Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts

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Clinical Mastitis Treatment Decisions Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Elanco Animal Health, manufacturers of Scour Bos. Few diseases can devastate a herd like scours. That’s why preparing passive immunity protection for day one is critical to helping your calves reach their full potential without disruption. Scour Bos provides comprehensive protection against up to nine antigens for broad-spectrum coverage against the leading causes of scours. Plus, with the most flexible administration schedule on the market, you have up to four months pre-calving to integrate Scour Bos into your herd health protocol. Learn more about Scour Bos and incorporating it into your vaccine protocols by visiting this link.

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by the chair of the AABP Milk Quality and Udder Health Committee, Dr. Pamela Ruegg to discuss how veterinarians can work with farmers to develop, implement and monitor protocols for treating clinical mastitis. Ruegg discusses that clinical mastitis is the number one disease affecting dairy cows (28%) followed by lameness (12%). Clinical mastitis treatment protocols are very important when evaluating overall antimicrobial stewardship on a dairy farm since 65-85% of all doses of antimicrobials used on dairies is for mastitis. Ruegg reviews the steps for implementing a culture-based treatment protocol on dairy farms such as having a case severity recording system, somatic cell count data, training employees, and the ability to report culture results within 24 hours. When implementing a culture-based treatment protocol, Ruegg states that about 40% of cases will be culture negative and 20-30% gram negative which helps to decrease antimicrobial treatment of cases by only treating gram positive cases. Severity scoring is important because about 50% of cases will have abnormal milk only, 35-40% will have abnormal milk and moderate signs, and less than 15% should be sick. Training workers to review the cow’s medical history before grabbing a tube to determine if the cow is eligible.

Ruegg discusses that it is important to communicate with dairy farm owners and employees what they can expect when implementing a clinical mastitis treatment protocol. In cases of clinical mastitis, milk is typically abnormal for 3.5 to 5 days and we can become biased by our interventions when they last 3 to 5 days. A culture-based treatment protocol allows the cow’s immune system to clear the infection without antimicrobial therapy and identifies those cases, using records, history and severity scoring system, to identify the cases that should be treated.
Top Milk YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/uwmilkquality

Top Milk Website: https://topmilk.msu.edu/Resources/Treatment-of-Mastitis/Mastitis-Treatment

Pamela L. Ruegg, Making Antibiotic Treatment Decisions for Clinical Mastitis,
Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice, Volume 34, Issue 3, 2018, Pages 413-425, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvfa.2018.06.002

L. Oliveira, C. Hulland, P.L. Ruegg,
Characterization of clinical mastitis occurring in cows on 50 large dairy herds in Wisconsin,
Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 96, Issue 12, 2013, Pages 7538-7549,
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2012-6078

Behind a Successful Lactation is a Proper Dry-off Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

We’ve learned that managing dry cows pays dividends down the line. How the cow moves through the dry period influences her production, health, ability to become pregnant again and ability to stay in the herd. So how can we help cows stay comfortable and healthy through the dry period? AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Luciano Caixeta from the University of Minnesota and Dr. Curt Vlietstra from Boehringer Ingelheim to discuss a new way to help dairy cows transition into the dry period. Boehringer Ingelheim is one of our premier sponsors of the AABP Annual and Recent Graduate conferences by sponsoring the welcome receptions, Bovine Practitioner of the Year Award and the Stampede 5k run. Thank you BI for your support of AABP!

Veterinarians help dairy producers minimize the stress and challenges associated with changes the cow experiences during the lactation cycle. One of these challenges associated with cessation of milking is the fact that many cows have a high level of production at dry off. Bovikalc Dry is an acidogenic mineral bolus with three active ingredients that lowers the pH of the cow. Two boluses are given to cows at or immediately before dry off to quickly decrease milk synthesis at the udder level which decreases udder pressure and leakage. It also causes a mild decrease in intake which prepares the cow for the lower intakes during the dry period. Caixeta discusses research conducted on Bovikalc Dry. Results of this study demonstrated that between the two treatment groups, there was a significant decrease in somatic cell count the first month of lactation in the Bovikalc Dry treatment group, lower clinical mastitis risk, decreased new intramammary infection rate during the dry period, and tendency for increased lying time with no difference in rumination behavior or milk production. He also demonstrated a 2.5 to 3X return on investment with an average return of $43 per cow.

To learn more about Bovikalc Dry and Boehringer Ingelheim visit https://bi-animalhealth.com/cattle/products/bovikalc-dry/. To see a video on the use of Bovikalc Dry and how to decrease the stress of dry off, visit this link.

Link to publication:
Effects of oral administration of acidogenic boluses at dry-off on performance and behavior of dairy cattle. Maynou, G., Elcoso, G., Bubeck, J., & Bach, A. (2018). Journal of dairy science, 101(12), 11342-11353. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15058

Understanding Compounding Medication for Use in Food Animals Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by AllFlex. Producers all over are going all in on AllFlex monitoring solutions and they want to tell you why. AllFlex empowers producers to get the most from their operations. AllFlex monitoring solutions increase labor efficiency, improve herd health and boost reproduction rates. Ongoing training and support keeps things running smoothly from install and beyond. For more details, visit this website.

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by AABP Past President Dr. Mike Apley, a clinical pharmacologist from Kansas State University. Apley discusses the FDA Guidance for Industry (GFI) #256 which can be found at this link. We discuss that bulk compounding using active pharmaceutical ingredients (API’s) for use in food animals is prohibited by AMDUCA by FDA. AMDUCA is codified in 21 CFR 530.15 found on this page. GFI #256 provides guidance on products that may be used in food animals which is limited to poison antidotes. FDA will create a list, based on nominations, for bulk compounded products for use in food animals as poison antidotes where they will exercise regulatory discretion.

Bulk compounded products have no guarantee of safety, efficacy, purity, potency, bioavailability or stability. Compounding from approved FDA products, such as mixing two products together such as dexamethasone and vitamins into a bottle of IV fluids, is not bulk compounding. Products that are no longer available or on back-order cannot be compounded from bulk products. Veterinarians should always ask their pharmacies if they are using bulk compounding to create products since this would be illegal use in food animals. Apley also reminds us that the veterinarian is responsible for providing all meat and milk withdrawal intervals for all products prescribed for us in cattle and FARAD is an excellent resource to provide assistance in calculating a justification for withdrawal intervals. Submit your cases to FARAD at this link.

Apley discusses a document that was produced in collaboration with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians that can be found on the AABP Committee on Pharmaceutical and Biologics Issues resources page at this link. This document discusses the legalities of using compounded products, specifically ponazuril, diclazuril and toltrazuril for the treatment of coccidiosis. Veterinarians can prescribe ponazuril for ELDU as long as all parts of AMDUCA are met and they are using the FDA approved equine product. Diclazuril is a feed pellet and extra-label use of this product in feed is prohibited. Toltrazuril has no approved product in the US and would be prohibited to use. Apley reminds us that veterinarians are the responsible party for ensuring legal and judicious drug use when considering extra-label use and be aware of the prohibition of using bulk compounded products in food animals that are not on the FDA list of poison antidotes.

Contact Dr. Apley at mapley@vet.k-state.edu

Injectable Trace Mineral Supplementation Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Roberto Palomares on this episode which is sponsored by Multimin 90. Multimin 90 is a proven one-of-a-kind trace mineral injection that enhances cattle vaccine protection and immune response when used as part of a health protocol. Visit this link to learn more. Palomares is on faculty at the University of Georgia and has conducted several research trials utilizing injectable trace mineral supplementation. We discuss the critical trace minerals for cattle health and production which include selenium, copper, zinc and manganese. These trace minerals are important for immune system function as part of the antioxidant system to reduce and neutralize free radicals as well as important for cattle reproduction and fertility. Palomares discusses some of the challenges with oral trace mineral supplementation such as variability in soils, forages, bioavailability and intake levels. The administration of parenteral administration of trace minerals is used to overcome the limitations of oral supplementation and controlling when and how cattle receive the trace minerals during critical time periods. Injectable trace minerals are not a substitute for oral trace mineral programs but are used to compliment the overall program. Palomares discusses research trials that demonstrated an enhanced immune response when injectable trace minerals are administered concurrently with respiratory vaccination as well as neonatal scours vaccines given to pregnant dams. Palomares recommends that veterinarians work with dairy, cow-calf and feedlot producers to identify critical control points where administration of injectable trace minerals can benefit cattle health, reproduction and immunity.

Links to publications:

Effects of injectable trace minerals on humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to Bovine viral diarrhea virus, Bovine herpes virus 1 and Bovine respiratory syncytial virus following administration of a modified-live virus vaccine in dairy calves

Effects of injectable trace minerals administered concurrently with a modified live virus vaccine on long-term protection against bovine viral diarrhea virus acute infection in dairy calves

Immune response and onset of protection from Bovine viral diarrhea virus 2 infection induced by modified-live virus vaccination concurrent with injectable trace minerals administration in newly received beef calves

Clinical status and endoscopy of the upper respiratory tract of dairy calves infected with Bovine viral diarrhea virus 2 and Bovine herpes virus 1 after vaccination and trace minerals injection

Trace Minerals Supplementation with Great Impact on Beef Cattle Immunity and Health

AABP Member Benefits and Resources Nov 14, 2022

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich discusses AABP member benefits and resources in this episode of Have You Herd? The AABP website has many resources available to members and Gingrich discusses how to access some of the resources on the website. These include contact information for staff and AABP directors and officers, guidelines and position statements, committee and task force resources, and classified advertisements. He also discusses how to access recorded sessions from conferences and webinars and how to participate in AABP-L, webinars, participate in the mentorship program and access AABP publications. Members can also access the AABP Foundation website to donate to the Foundation funds to support research or student scholarships as well as links to research supported by the AABP Foundation. Gingrich encourages all cattle veterinarians, veterinary students and veterinary technicians to join AABP to support the organization in its efforts to provide continuing education to veterinarians and technicians, support veterinary students, and support the initiatives of the AABP Foundation. Gingrich also discusses the expanded member benefits provided by AABP that have been developed to increase access to CE and resources for all members.

Donate to the AABP Foundation by clicking on this link.

Dr. Theeb discusses DEI from the perspective of a UK veterinarian Nov 07, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Emma Bratton from the AABP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee is the guest host for this episode of Have You Herd? Dr. Bratton is currently an American Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology policy fellow at the Unites States Agency for International Policy Development working in its center for Agricultural Policy and Growth. She is joined by Dr. Navartnam Partheeban who also goes by Dr. Theeb. Dr. Theeb is a clinical farm veterinarian based in the southeast United Kingdom practicing on beef, dairy, sheep and camelids. Theeb is originally from Scotland and has worked in Wales, England and Scotland, and has worked in private practice and industry. He describes why diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is personally important to him being a minority person in a profession that is not racially or ethnically diverse. Theeb shares that he did not know anyone who looked like him or talked like him when he was a student and a veterinarian and how this impacted him. He shares a story about how he has experience discrimination as a farm animal veterinarian and the importance of practice owners supporting their associates. The number of veterinarians in the U.K. who are persons of color is 3% while the general population is 14%. Theeb discusses that diversity can also encourage new ideas and ideas as well as better represent the veterinary profession to the clients they serve. He discusses the differences he has experience between his job in industry versus private practice and how that impacted him personally. There is also a lot of discussion of the work Theeb has done with other organizations, research projects and outreach to advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in veterinary medicine.

Links:

Country Trust First – an organization with a mission to bring food, farming and the countryside alive for disadvantaged children, sharing knowledge, igniting curiosity, and broadening horizons.

Oxford Farming Conference

Follow Dr. Theeb on Twitter @navaratnampart1

2023 AABP Vice President Candidates Oct 31, 2022

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by the candidates for the 2023 AABP Vice President Election. The candidates are Dr. Jessica Gernhard and Dr. Callie Willingham. The ballot is open and current AABP members can cast their vote online by going to https://aabp.org/ballot/default.asp. The ballot will close on December 30, 2022, at 5 pm Eastern. You can view the candidate biographies on the ballot as well as the video presentations from the Long Beach conference. Our goal in providing biographies, candidate introduction videos, candidate question and answers in the November newsletter and this podcast is to provide the membership with information about each candidate. The Vice President is the only office elected by the entire members. The elected candidate will rotate through all the offices of the AABP Executive Committee (vice president, president-elect, president and past president) and be seated at the Milwaukee conference on September 23, 2023. Cast your vote today!

Sample-based Pregnancy Testing Oct 24, 2022

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by AABP member Dr. Greg Goodell from The Dairy Authority in Greeley, Colo. This episode is sponsored by Allflex. To learn more about Allflex monitoring solutions, visit this link.

Sample-based pregnancy testing involves the detection of pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) which are produced by the trophoblast cells in the placenta. The goal of pregnancy testing is to find open cows in the herd to enroll them in a rebreeding program or to make culling decisions for open animals to decrease feed costs. Sample-based pregnancy testing can be incorporated into beef and dairy herd reproduction programs. Goodell explains that there is not a one-size-fits-all program, and the herd veterinarian can determine how to incorporate sample-based pregnancy testing with traditional reproductive ultrasound or palpation. We discuss when PAGs can be detected and how long they last post-calving. The test can be used for initial pregnancy testing or confirmatory testing, and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of sample-based testing versus ultrasound or palpation. The test can also be used as an initial test with follow-up testing with ultrasound or palpation for confirmation to determine the correct stage or identify twins or non-viable calves. Goodell reports that the test is highly accurate and is very comparable to an experienced veterinarian doing traditional pregnancy testing. Goodell states that although his practice performs fewer manual reproductive exams due to incorporation of sample based pregnancy testing, this has provided opportunities for involvement in several other areas of his client’s operations such as calf management, protocol development, employee training, records analysis, biosecurity, milk quality programs, nutrition consulting and others. He recommends that veterinarians discuss pregnancy detection options with their clients so they are prepared in the event client’s ask them questions about these programs. Developing reproductive programs that are tailored to your client’s needs as well as learning skills to develop consulting services for your clients can ensure your relevance and value to the operations you serve.

Fitness to Transport Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Lilly Edwards Callaway, from Colorado State University, and Dr. Michell Calvo Lorenzo, from Elanco Animal Health, to discuss the topic “fitness to transport.” This podcast is sponsored by Elanco Animal Health, makers of ScourBos. Find out more about ScourBos and how you can incorporate this vaccine into your herd health program at this link.

Fitness to transport is the ability for an animal to get on a truck and safely make it to its end destination. This is important to the entire supply chain and the decision to transport an animal and assess if it is fit needs to be happening by many different decision makers. It is critical that all decision makers understand when an animal is fit or is not fit for transport. It is also important for those decision makers to be empowered to make that determination based on the best interests of the animal and how it will impact their life. Veterinarians can play an important role in this process to train employees and farm managers to identify the conditions that make an animal unfit for transport. Our guests also review data about the conditions observed in cull cows at livestock markets and slaughter plants that demonstrate our industry has room to improve in this area and not ship animals that are unfit for transport. Decision makers must consider the journey the animal makes and consider that the welfare of the animal is the number one consideration. These decisions have an economic impact on the client, but consideration for the welfare of the animal is the most important factor. We discuss that veterinarians can talk to clients about these processes to improve the welfare and care of the animals in our care, decrease risk to the client, and improve employee morale. Talk to your clients today about identifying animals that are fit for transport and working with your teams to appropriately make decisions for transporting cattle.

Links:

AABP Transportation of Cattle Guidelines

NMPF FARM Program Fitness to Transport Poster
Fitness to Transport Video

An intercontinental survey of commercial abattoirs: Preliminary data on the prevalence of advanced preslaughter health and welfare conditions in mature cows
Fitness for transport of cull dairy cows at livestock markets
Management of cull dairy cows: Culling decisions, duration of transport, and effect on cow condition

Culling Decisions and Dairy Cattle Welfare During Transport to Slaughter in the United States

National Beef Quality Audit–2016: Transportation, mobility, live cattle, and carcass assessments of targeted producer-related characteristics that affect value of market cows and bulls, their carcasses, and associated by-products

Pentobarbital residue prevention in rendered products Oct 10, 2022

Show notes

AABP Executive Director Dr Fred Gingrich is joined by Kerry Courchaine, Director of Technical Services for Darling Ingredients Inc. Darling Ingredients is the largest rendering company in the US and was founded 140 years ago. Courchaine discussed the history of rendering the importance of rendering to the livestock industry both in providing a mechanism for utilizing dead stock as well as slaughter offal. Rendering is part of the sustainable food system by utilizing human-inedible components of slaughtered and dead animals to turn it into useful fat and protein material which prevents these products from ending up in landfills. Rendered protein is used as fertilizer, livestock feed and pet food. Rendered fat is used as livestock and pet food as well as in industrial applications such as renewable fuels. In 2015, pentobarbital residues were found in pet foods and after FDA investigations, a zero tolerance for pentobarbital in rendered fat was implemented. The current test detection limit for pentobarbital is 10 ppb and Courchaine explains that one cow euthanized with pentobarbital could contaminate over 1 million pounds of raw material. In addition, cleaning to remove pentobarbital residues from rendering equipment creates a challenge. The positive rate has dropped from around 5% to 3.4% for pentobarbital residues in rendered products. While pentobarbital is an approved method for humane euthanasia of cattle, veterinarians are encouraged to reserve this method as a last resort instead of a routine method of euthanasia due to the high risk of environmental or rendered product contamination. Veterinarians should develop, train and monitor humane euthanasia protocols for all farm clients. If chemical euthanasia is implemented, it is recommended to consider alternatives to pentobarbital such as placing the animal under general anesthesia (i.e., xylazine and ketamine) and the implementing a second step such as exsanguination, intrathecal lidocaine, or IV injection of a saturated salt solution (KCl or MgSO4).

Links:

AABP Humane Euthanasia of Cattle Guidelines

Chasity Bagsby, Anita Saha, Granville Goodin, Sheeba Siddiqi, Mary Farone, Anthony Farone & Paul C. Kline (2018) Stability of pentobarbital in soil, Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B, 53:3, 207-213, DOI: 10.1080/03601234.2017.1406714

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