Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts

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Epi. 192 - Tips and Guidance for AABP Foundation Scholarship Applications Apr 08, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by AABP members Dr. Michelle Barrett and Dr. Becky Funk. Both guests have served on the Amstutz Scholarship Committee and Funk is the past-chair of the AABP Foundation.

Our guests discuss the scholarship application process, how scholarships are reviewed, and offer tips for filling out the application. Students who qualify for a scholarship should consider applying using the links on the Students menu of the AABP website. We discuss the requirement for a CV/resume for some scholarships, and what to consider including in that document. Questions are also asked for all of the scholarships and answering these questions is part of the review process.

Letters of recommendation are also considered by reviewers. Tips for asking for a reference as well as how to provide a good letter of reference for a student are great pointers for those applying. Finally, we remind students to make sure to not wait until the deadline date and time to finalize your application. This includes making sure your dues are renewed well in advance of the deadline and checking the scholarship/grant portal to make sure your letters of reference are submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications are not reviewed.

A special thank you to all of the donors to scholarship funds and AABP member volunteers from committees who review the scholarship applications. If you are interested in joining a committee, please contact fred@aabp.org. Donate to the AABP Foundation scholarship funds at this link.

Links:

Join AABP and pay dues at this link. It can take 3 business days to renew your dues, so if you are applying for scholarships this year, please renews your dues in advance of the deadline! Students, make sure to have your application complete, including reference letters submitted online, by the deadline of May 31 at 5 pm Eastern. Check the status of your application at this link.

Scholarship opportunities:

Amstutz Scholarship – AABP Foundation premier scholarship for AABP student members graduating in 2025 or 2026.

Zoetis Foundation Scholarship – Funded by the Zoetis Foundation this $7,500 scholarship is for AABP student members graduating in 2025.

Merck Bovine Student Recognition Award – Funded by Merck Animal health, this $10,000 scholarship is for AABP student members graduating in 2025 and 2026.

Francis Welcome Future Dairy Practitioner Scholarship – Funded by the Welcome Family and AABP member donations, this $2,000 scholarship is for a 3rd year veterinary student with an interest in dairy medicine after graduation.

Edwin Robertson Memorial Scholarship – Funded by the Robertson Family and AABP member donations, this $1,000 scholarship is for students at Auburn and Lincoln Memorial University to fund an advanced reproduction experience.

James H. Bias Scholarship – This $5,000 scholarship is funded by AABP members and is awarded to 3rd year veterinary student with a graduation year of 2025 from an underrepresented ethnic and or racial background. The scholarship also provides travel and lodging to the 2024 AABP conference and a free registration to an AABP Recent Graduate conference within the first three years of graduation.

Epi. 191 – AABP Member Update and Dues Renewal Announcement Apr 01, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of the AABP Have You Herd? podcast, AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich provides an update for AABP member resources. The AABP dues renewal season is now open. We welcome all cattle veterinarians, veterinary technicians and veterinary students to join AABP or renew their dues by going to this link. AABP is primarily funded by membership dues and we utilize dues revenue to provide resources to our members.

Gingrich reviews three major buckets of activity from the organization:

1. Continuing Education. This is our major member resource. Historically, AABP has hosted an annual conference. In recent years, we have greatly expanded our CE offerings to include a recent graduate conference, webinars, podcasts, online recordings of all conference sessions and webinars, seminars outside of the annual conference, and online publications. In 2024, AABP will add even more CE for our members by hosting an additional virtual conference, one for beef veterinarians and one for dairy veterinarians. All AABP CE sessions, seminars and webinars are submitted for RACE approval which is an additional member benefit added recently.

2. Advocacy. In 2023, AABP was very involved in several important issues for cattle veterinarians. This includes supporting the establishment of a VCPR through in-person means and advocating against allowing a virtual VCPR to be established. AABP also has advocated against a mid-level practitioner that could provide services that are currently under the domain of veterinarians. In addition, we have worked with the AVMA to ensure we still have access to xylazine and the ability to use it in our normal course of practice.

3. Support of the AABP Foundation. The AABP Foundation provides support to students through scholarships, externship grants and research grants. The AABP Foundation also supports clinically relevant research projects. In 2024, the AABP Foundation will award over $425,000 in funding with support from our members and industry partners. Visit http://aabp.org/foundation/ to learn more about the AABP Foundation and make a donation.

AABP members are from private practice, academia, government, industry, farm staff veterinarians, retired veterinarians, technicians and students. Our members are beef veterinarians, dairy veterinarians and mixed animal veterinarians, but the one thing we have in common is our passion for cattle and the producers and caregivers we work for every day. Please continue to support our mission by renewing your dues or joining us today!

Epi. 190 - Efficient Parlor Throughput with Milk Quality in Mind Mar 25, 2024

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Juan Rodrigo Pedraza, AABP member and Zoetis Technical Services Veterinarian. This episode is brought to you by the AABP Milk Quality and Udder Health Committee. Pedraza starts by explaining what is parlor efficiency and throughput and why it is important for dairy farms. He cautions that recommendations to improve parlor efficiency should not sacrifice quality milk production and veterinarians can consult dairy clients on steps to improve both.

There are many factors that we should consider when evaluating parlor efficiency. These include loading speed, pulsation rate and ratio, teat end vacuum, mouth piece vacuum and automatic take off settings. Pedraza explains that although specialized testing equipment is needed for some of these assessments, observing parlor procedures, timing and milk flow at the end of milking can be a first step in assisting producers with parlor efficiency.

Pedraza also points out how veterinarians can work with employees in the milking parlor to improve procedures, emphasizing the importance of explaining why we are implementing procedures and delivering messaging appropriately. Veterinarians can play a valuable role in parlor procedures and fine-tuning milking equipment to improve parlor efficiency and milk quality.

Find AABP resources from the Milk Quality and Udder Health committee resources page. A previous podcast on the importance of pre-milking stimulation that is reference in this podcast can be found here.

Erskine RJ, Norby B, Neuder LM, Thomson RS. Decreased milk yield is associated with delayed milk ejection. J Dairy Sci. 2019 Jul;102(7):6477-6484. doi: 10.3168/jds.2018-16219. Epub 2019 Apr 25. PMID: 31030923.

Epi. 189 - The Importance of Physical Health in Bovine Practice Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by AABP member Dr. Keely Shine in this episode to discuss the importance of physical health and activity to improving sustainability in bovine practice. Shine graduate from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2022 and immediately opened her own mixed large animal ambulatory practice. She is also the owner of a CrossFit gym and is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and currently serves in the Navy Reserves.

Shine defines functional fitness and the importance of having both cardiovascular exercise and strength training as part of your total physical health program. Physical fitness can also be an important aspect of mental health and well-being. Shine also describes how she manages her nutrition program and suggests that ambulatory veterinarians plan their meals to prevent the traps of eating unhealthy snacks or lunches during the day. As a coach, Shine describes how she welcomes members to her gym and provides tips on how to take that first step in your fitness journey and prioritize daily exercise in our busy lives.

Epi. 188 - Methods of Processing Recycled Manure Solids Bedding on Midwest Dairy Farms II: Relationships between Bedding Characteristics and Bedding Bacterial Count Feb 26, 2024

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Felipe Peña Mosca and Dr. Sandra Godden for this episode to discuss a paper that is available in the online first edition of The Bovine Practitioner, “Methods of processing recycled manure solids bedding on Midwest dairy farms II: Relationships between bedding characteristics and bedding bacterial count.” This is a companion paper that we previously discussed on Episode 165 of Have You Herd? which evaluated recycled manure solids processing methods and its impacts on bedding bacteria counts, udder health, milk quality and milk production.

The first objective of this study was to identify bedding characteristics associated with bedding bacterial count (BBC) in ready-to-use (RTU) recycled manure solids (RMS). The second objective was to explore the association between processing method and bedding characteristics in RTU solids. A third objective was to investigate factors associated with BBC in used solids (after placed in stalls). The study found that increased dry matter, decreased organic matter and processing method were all associated with reduced BBC in RTU RMS. Veterinarians should evaluate bedding as part of a total milk quality program to promote good udder health practices on their client’s farms.

Peña Mosca, F., Godden, S., Royster, E., Crooker, B. A., & Timmerman, J. (2024). Methods of processing recycled manure solids bedding on Midwest dairy farms II: Relationships between bedding characteristics and bedding bacterial count. The Bovine Practitioner, 58(1), 8–18. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol58no1p8-18

Ep. 187 - Case Report: Systemic Granulomatous Disease with Vasculitis in a Bull due to Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa) Toxicosis Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Lee Jones, technical services veterinarian with Boehringer-Ingelheim. Dr. Jones was previously an extension veterinarian at the University of Georgia and the attending veterinarian for this clinical case report published in The Bovine Practitioner, Volume 57, Number 2. Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) is a forage, and intoxication from the plant has been described in the literature, although this is a very unusual case. This case affected one animal in the herd, a 5-year-old Angus bull. The bull presented with generalized alopecia, thickened pleated skin and profuse malodorous watery diarrhea. This bull, along with 6 other beef bulls, had been grazing in a pasture containing hairy vetch for 5-6 months. Jones described the diagnostic samples that were taken to evaluate the bull and rule out other causes of systemic granulomatous disease and vasculitis. The bull was euthanized due to poor prognosis and deteriorating clinical condition. Necropsy revealed a disseminated systemic granulomatous disease with variable numbers of multinucleated giant cells and eosinophils was observed in multiple organs indicative of systemic granulomatous disease, along with vasculitis in the kidney, liver and adrenal gland, indicative that vasculitis is involved in the pathogenesis of the lesions. None of the other animals were removed from the pasture and they did not develop clinical signs. Jones indicates that practitioners should consider a full diagnostic work-up on these unusual cases which can include punch biopsies of the skin which revealed the vasculitis and granulomatous lesions.

Ilha, M. R., Hawkins, I. K., & Jones, A. L. (2023). Case report: Systemic granulomatous disease with vasculitis in a bull due to hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) toxicosis. The Bovine Practitioner, 57(2), 60–66. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol27no2p60-66

Washburn, K., Norman, T., Osterstock, J., & Respondek, T. (2007). Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) toxicosis in a purebred Angus herd. The Bovine Practitioner, 41(1), 60–64. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol41no1p60-64

Ep. 186 - Comparison of Electronic Nose and Conventional Cow-side Diagnostic Tools for Detection of Ketosis in Early Lactation Dairy Cows Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Conrad Schelkopf to discuss a recent paper published in The Bovine Practitioner Volume 57 Number 2. Conrad is a dual DVM/PhD student at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. The title of the paper is “Comparison of electronic nose and conventional cow-side diagnostic tools for detection of ketosis in early lactation dairy cows”. We review the various types of ketones that are measure by different diagnostic tests in dairy cows. The average economic impact of a case of ketosis in a dairy cow published in the literature is about $300, and having reliable and effective diagnostic tests can be a valuable tool for dairy producers.

Electronic nose technology has been used in human medicine for disease diagnosis, but little research has been done in veterinary medicine. The technology “sniffs” samples that has a variety of sensors that detects a variety of volatile compounds in the space above the sample. The paper discusses how the tool is trained and calibrated for this experiment to create a fingerprint to match that fingerprint to different samples.

The objective of this study was to compare the eNose technology to the urine ketone test strips and blood BHBA cow-side diagnostic tools and to evaluate the applicability to clinical practice in a production setting. The eNose technology had lower sensitivity and specificity vs. the Precision Xtra and urine ketone tests. Conrad also discusses the positive and negative predictive value of each test based on the estimated prevalence of the disease. Conrad also discusses some potential future applications of the eNose device in booth beef and dairy practice. Emerging technologies and research to validate these technologies in the field is an important area of new research in cattle practice to improve cattle health, welfare and productivity.

Schelkopf, C. S., Apley, M. D., & Lubbers, B. V. (2023). Comparison of electronic nose and conventional cow-side diagnostic tools for detection of ketosis in early lactation dairy cows. The Bovine Practitioner, 57(2), 5–15. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol27no2p5-16

Ep. 185 – Best Practices for Colostrum Management in Beef Calves Feb 05, 2024

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Clair Windeyer, Associate Professor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. This podcast is brought to you by the ad hoc AABP Cattle Youngstock Committee. If you are interested in joining an AABP committee, please go to the committee page on the AABP website to find a committee of interest and on each committee page is a contact button to let us know you would like to join.

We start our podcast by explaining the differences between colostrum recommendation for dairy vs. beef calves. Windeyer reports that research shows that up to 33% of beef calves demonstrate failure of passive transfer (FPT) and it can be challenging to identify calves that need assistance before the window of opportunity closes to ensure calves receive adequate colostrum. Calves that have FPT have an 8x higher odds of treatment for any disease and an 18x higher risk of all-cause mortality. If calves have greater than 24 g/L of IgG, they have a 10x lower risk of dying preweaning and about 0.2 pounds increased average dairy gain. From a financial perspective, each case of FPT costs on average $80.

Windeyer discusses how to identify calves that are at risk so that we do not interrupt maternal bonding. This can include calves born to heifers, twins, assisted pulls, and those with lack of suckle reflex. We also discuss how to properly train producers to tube feed calves colostrum if they will not drink from the bottle as well as what type of colostrum to feed the calf.

Veterinarians have tremendous opportunity to work with cow-calf producers to ensure calves receive adequate colostrum and develop programs to train producers how to assist and monitoring the success of those programs.

LINKS:

Beef Cattle Research Council YouTube video link on how to properly use an esophageal tube feeder.

Beef Calf Vigor Assessment Podcast with Dr Elizabeth Homerosky

Publications mentioned in the podcast by Gamsjäger, Lisa, et al.:

Impact of volume, immunoglobulin G concentration, and feeding method of colostrum product on neonatal nursing behavior and transfer of passive immunity in beef calves https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2021.100345

Total and pathogen-specific serum Immunoglobulin G concentrations in neonatal beef calves, Part 2: Associations with health and growth https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2023.105993

Total and pathogen-specific serum Immunoglobulin G concentrations in neonatal beef calves, Part 1: Risk factor https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2023.106026

Assessment of Brix refractometry to estimate immunoglobulin G concentration in beef cow colostrum https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15805

Evaluation of 3 refractometers to determine transfer of passive immunity in neonatal beef calves. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16016

Ep. 184 - Effect of Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (MBAS) on Health and Performance of Preweaned Dairy Calves Jan 29, 2024

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Reinaldo Cooke, a professor at Texas A&M Animal Sciences Department. Cooke was one of the investigators on a paper published in the AABP Bovine Practitioner Volume 57 Number 2, “Effect of maternal bovine appeasing substance on health and performance of preweaned dairy calves”. Maternal appeasing pheromone is secreted by the mammary gland of all lactating animals and the MBAS is an analog of that pheromone for use in cattle. The substance has an appeasing or calming effect on calves. This study was done on a commercial dairy in the northeast U.S. to evaluate health outcomes in treated vs. untreated calves. Application of MBAS decreased the incidence of diarrhea (71% in controls and 59% in treated calves) and decreased mortality (7.8% in controls and 2.4% in treated calves). Cooke describes other publications for use of MBAS in bovine practice including calves at placement to feedyards, finished cattle before shipping to a packing plant, at weaning in cow-calf herds, and preweaning in dairy calves. He also discussed opportunities for future research in use of the product in adult animals, such as decreasing stress in fresh dairy cows. Cooke also discusses some of the economic analysis for use of the product at various stages of production with a return on investment found in various studies of 20:1 To 30:1.

Bringhenti, L., Colombo, E., Rodrigues, M. X., & Cooke, R. F. (2023). Effect of maternal bovine appeasing substance on health and performance of preweaned dairy calves. The Bovine Practitioner, 57(2), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol27no2p1-4

Kelsey M Schubach, Reinaldo F Cooke, Courtney L Daigle, Alice P Brandão, Bruna Rett, Vitor S M Ferreira, Giovanna N Scatolin, Eduardo A Colombo, Genevieve M D’Souza, Ky G Pohler, Bruno I Cappellozza, Administering an appeasing substance to beef calves at weaning to optimize productive and health responses during a 42-d preconditioning program, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 98, Issue 9, September 2020, skaa269, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa269

Cappellozza, B.I.; Cooke, R.F. Administering an Appeasing Substance to Improve Performance, Neuroendocrine Stress Response, and Health of Ruminants. Animals 2022, 12, 2432. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12182432

Vieira, D.G.; Vedovatto, M.; Fernandes, H.J.; Lima, E.d.A.; D’Oliveira, M.C.; Curcio, U.d.A.; Ranches, J.; Ferreira, M.F.; Sousa, O.A.d.; Cappellozza, B.I.; et al. Effects of an Appeasing Substance Application at Weaning on Growth, Stress, Behavior, and Response to Vaccination of Bos indicus Calves. Animals 2023, 13, 3033. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13193033

Ep. 183 - Treatment of Digital Dermatitis Jan 22, 2024

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Anne Murphy and Dr. Karin Orsel in this episode to discuss a common cause of lameness, digital dermatitis. Our guests start by describing this disease that was first identified in 1972 and has spread around the world. The disease is seen in most dairy farms in the U.S. as well as in feedlots and cow-calf operations. Even though the disease has been identified on many farms for many years, we do not know the exact mechanism of the disease or if the Treponema bacteria is the sole implicating factor in its development. There are several factors that lead to the development of the disease, such as creating the “right” environment for the bacteria to grow. Orsel discusses some of the challenges with vaccine development for preventing the disease as well as some genetic parameters within breeds that can influence the disease. Murphy discusses the importance of performing a full lameness exam to ensure veterinarians, hoof trimmers, and farm employees can correctly diagnose the cause of the lameness. Treatment for digital dermatitis typically involves a topical antibiotic such as tetracycline. Since this is extralabel use of an antibiotic, the veterinarian must prescribe the medication to the farm. Murphy also discusses the importance of foot baths and biosecurity measures to control and prevent the disease on farms.

Our guests also discuss the resources available to AABP members on the Lameness Committee resource page. This includes a review of treatments available to treat digital dermatitis and the available scientific evidence to support their claims found here. Other resources can be found at this link, then click on the Lameness Committee tab or Resources from another AABP committee.

If you are interested in joining the Lameness Committee, or another AABP committee, please send an email to fred@aabp.org.

Genetic parameters for hoof lesions and their relationship with feet and leg traits in Canadian Holstein cows.
N. Chapinal, A. Koeck, A. Sewalem, D.F. Kelton, S. Mason, G. Cramer, F. Miglior
Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 96, Issue 4, 2013.
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2012-6071

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