Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts

Latest Episodes:

Beef Cattle Starter Rations Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Matthew May, Director of Production Services at Feedlot Health Management Services by Telus Agriculture. This episode of AABP's Have You Herd? podcast is sponsored by Lactipro. Lactipro is a rumen-native probiotic consisting of a live, stable and naturally occurring strain of Mega e. Lactipro places a large number of Mega e into the rumen, where it immediately begins targeting lactic acid and producing butyric acid. Lactipro helps cattle producers support healthy rumen pH, while safely accelerating to finishing diets and reducing post-terminal processing mortality.

May begins by discussing some of the changes in the rumen microbial population from fiber digesters to starch digesters and how starter rations can influence the rumen. The history of the calf is important, but unfortunately that can often be missing with some arrival cattle. If the diet the cattle were on is available, it can be much easier to transition those cattle to full feed versus cattle that have an unknown history. Access and availability of water is very important for calf health and growth. May suggests that 1 linear inch of water trough space per head is standard, but could be increased to 2-3 inches in receiving pens. Ensuring regular cleaning, often daily, of water troughs in receiving pens is also important. May also discusses the importance of working with veterinarians on feed additives such as ionophores or antimicrobials to optimize health of the calf and rumen. Nutrition consulting is also not just about the ration ingredients but ensuring feed quality, consistency, delivery and consumption. Finally, we discuss the importance of knowing the goals for the cattle to help to optimize the timing of moving the calf from the starter ration to full feed. Although growth is important, ensuring that cattle transition to the feeding phase successfully even if growth is decreased initially will have a minimal impact on the productivity of the calf if it remains healthy.

Find out more information about Feedlot Health Management Services by Telus Agriculture on their website.

To learn more about Lactipro, visit https://msbiotec.com.

Urolithiasis: Review and Case Description of a Wagyu Feeder Steer with Struvite Crystalluria and Urolithiasis Treated with Calcium Boluses Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by AABP registered veterinary technician member Pamela Armstrong. Armstrong is the author of a case study novel treatment paper published in The Bovine Practitioner titled “Urolithiasis: Review and case description of a Wagyu feeder steer with struvite crystalluria and urolithiasis treated with calcium boluses”. Armstrong is the owner of Maple Row Farms in Clarence, N.Y. where she manages a horse rescue operation and a Wagyu beef cattle farm. They begin their conversation by discussing the value of registered veterinary technicians in bovine practice and how they can be a resource to help alleviate rural veterinary workforce challenges. Armstrong discusses the patient that was involved in this case study, a 27-month-old Wagyu steer owned by her. The steer presented with a painful abdomen, hunched appearance and sandy grit on the hairs of the prepuce. Diagnostic testing included urinalysis, CBC and chemistry profile. A diagnosis of struvite urolithiasis was made, and treatment involved analgesics, antibiotics and oral calcium boluses to increase the calcium concentration in the blood and decrease urine pH. Serial urinalyses were performed to guide the treatment with calcium boluses. Pen mates were evaluated and found to have crystalluria but no clinical signs of urolithiasis. The animal was successfully harvested and the urinary tract was grossly examined post mortem at harvest.

This case study demonstrates a novel approach to treating urolithiasis in a non-invasive manner using calcium boluses instead of the traditional treatment with the urinary acidifier ammonium chloride. Urolithiasis is the fifth leading cause of mortality in feedlot steers due to the high concentrate diet and effects on urine pH and calcium:phosphorous ratio. Armstrong recommends that a feed analysis be performed to evaluate the calcium:phosphorous ratio and to perform serial urinalyses to monitor the effect of treatment on crystalluria and urine pH.

Armstrong, P. M. (2023). Urolithiasis: Review and case description of a Wagyu feeder steer with struvite crystalluria and urolithiasis treated with calcium boluses. The Bovine Practitioner, 57(1), 41–48. Retrieved from https://bovine-ojs-tamu.tdl.org/bovine/article/view/8573

Usage of Genomics in Beef Cattle Production – Producer Perspectives Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by two beef producers – Craig Bieber of Beiber Red Angus and Cole Ratzburg of Bobcat Angus. This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Merck Animal Health, makers of Bovilis Vista Once SQ. It’s shown effective against the major causes of BRD plus Pasteurella multocida and BVD Type 1b. Give calves the most complete BRD coverage in a single dose. Find our more information by visiting this page.

The AABP Genetics and Genomics Committee develops resources for AABP members on the importance of genomics in the beef and dairy industry and developed this podcast. Our producer guests discuss the traits they focus on when selecting cattle, how they incorporate genomics testing and using indexes for bull selection. They discuss how they keep select replacements and give suggestions for what cow-calf producers should focus on when selecting bulls. Both producers believe that genomic testing has benefits their herds and helped them achieve their goals in a more rapid manner stating that the testing is economically advantageous to their operations. Finally, Bieber and Ratzburg offer suggestions for utilizing veterinarians to help make decisions on genetics and genomics within their herds.

Find out more information about Bieber Red Angus on this page and Bobcat Angus here.

For more information about the AABP Genetics and Genomics Committee, or to join the committee, visit this link. If you are attending the AABP conference and are interested in genetics and genomics, please join the committee meeting on Thursday, Sept. 21.

56th AABP Annual Conference – Preconference Seminars with Dr. Dave Sjeklocha Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by AABP Vice President Dr. Dave Sjeklocha to discuss the preconference seminars at the upcoming AABP Annual Conference Sept. 21-23 in Milwaukee, Wis. Preconference seminars are offered Sunday through Wednesday of the conference and provide an opportunity for members to take advanced continuing education courses that are led by a team of faculty experts.
Attendance for seminars is limited, which allows for great discussion and networking opportunities. These courses teach skills and techniques that can be immediately implemented in your beef or dairy practice to provide services to your clients. We will also have a seminar during the conference on Friday to train veterinarians in the Calf Care and Quality Assurance Program (CCQA) and a student lameness seminar. Seminars are submitted for 8 hours of continuing education per day and members can add them to a conference registration or they can register for a seminar-only registration for a lower fee if they are not attending the conference. We encourage members to sign up for seminars early due to the limited attendance as well as ensuring that seminar attendance is high enough to prevent cancellation. Seminars with an inadequate number of participants are subject to cancellation by August 10.

To view a detailed description of all seminars, visit this link and click on the title of each seminar. To register for the conference and add a seminar to your registration, visit the registration page. For questions about seminars, feel free to contact fred@aabp.org for assistance.

56th AABP Annual Conference with Dr. Michael Capel Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by AABP President-Elect and program committee chair Dr. Michael Capel to discuss the 56th AABP Annual Conference which will be held September 21-23, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wis. AABP is appreciative of the efforts from the program committee to plan the continuing education sessions for beef, dairy, small ruminants, practice management, students, clinical skills, research summaries and practice tips sessions. The conference will offer 24.25 hours of continuing education with additional CE hours available for the clinical forum breakfasts on Thursday September 21 and preconference seminars that will be held prior to the conference.

The theme of the conference is “Evolving Expectations” and the keynote address will be delivered by Sara Frasca who will discuss the “Journey of Innovation” and how cattle veterinarians can evolve and grow practices to meet client and consumer demands. Capel and Gingrich review the highlights of each session and encourage listeners to review the full schedule at this link. The conference will also offer plenty of opportunities to network and socialize with new and old friends and colleagues, including a trade show in the exhibit hall where members can network with animal health company representatives. The AABP Stampede 5k will return again this year -- the inaugural run was also in Milwaukee in 2013. It will be in the same location near Lake Michigan in Juneau Park.

Registration is open and we encourage listeners to register before the fees increase on August 10. Registration information can be found on this page. AABP encourages all attendees to book their hotel reservation in the AABP hotel block to decrease the financial risk to the organization. Book your hotel by going to this link.

We look forward to welcoming you to Milwaukee in September to “Evolve Expectations”.

#AABP2023

Mindfulness Meditation for Cattle Veterinarians Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich has a conversation with District 1 Director Dr. Liz Brock on how mindfulness meditation has impacted both of their lives in a positive way. They share their stories about their messy lives and how they have incorporated meditation practice to improve mental health, reduce stress and anxiety, manage work-life interaction, improve focus, and being generally happier. Gingrich and Brock talk about what brought them to meditation practice, its importance for bovine veterinarians who are suffering, and feeling our thoughts and emotions on a practical level. While neither are experts in mindfulness coaching, they share their direct experiences on the positive impacts it has had on their lives and encourage other veterinarians to try to start a daily practice. They talk about the basics of beginning the practice and offer resources for further information.

The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation
Nature Review Neuroscience
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3916

Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators
Behavioral Brain Research
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023

Meditation-induced effects on whole-brain structural and effective connectivity
Brain Structure and Function
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-022-02496-9

Books:

10% Happier – How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress without Losing my Edge, and Found Self-Help that Actually Works by Dan Harris

Don't Just Do Something, Sit There: A Mindfulness Retreat by Sylvia Boorstein

Zen and the Art of Running: The Path to Making Peace with Your Pace by Larry Shapiro

Health and Performance Outcomes from a Randomized Clinical Trial of Post-Metaphylactic Intervals Following Tildipirosin Metaphylaxis for Control of Naturally Occurring BRD in Commingled Lightweight Yearling Steers in a Commercial Feedlot Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

-AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Josh Szasz, a veterinarian with Five Rivers Cattle Feeding. Szasz is the lead author on the paper published in The Bovine Practitioner Volume 56 Number 2 titled “Health and performance outcomes from a randomized clinical trial of post-metaphylactic intervals following tildipirosin metaphylaxis for control of naturally occurring BRD in commingled lightweight yearling steers in a commercial feedlot”. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains a significant challenge in feeder cattle and is a multi-factorial disease which has components that are difficult or outside of our control. He also discusses how it is difficult to predict which cattle will experience BRD after arrival to the feedyard. This study involved 8,000 sale barn-sourced steers with an average weight of 650 pounds and the objectives of the study were to evaluate the health and performance outcomes of an extended post-metaphylactic interval (PMI) using tildipirosin. The PMI periods measured were 4, 7, 10 and 13 days. Szasz walks us through the study including case definitions, processing protocols and treatment protocols for the cattle evaluated. The results of this study indicated that BRD first pulls and morbidity decrease linearly with increased PMI. There were no negative health impacts of extending the PMI after tildipirosin metaphylaxis. Szasz also mentions that cattle pulled for treatment showed an increased body weight even during the MPI time indicating that these cattle were still eating and gaining weight during the no-treatment times even if showing signs of illness. He mentions that good animal husbandry to allow cattle to acclimate to their new surroundings is a very important component of animal care and not just antimicrobial treatment. This study demonstrates that veterinarians should review protocols with clients to discuss the appropriate PMI for cattle to not only improve animal care but also implement good stewardship principles for judicious antimicrobial use.

Szasz JI, Bryant TC, Bryant LK, Streeter MN, Hutcheson JP, & Renter DG (2022). Health and performance outcomes from a randomized clinical trial of post-metaphylactic intervals following tildipirosin metaphylaxis for control of naturally occurring BRD in commingled lightweight yearling steers in a commercial feedlot. The Bovine Practitioner, 56(2), 38–46. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol56no2p38-46

Protecting Your Herd against Pasteurella multocida May 29, 2023

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Merck Animal Health Technical Services Veterinarian Dr. Brent Meyer. This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Merck Animal Health. Could your cattle be more covered for BRD? If you’re not using Bovilis Vista Once SQ, the answer is yes! It’s shown effective against the major causes of BRD plus Pasteurella multocida and BVD Type 1b. No other vaccine covers as much and with industry-leading duration of immunity. Give calves the most complete BRD coverage in a single dose. Bovilis Vista Once SQ – another way Merck Animal Health works for you.

Meyer begins our discussion with a refresher on Pasteurella multocida and the role it plays in the bovine respiratory disease complex. He also discusses some of the misconception about P. multocida and how veterinarians can educate producers on this pathogen. Meyer states that P. multocida typically is the number one bacteria isolated in dairy calves and the second most common isolate in beef calves with BRD from diagnostic lab samples. We also discuss some classic signs of a P. multocida problem in a herd and how veterinarians can assist producers with both ante-mortem and post-mortem diagnostics working with their reference laboratories. Myer reviews both husbandry principles and vaccination with Bovilis Vista Once SQ to aid in prevention of this pathogen as part of the BRD complex. He encourages veterinarians to contact their Merck Animal Health technical services veterinarian for further information.

Please visit this link for more information about Bovilis Vista Once SQ.

AABP Guidelines for the Humane Euthanasia of Cattle May 22, 2023

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by members of the Animal Welfare Committee to discuss the recently revised Guidelines for the Humane Euthanasia of Cattle. Joining us in this episode is Dr. Liz Brock, District 1 Director and Vice-Chair, Dr. Meggan Hain, Chair, and Dr. Brett Boyum. Brock discusses the AABP policy for developing and reviewing all AABP guidelines and position statements to ensure they remain relevant and consistent with current science. The documents are used not only to advocate for best practices within our industry but also used by other organizations as our official position on a variety of cattle health and welfare topics, Our guests walk us through the main sections of the guideline, including indications for euthanasia and the primary and secondary methods that are approved. Hain discusses the important distinction between when anesthesia is required versus sedation with alpha-2 agonists. Boyum highlights the approach he takes to ensure adequate training and monitoring of caretakes for euthanasia protocols and the important role that all veterinarians should take in ensuring that animals receive a timely and humane death when indicated. We also discuss considerations for carcass disposal, especially with the use of pentobarbital, and alternative chemical euthanasia methods. We encourage all listeners to review the guidelines and discuss euthanasia protocols and training with their clients to advocate for appropriate animal care.

Relevant links:

AABP Guidelines for the Humane Euthanasia of Cattle, March 2023

Robbins, J. A. ., Williams, R., Derscheid, R. J. ., Boyum, B., & Spangler, C. (2021). Comparison of frontal-sinus and poll shot locations as secondary methods for euthanizing dairy cattle with a penetrating captive bolt gun. The Bovine Practitioner, 55(2), 115–119. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol55no2p115-119

Intrathecal Lidocaine Procedure in Equids and Cattle

Failed Transfer of Passive Immunity is a Component Cause of Pre-Weaning Disease in Beef and Dairy Calves: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis May 15, 2023

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Alexis Thompson, the lead author on the paper published in The Bovine Practitioner Vol. 56 No. 2 titled “Failed transfer of passive immunity is a component cause of pre-weaning disease in beef and dairy calves: A systematic review and meta-analysis”. The objective of the paper was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of literature regarding failed transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) and evaluate the strength of association between FTPI and disease in pre-weaned calves. Both dairy, beef and mixed breed cattle papers were included in the study to answer the question “how strongly is FTPI diagnosis associated with the risk of disease in pre-weaned calves”. Thompson walks listeners through the detailed materials and methods section of the paper to describe how the literature search was performed, inclusion and exclusion criteria for the papers evaluated, data extracted from each paper, and setting cut-points for morbidity and mortality. A total of 22 papers were included in the final data set. Thompson also defines the terms used in the paper including risk ratio, attributable fraction, preventable fraction and population attributable fraction. The outcomes evaluated included morbidity, mortality, diarrhea and pneumonia. The results of this meta-analysis indicated that FTPI is a component cause of pre-weaning disease in calves and there was variability between the strength of the association between the papers included in the study. There are many contributing causes of pre-weaning calf disease and the impact of FTPI on a calf or herd’s risk of developing disease depends on the presence of other component causes of disease. This is an important consideration when veterinarians are evaluating disease outbreaks in herds to ensure a holistic systems approach to identify all component causes of the outbreak.

Registration for the 56th AABP Annual Conference is now open. Gingrich mentions some of the opportunities at the conference to evaluate herd outbreaks and using data to solve problems in cattle practice. For more information and to register for the conference, visit this page. Preconference seminar information can be found at this link and the full schedule is available on this page.

Thompson, AC, & Smith, DR (2022). Failed transfer of passive immunity is a component cause of pre-weaning disease in beef and dairy calves: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Bovine Practitioner, 56(2), 47–61. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol56no2p47-61

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