

14.6

3.6

2.5

–

0.06-0.08

Chloride

19.0

22.0

13.0

–

0.10-0.20

Sulfate

14.5

1.4

1.5

<500.0

0.10-0.32

7.1

7.0

7.4

–

0.1

0.2

0.4

–

Magnesium

pH Conductivity

Editor’s note: This was originally published as “The Impact of Water Quality on Beef Cattle Health and Performance.” This document is AN187, one of a series of the Animal Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension.

Fountain Tank

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

89.6

145.9 238.7 <1000.0

–

1 Unless otherwise indicated, all values expressed as parts per million (ppm). 2 Established in Bagley et al. (1997); values less than those stated are optimal. 3 Establsihed in McDowell (1985) and further reported in McDowell and Arthington (2005); these are minimum

levels based on animal nutrient requirements most of which is provided by forage or other feedstuffs.

4 Values expressed as milliohms per centimeter (mmhos/cm).

August 2015 /

/ August 2015

Hereford.org

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

Managing Minerals Boost herd health and animal performance with a well-managed mineral program. by Kindra Gordon

sk cattlemen about their mineral programs, and there’s a very good chance they’ll share a few stories with you as well as emphasize that they’ve learned minerals are not a place to cut corners — they are worth the investment.

Mineral terms • A “complete mineral” should contain the proper balance and ratios of all 14 essential cattle minerals including: calcium, copper, cobalt, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, sulphur and zinc.

• Organic, bioavailable mineral sources are an indication of the absorptive ability of the trace minerals. Key trace minerals to look at for bioavailability would be zinc, manganese, copper and cobalt. These minerals aid immunity, reproduction, growth and fiber digestion.

• A weatherized mineral should be water-resistant and should be a large enough particle size to be windresistant, as well. Minerals that are water-resistant are less likely to turn into a hard block that cattle are finicky about consuming. HW

/ August 2015

Many producers will agree that free-choice mineral should be offered year-round, with a few special tweaks during the year such as fortifying the mineral mixes during the breeding season or offering a mineral with fly control included during the summer and fall months. How can you determine an effective mineral supplementation strategy for your own herd? Steve Boyles, an Extension beef specialist with The Ohio State University, and Shane Gadberry, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas, offer the following suggestions. “Start by visiting with county Extension agents. They often have a good idea of forage types, quality, and soil characteristics in the area,” Gadberry explains. Boyles also suggests visiting with feed companies working in your area. Their representatives can usually provide some ideas and options on what might be working for other producers in the region, he explains. Both Boyles and Gadberry

are also proponents of forage testing. “I recommend some forage analysis throughout the year and over time. This can give you a benchmark for your land/forage,” Boyles says. “Since nutrition is a major cost and mineral supplementation is a relatively minor cost in the total nutrition program, it is worth the investment.” As one example of knowledge gained from forage analysis, Boyles cites a project done about a decade ago with forages from several cow-calf operations in Ohio. He reports, “We found the average copper level to be about 2 PPM (parts per million). While the minimum levels of copper required for a cow are 10 PPM, and even higher for higher producing/lactating cows.” As a result of these findings, Boyles says that, over the years, several commercial mineral supplements have increased the copper content offered. Regarding forage analysis, Gadberry emphasizes that forages need to be tested seasonally and

should be representative of what the cattle are grazing to create a general baseline. He notes that most major and minor minerals can be measured inexpensively. However, some nutrients, like selenium, require a separate analysis to detect lower levels, and this testing can add to the cost. Gadberry also points out that a challenge to interpreting forage test results is that the level tested doesn’t necessarily mean it represents the amount utilizable. “Mineral digestion and absorption is affected by other components of the forage, including other minerals and even water,” he explains. In critical situations where a mineral deficiency is suspected, testing animals is an option. With animal testing, blood samples are adequate to evaluate the status of some minerals; however, tissue samples, such as liver tissue biopsy, may be needed to adequately assess copper. Additionally, Boyles issues a caution in designing your mineral program if distillers’ grains are Hereford.org

fed. He explains that distillers’ grains can be quite high in certain minerals and may alter what you need to supplement.

Don’t rely on sight Also with regard to minerals, Gadberry emphasizes that you should not rely on “seeing” a deficiency. He explains, “Deficiencies are often subclinical, meaning that we can’t necessarily ‘see’ the results of a deficiency or response to supplementation without good records of calf weight gain, health following weaning stress, and herd reproduction.” He continues, “In the south, my experience in Arkansas has been that forage testing and animal testing suggest marginal deficiencies in trace minerals, in particular copper, followed by selenium and zinc. Thus, rather than waiting to ‘see’ a problem, producers should rely on what testing suggests and what research has shown to be effective for improved mineral nutrition.” Looking to the future, Gadberry adds, “I think we still have a lot to learn about mineral supplementation in cow herds — especially in nutrient surplus areas, mineral interactions, and optimal levels for different forms.”

Additional advice Boyles and Gadberry also offer these additional considerations:

• Explore causes of

magnesium deficiency: If faced with this situation, check magnesium levels but also check other minerals that can affect magnesium absorption, suggests Boyles. He notes that high levels of potassium often exist in many forages — as well as poultry litter used for fertilization — and potassium can interfere with magnesium absorption. Thus, he suggests checking forage levels for potassium in addition to magnesium.

cows that are on a good plane of nutrition, being fed a ‘breeder mineral’ that is higher in trace minerals and a combination of inorganic and organic source, as well as stacking mineral injections on top of the program. Too much isn’t always a good thing.”

and is higher in calcium than the mineral you might traditionally feed to cows. He reemphasizes, “Work with your local Extension service or feed representative to develop a nutrition program suited to your needs.

• Know/Remember/

Consider that more may not be better: Gadberry warns, “One concern I have today is super mineral programs with

• Track the details:

Regarding good mineral management, Gadberry advises that you don’t

Three things to look for in your cattle mineral Not all minerals are created equal, and it may be time to look at your mineral supplementation program. Whether you buy a mineral off the shelf at a retail store, walk into your local dealer and request his ‘standard’ mineral, or work closely with your nutritionist to select a mineral supplement for your herd, sorting through the various mineral types can sometimes be a daunting task. It may even be a purchase decision that’s so complex you simply cling to the generic or most popular mineral available in your area. But, the generic or popular option may not be the best choice for your herd’s mineral requirements. If you’re not feeding a quality supplemental mineral, you may see the consequences of mineral deficiencies later in the form of decreased calf weaning weights, small or weak calves, decreased milk production, reduced or delayed conception, and even poor immunity. “Not all minerals are created equal, and it’s important to recognize the differences in minerals that are out there,” says Greg Eckerle, DVM, beef technical consultant with Purina Animal Nutrition. “Even though mineral nutrition is complicated, you can easily evaluate or ask questions about a few different elements of a mineral supplement.” Here are three things to look for in your cattle mineral:

1) Balanced mineral nutrition A complete mineral should contain the proper balance and ratios of all 14 essential cattle minerals. Those minerals include calcium, copper, cobalt, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, sulfur and zinc. “A proper zinc-to-copper ratio is one of the biggest considerations when choosing a mineral, with a ratio of 3-to-1 being preferable,” says Eckerle. Zinc and copper are commonly deficient microminerals in cattle, and the ratio is critical because of how closely zinc and copper absorption are tied.

2) Large particle size ingredients and rain protection Rain and other elements can quite literally wash a mineral investment down the drain, or can alternately turn your mineral into a brick-type substance which cattle often refuse to eat. But, minerals should also be wind resistant according to Eckerle.

• Check copper: As calves

become less dependent on the dam for milk, you may see reduced growth. This growth response may be related to endophyte in fescue, but Boyles suggests also checking for a copper deficiency since it can elicit reduced growth in calves as well.

• Give heifers some special

attention: Boyles advises that heifers being fed grain supplement may need a mineral supplement that looks more like what you are feeding steers

Hereford.org

overlook the following basics: 1) keep mineral out regularly, 2) don’t put out free choice white salt in addition to a complete mineral package that already includes salt, 3) be sure to target adequate levels of trace minerals, 4) monitor mineral consumption rates in the herd throughout the year and 5) track how much is being spent annually for mineral supplementation. HW

Greg Eckerle, DVM, Purina Animal Nutrition, says that not all minerals are created equal, and it’s important to recognize the differences in minerals that are out there.

Selecting the right mineral for your herd can be complicated, but there are three key elements that you can look for when it comes time to purchase.

“A weatherized mineral should not just be water-resistant, it should be wind-resistant as well,” says Eckerle. “You don’t want the particles to be so small that the wind picks them up and blows them away. A weatherized mineral that includes a larger particle can remedy this problem.” “The biggest drawback of a non-weather resistant mineral is that cattle just aren’t going to consume it. Daily mineral needs to be consumed, and if you’re not seeing consumption because the mineral has been turned into a hard block or because the particles are being blown away, then your investment is a loss,” adds Eckerle.

3) Organic, bioavailable mineral sources Another important aspect when choosing a mineral is to make sure it has bioavailable mineral sources. The bioavailability of a mineral source alters the absorptive ability of the trace minerals, eliciting their full benefit. “Mineral sources that are more bioavailable may be a bit more costly, but they can be a good fit for herds with marginal trace mineral status, consistent reproduction issues, overall herd health problems, foot problems or in areas with forage or water issues,” says Eckerle. Some key trace minerals that you might look to for bioavailability would be zinc, manganese, copper and cobalt. These minerals are required for a variety of functions including, but not limited to, immunity, reproduction, growth and fiber digestion. Minerals are just one piece of a comprehensive cattle nutrition program. A high plane of nutrition during all three trimesters increases the probability of superior health and performance genetics passing to the calf. Sustained® Nutrition assists in keeping the pregnant heifer or cow in optimal condition for the long-term programming of future generations. — Purina Animal Nutrition LLC

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

Early Weaning Equals Added Cow Weight Trey Patterson, COO of Padlock Ranch, discusses the benefits of weaning calves ahead of schedule. by Heather Smith Thomas

ometimes weaning calves earlier than traditional weaning dates can be beneficial for both the cows and the calves — and for the rancher’s financial picture. To do this efficiently, a person needs to plan ahead and be set up to do it properly. Trey Patterson, nutritionist and chief operations officer (COO) of Padlock Ranch, Ranchester, Wyo., says its ranches have sometimes weaned calves as early as 4 months of age. “We’ve used this management strategy, weaning calves earlier than usual, primarily in our firstcalf heifers, but we’ve sometimes done it with cows as well. In both cases, it is a strategy to manage body condition,” he explains.

“…early weaning can be a beneficial tool when trying to manage body condition score on cows and/or forage use.” — Trey Patterson 36

/ August 2015

Early weaning gives the cow or heifer a chance to regain weight or to not lose weight in the fall — so the producer won’t have to supply more feed in order to pick them back up again. This can be a consideration in a dry year when a ranch might be short on forage. “I did some research when I was on faculty at South Dakota State University, working with a team of range scientists from SDSU and NDSU,” he says. In comparing spring-calving cows weaning in August with cows weaning in November, the studies found that the dry cow from August through November used 76% of the total amount of forage that a pair did. “When we early-weaned, we were able to save 24% of the forage that would have been used during that period of time. Thus early weaning can be a beneficial tool when trying to manage body condition score on cows and/or forage use,” he explains. “If it’s a forage-availability question, you can calculate this to see if you are ahead to leave the calf on the cow (assuming body condition score is

adequate) and feed the cow more during that extra length of time she’s lactating, or if it is cheaper to wean the calf and feed him, and not have to feed the cow as soon or as much.”

Efficient converters Young calves are very efficient feed converters. “They eat a little more — on a dry matter basis — as a percent of body weight than a bigger calf and are pretty efficient at converting that to gain,” Patterson says. “One of the things we do here at the Padlock Ranch, when we wean a younger, lighter calf, is to make sure the ration is built with that in mind. We provide a higher concentration of energy, protein and minerals, and a little less roughage.” The higher concentrate ration helps the younger calves start gaining quickly, and they are very efficient in utilizing this kind of feed. They can’t eat very many pounds of forage because the rumen doesn’t have that much capacity yet. “So we increase the concentration of energy, protein

and minerals,” Patterson says. A producer would typically wean these calves onto some kind of concentrate ration rather than onto grass pasture as he could older calves. “Later-weaned calves can go right on grass and do well, but early-weaned light calves need a higher level of nutrition to keep growing and gaining. They would survive without it, but will gain faster and might stay healthier on the higher level. I haven’t found that earlier-weaned calves are less healthy; I think they are just as healthy as late-weaned calves, if they are managed appropriately,” he says. Patterson says he will wean calves even in the heat and dust of September, when many would think they are at risk. However, Padlock has yet to see any difference in the health of calves that are weaned early and those weaned at the normal time. “We wean them in a feedlot facility with concrete pads and bunks and feed them a total mixed milled ration. They are separated from their mothers and we get them on feed as soon Hereford.org

as possible. In our situation they don’t really get a chance to eat this type of ration and learn about it until they are weaned. The mixed ration contains hay and concentrate,” Patterson explains. The hay helps the calves adjust and keeps the rumen healthy. Another thing Padlock does for rumen safety is utilize fiber-based energy products, such as wheat mids and distiller grains, to keep starch levels from rising too high. Patterson says it’s a good way to keep energy levels up without over-starching calves’ diets. The wheat-mid pellets are very palatable, and the calves start eating those fairly quickly in a mixed ration. They aren’t off feed much at all even though they are stressed at being taken off their mothers. The more stressed they are and the lower their feed intake, the higher the nutrient concentration must be in what is being fed. If the calves aren’t eating much, every bite needs to be nutritious. Patterson says it’s important to focus on the pounds and grams of nutrients being ingested, rather than the percentage of the diet. “Typically on these lighter calves, we don’t use a wet ration. If we are using silage or haylage for weaned calves, we leave these young ones on a dry ration longer than we would a normal-age weaned calf. The older calves get worked onto corn silage fairly quickly,” Patterson says. “After those early-weaned calves get a little more size and weight, over 400-450 pounds, we can start working more silage into their diet. From that point on they can be managed similarly to the older-weaned calves.” As cattle grow, Patterson says, the moisture has less impact on calves’ dry matter intake. However, he adds, young calves don’t have enough rumen space to consume enough nutrients to meet growth requirements. They simply cannot consume as much silage as larger calves.

Planning to pull Patterson explains that producers not only need a reason to wean early but also need a plan to do it properly to ensure that diets are being managed correctly with a good management plan for the calves. “A feed shortage, or cows thinner than you’d like them to be, or if you hope to market some bred cows and don’t want them losing weight before sale, could all be reasons to look at early weaning. If you plan to sell some cows and your feed costs are reasonable, you might be money ahead to leave the weight on the cow to sell her, and efficiently put weight on the calf,” Patterson says. When producers reach a point where a calf doesn’t seem to be Hereford.org

continuing to grow and the cow appears to be lowering her body score, Patterson recommends that this is the most economical time to wean the calf. Patterson says that producers aren’t gaining anything by leaving the cow and calf together and are keeping the cows from picking back up before winter begins. “There is also some good information on carcass quality on these early-weaned calves. They marble better,” Patterson says. “But I think the main reason people do it is to manage the cow and/or their land more efficiently.” Early weaning is something very few people considered in earlier years, thinking the calves would be bigger (more pounds to sell in the fall if they are left on the cows longer), but often the cows would be thin by the next calving season. If a person is set up to retain ownership of the

“A feed shortage, or cows thinner than you’d like them to be, or if you hope to market some bred cows and don’t want them losing weight before sale, could all be reasons to look at early weaning. — Trey Patterson calves or plans to keep them as replacements or to sell later as breeding stock, they might do very well with early-weaned calves. “Marketing them can sometimes be a challenge unless a feedlot is set up to handle those,” Patterson says. “If you are used to weaning and handling calves and have the facilities to do this, then it’s an easy decision if you have issues with thin cows or running out of grass. But if you are not set up for it, and don’t have experience with early weaning, it could be a wreck.”

It’s not for everyone but can work well for a person who is set up to do it and can commit to it. “Your feed costs are an important factor,” Patterson says. “If you have feed bought or put up at a reasonable price — your forages and/or some concentrates or by-products — there are some real opportunities here to help manage your cows and do a good job managing calves. If that’s not the case, however, then it becomes more difficult to make it work.” HW

Easy wean with nose flaps A weaning method that can be used in conjunction with early weaning, to minimize stress on the cows and calves, is 2-step weaning with nose flaps. Mark and Della Ehlke raise registered Herefords and a few Angus near Townsend, Mont., and several years ago started installing the nose flaps when vaccinating their calves two weeks prior to weaning. “I was somewhat skeptical but I am now a believer,” Mark says. These small plastic flaps can be easily installed with the calves restrained in a Della Ehlke, Townsent, Mont., says their calves chute, and then the calves are returned weaned easier with the help of nose flaps. to their mothers. The flap hangs down They are reusable and last many years. When the pairs are over the nose and mouth, preventing the calf from getting a teat finally separated, the calves are taken to corrals to be put on feed. into his mouth to nurse, but does not hinder eating grass/hay or “As we were unloading the calves at the preconditioning drinking water. corrals, we took the flaps out of the calves as we let them out of “The calves still try—especially the first day—to nurse the the trailer,” he says. cows, but I haven’t seen any of them be able to nurse with the Thus there were no extra trips through the chute to deal with flap,” he says. the nose flaps. While Ehlke says there is still some initial bawling in The calf cannot nurse but is not emotionally upset because the cow herd when calves can’t nurse, the flaps have significantly it’s still with its mother and has her companionship during the improved the adjustment on the actual weaning date. weaning process. The cow starts to dry up, and the calf adjusts This was another plus, not having to keep the cows corralled to not having milk. About five to seven days later, the cows and for several days. In the past, Ehlke explains, they would hold the calves can be completely separated from one another (and the cows in corrals until they were done trying to look for their calves. flaps removed) and are not stressed. “The calves did better than they’d ever done before, as far as “The flaps go in easily; it’s just one more small step while the going to feed, and the weight we put on them. This is probably calves are in the chute. And you have to take them out again, but the least stress on calves, even better than fence-line weaning, we feel it is well worth it for the added benefits and health of the because they are right with their mothers. They get a little grumpy calf. The cows are also less stressed. When you do take the calves because they can’t nurse, but they are not upset like they would away the cows are not bawling,” he says. be if the cow was gone,” Ehlke says. Ehlke said the biggest difference they noticed was how much He first heard about the nose flaps after reading in a Canadian easier their calves weaned with the help of the nose flaps, and the publication about some ranchers that had tried them. This calves were more likely to go directly to eating regular feed. They were already adjusted to not having milk. If the calf still has mama method can revolutionize weaning for many ranchers, especially if they want low-stress weaning and are not set up for fencefor security while going through that transition, weaning is not line weaning. Being able to keep the calves with the cows and stressful at all. have them fully weaned when you take them away is a big plus. “We left the nose flaps in a little longer than the five days Weather is always a gamble at weaning time, but this weaning recommended by the manufacturer. We decided a few extra days method doesn’t add stress as if the calves are weaned abruptly. wouldn’t hurt, so we timed it with the first set of shots in the calf, “The calves do very well, with no setback. The gain we put on to save extra handling. We gave the pre-weaning vaccination and put the nose flaps in at the same time. This saved one trip through them pays for the extra time. And with this method of weaning, we don’t have any slowdown in their gaining,” says Ehlke. HW the chute. Most of our calves’ flaps are in for 10 days to 2 weeks. Only a few flaps came out ahead of that, and we put most of those back in,” says Ehlke.

August 2015 /

/ August 2015

Hereford.org

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

Hardware Disease of Cattle by Bonnard L. Moseley

ardware disease is produced by a sharp object that pierces the stomach wall and gains access to the heart. A sharp object, such as a nail or piece of wire, may perforate into the heart sac. The object lies originally in a chamber of the stomach known as the reticulum. The reticulum “catches” all heavy objects that are ingested; feed and lighter material pass back into the rumen. When muscles contract, the “hardware” may be forced through the wall of the reticulum, diaphragm and heart sac. Hardware disease is a common term used for traumatic gastritis and traumatic reticulitis. From 55 to 75% of the cattle slaughtered in the eastern United States have been found to have hardware in the reticulum. However, no damage or perforations of the reticulum were evident.

/ August 2015

Hardware may be present and yet produce no damage to the digestive system. Baling twine has replaced baling wire to a great extent, decreasing the noted frequency of hardware disease. During pregnancy, the rumen and reticulum are displaced forward. At the time of calving, forceful abdominal movement may cause the initial perforation or movement of the hardware into the heart. Older cattle are more often affected with the condition than young ones.

Clinical symptoms and diagnosis You may notice that the cow has a poor appetite, is somewhat depressed and is reluctant to move. Cattle seem to have indigestion and show signs of pain when defecating. If perforation of the heart has occurred, fluid, due to infection, may accumulate around the heart

and produce abnormal heart sounds. The brisket may be quite flabby due to a large amount of fluid in it. The cow may also be bloated. These symptoms may subside or disappear within one to seven days, but may reoccur shortly afterwards. If the cow is slaughtered and the reticulum and heart are carefully examined, it may be possible to find a nail or wire protruding through the wall of the reticulum into the heart. However, the hardware may have been completely digested over a period of months and thus not be present. Sometimes abscesses or adhesions may be present between the reticulum and diaphragm, indicating a perforation had been present. Normally, the reticulum and diaphragm are not bound to each other.

alongside the last rib, then the hand is extended behind the ribs to the junction of the reticulum and diaphragm. Foreign objects, adhesions, etc. may be palpated. If a foreign object is palpated, an incision is made into the ruminal wall. The object is then removed manually from the reticulum.

Prognosis The prognosis, or final outcome, in hardware disease varies with the amount of infection present, how long the condition has been present and the individual animal. The attending veterinarian considers several factors before making a final prognosis. As a general rule, 60 to 75% of affected animals can be returned to useful function if the disease is detected and treated early.

Treatment

Prevention

If hardware disease is diagnosed by a veterinarian and the animal has little or no value other than for market prices, slaughter may be recommended. If the animal is for breeding purposes or is a dairy cow, several treatments may be beneficial. Elevating the forelimbs six to eight inches with a platform may stop forward movement of the nail or wire from the reticulum. This is a slow process; the limbs should be constantly elevated for 10 to 20 days. Antibiotics will help limit the spread of infection. If the animal is quite valuable, rumenotomy may be recommended. This procedure involves a surgical approach to the interior of the reticulum. A surgical incision is made

Using magnets in the reticulum has become a popular preventive routine for hardware disease, especially in the dairy breeds. The magnet is administered with a stomach tube or balling gun, much like a large bolus or pill. The magnet simply keeps foreign metallic objects adhered together in a ball, reducing the chances of their penetrating the reticulum. Of course, the best preventive measure is keeping feed bunks, pastures, cow lots, etc. free of potentially hazardous objects. HW Editors Note: Article was first published by University of Missouri Extension by Bonnard L. Moseley, University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine.

Hereford.org

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

Bite Back Consider these tips to curb the fly population in your herd. by Heather Smith Thomas

he battle against flies is constant, but there are ways to reduce these costly pests besides pesticides and toxic chemicals. After the advent of pesticides, it became common practice to spray the premises or use chemicals on the animals themselves via pourons, back rubbers, insecticide ear tags, etc. But now, some flies are developing resistance, and there is more concern for the environment. Pesticides can be harmful to beneficial insects as well as the ones you are trying to control. Understanding the fly life cycle can help you find the best way to control the pests.

/ August 2015

Flies and organic matter Flies that breed in rotting organic matter such as old bedding and wasted hay cause a big problem in livestock operations. Bill Clymer, an entomologist and consultant in Amarillo, Texas, says the predominant fly in any geographic region is the house fly and the second most common pest is the stable fly. The stable fly is about the size of a house fly and is an aggressive biter, usually feeding on the legs and lower parts of the body. Cattle attacked by large numbers of stable flies are restless and will not eat, often grouping together tightly to try to avoid the flies.

“Stable flies don’t breed in straight cow manure like they do in horse manure,” Clymer explains. “They prefer any kind of decaying plant matter such as wet hay or old bedding. Texas A&M did a study a few years ago and found that if you don’t clean up areas where you feed big bales, this makes ideal breeding ground for stable flies.” The research estimated that the area around one big bale feeder would foster the breeding of more than a million stable flies. “On my own operation we unroll big round bales in the pasture, but in the corral we put bales in feeders,” Clymer says. “In

the spring, one of the first things we do when it starts warming up is move the feeders and spread out wasted hay with a front end loader, so it will dry out — or put it in a big pile so it will start heating. Otherwise this material stays wet almost all summer and continually provides breeding sites for stable flies.” The waste needs to dry out or heat up — properly composted material becomes too hot for flies. Clymer’s favorite advice for controlling these flies is to follow three rules: sanitation, sanitation and sanitation. Sometimes, however, no matter how well you clean up your farm, stable flies come in from neighboring areas. He recalls a place in southeastern Colorado that had a serious problem. “It was the cleanest place I’d ever seen, regarding manure management, but in the southwest corner the stable flies were terrible,” he says. “I couldn’t find any breeding sites on the property so I started driving toward the southwest — the direction of prevailing winds.” About a mile away was a pole barn where alfalfa hay had been stored. “The hay had been taken out, leaving a thick mat of alfalfa leaves,” Clymer says. “A blowing rain earlier that season got that material wet. I dug into it with the toe of my boot and saw hundreds of stable fly larvae. We cleaned out that barn with a front end loader, scattered the litter around on the ground where it could dry, and within a day eliminated the stable fly problem.” Cleaning up in the spring and using a biological control like predator wasps can keep the fly population from building up by summer. These tiny parasitic Hereford.org

wasps are sold commercially and lay their eggs in manure and rotting organic material. Their hatching larvae feed on fly larvae and pupae in the manure. The wasps can be ordered from several different companies and put out early in the season before the fly population becomes large, with more wasps put out periodically throughout the summer. “If you can keep flies from getting ahead of you in the spring, you may not have to do as much to control them during the hottest part of summer,” Clymer explains. Heat and drying make it harder for fly larvae to survive. But a big rain makes conditions ideal again — about 10 days after the rain a tremendous increase in house flies and stable flies will be seen. “I’ve had the best results in fly control by using sanitation coupled with parasitic wasps,” Clymer says. “This won’t have any effect on deer flies or horse flies (since they don’t breed in manure) but this can greatly reduce numbers of house flies and stable flies.” Another biological control is the use of Muscovy ducks — a breed of meat duck that spends its time on land, rather than in water, eating insects. Some small farmers claim that four or five ducks per cow virtually eliminate a fly problem. According to Dennis French, DVM at the University of Illinois, in research trials, Muscovy ducks removed adult house flies 30 times faster than fly traps, fly paper rolls or bait cards. Ducks in cages with 100 flies took only 0.6 hours to remove 90% of the flies compared to 15.3 hours for the most effective commercial bait devices. “In other studies, the ducks lived for 12 weeks in pens with calves, without injury or any additional feed for the ducks,” French says. “They ate about 25 house flies per 15 minute observation periods when fly populations were low to moderate.”

Horn fly overview These flies are small, but probably cause the most problem for cattle because they spend almost all their time on the host animal. During fly season, an animal may have thousands of these flies covering neck, shoulders and back. Smaller numbers may be on the rest of the body or along the underside/ midline of the belly. Cattle with horn flies continually try to rub them off by slinging their heads over their backs or walking under low-hanging brush, but the flies rise up in a black cloud and settle right back on the animal again. Horn flies have a short life cycle — about 11 days. Many generations arise during one fly season. Adult flies lay their eggs in fresh cow manure. Studies at several universities have shown that horn flies Hereford.org

often reduce daily weight gain in calves 1/8 to ¼ lb. per day, or more. Research at Auburn, Calif., showed that calves from herds with fly control gained ½ lb. more per day than calves from unprotected herds. Tests in Georgia, where fly season is five months long, showed that fly control could provide as much as 40 lb. more per calf. Horn flies can often be controlled with the proper insecticides applied in several ways. Back rubbers and dust bags can be effective if placed in gateways where cattle travel daily or on their way to water. These applicators should never be too close to a water source to avoid spillage and contamination of the water. Insecticides used for flies do not harm mammals but kill flies and other insects by affecting their nervous systems. “Insecticide spilled into a stream could harm aquatic insects and other invertebrate life forms,” Clymer says. Oral larvicides added to mineral mixes kill fly larvae in the manure when flies lay their eggs. The larvacide goes through the digestive tract with no harm to the animal, ending up in the manure. This control method can be effective in breaking the

in any given fly population survive the effect on their nervous system or they produce an enzyme that breaks down the chemical before it can kill them. These flies survive, and their resistance is passed to succeeding generations. Most of the tags work best if applied at the rate of two tags per animal — one in each ear. But many stockmen put only one tag in each animal, and some use only one tag per pair in either the cow or the calf, which would be 25% of the recommended dose of insecticide. Dosage that low can result in accelerated development of fly resistance. Some companies developed organophosphate tags that were approved for adequate control at the rate of one per animal. Tests showed these tags perform about as well as other tags but not for as long; fly control using just one tag drops dramatically after 12-14 weeks. Protection may run out when it is needed most, in late summer. After a few months the insecticide level in the tag drops below what is needed to kill flies and continues to drop until there is no insecticide left. If flies are still active after the tag has lost effectiveness, these low levels produce the same results as having too few tags at the

“I’ve had the best results in fly control by using sanitation coupled with parasitic wasps. This won’t have any effect on deer flies or horse flies (since they don’t breed in manure) but this can greatly reduce numbers of house flies and stable flies.” — Bill Clymer life cycle and can keep cattle free of horn flies most of the summer, unless flies come from neighboring untreated herds. Even though horn flies spend most of their time on a host animal, they can easily fly a mile in a day, according to Clymer. Pour-on chemicals and sprays can provide strong control, reducing fly populations to fewer than 100 flies per animal, but they must be administered regularly, and care must be taken in selecting insecticides that flies are not yet resistant to. Many cattlemen install insecticideimpregnated ear tags at the start of fly season, and the animal does the rest, rubbing the insecticide over shoulders and body while slinging its head at the flies.

Horn fly resistance The first insecticide ear tags became available in the 1970s. In some regions, fly populations are no longer susceptible to these chemicals. Resistance occurs because a small percentage of flies

start of fly season, encouraging development of fly resistance. It’s wise to remove the tags in the fall. Use of the same type of insecticide for many years will result in horn fly resistance, no matter how well managed your fly control program. Eventually, as it is recommended, rotate between synthetic pyrethroids and organophosphate insecticides. To make sure tags are effective through the peak of fly season, don’t tag cattle too early. Cows and calves can tolerate low fly populations in early spring. The later you can put tags in, the more of the season they will cover. Several types of tags are designed to be effective for up to five months but are most effective during the first 60 days. If you wait until May or June to put them in, the better your seasonlong fly control will be.

Insect growth regulators Another tactic that can be effective under certain conditions is insect growth regulator (IGR)

Many cattlemen install insecticide-impregnated ear tags at the start of fly season.

hormones that guide development of immature stages of flies and other insects. If the normal concentrations are upset, flies don’t progress to an adult stage and die as maggots. University of Kentucky Extension Entomologist Lee Townsend says several companies make a feed-through product that contains a synthetic version of IGR. “Levels of this juvenile hormone tell the fly maggot whether it should stay a maggot longer or become a pupae and then an adult,” he explains. “Feed-through products containing IGR pass through the animal’s digestive tract and end up in the manure in small amounts — just enough to disrupt fly development.” To be effective, there must be a certain amount of the product added to the manure. “If you are using a mineral supplement to administer this hormone, every animal must eat at least this amount, every day,” Townsend says. If some animals are underconsuming the supplement, it won’t be as effective. “Even if you are getting good control of maggots with a feed-through product on your own cattle, there may be adults flying in from outside sources if neighbors don’t control their flies,” Townsend says. “In this situation you need a supplemental fly control strategy such as an oiler or dust bag for the cattle to use.” A multi-pronged attack usually works best, rather than trying to rely on one control method, especially if several types of flies are being targeted. “The label for feed-through insect growth regulators specify the horn fly as the insect this product is most effective against. In a feedlot, you are more likely to continued on page 44...

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

...Bite Back continued from page 43

Long-term control of these pest flies is better achieved with dung beetles degrading the manure than by sporadic application of a toxic chemical.

Fly traps

An biologic alternative for horn fly control is the use of dung beetles.

have problems with stable flies and house flies,” Townsend says. In a pasture situation where horn flies, rather than stable flies, are the biggest problem, with no other herds nearby, an insect growth regulator product may be helpful.

Biologic control with dung beetles Many stockmen are trying to use fewer chemical pesticides. One alternative for horn fly control is the use of dung beetles. These insects spend their entire lives in manure. Adults use liquid contents of manure for nourishment and lay their eggs in manure. Their hatching larvae consume more manure. Dung beetles are some of our best allies for controlling parasites that depend on manure for part of their life cycle, according to Clymer. Some beetles also bury manure, which helps fertilize the soil and get rid of large accumulations of manure on top of the ground.

The beetles that feed on cattle manure are active year-round in warm regions. “Today there are more than 90 species of dung beetles in North America, including some imported during the 1970s and 1980s,” Clymer says. “Australian research found that beetles bury 95% of horn fly eggs and larvae and 90% of internal parasites passed in manure.” Some types of dewormers and pesticides destroy dung beetles, however, killing their larval stage. Use of ivermectin and related products will eventually decimate beetle populations because fresh manure of treated cattle is toxic to beetle larvae. If you use these deworming/delousing products but don’t want to affect dung beetles, use them in early spring or late fall, so there will be several months during summer when beetles can reproduce and keep horn flies at bay. A single pat of manure without dung beetles can generate 60 to 80 adult horn flies.

There are a number of fly traps available for different types of flies. The Epps Biting Fly Trap is an effective way to control horse flies and deer flies.

/ August 2015

There are a number of fly traps available for different types of flies, and new ones are being developed. Panel traps work well for stable flies. They are made with flexible plastic with a sticky covering on each of the panels. Sunlight is reflected off the panels and attracts the flies. “Researchers used white plastic panels around the perimeter of a property to catch flies migrating in from somewhere else,” Clymer says. “You don’t get all of them, but in the Florida study they got several hundred flies per day in each trap.” French says some horse fly/ deer fly traps are quite simple. “One is a black ball that attracts the flies. They go up underneath a canopy to get to it, and when they decide this isn’t where they want to be they fly straight up and into a jar that captures them. Another type of fly catcher, called Quikbayt, is one of the better bait systems I’ve seen — more effective than sticky strips and stink bombs,” says French. Devices that kill flies on contact, such as the fly electrocuter, kill some flies but not all types. Townsend says house flies will go to these, but stable flies and horse flies typically do not. “Some of the mosquito magnets produce warmth and carbon dioxide and are attractive to a number of biting flies, but it’s hard to say how what percent of the fly population they kill,” he says. “In large open areas without many sources of blood meals for mosquitoes and blood-sucking flies, a trap might be more useful than in an area where there’s vegetation or buildings and a lot of competition for the flies’ attention,” Townsend says. “We’ve used some of these traps for mosquito studies and we do get other insects and flies caught in them, but you shouldn’t rely on these to solve a fly problem.” An effective way to control biting flies, especially horse flies and deer flies, is the Epps Biting Fly Trap™, invented by Alan Epps, an Oklahoma cattleman. He came up with this novel trap after being frustrated by the failure of other methods to control horse flies. In summer his steers were covered with flies and dripping blood from the bites with big welts all over their bodies. He’d tried insecticides on the cattle, but nothing worked well or for very long. Epps’ trap is now produced and marketed by Horseline Products. Flies are attracted to the shape

and silhouette of an animal, so Epps made a framework of wood to attract them. The frame has a large contrasting surface area, utilizing a dark portion and transparent panels to simulate air space above an animal and under its belly — the areas flies normally circle before landing to bite. When flies hit the transparent sheets they ricochet into trays of water below and drown. Adding a few drops of dishwashing soap will break the surface tension of the water so insects can’t float on it — they are immediately wetted completely, sink and drown.

Natural resistance Some cattle tend to be resistant to horn flies. In every breed and in every herd, there will be some individuals with fewer flies. Color and gender make some difference — flies are more attracted to black animals and to males. Bulls tend to have more horn flies than most females, as testosterone attracts the flies. Even with these generalizations, however, some individuals are more resistant. A study looking at horn fly density on 215 beef cows in seven different breeds and 51 different sires was done at the University of Arkansas in 1991. Consistent differences in the number of flies observed on individual animals had already been reported in earlier studies, with suggestion of genetic differences. In the Arkansas study, the total horn fly numbers were determined once a week on each individual cow from May through October. No insecticides were used on the cattle. Horn fly resistance seems to be an inherited trait. Observed in the study were 126 daughter-dam pairs and a number of maternal halfsiblings. Cattle may be selected for horn fly resistance. Some traits become interrelated if no insecticides are used, and cattle that have poor resistance also tend to have poor performance because of the drain on them from flies. Cows drop in milk production, pregnancy rates and body condition. Calves grow slower, weigh less at weaning and take longer to reach optimum breeding weight as yearlings. Before the days of insecticide products, these poorer-producing animals were often culled, leaving the more resistant animals in the herd to reproduce. Over time, a higher proportion of the herd would be more resistant to flies. With the advent of insecticide products, however, selection for parasite resistance has been largely overlooked — for about four decades. If you want to save money on fly control, genetic selection for fly resistance could be added to the traits evaluated when you are keeping breeding stock. HW Hereford.org

Hereford.org

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

Heat Stress…

Don’t Let It Ruin Your Year by Jimmy Horner

tress is continually imposed upon production animals to provide more meat and milk products. To maximize yield, it is imperative to keep animals as comfortable as possible and to maintain feed intake for conversion into meat and milk. The effects of heat stress have proven to be a great hindrance to the efficiency and productivity of cattle, especially dairy cattle. Dairy cattle are more susceptible to heat stress because of their select inherited ability to ingest vast quantities of dry matter, thus producing greater metabolic heat from rumen fermentation as well as from the process of milk production. During

periods of thermal stress, cows voluntarily reduce dry matter intake, thus limiting milk production. Reproduction as well as embryonic development and survival also suffers as a result of thermal stress. Compared to other animals, cattle cannot dissipate their heat load very effectively. Cattle do not sweat effectively and rely on respiration to cool themselves. A compounding factor on top of climatic conditions is that the fermentation process within the rumen generates additional heat that cattle need to dissipate. Since cattle do not dissipate heat effectively, they accumulate a heat load during the day and

dissipate heat at night when it is cooler. During extreme weather conditions with insufficient environmental cooling at night, cattle will accumulate heat that they cannot disperse. According to Dr. Grant Dewell, veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine professor at Iowa State University, heavy cattle cannot handle heat stress compared to lighter-weight cattle. “Increased fat deposition prevents cattle from regulating their heat effectively,” he says. “Solar radiation is a critical component that can lead to death loss from heat stress. Typically, proportionally more black hided

cattle die during heat waves than other hide colors. Since cattle rely on respiration as a method to manage heat, respiratory function is important. Cattle that had severe respiratory disease early in the feeding period will have decreased ability to regulate their heat load.” During times of increased heat stress, cattle feed intake will drop off and cattle become restless. As heat stress increases, cattle will begin to slobber and respiration rates will increase. Eventually, cattle will begin to group together. In severe heat stress, cattle will be open-mouth breathing with a labored effort. Feedlots need to monitor for heat stress and

Vasodilation is one means that an animal can use to lose body heat and to maintain normal body temperature. It helps the animal lose more heat because of the increased blood flow to the body surface and helps transfer the body core heat to the skin surface. Jimmy Horner

/ August 2015

Hereford.org

implement strategies to minimize effects on cattle to prevent severe death from heat stress. We discovered an all-natural product (Matrix®) that has proven highly effective in mitigating the effects of heat stress in cattle and dairy animals. There is no other product like this available, and it’s based on natural vasodilators and direct fed microbials (DFM).

Natural vasodilators This product truly represents the industry’s next generation in feed additives. Not only does it address the animal’s entire digestive and circulatory systems through natural means, it is highly beneficial, resulting in increased growth, milk yield, more consistent feed intake, improved metabolic efficiency, and, most importantly, a more productive, healthy animal. Matrix contains a highly concentrated combination of isolated natural plant extracts (live and naturally occurring), host-specific strains of beneficial bacteria, active live yeast, highly refined yucca extract, DFM Aspergillus oryzae, natural toxin fighters and natural parasite control.

Highly concentrated natural plant extracts This is the industry’s only allnatural vasodilator feed additive designed to specifically enhance blood flow and nutrient uptake in animals. Natural vasodilators act directly on the lining of blood vessel walls to make them widen or dilate. Because of the widened vessels, blood flows through more rapidly and provides more oxygen, glucose and other essential nutrients at the tissue or cellular level. Vasodilation is one means that an animal can use to lose body heat and to maintain normal body temperature. It helps the animal lose more heat because of the increased blood flow to the body surface and helps transfer the body core heat to the skin surface. In dairy cows and other cattle, this vasodilation is accompanied by an increased sweating rate, which helps further cool the body. Cooler body temperature will, in turn, increase growth and muscle deposition in growing animals, intramuscular fat deposition and loin eye area in finishing cattle, and milk and component yield in lactating animals. The potent vasodilation effects of certain plant extracts have been studied and utilized in human medicine for almost 20 years with benefits including lowering cholesterol, reducing heart disease, increasing endurance in athletes and reducing pain. Hereford.org

DFMs This feed product also contains highly concentrated DFM components that are not only species specific, thereby greatly enhancing their activity in the animal, but also highly concentrated (240 billion CFU’s per ounce) and uniquely delivered in an encapsulated form, which increases the actual intestinal uptake of the bacteria. Competitively speaking, most microbial products on the market today do not contain live, viable, species-specific bacteria and are often completely inactivated after being consumed. For a product to be classified as a “competitive exclusion” culture by FDA (Food and Drug Administration), it must contain beneficial bacteria from the same species as the recipient animal which actually reach the animal’s lower gut in order to displace or prevent the colonization of pathogenic bacteria.

Matrix and fescue toxicity issues The other direct benefit with this product is its activity to lower the incidence of fescue toxicity. Light calf-weaning weights, lower gains, lower milk production and reproductive problems associated with fescue toxicity account for millions of dollars in losses to producers each year. Also referred to as “summer slumps,” because symptoms usually occur

The research-proven ingredients in Matrix have been selected based on their ability to improve vasodilation and enhance blood flow and nutrient uptake in heat stressed and high-production animals. in warmer months, fescue toxicity causes reduced weight gains, depressed feed intake, elevated respiration rates and reproductive failures. Consumption of fungus (endophyte) infected fescue results in the animal’s inability to properly regulate body temperature due to vasoconstriction of peripheral blood vessels. The research-proven ingredients in Matrix have been selected based on their ability to improve vasodilation and enhance blood flow and nutrient uptake in heat stressed and highproduction animals. Improving blood flow by widening blood vessels allows improved blood flow in heat stressed (from endophyte infection) animals and, in turn, increases growth and muscle deposition in growing animals, intramuscular fat deposition and loin-eye area in finishing cattle. When combined with the DFMs and vasodilator actions of Matrix, cattle are better prepared to perform on fescue pastures. Matrix is a useful tool to help

producers unlock the potential of their cattle grazing fescue pastures.

Low cost, big yields What’s really exciting about this new technology is its low cost to implement. It is fed to beef cattle at only 0.5 to 1 oz. per head/day and to dairy cows at 1 oz. to 2 oz. per head/day. Baby calves also benefit at only 0.5 oz. per head/day. Regardless of the size or composition of your herd, lowering the negative effects caused by heat stress is critical to animal health and survivability. Make sure and look into this feed additive to help make your summer heat stress more manageable and productive. HW Editor’s note: Jimmy Horner earned a Ph.D. in Ruminant Nutrition from Texas A&M University and an M.S. in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University and has been consulting and teaching animal nutrition for more than 30 years. Horner can be contacted at jhorner@protocoltech.net.

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

Knife or Band? Explore the pros and cons of castration methods. by Heather Smith Thomas

here are several ways to castrate bull calves, but regardless of the method, castration is generally less stressful for the animal at a young age. Director of research and veterinary services at Simplot Livestock Co. Randall Raymond says castration is necessary in the beef industry for animal performance, animal health and safety, and human safety. “In our operation we castrate calves as young as we have access to them. All male calves not intended for breeding stock if not castrated at birth should be

castrated at branding age when they are receiving respiratory and clostridial vaccines,” Raymond says.

Knife castration “This is the most common method,” Raymond says. “A sharp pocketknife and a very young calf are generally the least stressful combination. Technique and sanitation are important, but using a sharp knife to remove a small testicle, pulling on the spermatic cord and scraping those blood vessels with the knife (to reduce bleeding) creates minimal stress.” This method is quick and sanitary, and the calves heal quickly. “A sharp knife is an instrument all cattle producers have in their pocket, so this doesn’t require extra equipment. With proper sanitation it can be very appropriate. In young calves this is my preferred method,” Raymond says.

Banding

Properly restraining a large calf for castration is important for safety of both the crew and the animal.

/ August 2015

In very young calves, another option is to use small elastrator bands, often called “cheerios.” “Those can work well, but there are some challenges and drawbacks,” he explains. “A person must be careful to make sure both testicles are included. The band must be placed above both testicles, around the spermatic cords. It is important

that no other tissue is trapped in the elastrator band,” he says. “There is some experience needed to use these effectively and safely. The tight band cuts off blood supply to the testicles and eventually the scrotum/testicles atrophy and fall off. There is some risk of entrapping extra tissue in the band, strangulating that tissue. It may be some fat, or worst case scenario a piece of intestine that falls down through the inguinal ring,” Raymond says. “In young calves with the small cheerios there is less risk because the testicles are small; there is not a lot of extra tissue. But people performing this procedure need to be aware of the risks.” If the calf is in pain afterward or lies around for a longer time than expected, the calf needs to be checked. It is not uncommon for one testicle to be missed unless you diligently check to make sure they are both still there after applying the band. “If one is missed, the scrotum is shortened and often the testicle is pushed up into the inguinal ring or up into the body cavity. Then it becomes more difficult later for the person who tries to find and remove it,” Raymond says. Clues that there might be a testicle remaining would be behavior (the calf acting like a bull rather than a steer) and bull-type appearance and muscle formation. “It can be hard to identify the cause, and may be more technical to remove the remaining testicle,” Raymond says. “For those reasons, banding is a less preferred method, but done correctly it can be effective. The advantage to banding is that there is no open wound or any bleeding. In situations where there are a lot of flies, or poor sanitation/dirty pen conditions, banding may be preferable to cutting,” Raymond says. Clinical professor of beef production medicine at Purdue University Mark Hilton tells clients there are generally no problems with using rubber bands on young calves — preferably less than three days of age — if both testicles are banded. “As a veterinarian, I have castrated hundreds of calves that had either one or both testicles retained. It’s no fun, for the veterinarian or for the calf, because of all the scar tissue; it’s a tough surgical procedure to castrate the older calf with (a) retained testicle(s),” Hilton says. “But if done correctly, rubber bands on baby calves is an acceptable method. The research shows there is no difference in how the calves respond compared to cutting them if bands are put on early. It’s also easiest for the person doing it when the calves are small; calves are much easier to catch and handle at a day or

two of age, compared to when they are a little older,” he says. “After a week of age, I suggest using the knife. The band on these older calves causes a long-term painful experience. With a knife, the pain is very temporary. With a band, additional discomfort may occur a couple weeks later when the band cuts through the skin, especially if there is some festering and infection around the area of the band.”

Emasculators with knife castration On larger calves cut with a knife, some producers use an emasculator to crush the cord when testicles are removed. “When there are larger blood vessels and more blood supply to the testicles there is more risk for bleeding,” Raymond says. “The advantage to using this method with larger calves is that it is quick and effective, and can help control blood flow. The downside of using emasculators on larger calves is that you have an open wound, so environmental conditions can be a factor if there are flies or the calves are confined in a pen that might be muddy or dirty.” Restraint is important. “You need good access to the cord of the testicle without putting your hand/arm at risk,” he explains. “The calf should be stretched out on the ground with ropes on front and hind legs, or in a chute where you can work without risk of being kicked. The emasculator is bulky and needs to be held for a moment on the cord to make sure it is crushed properly. Thus adequate restraint of the calf is crucial for safety of the person doing the work.”

Newberry knife This tool can be used on larger calves. “It’s a combination of knife and pliers, designed to split the side of the scrotum — both sides simultaneously,” Raymond says. This approach allows access to the testicle very rapidly, exposing a lot of the testicle and spermatic cord. “The advantage of this is speed. The opening created provides good drainage, which is important on larger calves. The disadvantage is that to do a good job the operator needs to be very familiar with the tool and there’s a bit of a learning curve to get to where you can use it properly. It needs to be sharp so the procedure can be done quickly and effectively without tearing the wall of the scrotum and causing undue pain. I recommend this tool when castrating calves in the 400600 lb. range, like light calves sent to the feedyard that need to be castrated upon arrival.”

Banding large calves There are several types of tools and methods for banding Hereford.org

large calves. “All of them work reasonably well,” Raymond says. “The advantage to those systems on larger calves in a feedlot situation is that you don’t create an open wound if conditions are muddy and dirty or there are lots of flies,” Raymond says. There are several challenges when banding older calves. “Cattle are vulnerable to tetanus, and you create an area of the body where there is no blood supply, which tetanus really loves. It is critical that the animals receive a tetanus shot. This is even a good recommendation when using an elastrator band on small calves. We don’t see tetanus as often in that age group, when compared with large calves, but it is still a risk,” he says. “The other challenges with banding tools are making sure that both testicles are in the scrotum, and making sure the band is tight enough. It is very crucial that the tension be tight enough to completely block off blood supply, but not so tight that the band breaks or causes damage above the area that needs to fall off,” he explains. There is some risk if the band breaks or is not tight enough because there will not be complete loss of blood supply to the testicle, and this situation can cause problems. “Another challenge with this method is that large testicles will swell and become very big,” Raymond says. “One of the tricks to making this work is to make two small incisions after we put the band on at the bottom of the scrotum — one over each testicle. This allows fluids to drain and facilitates atrophy and shrinking of the testicles. In some extreme cases we may have to restrain the calf again and open those drainage ports two or three days later. In cases where testicles are very large, once they start to dry up we will surgically remove the scrotum and testicles, just below the band,” Raymond says. Once this dead tissue is removed, the area heals more

quickly, with less potential for additional problems. “There is a drain on the immune system with that tissue as it dies — if it stays there too long when the body is trying to get rid of it. It helps to remove this necrotic tissue,” he explains. “If banding is done correctly, and the blood supply is completely eliminated, this can be a fast, effective and clean method to castrate big calves. We’ve done some work looking at the effects on these calves, such as the time it takes for them to get back on feed, versus cutting them and using an emasculator. The two groups had very similar results,” Raymond says. “Five years ago I would have said that the banding causes a more sustained pain in these big calves and that they feel that procedure longer than when castrated with a sharp knife. More recent data suggests that this is probably not the case. Once the blood and nerve supply to the scrotum and testicles is eliminated, nerve function is compromised and the pain sensation in that area is also gone. The feed intake work that has been done tends to support this conclusion. In our hands, the time back to full feed is similar for both methods if they are done correctly,” Raymond says. The advantages to banding are that it is clean and there are no open wounds and, therefore, less risk for hemorrhage. The disadvantage, with large testicles, is that some additional management may be necessary for drainage and removing the necrotic tissue if it doesn’t fall off in a timely manner.

Comparing methods “Even though banding is simple, quick and bloodless for baby calves, personally I would rather cut them,” says Daryl Meyer, a practicing veterinarian in North Platte, Neb. “I think the discomfort that a calf endures is less, and for a shorter length of time when castrated surgically than when banded.” There is some discomfort and

Using a sharp knife and castrating a young calf is generally the least stressful combination. Hereford.org

“Making sure the site is clean, the calf’s environment is clean, making sure your tools are clean and in good working order are all crucial for success.” — Randall Raymond irritation from the band until the dead tissue of the scrotum dries up and falls off and the raw area heals. “When an animal is uncomfortable, it is not gaining weight optimally. The whole goal is to put pounds on as efficiently as possible. The fewer days of discomfort, the better,” Meyer says. Banding may be easier for some people, and they feel it is safer because there’s no bleeding and possibly less risk for infection, but it also must be done correctly or there are additional risks. If the band is not completely above the testicles and catches part of one, this problem creates ongoing pain for the calf and is a serious health risk. “The banders used on larger calves are effective,” Meyer says. “The one I used for awhile did the job, but I just felt that the cattle were uncomfortable for a longer period of time. The nice thing about cutting them is that you know for sure that you got both testicles. When cutting them young, there is also less risk for serious bleeding than when they are bigger.”

Technique and cleanliness Raymond says sanitation is always important — no matter which method you use. “Making sure the site (scrotum and surrounding area) is clean, the calf’s environment is clean, making sure your tools are clean and in good working order are all crucial for success. The pen or environmental conditions are a factor when choosing methods. Ideally the calves will have open space afterward; it’s hard to beat a nice green pasture. Flies and other environmental factors should be considered,” he says. “Many people don’t think about tetanus, but any time

Pictured is an elastrator band in place on a young calf.

there is tissue that has a lack of blood supply, tetanus is a risk. Tetanus vaccine can be part of a combination clostridial vaccine, or given separately. Anybody banding calves where there is loss of blood supply to the testicles and not removing the tissue should give tetanus vaccine,” Raymond says. It is important to keep supplies and the area clean when cutting calves. “I recommend keeping your equipment in a bucket of water with disinfectant such as chlorhexadine,” Meyer says. “This disinfectant has the broadest spectrum of activity against a wide variety of pathogens and is also non-irritating to tissues. You also want to make sure the scrotum is clean. Use clean equipment, and then follow up with a disinfectant spray. If it’s a time of year when there are flies, use a fly-repellent product as well.” For larger, older animals, Meyer recommends giving longacting broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as long-acting penicillin or tetracycline to provide at least 48 hours of antibiotic protection. “If the animals are in a dry-lot type environment rather (than a) clean grassy pasture where they have room to move freely they should be monitored and moved around,” Meyer says. “If they are in a corral without a lot of room, it helps to move them around every day, or open the alley gate and let them go out in the alleyway and get some exercise.” Baby calves out on pasture with their mothers get plenty of exercise, but older animals in a feedlot situation need to be moved around. This exercise will help reduce the soreness and swelling. HW

If banding is done correctly, this can be a fast, effective and clean method to castrate big calves.

August 2015 /

/ August 2015

Hereford.org

54th ANNUAL BULL SALE • OCTOBER 8, 2015 Selling 140 Hereford Bulls • Lunch at 11:00 • Sale at Noon

Box 10 • Comanche, Texas 76442 John: 325-356-3767 • 325-642-0745 - Mobile Tom: 325-356-3918 • 325-642-0748 - Mobile Office: 325-356-2284 • Fax: 325-356-3185 Email: john@dudleybros.com • www.dudleybros.com Hereford.org

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

Pesky Parasites Without careful management, parasites can be costly. by Shane Gadberry and Jeremy Powell

he need to control internal parasites will exist as long as cattle are grazing pastures. However, parasite levels are not the same on all pastures or in all cattle. Pastures that are

heavily stocked generally have a higher parasite burden than lightly stocked ones. Cattle in a drylot are less likely to have heavy worm infections than those on pastures. Young cattle

will typically have more internal parasites than older cattle. Therefore, the methods of controlling internal parasites should be developed to fit individual production situations. Strategic deworming starts with understanding the life cycle of problem parasites, identifying seasonal changes in parasite burdens and implementing costeffective control. A successful deworming program, along with good overall herd management, will increase milk production in cows and, thereby, increase weaning weights of calves.

Effects of internal parasites The effects of internal parasites on cattle will vary with the severity of infection as well as age and stress level of the animal. In general, younger animals and animals under stress are most likely to show signs of parasitism. Mature cows acquire a degree of immunity to parasites that reside in the lower gastrointestinal tract. However, the brown stomach worm (Ostertagia ostertagi) has evolved to evade the animalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; immune systems. In addition, parasite burdens are most detrimental in mature cows near parturition because immunity is

/ August 2015

suppressed. Cows, especially dairy, in early lactation are often in a negative energy balance due to the stress of lactation. These cattle are affected more than cows in later lactation, when smaller levels of milk are being produced. Bulls are typically more susceptible to internal parasites than cows. The effects of parasitism can be separated into two types â&#x20AC;&#x201D; subclinical and clinical. Losses in animal productivity (milk production, weight gain, altered carcass composition, conception rate, etc.) are all subclinical effects; whereas, visible, diseaselike symptoms (roughness of coat, anemia, edema, diarrhea) are clinical effects. The subclinical effects are of major economic importance to the producer.

Parasites of concern Cattle can be infected by roundworms (nematodes), tapeworms (cestodes) and flukes (trematodes). Protozoans such as coccida are another type of internal parasite; however, the helminths (worms) will be the focus of this discussion. Roundworms are considered the most economically devastating internal parasites of livestock in Arkansas. The Hereford.org

Life cycle of the nematode Figure 1 shows the life cycle of the nematode. In the host animal, adult nematodes produce eggs. The egg is expelled from the host with the feces, contaminating the pasture. A first-stage larva hatches from the egg. The larva will molt two times before it becomes a third-stage larva. Once the larva is in its third stage, it is capable of migrating from dung pats and soil onto moist grass. Larvae can survive up to a year on pasture. Infection occurs when the third-stage larva is consumed with the grass. The larva completes its life cycle in the gastrointestinal tract of its host. Once the adult stage is reached, copulation occurs and the life cycle starts over. Unlike other nematodes, the medium stomach worm can spend part of its parasitic life cycle in hypobiosis, a condition similar to hibernation. Hypobiosis usually begins in the spring. The “hibernating” larvae do not emerge until summer.

Life cycle of the fluke The fluke’s life cycle requires two hosts — cattle and snails. The adult flukes are found in the bile ducts of cattle. The eggs are laid in the ducts and expelled with the feces. A larval stage hatches from the egg and infects the snail, where it reproduces asexually. Specific stages of the juvenile fluke leave the snail and encyst on aquatic vegetation. Cattle eat the vegetation and become infected.

The fluke migrates to the liver, infects the bile ducts and matures into an adult.

Seasonal parasite pressure The amount of parasite pressure in a pasture varies with season and management. Parasite burden peaks during the spring and is lowest during the hot, dry summer months (Figure 2). Cattle in drylot systems typically have fewer worms and less seasonal variation. Parasite pressure will be less under good management conditions as well. Good herd management includes a good nutrition and health program.

the nematode life cycle is on pasture. Pasture management methods designed to reduce third-stage larva populations include the following:

younger cattle to a safe pasture. Safe pastures include pastures that were not grazed during the last 12 months as well as small grain pastures developed from a prepared seedbed. When a pasture lies untilled and is plowed, contamination can drop quickly. Always deworm cattle prior to placement on a safe pasture; otherwise, the pasture can immediately become contaminated.

Parasite infection diagnosis Parasite infection is diagnosed by either a fecal-egg count or postmortem exam in the event of death. The postmortem examination is the most accurate method of determining parasitism. A postmortem exam shows the types of worms present and the damage to the animal. Internal parasite infection levels can be estimated in live cattle by counting the eggs shed with the feces. The eggs are quantified as eggs per gram (EPG) of feces by a trained individual. An EPG is only an estimate of parasite populations. Results from this test may be misleading. Variations in egg counts can arise from the ratio of immature to mature worm populations, worm species, degree of inhibition, consistency of the manure, etc. Realistically, a herd should be sampled on multiple occasions to determine worm prevalence.

• Move more susceptible

• Place less susceptible,

mature cattle on the more contaminated pastures. Mature cows under a good nutrition program develop some acquired immunity to parasites and are affected less by their presence than young cattle and calves.

Pasture practices for educing parasitism Pasture management and anthelmintics (dewormers) are two methods now used to control internal parasites. Pasture management practices may reduce the parasite burden in cattle; however, this method alone will not guarantee parasite eradication. As discussed earlier, part of

• Do not overgraze pastures.

Animals on overgrazed pastures graze closer to the ground and pick up more larvae. Rotational grazing systems are unlikely to provide enough rest to paddocks to reduce possible contamination. Some studies have shown that rotational grazing can increase infection compared to continuous stocking. This increased infection is likely since rotational grazing allows higher stocking rates. However, rotational grazing combined with a strategic deworming program can still provide more production per acre than conventional grazing. If flukes are a problem, identify ways to increase pasture drainage and

Figure 1: Basic life cycle of common gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle

Eggs pass in feces

Immature worms migrate into gut mucosa. Worms mature in digestive tract where adult worms lay eggs.

The infective 3rd-stage larvae develop in about 1 week and remain infective for weeks to months in manure pats or on vegetation, where larvae migrate following rainfall. Free living stages of 1st- and 2nd-stage larvae (in manure pat) Hereford.org

• Consider miscellaneous

practices such as dragging manure pats in dry weather and cutting the forage for haylage.

Anthelmintic control of parasites Anthelmintics provide an excellent tool for controlling parasites. Application of dewormers should not be aimed at treating infected cattle showing signs of parasitism. Instead, apply dewormers in a timely manner to reduce infection before symptoms of disease occur. Treatment should also be aimed at interrupting the life cycle of the parasite in an effort to minimize pasture contamination. Unfortunately, instead of implementing a deworming program, producers typically deworm their cattle continued on page 54...

Figure 2: Seasonal parasite trends

possible (poor herd management)

High

Cattle ingest infective 3rd-stage larvae while grazing.

fence off problem areas such as ponds.

Parasite pressure

medium or brown stomach worm and the Cooperia species are the most common roundworms. Although cattle can be infected with tapeworms, their effect on animal performance is minimal compared to the roundworms. Problems with flukes arise in conditions that promote snail populations — poorly drained pastures and stagnant pools of water (ponds, ditches, etc.) in the pasture area. Snails are needed in the fluke life cycle.

Low

possible (good herd management) Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Season

August 2015 /

Herd HEALTH

...Pesky Parasites continued from page 53

when the herd is being worked for another purpose. The 20072008 NAHMS cow/calf health survey showed that 85% of beef cattle operations in the United States deworm their herds according to a regular schedule, but 10% base treatment upon animal appearance. In the latter case, the herd has already suffered economic losses. Many anthelmintic products are on the market. Most of the products are either avermectins/ milbemycins (ivermectin, dormectin, eprinomectin and moxidectin) or benzimidazoles (oxfendazole, albendazole, fendbendazole). Avermectins/ milbemycins provide an additional benefit of external parasite control plus internal parasite control, as well as persistent protection for days to weeks after treatment. When a producer is selecting a dewormer,

the following should be kept in mind:

Table 1: Deworming program for beef cattle

• Type of animal being

treated (calf vs. cow, beef vs. dairy)

• Product efficacy • Ease of application • Broad spectrum of control (immature, mature, inhibited)

Animal

Time of treatment

Mature cows

Near calving

Bulls

Spring and fall

Calves

3 to 4 months of age

Replacements and stockers

• Weaning/purchase and at spring/fall (minimum) • Weaning/purchase and every 3 to 4 months until yearlings • Weaning/purchase and placed on safe pasture

Yearlings

Spring and fall until mature

chances of parasites developing resistance to dewormers. Applying dewormers above recommended levels increases withdrawal times, and the compounds in dewormers can become toxic to animals when applied at extremely high rates. Overdosing is costly. Over application usually provides the same amount of control as recommended levels but at a higher cost. As with any chemical used to control parasites, the potential

• Cost effectiveness • Slaughter/milk withdrawal time

Personal safety: Always read and follow the instructions on any animal health product. Application rates were developed through extensive research to identify the best and safest level of control. Undertreatment of animals can reduce the level of control and may increase the

Performance of replacement heifer calves following deworming by Jeremy Powell and Elizabeth Backes, University of Arkansas Extension Internal parasites are estimated to cost the U.S. cattle industry over $2.5 billion annually. Parasite burdens have been reported to decrease animal appetite, feed efficiency, ADG (average daily gain) and total gain performance. Parasites also have potential to negatively affect reproductive performance of cows and developing heifer calves due to the parasites’ effect on gain performance. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), only slightly over 40% of replacement heifers and cows are dewormed at least one time a year. A recent study focused on how deworming affects gain in performance of replacement heifers. The study took place during the summer of 2014, with 83 head of replacement heifers located at the University of Arkansas Research Station near Fayetteville. The heifers were allocated to one of three deworming treatments based on body weight, fecal-egg counts and days of age. The three treatments were 1) negative control (no dewormer), 2) a combination of a full label dose of Cydectin pour-on and a full label dose of Synanthic drench (combo) and 3) a label dose of LongRange injectable treatment (Table 1). Heifers grazed in multiple groups, with only one treatment represented per grazing group and had access to forage available in the assigned pasture and were fed a corn gluten supplement at 1% of body weight daily. Heifers were processed for body weights and fecal-egg counts on multiple dates throughout the study (Table 2). Over the 84-day study, heifer body weights (Table 3) were similar on day 0, 14 and 28; however, heifer body weights were greatest for LongRange treated heifers, intermediate for combo heifers and least for the control groups. Heifer ADG overall was highest for LongRange treated heifers at 1.52 lb./day, intermediate for combo treated heifers at 1.2 lb./day and least for negative control heifers at 1 lb./day. Fecal-egg counts were similar amongst heifers on day 0. On day 14 combo and LongRange treated heifers exhibited lower fecal-egg counts compared to control heifers. LongRange and combo heifers were similar on day 28 and again had lower fecalegg counts compared with the control treated group. Control heifers exhibited the highest fecal-egg counts on day 84, the combo treated group was intermediate and LongRange heifers had the lowest fecal-egg counts. In this study, treatment against gastrointestinal nematodes positively affected replacement heifer body weights, ADGs and fecal-egg counts. LongRange treated heifers reported the strongest benefit over the 84-day study period. HW

/ August 2015

Table 1: Treatments Treatment group

Number of head treated

Description

Mature cows

Negative control treatment

Bulls

Cydectin/Synantic combination

Calves

LongRange

Table 2: Timeline for study Day -14 (May 19, 2014)