LIVESTOCK NEWS
AUGUST
& SEPTEMBER, 2001
DATES TO REMEMBER
2001 PEANUT FIELD DAY NFREC.......................................... AUGUST
21, 2001
MARIANNA 8:30
A.M. - 1:30 P.M.
FLORIDA ANGUS SALE........................................................... AUGUST
25, 2001
MARIANNA NFREC
FLORIDA PECAN FIELD DAY............................................ SEPTEMBER
6, 2001
MONTICELLO 8:30
A.M. - 3:00 P.M.
EXTENSION CROP AND HAY DAY................................... SEPTEMBER
6, 2001
WFREC, JAY 8:00
A.M.
IN
THIS ISSUE
BEEF CATTLE MANAGEMENT CALENDAR..................................................... 2
VACCINATION PROGRAMS FOR THE SMALL BEEF
PRODUCERS.............. 3
SUPPLEMENTING THE COW HERD DURING THE SUMMER......................... 5
FORAGE UPDATE.................................................................................................. 6
WEST NILE VIRUS AND HORSES....................................................................... 7
MEDIA CONDITIONING...................................................................................... 7
A NEW STRAIN OF CATFISH IS RELEASED BY USDA
RESEARCHERS....... 8
BEEF CATTLE MANAGEMENT CALENDAR
AUGUST
_ Cut corn silage.
_ Cut hay.
_ Apply lime for fall and winter crops.
_ Harvest Bahiagrass seed.
_ Check mineral feeder.
_ Update market information and
marketing plans.
_ Check for army worms, spittlebugs, and
mole crickets, and treat if necessary.
_ Check dust bags.
_ Wean calves and cull cow herd.
_ Watch for evidence of abortions.
_ Observe animals regularly for signs of
disease.
_ If
cattle grubs were found on cattle last winter or heel flies were observed in
the pasture, treat for cattle grubs this month.
SEPTEMBER
ü
Cut hay.
ü Heavily
graze pastures to be interplanted to cool season pastures.
ü Check
mineral feeder.
ü Check
for mole crickets, spittlebugs, and grassloopers and treat if necessary.
ü Check
dust bags
ü Wean
calves and cull cow herd if not already done.
Remove open, unsound, poor
producing or overage cows.
ü Train
cowboys to observe normal and abnormal behavior and signs of disease.
ü Be
sure any replacement purchases are healthy and have been calfhood vaccinated
for brucellosis.
ü September
or October is a good time to deworm the cow herd if internal parasites are a
problem.
ü When
replacement heifers are weaned, give them required vaccinations and teach them
to eat - then put them on a good nutrition program.
ü Determine
bull replacement needs, develop selection criteria, and start checking
availability of quality animals.
ü Review
winter feed supply and feeding plans so that needed adjustments can be made
before supplies tighten and prices rise.
VACCINATION PROGRAMS FOR
THE
SMALL BEEF PRODUCERS
Calvin
Alford
Extension
Animal Scientist
I didn't know how much I depended on Dr. John
McCormick & Dr. Jim Strickland's free veterinary advice until they retired.
I wish I had written it all down. Since I am now the assistant herdsman at the
5 head Oleo Ranch (one of the cheaper spreads), it is my responsibility to
vaccinate the bull calves going to Calhoun and the show heifers going to 17
little county fairs. Following is the Alford plan with McCormick's input. Be
sure to contact your local veterinarian for a plan that fits your situation.
Sometime between birth and 3 months and again
at weaning, vaccinate all calves with 7 way - Blackleg + Haemophils. This
Clostridial vaccine costs about 50 cents per dose.
The Clostridial diseases are a group of
mostly fatal infections caused by bacteria belonging to the group called Clostridia.
These organisms have the ability to form protective shell-like forms called
spores when exposed to adverse conditions. This allows them to remain
potentially infective in soils for long periods of time and present a real
danger to the livestock population. Many of the organisms in this group are
also normally present in the intestines of man and animals.
Blackleg is a disease caused by Clostridium
chauvoei and primarily affects cattle under two years of age is usually seen in the better doing calves.
The organism is taken in by mouth. Symptoms first noted are those of lameness
and depression. A swelling, caused by gas bubbles, often can be felt under the
skin as a crackling sensation. A high temperature is present. Occasionally,
sudden death occurs with no symptoms observed.
Prevention is readily accomplished by the use
of Blackleg bacterins which over the years have proven very effective.
Vaccination at less than 4 months of age will not produce a lasting immunity.
Calves vaccinated at less than 4 months should be revaccinated at 5-6 months.
Malignant edema is a disease of cattle of any
age caused by Cl. septicum and is found in the feces of man, domestic
animals and in large numbers in the soil where livestock populations are high.
The organism gains entrance to the body in deep wounds and can even be
introduced into deep vaginal or uterine wounds in cows following difficult
calving.
The disease can be prevented by the use of Clostridium
septicum bacterins usually produced in combination with other bacterins.
Infections caused by Cl, novyi,
infrequently called Black disease in cattle, occur sporadically in
cow-calf operations as they are more often
seen under feedlot conditions. The route of infection and transmission are not
known, however, it is thought to gain entrance into the body by a wound
infection, or possibly taken in orally. Only sudden deaths are thought to occur
in sick cattle.
Clostridum novyi bacterins are available in combination with
other clostridial bacterins and are generally thought to offer greater
and more solid protection with two injections.
Cl. Sordellii is a sudden death disease of primarily
feedlot cattle, infrequently seen in cows. The route of transmission is
unknown, but thought to be my mouth. No symptoms are observed as only dead
animals are found. Clostridium sordelli bacterins are contained in 8 way
vaccines.
Enterotoxemia is caused by Cl.
Perfringens. The organism is found throughout the world in the lower
intestinal tract of man and animals. Hemorrhagic enterotoxemia caused by cl.
Perfringens type C is most frequently seen in cow-calf operations.
As Cl. Perfringens is a normal
inhabitant of almost all mammals, a specific set of circumstances must exist in
order for the disease to present itself to the animal. The type C strain of the
bacteria must be present in the intestinal tract. The bacteria must have an
abundance of nutrients, especially carbohydrates for the bacteria to attack and
then must be at least a partial slow down or stoppage of intestinal tract
movement brought about by ingesting a large amount of feed allowing the toxins
to accumulate and be absorbed in the gut.
Haemophilus somnus is a small gram-negative, non-motile,
non-spore forming coccobacillus that grows better in an atmosphere
containing carbon dioxide. The mechanisms by which it, Somus, is spread
is unknown. The organism is commonly found in the respiratory tract and an
aerosol route is suggested. It is also excreted with urine and in vaginal
discharges from infected animals.
At weaning also vaccinate for respiratory
diseases - IBR, BVD, PI3 and BRSV. Two doses 2-4 weeks apart is the typical
recommendation and costs about $1.00 per dose. Also Dr. McCormick recommended
vaccinating for Pasteurella "if they are going somewhere like
Kansas." Single dose vaccines cost $2.00 a shot, some biologicals
recommend two injections 14 days apart and cost about $1.00 per injection.
Infectious Bovine Rinotracheitis is
caused by a virus and is found in cattle throughout the world. Respiratory IBR
is the most common form of the disease. Symptoms are fever and a discharge from
the nose. The nose and muzzle become inflamed, which is why this form is
sometimes called "red nose". Infection will involve from 15 to 100
percent of the animals. Death losses from this disease are low.
Bovine virus diarrhea BVD is a common disease throughout the
United States. The disease may appear in mild, acute, or chronic forms. In the
mild form there are often no symptoms. If symptoms are present they include
fever, coughing, discharge from the nose, slow gains, rapid breathing, and mild
diarrhea. Animals with the acute form of BVD show symptoms of fever, difficult
breathing, discharges from the nose and mouth, and coughing. In addition,
ulcers may develop on the mouth and the animal may become lame. Dehydration and
weight loss also occur. Diarrhea begins three to seven days after the animal
becomes diseased. Pregnant animals may abort if the disease is contracted
during the first two months of pregnancy. The fetus may mummify (absorb the
fluids in the womb and become hardened and shriveled) if the cow becomes
infected with BVD from the 90th to the 120th day of
pregnancy. In the later stages of pregnancy, BVD may cause the fetus to suffer
brain damage, hairlessness, or underdeveloped lungs. Chronic cases of BVD
result in slow gaining. The hair coat is rough and the animal may become lame.
Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV) affects the cells lining the
respiratory system. As a result, the respiratory system is weakened and becomes
more liable to infection from other viruses and bacteria. Nursing and weaned
calves are likely to be affected than are older cattle. Stress from moving or
weaning calves increases the changes of infection from this disease.
A vaccination program should include 2
injections of a 8 way blackleg, 2 respiratory injections and vaccinate
according to label directions for Pasteurella. Always check with your
local veterinarian for problems in your area. Also, your veterinarian must
carry out your Brucellosive or Bangs vaccination program.
SUPPLEMENTING THE COW HERD DURING THE SUMMER
Bahiagrass pasture has excellent quality in
the spring, but its quality progressively decreases as bahiagrass grows and
matures throughout the summer. With
many cattle producers weaning and selling calves in late summer it is possible
that supplementation of cows herds grazing bahiagrass pasture during the summer
will have a positive effect on both cow and calf performance.
In the early 1990’s we conducted a series of
four trials in which cow/calf pairs grazing bahiagrass pasture were fed a
molasses-urea supplement for an average of 75 days prior to weaning. The supplement contained 30% crude protein
(9% urea). This level of urea helped
control supplement intake and provide crude protein. Molasses-urea supplement was fed free-choice in lick-wheel
feeders. Cow herds were fed a loose
mineral supplement free-choice.
Cow/calf pairs fed molasses-urea consumed an
average of 4.0 pounds of supplement per pair per day. It is assumed that cows consumed most of the supplement, but
calves were frequently seen eating molasses-urea from the lick-wheel feeder.
In comparison to cows not supplemented, cows
fed molasses-urea gained 21 more pounds during the 75-day supplementation
period before weaning. Likewise, calves
nursing cows in herds fed molasses-urea supplement were 26 pounds heavier at
weaning than calves nursing cows in herds not supplemented.
Over the four trials cow/calf pairs averaged
consumption of 300 pounds of molasses-urea supplement each. With the current price of feeder calves
exceeding $1.00 per pound ($110/cwt), summer supplementation with molasses-urea
appears to be a profitable management practice. Assuming a similar response in calf weaning weight a producer
could afford to pay up to $173 per ton for molasses-urea supplement placed in
the feeder and recover feed costs.
In addition to the increased value of calves,
the 21 additional pounds gained by cows fed molasses-urea during the summer
have economic benefits. The added
weight on cull cows would be rewarded with extra income when they are
sold. If cows are retained in the herd,
the added weight and associated improved body condition of brood cows will have
a positive impact on cow performance in the next production cycle.
Good feeder calf prices allow cattlemen to
introduce practices that may not normally be profitable. Summer supplementation is a practice that
currently falls into that category.
Other supplements fed during the summer would likely produce similar
benefits in animal performance to that found with molasses-urea liquid
feed. I feel the economic access of
summer supplementation is controlling supplement intake, and the best
efficiency is obtained when supplement intake is maintained at 3 to 4 pounds
per cow/calf pair per day.
Source: Findlay
Pate, Range Cattle REC – Ona,
Published in the Peace River Farmer and
Rancher – July, 2001
FORAGE UPDATE
Cool-Season Forages
Time to give a little thought to the season
ahead. The preliminary results from the
cool-season ryegrass, wheat, oats and rye trials at the Marianna Beef Unit are
up on the web at the UGA state-wide variety testing site www.griffin.peachnet.edu/swvt/small.htm. Again, look at multi-year and multi-location
(Quincy-Tifton, Marianna-Tifton) for best variety performance.
Warm-Season Pests
1. Low
numbers of armyworms are being found in several counties. Please start checking hay pastures closely.
2. We
are having reports of stand losses in bahiagrass (Walton, Jackson, and Gulf
Counties) from several pests. Check
suspect pastures for white grubs just underneath the plants and be on the look
out for mole crickets.
3.
There has been
a high incidence of Dollar Spot (Sclerotinia spp.) in at least five counties in
the Panhandle. The disease starts as
yellowing on the plants, mycelium at the base of the plant, and black
stoma. There are distinct lesions on
the leaves, and leaf-tip burn along the leaf margin.
4. Also,
check any plantings of perennial peanut for chlorosis and stunting.
WEST
NILE VIRUS AND HORSES
Q. Has West Nile virus caused severe
illness or death in horses?A. Yes, while data suggest that most horses infected with West
Nile virus recover, results of investigations indicate that West Nile virus has
caused deaths in horses in the United States.
Q. How do the horses become infected
with West Nile virus?A. The same way humans become infected--by the bite of infectious
mosquitoes. The virus is located in the mosquito's salivary glands. When
mosquitoes bite or "feed" on the horse, the virus is injected into
its blood system. The virus then multiplies and may cause illness. The
mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds or other animals.
Q. How does the virus cause severe
illness or death in horses?A. Following transmission by an infected mosquito, West Nile
virus multiplies in the horse's blood system, crosses the blood brain barrier,
and infects the brain. The virus interferes with normal central nervous system
functioning and causes inflammation of the brain.
Q. Can I get infected with West Nile
virus by caring for an infected horse?A. West Nile virus is transmitted by infectious mosquitoes.
There is no documented evidence of person-to-person or animal-to-person
transmission of West Nile virus. Normal veterinary infection control
precautions should be followed when caring for a horse suspected to have this
or any viral infection.
Q. Can a horse infected with West
Nile virus infect horses in neighboring stalls?A. No. There is no documented evidence
that West Nile virus is transmitted between horses. However, horses with
suspected West Nile virus should be isolated from mosquito bites, if at all
possible.
Q. My horse is vaccinated against
eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), western equine encephalitis (WEE), and
Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE). Will these vaccines protect my horse
against West Nile virus infection?A. No. EEE, WEE, and VEE belong to another family of viruses
for which there is no cross-protection.
Q. Can I vaccinate my horse against
West Nile virus infection?A. A West Nile virus vaccine for horses was recently approved,
but its effectiveness is unknown.
Q. How long will a horse infected
with West Nile virus be infectious?A. We do not know if an infected horse can be infectious
(i.e., cause mosquitoes feeding on it to become infected). However, previously
published data suggest that the virus is detectable in the blood for only a few
days.
Q. What is the treatment for a horse
infected with West Nile virus? Should it be destroyed?A. There is no reason to destroy a
horse just because it has been infected with West Nile virus. Data suggest that
most horses recover from the infection. Treatment would be supportive and
consistent with standard veterinary practices for animals infected with a viral
agent.
MEDIA CONDITIONING
A student entered into a state science fair
won first prize by demonstrating how conditioned people have become to
alarmists spreading fear of everything in our environment. In the project, the student urged people to
sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical
dihydrogen monoxide. Some of the
reasons were: it can cause severe burns
in the gaseous state, accidental inhalation can lead to death, it contributes
to erosion, it contributes to the greenhouse effect.
The student asked 50 people if they supported
a ban on the chemical. Forty-three
people (86 percent) said they would support it, 12 percent were undecided, and
one person actually knew that the chemical was water. Those desiring more information on this insidious chemical can go
to the Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division web site at: http://www.dhmo.org/.
Source:
Chemically Speaking, July 2001
A NEW STRAIN OF CATFISH IS RELEASED BY USDA
RESEARCHERS
Gary
J. Burtle,
Animal
& Dairy Science, Tifton, GA
February 2001 marked the release of a
selected channel catfish strain by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the
Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Experiment Station after more than six
years of evaluation trials. This channel catfish strain, called USDA 103, has
the main advantage of faster growth than previously released strains. For example, USDA 103 reached a pound in
average weight in 150 days versus 190 days for the Kansas strain of channel
catfish. Growth over a 210 day period was
approximately 50% more for USDA 103 than Kansas strain.
The new strain originated from the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service and selected from offspring of 2-year old spawners in
1994. Also, in 1994, full-sibling families were selected for resistance to
Enteric Septicemia of Catfish and were saved as future broodfish. The result is
a strain of channel catfish that grows well and has some resistance to a common
and commercially important disease. USDA 103 has also been identified using DNA
fingerprinting so that a fish from the strain can be picked out from among
other catfish strains with a certainty of 1 in 59 million.
USDA 103 grows faster because of its
generally more aggressive feeding behavior and higher levels of insulin-like
growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Growth was compared in communal ponds with other
strains of catfish so that environmental variation was minimized. It has been
observed that in this type of pond, USDA 103 feeds first and most aggressively
so that the other catfish do not get an equal chance to feed, explaining some
of the growth advantage after 210 days mentioned above. When USDA 103 was
raised separately, it had higher harvest weight but not significantly higher
yield than other strains.
Although USDA 103 is susceptible to ESC, it
is less susceptible than some strains of channel catfish in some of the trials
performed in Mississippi. However, bacterial virulence is usually strain
dependent, explaining some of the conflicting results from susceptibility
studies.
In order to obtain brood stock of USDA 103,
you must be an established commercial fish hatchery. A minimum criteria is
established so that the strain can be produced as a certified class and the
hatchery must agree to do so. Contact
Dr. Bill Wolters, USDA/ARS, P.O. Box 38, Stoneville, MS 38776, 662-686-3591 for
information about the new strain. It has been reported that a lottery drawing
will be held to establish the receiving order as the fish become available.
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solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee, warranty, or
endorsement of the product names and does not signify that they are approved to
the exclusion of others.
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Sincerely,
John Atkins
Extension Agent
Santa Rosa County
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