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PNEUMONIA:
the disease that won’t go away
Dr. Edouard Timsit,
University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine
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Contents canadian cattlemen · september 2016 · Volume 79, No. 8
A N I M A L H EA LT H Dr. Edouard Timsit
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PNEUMONIA:
THE DISEASE THAT WON’T GO AWAY 10 animal health
FEATURES Pneumonia: The disease that won’t go away. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
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Not all lameness is foot rot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
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Potential new causes of pinkeye uncovered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
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The benefits of palpating heifers. . . . . . . 26
Potential new causes 24 of pinkeye uncovered
Don’t fret too much over sand cracks. . . 28 Implants done right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Animal health management. . . . . . . . . . . . 35 What do coffee and doughnuts have in common with beef?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
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Steer clear of fatigued cattle syndrome. . 42
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Congratulations!
28
They look bad but rarely cause lameness
To our September survey winner, Lynne Anderson of Boissevain, Man. This month’s survey is on page 60. Cover Photo: Photo supplied by Dr. Edouard Timsit
Comment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Newsmakers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Letters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Our History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Research on the Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Free Market Reflections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Vet Advice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Prime Cuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Straight from the Hip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 CCA Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 News Roundup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Purely Purebred. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 The Markets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Market Talk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Sales and Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 C a tt l e m e n · S E P T EM B E R 2 0 1 6
3
COMMENT
By Gren Winslow
What a meeting!
U
nless you’ve been living in a cave since last month you are no doubt aware of the unparalleled success of the inaugural Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Calgary. It made headlines around the country, topped the national Twitter feed, and generally brought smiles to the faces of anyone who was there. It’s rare to have 750 people attend a cattle meeting with no cattle around, certainly not in Canada. In short, there’s not a lot I can tell you about it. It was great to see so many gathered in one spot to talk about the Canadian beef industry. Instead, I thought I would give you a few of my musings on the conference as I tramped from one event to another over three days. Four of the five associations that authored the National Beef Strategy were holding meetings on the site so there was no end of places to be. The first thing I noticed was the swarm of young people at every venue. At this type of event they are usually thin in numbers as they remain at home so Mom and Dad can go to town and take part in the discussions. Many of them were graduates of the Cattlemen’s Young Leader program, and their very attendance at this national convention is a sign of the success of this simple idea. If you want young people to get involved, invite them in. Unfortunately, this is also one of the programs on the bubble with shrinking checkoff revenues. Research is another. At the Beef Cattle Research Council meeting they were winnowing through pages of material to set research priorities for funding under Growing Forward 3. It may be a shorter list this time round. The industry kicked in $5 million in national and provincial checkoff dollars for the last beef research cluster, then leveraged it up to $20 million over five years. At the current rate of decline in the checkoff pool they won’t have $5 million to seed the pot, so there may be less to leverage over the next five years. This past fiscal year the research council received $1.26 million from the national checkoff but even that is a bit misleading because it was also the last year for the socalled Legacy Fund. This financial remnant from the BSE tornado that tore through the industry after 2003 put $3.4 million into the marketing/research pot in 2015-16 compared to $5.4 million the year before. To replace that money the beef community is looking toward the new $2.50-per-head checkoff that should be introduced sometime next year. Not all provinces have signed off on it yet. This conference was devoted to exploring the National Beef Strategy and some of the issues that need to be addressed to fully implement Canada’s branded beef advantage. So you had people from right across the beef value chain — marketers, packers, producers, retailers, restaurant managers and researchers — sharing the stage,
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C at t l e m e n · s e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 6
in search of some common ground on how to improve beef sales to everyone’s mutual advantage. Your view on these issues obviously differs depending on where you sit in the value chain. What producers and packers see as misinformation about the industry’s environmental impact, animal welfare and the use of antibiotics and growth promotants, the food-service sector sees as opportunity. Sysco Canada’s Randy White heads the country’s largest distributor of food products to hotels, restaurants and hospitals, and he sees an opportunity to drive local demand for Canadian beef, particularly in Eastern Canada. Earls Restaurants president Mo Jessa was still apologizing for his clumsy introduction of humane beef, and assured producers he will source all the beef he can from Canadian ranchers, so long as it is certified as raised humanely. Tim Hortons marketing manager Sam Heath is hoping a new beef sandwich will expand their lunch and summer trade.
Four of the five associations that authored the National Beef Strategy were holding meetings on the site so there was no end of places to be All three have an interest in expanding beef sales in Canada, and their marketing approaches are similar: find out what your customers want and give it to them. Earls is targeting millennials with its humane beef message, Tim Hortons is conducting a large consumer study to find out what’s important to its customers, and if they want beef without “added hormones or antibiotics,” then that is what it will source. As Heath points out, nobody, ever got rich fighting public perception. The overriding message I took from this session is that we can’t depend on the food-service sector to set the public’s perception of us. As Cameron Bruett with JBS USA put it, we have to stand up and start saying who we are, what we do and why we are doing it. Bruett believes the Global Sustainable Beef model is the best path forward. To be sustainable we must be profitable and care for people, animals and the planet. When you boil it down, I suppose that is the challenge embodied in the National Beef Strategy. We may not be there yet, but this conference was a great first step. c
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THE INDUST RY
NewsMakers Dr. Tim McAllister, principal research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge, received the 2016 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research Dr. Tim McAllister and Innovation at the inaugural Canadian Beef Industry Conference last month. He also holds adjunct appointments at six universities in Canada, and universities in China and Ghana. His research interests include the safe composting of specified risk materials, antibioticresistant bacteria in cattle, optimizing the nutrition of beef cattle, and the impact of cattle on the environment. Dr. Paul Jefferson of Humboldt has received the Saskatchewan Forage Council’s 2016 Forage Industry Innovation Award for his significant contributions to the forage and Dr. Paul Jefferson livestock industries. He has published more than 75 research papers during his 26 years as a research scientist with AAFC at Swift Current and as vicepresident of operations with the Western Beef Development Centre.
Olynyk, Regina. Manitoba: Kristy-Layne Carr, Marchand; Wilco van Meijl, Brandon; and Ontario: Jason Hurst, Guelph. Brad Welter is the new president of Pound-Maker Agventures Ltd. and PoundMaker Capital Corp. of Lanigan, Sask., replacing the retiring Brad Wildeman. Welter has been with Brad Welter the company for 14 years. Kim Riel is chief financial officer, and Keith Rueve is the director of ethanol production, safety and environmental compliance. Wildeman will serve as a part-time adviser.
Marianne Possberg
Marianne Possberg is the new beef production specialist with the Sask atchewan Cattlemen’s Asso ciation. She has a master’s in agricultural economics from the University of Saskatchewan.
Clinton Monchuk is leaving his post as CEO of Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan to become the executive director of Food & Farm Care Saskatchewan. He replaces Adele Buettner of AgriBiz Communications Corp.
Linda Allison of Princeton, B.C., is the new chair of the Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency, which oversees the national checkoff and Linda Allison Canada Beef. She replaces Jack Hextall of Saskatchwan. Heinz Reimer of Manitoba is vice-chair, and Lonnie Lake, Sysco Canada, finance chair. Committee chairs are: Larry Weatherby, Nova Scotia, governance; Mike Kennedy, Cargill, market development and promotion; Doug Sawyer, Alberta, beef cattle checkoff.
Barry Andrew and Dr. Byrnne Rothwell were inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame last month. Andrew, a grain and cattle producer from Foxleigh, was a founding member and director of Canadian Western Agribition and served as its president in 1980 and 1981, and president of both the Saskatchewan and Canadian Shorthorn Associations. He passed away in December 2012. Rothwell was a veterinarian in Mission, B.C., Wakaw, Sask., and his own clinic in Shellbrook. In 198687 he joined Ag Canada as an animal health, meat hygiene and food inspector. He died in 2014.
The 2016 Cattlemen’s Young Leaders mentorship recipients are: British Columbia: Ryan Scorgie, Kamloops. Alberta: Becky Tees, Cochrane; Grayden Kay, Lloydminster; Jessica Sperber, Rimbey; Jesse Williams, Hanna; Katie Songer, Sylvan Lake; Luke Marshall, Innisfail; Madeleine Knodel, Seven Persons; Mel Hermanson, Hussar; Nicole Viste, Hanna. Saskatchewan: Kylie McRae, Kisbey; Mona Howe, Leader; Roxanne
Doug Mann of Swift Current, Sask., is the president-elect of the Canadian Hereford Association. Albert Rimke, Oak Lake, Man., is vice-president-elect and Nels Nixdorff of Airdrie, Alta., remains as pedigree chairman. The executive team will assume their new roles on January 1, 2017.
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Kristine Tapley is the new beef production specialist with Ducks Unlimited Canada.
Shirley Bilton of West Wind Blondes at Stavely, Alta., passed away in Clares holm on June 27. A life long cattleman, he received a Lifetime Achievem ent Award from the CanaShirley Bilton dian Blonde d’Aquitaine Association in 2015 and was instrumental in achieving the first “homozygous polled” full blood Blonde d’Aquitane animal recognized in the breed in the world. Saskatchewan rancher Les Miller, who worked for the PFRA riding the community pasture at Antelope Park from 1954 until about 1965 and then the Heart’s Hill pasture from the early 1980s to 2002 until he retired at the age of 70, passed away June 16 in Airdrie, Alta., at the age of 84. c
Letters
Quibble over camera grading
In the article “Sharing the grade” by Debbie Furber, (August 2016 Canadian Cattlemen), Cindy Delaloye, the manager of the Canadian Grading Agency, points out that current camera technology isn’t capable of assessing such quality factors as maturity, conformation or fat and meat colour. She is right but her point is largely irrelevant. As to maturity, data is now available that confirms that well over 95 per cent of the fed cattle reach market on or before 24 months of age, and maturity doesn’t become a significant factor before 30 or even 36 months of age. Carcasses that fail on the basis of fat and lean colour or poor conformation are relegated to the B grades. In 2015, one carcass per 1,000 graded B1 because it had less than two mm of fat cover and the camera can measure that. 1.3 carcasses per 10,000 failed because of fat colour which is the B2 grade. Three carcasses per 1,000 graded B3 because of poor conformation, which is itself a very vague term and arguably has no place in a grading system that is capable of measuring lean meat yield. Finally 1.5 carcasses per 100 are graded B4 as dark cutters, a trait that would surely be detected by camera technology. These are frail excuses for Delaloye’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for instrument grading and apparent commitment to the status quo. Charlie Gracey, Ancaster, Ont.
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our histo ry
Greatest Canadian Bred Mare of All Time: Part 1 By Guy Weadick, High River, Alta. Reprinted from the April 1950 Canadian Cattlemen
Y
ou find horse lovers everywhere, in every walk of life. For years cow-punchers on every range have bragged of their top cuttin’ and ropin’ ponies. Old-timers of the range delight in telling of their “long circle” mounts, whose stamina was never equalled. Ex-roundup cooks work themselves into a lather in vivid descriptions of their “special” four-horse team that they steered off some pinnacle while feedin ’em slack, making speed that was close to nothing in order to “make camp” with their chuckwagon ahead of an approaching storm. Other old-time “drivers” will orate for hours in their word pictures of trotters and packers, hitched to sulkies that “never broke” in making record time. Thorobred (sic) enthusiasts from millionaire owners to stable punks will cite without number, horses that for various stated reasons have been in a class by themselves. Most of them tell of horses bred, foaled, trained and worked in faraway places. The little mare that I’m going to tell about has about as interesting a history as any, and the story of her and her mother and father is all tied up with the early ranching history of Alberta. She is May W, sired by “Eagle Plume,” her dam being “Frolia.” She was foaled in Calgary in 1884, raised, trained and first raced there. She was sent to the United States where from July 1, 1896 until August 12, 1902, she established a reputation from the Atlantic to the Pacific. After being sold in New York she was shipped to England, where as a brood mare she produced several colts that developed into outstanding horses in that country, the original home of the Thorobred. Now I’m no authority on Thorobred race horses but when I titled this article “Greatest Canadian Bred Mare of All Time” I was quoting directly from a man who is recognized as one. He is no other than R. James Speers, noted racing tycoon and Thorobred breeder of Western Canada. It was during a recent conversation
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that Jim was telling me about May W and her record on American tracks at Anaconda and Butte, Mont.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Harlem, Ill.; Lakeside Ind.; Hawthorn, Ill.; San Francisco, Calif.; Saratoga, N.Y.; Aqueduct, N.Y.; Yonkers, N.Y.; Morris Park, Coney Island and Brighton Beach, N.Y., for over a period of six years, where the official record books show that she won 43 out of 114 starts, was second 28 times, third 18 times, fourth 12 times and she was only 25 times worse than third out of 114 starts. In those days no money was paid for fourth place. She won the magnificent sum of $14,185 in those days of small purses. Had she been racing today she could have easily multiplied her winnings by ten. The record books show she was foaled in Calgary in 1894, sired by “Eagle Plume” and her dam at that time around Calgary was know as “Sangree,” who also did some racing in Western Canada, under that name as far east as Winnipeg. This mare also had another colt by “Eagle Plume,” a full sister to May W, but not as good a mare, named “Plumeria.” She was sold in New York the same time May W was and was for some years afterward used as a brood mare in the vicinity of Omaha, Neb. There were several stories in circulation at the time as to how come that her dam’s name was “Sangree,” yet after she went to the States, the record books show her name as “Frolia.” After she was sold in New York, the folks out West lost track of May W until some years later, and what finally happened to her I will tell a little later on, after I have straightened out the how-come of the dam having two names, “Frolia” and “Sangree.” First as to the sire, “Eagle Plume.” He was an imported stallion belonging to the Quorn ranch on Sheep Creek, an outfit noted for raising some of the best light horses ever in Alberta. Old-timers who know “Eagle Plume” all agree he was the finest stallion ever imported into Alberta, as well as the best looking.
Along in the late ’80s and early ’90s there were some real racing fans in Alberta, some good horses, cleaver trainers and sporty owners. One such owner was Duncan Cameron of Calgary, whose son, Don Cameron is today one of the leading trainers on the American tracks. Another man always owning a race horse or two was Tom Lynch, who along with George Emerson as a partner were among the first to bring in large herds of cattle from various points south of the border to stock up some of the larger ranches, as well as furnish foundation herds for smaller outfits. Lynch was also a great horseman and trailed in several horse herds. His ranch was on the Highwood close to High River. He branded T L. “Oregon George” Wentworth of Calgary was also prominent as an owner and trainer of race horses. About that period a man named Reynolds arrived in Calgary from the States with four race horses. According to history he got into some financial difficulties and his string of race horses were tied up and it was evident he could not pay up on his obligations and it looked like he was going to lose his horses. He approached Tom Lynch whom he had been told knew every trail in and out of the country, and asked him if he would undertake to trail four head of horses for him from Calgary to the American boundary line? But he did not want them to go south over the main thorofare (sic) known as the Macleod Trail, rather down the west side of the mountains, in the direction of the Tobacco Plains country. A deal was made and Lynch and a cowpuncher named Ben Rankin took the horses up Fish Creek to a pass in the mountains and went south to deliver them to Reynolds near the border. (It is not recorded for history how the four horses tied up for debt were obtained, nor by whom, whether by Reynolds, Lynch or someone else.) Part 2 of this saga will appear in our October issue. For more of the past from pages of our magazine see the History Section at www. canadiancattlemen.ca. c
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Cover sto ry • a n i m a l h ea lt h
By Debbie Furber
Pneumonia:
the disease that won’t go away
Bacterial pneumonia.
E
PHOTO: Edouard Timsit, Feedlot Health Management Services
nvironment, germs and immunity are top of mind when thinking of all the risk factors that could set the stage for pneumonia in cattle. The forgotten factor is one beyond producers’ control and the reason why pneumonia will always be a problem — anatomy. Bovine lungs are very small relative to the animal’s oxygen requirements, explains Dr. Edouard Timsit, University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine and a veterinarian with Feedlot Health Management Services at Okotoks. The total lung capacity of an adult cow is only 2.5 times greater than that of an average man, yet its resting oxygen requirement is more than 10 times greater. A cow’s lung capacity is 12 litres, its resting oxygen requirement is 124 litres per minute and it takes 30 breaths a minute to meet this demand. Compared to a species of similar size and structure, a horse’s lung capacity is 42 litres and its resting oxygen requirement is 49 litres per minute requiring only 11 breaths per minute. The high airflow rate coupled with weaknesses of the bovine lung structure itself leave ways for bacteria, viruses and other contaminants to penetrate deep into the lungs where they trigger infection and inflammation. The three categories of pneumonia from
10
most-to-least prevalent overall are bronchopneumonia, interstitial pneumonia and embolic pneumonia. Timsit offers some pointers on how to tell one from the other along with suggestions for management practices that help outweigh the anatomical shortcoming. Bronchopneumonia
Bronchopneumonia is characterized by pathogens or foreign material gaining entry to the lungs through the airway and inflammation inside the alveoli. Those are the tiny gas-exchange sacs where oxygen from fresh air moves into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide is removed. Viral infections and other conditions that weaken the immune system or damage the mucosal lining of the respiratory tract can tip the scale in favour of bronchopneumonia, but it is bacteria that inflict severe damage. Several of the bacterial species involved in pneumonia are normally present in the upper airway where they do no harm. It’s only when stressors, such as weather, weaning, commingling and transportation, and/or viral infections knock down defences that bacteria can multiply in the nasal cavity and start spilling into the lungs to cause bronchopneumonia.
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Don’t take a wait-and-see approach to treatment. Bacteria multiplying in the lungs sets a vicious cycle in motion that ends up with the immune system seemingly defeating its own purpose. Inflammatory substances released in the process of destroying bacteria draw a large amount of immune cells to the site of infection. The immune cells help clear infection early in the disease process, but they also release cellular contents that damage lung tissue. Lung tissue cells damaged by bacteria and the immune response are called lesions. “Treat early when the bacterial load and lesions are mild,” Timsit says. “The major reason for treatment failure is the presence of lesions that are far too advanced for treatment. The basic foundations are to treat early enough and with the appropriate antimicrobial agent.” Think “DART” — depressed, anorexic, respiratory changes, temperature — to catch pneumonia in the early stage. A depressed animal is usually away from the group, often with head and ears drooping, not showing much awareness of activity elsewhere and reluctant to move. Anorexia refers to weight loss or gauntness because the animal isn’t Continued on page 12
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Somebody should speak up. Somebody should set the record straight. Somebody should do something. Well I’m somebody. You’re somebody. Everyone in ag is somebody. So be somebody who does something. Somebody who speaks from a place of experience, with passion and conviction. Somebody who proudly takes part in food conversations big or small, so our voice is heard. Somebody who tells our story, before someone else does.
Be somebody who does something. Be an agvocate.
Somebody who builds consumer trust so our industry can meet the demands of a growing, and very hungry, world. Somebody who shapes people’s relationship with agriculture. It can be done.
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But it’s a big job that takes co-operation, patience and respect for every voice in the conversation. We need to build lines of communication, not draw lines in the sand. Be somebody who helps everybody see Canadian agriculture as the vital, modern industry it is. Somebody who helps everybody see people in ag for what they are – neighbours, friends and family who share the same concern everyone does: providing safe, healthy food to the people we love. Our point of view is important. Our story is important. And people want to hear what we have to say. So be somebody who takes, and makes, every opportunity to share it. I’m somebody. You’re somebody. Together, we can tell everybody.
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eating. Respiratory changes differ depending on the type and stage of pneumonia and could include changes in the rate and depth of respiration, nasal discharge and coughing. The general rule of thumb is to treat animals with temperatures above 104 F (40 C). Mild depression and anorexia, with high fever, rapid, shallow breathing, a runny nose and cough are common in the early stages of viral pneumonia. The signs worsen if secondary bacterial pneumonia sets in. The cough usually sounds moist and breaths in and out become deep and laboured. Discharge from the nose and eyes thickens. Early in the feeding period, even if no respiratory signs are evident, calves that are acting unusual and have a fever for no other apparent reason (lameness, diarrhea), are generally assumed to have bacterial bronchopneumonia, Timsit says. The standard treatment is a three-day course of an antibiotic to slow or stop bacteria from multiplying. Prognosis is good with approximately 80 per cent recovering after the first treatment when given early enough. The case fatality rate can be up to 10 per cent. In an outbreak, as many as 70 per cent of the animals in a pen could get sick and fatalities could add up quickly. Mass medication is worth considering because it will dramatically reduce the number of animals in a pen that get clinically sick, he adds. This control strategy is recommended especially if detection of sick animals isn’t optimal, that is a high case fatality rate because of high numbers of animals pulled too late. Bronchopneumonia in feedlot cattle is most often seen during the 50 days after placement, ergo the old name, shipping fever. Pneumonia in sucking calves tends to increase from 70 to 150 days of age, which could be due to loss of herd immunity as maternal bodies wane, suggests a U.S. study involving 110,412 calves over 20 years. Another period of vulnerability identified in the study is from five to 30 days after birth, possibly due to poor passive immunity. Nowadays, pneumonias of all types are generally referred to as bovine respiratory disease complex because the disease is the same even though it has many causes, Timsit explains. Reducing the risk factors starts at the cowcalf level by selecting females for calving ease and good udder and teat conformation, and providing proper nutrition so that calves are vigorous at birth and receive high-quality colostrum. Other basics include providing
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Interstitial pneumonia.
PHOTO: Edouard Timsit, Feedlot Health Management Services
protection from the elements, preventing buildup of pathogens in the environment, and not mixing classes and ages of cattle. Vaccinating cows and calves can alter the risk factors, but can’t replace good management. Risk factors for feedlot cattle can be difficult to eliminate because of a whole gamut of additional stressors that could include weaning, commingling, time in the marketing and transportation channels, dehydration and change of diet. Timsit says giving an injectable antibiotic at processing on arrival to all high-risk calves has consistently been found to reduce sickness and death and improve performance. Vaccination on arrival coincides with a high-stress period and the immune response may not be adequate. Aspiration pneumonia is a type of bronchopneumonia caused by breathing in foreign material, such as milk or medication due to improper drenching, amniotic fluid at birth, regurgitated rumen contents, or infectious material from lesions in the upper airway. If the calf doesn’t die instantly, the telltale signs are sudden onset with severe symptoms usually accompanied by putrid breath because of the decaying material in the lungs. It will probably be a rocky road to recovery for these calves involving a long run of antibiotics, pain medication and even a corticosteroid to relieve inflammation. Interstitial pneumonia
Interstitial pneumonia differs from bronchopneumonia because the inflammation is in the interstitial spaces between the alveoli rather than within the alveoli. A second difference is that the agent responsible can get
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into the lungs via the bloodstream as well as the airway. Some known causes of interstitial pneumonia are viruses, migrating parasite larvae, chemical compounds converted from feed, allergic reactions, dust and spores from mouldy feed, and toxic gases (ammonia, smoke). The cause of acute or atypical interstitial pneumonia (AIP) remains a mystery despite AIP being one of the most common pneumonias in feedlot cattle across Western Canada and the U.S. “AIP is the most common pneumonia by far in Alberta feedlot cattle ready to slaughter,” Timsit says. “Some research suggests high tryptophan in the diet or a disruption in ruminal metabolism. All think it is associated with feeding, but there hasn’t been anything conclusive,” he says. AIP usually comes on very late in the feeding period, frequently during hot, dry, dusty weather, and affects heifers more often than males, especially if heifers are receiving melengestrol acetate. Signs of AIP that differentiate it from bronchopneumonia are the time frame in which it occurs (heavy cattle over 100 days on feed) and the sudden onset of laboured breathing with the neck stretched downward and an open, frothy mouth. Timsit says the prognosis for recovery is guarded because there is slow or no response to routine therapy. An antimicrobial with short or no withdrawal time is usually given in case a secondary bacterial infection is involved, along with an antiinflammatory drug. The best option in the long run might be to forego treatment and make arrangements for immediate salvage
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slaughter, especially if the animal has had bronchopneumonia in the past. A second type of interstitial pneumonia is broncho-interstitial pneumonia (BIP). It is also known as upstairs-downstairs disease because it usually involves chronic bacterial bronchopneumonia affecting the lower front part of the lungs and interstitial pneumonia in the upper part extending to the back of the lung. Death due to the interstitial pneumonia usually happens from 21 to 73 days after onset of bacterial bronchopneumonia. It is speculated that BIP is triggered by excessive inflammation and/or endotoxins released from gram-negative bacteria during the initial bronchopneumonia. The next most common interstitial pneumonia is caused by an abrupt switch to lush pasture. Rumen bugs convert L-tryptophan in the forage into 3-methylindole, a chemical compound that is rapidly absorbed into the blood. Breakdown of the chemical in the lungs releases substances that damage lung tissues. A good indication of interstitial pneumonia in pastured cattle is that it’s usually an outbreak situation. Signs in cattle that don’t drop dead immediately can range from severe to mild, with rapid, laboured breathing, loud grunts when air is expelled, mouth breathing and frothing at the mouth, but no cough. Coughing is frequent with pneumonia caused by parasites that also occurs in pastured cattle. Most fatalities occur during the first two days and cattle that survive start to get better quite quickly after that with full recovery in about 10 days without treatment. Timsit says the standard treatment is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, but this is one situation when the best treatment may be no treatment because any movement or excitement could be enough to cause instant death. Many animals recover on their own but the outcome for severely affected animals isn’t good because the lesions will probably be severe. Prevention is the best medicine. Slowly adapt cattle to lush pasture over 10 days by feeding hay and supplement with monensin (slows the conversion of L-tryptophan), cut the pasture before turning cattle out or use it before it gets lush. Embolic pneumonia
Fortunately, this is the rarest category of pneumonia because it is always fatal. It usually starts with acidosis of the rumen, which triggers rumenitis that weakens the rumen wall allowing bacteria www.canadiancattlemen.ca
to penetrate into the bloodstream. Bacteria filtered out in the liver cause abscesses and if an abscess extends into the vena cava causing a thrombosis, small pieces off the thrombosis called emboli can end up in the bloodstream. Trapped in the tiny arteries of the lungs, emboli form abscesses resulting in an increase in blood pressure and weakening of the artery walls leading to aneurysms. Blood is released into the airway as the aneurysms rupture.
Bleeding from the mouth and nose is the definitive sign of embolic pneumonia. Affected animals become critical quickly, making treatment futile. Embolic pneumonia can arise from emboli released from sites other than the vena cava, such as mastitis, arthritis or foot infections, but for the most part, managing feeding to prevent acidosis and liver abscesses will prevent embolic pneumonia. c
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animal h ea lt h
By Heather Smith Thomas
Not all lameness is foot rot
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oot rot is an infectious disease that causes swelling, pain, heat and inflammation in the foot, resulting in severe lameness that appears suddenly. The opportunistic pathogens require a break in the skin, however, to enter the foot. The main bacterium we deal with is Fusobacterium necrophorum.
IMPORTANCE OF DIAGNOSIS
Dr. Chris Clark at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon says lameness is not always foot rot, however, and a proper diagnosis must be made. “Producers tend to use the term foot rot for all lameness, without trying to determine the actual cause. Foot rot is the only lameness that will respond to antibiotics,” he says. Lameness may be from a nail in the foot, injury (a pulled tendon or broken bone), an abscess or snakebite. Dr. Eugene Janzen from the faculty of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary says a common cause of lameness in range cattle is a problem in the hoof such as a hoof crack, an overgrown toe that’s broken off, or even a hoof abscess. Even though an abscess is an infection, it won’t respond to systemic antibiotics. Abscesses must be opened and drained, to
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relieve pressure and pain. “Swelling in other areas of the body are not as painful because skin will stretch, but with an abscess in the foot there is bone on one side and hoof horn on the other side, so the pressure is excruciating,” says Clark. “It’s like the pain when we smash a finger or toe and swelling underneath the nail makes it worse. If you’ve ever had an abscess under a fingernail or toenail, you can understand how painful it is for the poor cow. You have to relieve the pressure,” he says. An abscess is a localized infection, sealed away from blood circulation, and can’t be adequately treated with antibiotic injections. Flushing it out and treating topically is the way to deal with it. “Foot rot is a different kind of infection. The cow may have stepped on a stone or something sharp that cuts through the skin between her toes. Once the skin is pierced, bacteria in the environment can easily enter, and get into the fat pad between the toes. Fusobacterium necrophorum is everywhere — one of the common bacteria that assist with decay and rotting of dead things,” Clark explains. “The tissues between the toes actually start to rot. The toes are separated because of the infection and swelling. There will also be symmetrical swelling of tissues above the
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hoof. It will be hot to the touch and the skin (on a white-legged animal) will be red. The lesion smells like rotting flesh. If you look closely you can see gray-green rotting tissue protruding,” he says. “It’s easy to look at a lame foot and see whether it’s foot rot. Even from horseback you can get close enough to see the swelling between the toes. If it’s foot rot you can treat with antibiotics and it should get better. If there’s no swelling, it’s not foot rot and treating it will not help. In that situation, you need a closer look at the foot and remove the stone or the nail or deal with the abscess or whatever the pain-causing situation might be,” says Clark. “The swelling from foot rot is below the fetlock, and just above the hoof,” says Janzen. If the swelling extends above the fetlock joint it’s probably not foot rot. “Infection in the interdigital cleft may be due to a variety of bacteria ubiquitous in the environment. The common one is Fusobacterium and this is the one for which a vaccine has been created. Other pathogens can be involved as well, and complicate the infection. None of them, however, can produce foot rot on their own without a break in the skin. The people who have tried to reproduce foot rot in experimental trials have all had to scarify the interdigital area,” he says.
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“Thus you need two things for foot rot to occur — the ugly bacteria and the injury. In dairy cattle we often see foot rot in what dairy practitioners call ‘new barn syndrome’ which means the cows have more interdigital injuries if the concrete hasn’t been worn off and smoothed yet. If cows are walking on an abrasive surface and also have to walk through a slurry of manure, this becomes a perfect combination for foot rot,” Janzen says. “The literature about foot rot states that incidence in range cattle is something between one and four per cent but livestock people here in Alberta would probably say it’s higher, depending on the year. Also, if a ranch has cowboys training horses, the owner tells me their foot rot rate is high. The cowboys want roping practice so they catch and treat any cattle that they think might have foot rot — and they may be over-treating.” On the flip side, some ranchers don’t ride among their cattle often enough to see the ones with foot rot and may not treat them soon enough. Long-standing cases may result in serious complications like joint and tendon sheath infections.
action antimicrobials provide coverage for more than one day. It doesn’t matter which one you use but long-acting oxytetracycline is probably the most commonly used. It’s probably best to save the more modern drugs for when oxytet no longer works. Some of our pharmaceutical people have cautioned us about using the sustainedaction antimicrobials that are more organspecific, such as the drugs that concentrate in mammary tissue or the lungs, for
instance (for treating things like mastitis or pneumonia). Those would not be our first choice for treating foot rot,” Janzen says. “If the lameness doesn’t get better after antibiotic treatment, there are only two explanations,” says Clark.“One is that it is not foot rot. It’s an abscess or some other problem. Second, if you let foot rot go too long before treating it, infection can spread from Continued on page 18
“Cattle coming into my feedlot are usually heavier, so I treat ’em with long lasting ZACTRAN on arrival.”
TREATMENT
“You can treat foot rot successfully with nearly any antibiotic and it will typically get better within about 36 hours — especially if you catch it early and the animal hasn’t been lame for several days or weeks. It’s important to catch it early,” says Clark. “Penicillin will work, but you need to dose it daily. Many other drugs have a foot rot claim on the label, but there’s little point in using something like Nuflor or Micotil because they are more expensive. I use longacting oxytetracycline, since it is less expensive, and generally one treatment will do it. The only drawback with this drug is that there is a fairly long withdrawal period, so you need to be very certain you are treating foot rot,” he says. You wouldn’t want to discover later that the animal has a broken foot (rather than foot rot) and the best choice would be slaughter. “If the cow is at home in the yard where you can treat daily, you can use the oxytet that’s not long-lasting, or use trimethoprim sulfate,” says Janzen. “If you are not absolutely sure it’s foot rot, and it might be something else like a broken bone in the foot, and one of your alternatives might have to be slaughter, consider using Ceftiofur since it doesn’t have a withdrawal time, in Canada,” he says. “For treating range cattle, sustainedwww.canadiancattlemen.ca
Heavier weight cattle are often at lower risk to BRD so it makes sense to treat them with the fast acting,1 long lasting2 product that won’t break the bank. (And it’s plastic, so you won’t break the bottle either.) Treat them with ZACTRAN ®. Ask your veterinarian why ZACTRAN is ideal for cattle in your feedlot. 1. Giguère S, Huang R, Malinski TJ, Dorr PM, Tessman RK & Somerville BA. Disposition of gamithromycin in plasma, pulmonary epithelial lining fluid, bronchoalveolar cells, and lung tissue in cattle. Am. J. Vet. Res. 72(3): 326-330 (2011). 2. Based on label claims. ZACTRAN® is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. © 2014 Merial Canada Inc. All rights reserved. ZACT-13-7560-JAD-E
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To get foot rot you need the correct bacteria and a cut in the skin so it can enter the body. Infections between the toes can be serious. Continued from page 17
the fat pad between the toes and get into the joints. This is much more serious. Once the infection gets into the joints it starts destroying the cartilage. Even if you can eventually clean up the infection (which is much more difficult once it’s in a joint), you are still dealing with an arthritic joint. That animal will still be lame, and you are faced with either slaughter or possibly amputating the toe — depending on the circumstances. Those are your only choices,” he says. Janzen says that half the cows sold as culls because of lameness are suffering from complicated cases of foot rot. “It’s very serious if the infection has got into the joint, and even worse if it’s into the tendon sheath because antimicrobials won’t get in there,” says Janzen. There’s no economical way to treat that condition in cattle. This is why it’s important to catch it early. On a longstanding case of foot rot — in situations where cattle are on large range pastures and you don’t see them every day — it might take two doses of antibiotic to clear up, according to Clark. “But the main thing to keep in mind is that if it’s not starting to improve after the first treatment, you need a closer look at the foot to make sure of what you are dealing with,” he says. In most cases a producer can make a diagnosis of foot rot, and treat appropriately. “But rather than assuming a lameness is foot rot, figure out why the animal is lame. There are many reasons that an animal could go lame. This is why I am
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nervous about using dart guns in which an antibiotic can be delivered at long distance. Advertisements for these guns often use foot rot as their example, but if you can’t get close enough to get a good look at the foot, that’s not a good idea!” says Clark. “In the old days, before we had all these new drugs, we treated foot rot locally with an antiseptic or antimicrobial wrap around the foot,” says Janzen. “I’ve also read about research where people cleaned the interdigital cleft with soap and water. If you did that religiously for four or five days in a row, the foot would heal just as well as it would with antimicrobial treatment. But no one wants to lift up a cow’s leg five days in a row to wash out the foot! Maybe 20 years from now if society says we can’t use antibiotics anymore, we may have to resort to these sorts of treatments again!” PREVENTION
Preventing foot rot is difficult because bacteria are everywhere. “Avoid having cattle in an environment where the skin could be injured — such as walking around in a junk pile, broken concrete rubble, or along a gravel road with lots of small sharp stones,” says Clark. “Stubble fields in the fall may cause puncture injuries. Wading in mud can also predispose cattle to foot rot. Moisture softens the skin (and it is more easily nicked), bacteria in the mud erode the skin, and then bacteria can enter,” he says. Janzen says some ranchers are fencing off water holes and lifting the water with solar pumps to a trough on higher, dry ground. “Then cattle don’t have to go into the water
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PHOTOs : Dr. Eugene Janzen
holes to drink. The PFRA in Saskatchewan was instrumental in demonstrating to producers that cattle preferred to drink from the troughs rather than have to wade in the filth and mud.” There is a foot rot vaccine available. “It’s been in use a long time, but there isn’t a clinical trial that actually demonstrates whether it works or not,” says Clark. “The problem with this vaccine is that in many producers’ minds it is a lameness vaccine. But it is only a foot rot vaccine, and foot rot is not as common as they think, so it’s hard to gauge whether the vaccine has any benefit. In the absence of evidence, I am a little cautious,” says Clark. Janzen adds, “If foot rot is caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum (the) vaccine will probably be protective, unless the infection is complicated by or caused by Bacterioides spp. In Canada, some producers give their bulls this vaccine when they do their breeding soundness evaluation in the spring,” he says. “When I was growing up, everyone believed that foot rot could be prevented by feeding organic iodine with the salt. Many ranchers still feed iodized salt, or salt blocks containing iodine, in an effort to prevent foot rot. Whether it prevents foot rot or not, is equivocal. The level at which you’d have to add iodine, or organic iodide, in salt would likely be prohibited by the federal government regulations in Canada. Organic iodine has been withdrawn in Canada for that application,” says Janzen. “You can still put iodine in salt, but at such a low level that it’s hard to tell if it helps.” c
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animal h ea lt h
By Debbie Furber
Intranasal vaccines get around maternal antibodies
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alves are born without fully functioning immune systems, making them reliant on passive immunity from maternal antibodies for disease protection. As a result, we assumed for a long time that vaccinating calves at an early age was a complete waste of time and money as the maternal antibodies would attack any pathogens introduced in the vaccine. Today, explained Dr. Philip Griebel in a recent talk to the University of Calgary veterinary medicine’s beef cattle conference, we know how to get around those maternal antibodies and give the calf ’s immature immune system little more protection against disease. Griebel, a veterinarian and research fellow with the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization — International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-Intervac) at the University of Saskatchewan, fast-forwarded through a decade of research on calfhood vaccination strategies carried out by his team and at the University of Guelph. The measure of immune response to a vaccine has always been increased levels of antibodies in the blood specific to the pathogens introduced by the vaccine. When scientists started looking at immune response from other angles, they discovered that even though maternal antibodies inhibit most of the modified live virus (MLV) in intramuscular (IM) vaccines, some T-cells did respond. T-cells are the first line of defence because their initial job is to recognize foreign invaders and set the chain of immune response in action. And the T-cells responded even better after a second vaccine given two to three months later. Building on this work, others began looking at killed bacterin vaccines given www.canadiancattlemen.ca
during the first two months of life. With the immature immune system there was a low response, but never enough to protect the calf from a disease challenge. “Producers would still not be getting a lot of value, so we started asking if we could deal with the problem of maternal antibody interference by changing the route of vaccine delivery to a mucosal surface,” he says. Mucosal surfaces are special epithelial surfaces in the lining of the nose, intestinal tract and reproductive tract that produce a type of antibody called IgA. Maternal antibodies that circulate in the bloodstream are a type called IgG. One of VIDO-Intervac’s first studies showed that maternal IgG transfers very well to blood serum, but did not get across the epithelial barrier to enter the nose. The small amount of maternal IgA transferred to the calf disappeared within three days of birth because it was secreted in the mucous produced in the nose. Use of an MLV intranasal (IN) vaccine to protect against respiratory disease failed to have any effect on circulating IgG levels, but all was not lost. Nasal secretions showed calves that received the MLV IN vaccine at birth started to produce their own IgA in nasal secretions within 10 to 12 days, whereas all of the maternal IgA disappeared from nasal secretions of calves that hadn’t received the vaccine. “So the mucosal immune system is functional in these newborn calves,” Griebel says. “We can access it despite early high levels of maternal antibody transfer and we can get very good levels of antibody produced there. We saw that within five to six weeks after vaccination, the IgA starts to wane but a second vaccination at that time gave an even greater (IgA) antibody response.”
Maternal antibodies unpredictable
Producers still questioned why, if maternal antibodies are so strong, calves would need to be vaccinated at such a young age, let alone need a second round of vaccinating to boost them such a short time later. One reason is that the quantity, quality and timing of colostrum beef calves receive varies considerably. Maternal antibodies are transferred through colostrum but can only be absorbed through the calf’s gut into its bloodstream within the first hours of life. There’s no way in an everyday ranch setting to be sure of the level of maternal antibodies, the specific diseases those antibodies target, or the duration of the passive immunity. Field trials were carried out in cooperation with a rancher from southern Saskatchewan. The cows were vaccinated with a five-component MLV IM vaccine given three to six weeks before breeding to find out whether the levels of maternal antibodies transferred to the calves the following spring would be sufficient to block infections. Blood was drawn from 90 calves before vaccinating at branding when the calves were three to six weeks old. Griebel says maternal antibody levels were incredibly high for BVD (bovine viral diarrhea) type 1 and type 2, very high for PI-3 (parainfluenza), but low for BHV-1 (bovine herpes virus) and BRSV (bovine respiratory syncitial virus). Testing again at weaning in October when the calves were six to seven months old showed that some had low levels of maternal antibodies against both BVD types, but upwards of 80 per cent of the calves no longer had immunity to any of the other viruses. The level of maternal antibodies declines Continued on page 20
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Continued from page 19
by about 50 per cent every three weeks. Pro jecting that out, Griebel calculates that if calves suckled lots of colostrum high in anti bodies, the level of protection would be low by three to four months of age. Calves that didn’t receive much colostrum or colostrum with low levels of antibody could have little protection remaining by one month of age. “So, we really don’t know when we should be starting to vaccinate,” he says.
The never-vaccinated calves developed high fevers within two to three days and the high fevers were sustained through day seven. Relative to the day of challenge, these calves lost almost 10 per cent of their body weight, or 40 to 45 pounds. The calves vaccinated once at branding had lower fevers that came down sooner and they lost less weight than the calves in the never-vaccinated group, but the differ ences were not statistically significant.
Immune memory a powerful tool
A second reason supporting early calfhood vaccination is the effect it has on immune cells. Exposure to a foreign protein or anti gen from a pathogen changes the lifespan of exposed immune cells, and their capacity to be reactivated when the pathogen is next encountered. This immune memory makes the calf’s immune system capable of mount ing a stronger response, more rapidly, when exposed to a booster shot, or the pathogen. “Using a vaccine to put in place immune memory is a very valuable way of enhancing disease protection in your herd. If we use immune memory in our vaccination pro gram, we can get protective immunity in place within three to four days as compared to giving a vaccine for the first time, when it could take three to four weeks before protec tive immunity is achieved,” Griebel explains. Results from the study of the 90 ranch calves illustrates this point. Half of them received a dose of MLV IN vaccine and the other half received a dose of water in the nose at branding. At weaning, blood sam ples showed that none of the calves had any remaining maternal IgG antibodies. A week later, 20 of the calves from each group of 45 were pulled off the cows and transported to the research facility in Sask atoon. Half of the 20 vaccinated calves received a booster with the same IN vaccine the day after they arrived and the other 10 were not revaccinated. The 20 calves that had not been vaccinated at branding were also split into two groups: 10 received their first dose of MLV IN vaccine and 10 were not vaccinated. This gave them four study groups: never vaccinated, vaccinated only at weaning, vac cinated only at branding, and vaccinated at branding with a booster at weaning. All calves were infected four days later with a high dose of IBR (infectious bovine rhinotracheitis) virus. Fever was the measure of the onset of clinical disease and weight loss was an indica tor of the severity of the infection.
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“ All we have to do is change the site of delivery by about a foot from the neck to the nose.”
It was the same story for the calves vac cinated once at weaning. The vaccination appeared to be of benefit, but the differ ences weren’t statistically significant. Fever was completely eliminated in the calves that had been vaccinated at branding and again at weaning. These calves main tained their weight through the seven days post-weaning, despite undergoing the same stresses of abrupt weaning, transport to a new environment and diet change topped off with the disease challenge. The twice-vaccinated calves were also the only ones with very little virus shedding. This was measured in all groups because it indicates the usefulness of a vaccine strategy in providing protection at the herd level. Sick animals shed copious amounts of virus, thereby adding to the environmental load and increasing the risk of disease trans mission to herdmates. If the infection level is high enough it will overcome protection provided by vaccinating, Griebel adds.
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In another IBR-challenge study, groups of calves were vaccinated once or twice with either a killed IM vaccine, MLV IM vaccine, MLV IN vaccine, or saline solution. Control calves shed more than one million virus particles per millilitre of nasal secretion for up to 10 days after infection. The killed vaccine didn’t reduce the inci dence of clinical disease (fever) nor the level of virus shedding. The MLV IM vaccine eliminated most of the clinical disease, but had very little effect on the level of shedding. The MLV IN vaccine eliminated fever and reduced shedding to 10 virus particles per millilitre of nasal secretion and there were no virus particles in the nasal secretions after six days. The surprise finding, says Griebel, was 60 per cent of the never-vaccinated calves died of secondary bacterial pneumonias within the seven days following infection. “This shows how important stress is because, if we take unvaccinated, weaned calves that have been in our facility for a month or two and then infect them with IBR, they get sick and recover very well. If we take abrupt-weaned calves, transport them and infect them, 60 per cent develop fatal second ary bacterial pneumonias. Management is important because a relatively severe disease can turn into a fatal disease,” he stresses. Vaccination is important because none of the calves in any of the other groups developed a fatal pneumonia. “All we have to do is change the site of delivery by about one foot, from the neck to the nose, and we can completely circumvent the problem of maternal antibody interfer ence,” he says. Options for calfhood vaccinations
Griebel’s take-home message is that vaccines need time to work. If you aren’t using vac cines before the risk of infection, whether for cows against breeding diseases or calves against respiratory diseases, you are really asking vaccines to do something that’s bio logically not possible. Often producers think of using vaccines when it’s convenient even if handling cattle one extra time could save problems in the long run. His challenge to producers is to think about how you could integrate the vaccination program for cows with a much better vaccination program for calves to set them up for their entire lives and get immu nity in place for weaning. Consider the pros and cons of the follow ing strategies:
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animal health
1. A single MLV IN vaccine given at three to six weeks of age provided some persistence of immune memory. It significantly reduced deaths, but didn’t have much effect on clinical disease when challenged with the same viral respiratory infection at the time of weaning. 2. A MLV IN vaccination given at weaning without a primary MLV IN vaccine at branding significantly reduced clinical disease, mortality and virus shedding.
From a herd health perspective, this gives the biggest bang for the buck. 3. A MLV IN vaccination at branding, boosted with the same vaccine at weaning achieved rapid onset of immunity within four days with a high level of protection during the high-stress weaning period. 4. A single MLV vaccination, whether IN or IM, given three weeks before weaning reduced post-weaning respiratory dis-
ease and, therefore, virus shedding. This protection is as strong as vaccinating at branding and again at weaning. 5. An MLV IM vaccination at branding with a booster of the same vaccine at weaning did not improve disease protection compared to a single injection of MLV vaccine for the first time at weaning. There is no significant benefit from giving a MLV IM vaccine at branding if you are going to give a MLV IM vaccination at weaning. c
easy wea n i ng
Quick sorting University of Calgary veterinary researcher Dr. Philip Griebel says a common barrier to delivering vaccines at the most appropriate time is the hassle involved in sorting the calves from the cows. Here, he gives a big shout-out to his colleague in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, animal behaviour, welfare and beef specialist Dr. Joseph Stookey, who published a YouTube video on an efficient way to very quickly get the job done without stressing animals and handlers. Stookey and his team got the idea from Alberta rancher Dylan Biggs when they were researching low-stress weaning options. Pairs are gathered into one corral where they instinctively move to the opposite end and then turn around to wander back toward the gate, where they find an open alley leading to a second corral. Adjacent to the entrance to the alley is a panel with the bottom two bars removed so the calves can duck under and into a separate corral. A person standing at the entry to the alley controls the flow by taking a small step back to allow cows to drift into the alley or a small step forward as a calf approaches. Calves are more leery of people, so a small step toward the alley entrance is enough to send them scooting under the panel to keep them following along beside the cows in the adjoining alley. The easiest way to find his videos on easy sorting and twostage weaning is to search for Joseph Stookey on YouTube.
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C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6
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animal h ea lt h
By Debbie Furber
Potential new causes of pinkeye uncovered
Flies may not be the only way pinkeye is being spread in herds, according to this Alberta project, which has management implications. PHOTOs: Cynddae McGowan
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indings from a recent Alberta proj ect have implications for management practices that could help prevent the spread of pinkeye (infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis, IBK) within a herd. Relatively little attention has been given to pinning down the cause and prevention of pinkeye even though it is the most common eye disease of cattle worldwide, and highly contagious. The long-standing school of thought is that it is caused by Moraxella bovis bacteria and spread by flies feeding on eye secretions of infected cattle. Eye irritation from ultraviolet light, dust or abrasive forages is thought to predispose cattle to the infection by creating a point of entry for bacteria, explains Sarah Van Schothorst (nee Cottle), who tackled some new questions about this old disease while completing her bachelor of science degree in biology at the University of Calgary. Van Schothorst is inclined to believe that bacteria must be transmitted in ways other than by flies because several herds in southern Alberta have histories of pinkeye occurring in winter and worsening throughout the summer, and many ranchers say that the period after weaning is a high-risk time for pinkeye. “I had the idea when I looked at herds dealing with outbreaks that the eye and nose communicate with each other. In most mammals, the naso-lacrimal duct drains tears into the nose, therefore, perhaps aerosolized nasal secretions or even nose-to-nose contact
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would be the more likely predominant mode of transmission,” she explains. Another perplexing aspect of pinkeye is that even though M. bovis is the only bacteria confirmed to cause pinkeye in cattle, it cannot be reliably isolated from the eyes of all infected cattle. Moraxella bovoculi, first identified as a distinct species in 2002, is becoming an increasingly common isolate in cultured samples from cattle with pinkeye. The role of M. bovoculi in the disease process isn’t clear because it has not yet been shown to reproduce the classical pinkeye lesions in the eye. Van Schothorst’s project with Dr. Eugene Janzen, his assistant, Cynddae McGowan, and Dr. Claire Windeyer of the school’s faculty of veterinary medicine, investigated the frequency with which M. bovis and M. bovoculi occurred alone and together in the eyes and noses of calves with pinkeye during naturally occurring outbreaks. Samples were obtained by swabbing the eyes and noses of approximately 60 affected calves during outbreaks on seven ranches in southern Alberta. M. bovis was found in 38 per cent of the eye samples and 10 per cent of the nose samples. M. bovoculi was found in 25 per cent of the eye samples and two per cent of the nose samples. “Both species were cultured from samples from four of the seven ranches. The main point is that overall the same organism could be cultured from both the eye and nose of an individual 20 per cent of the time. We believe this supports the view that there is a similar microbiological biome in the eye and
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nose and, because of the naso-lacrimal duct communication, direct contact or aerosolized nasal secretions could be a potential route of pathogen transfer between cattle. “So, we are moving away from the more traditional thinking of flies roaming across the eyes being the cause of transmission and that prevention should be more focused on handling management and perhaps feeding management. Not having as many cattle in the crowding tub at one time and spreading out feed so cattle don’t have to push around to eat will help minimize direct contact,” Van Schothorst explains. She also wondered whether the bacteria are gaining resistance to oxytetracycline given that many ranchers treat pinkeye with intramuscular injections of long-acting oxytetracycline at the labelled dose and yet outbreaks continue in some herds. This is the standard treatment, especially when it’s not feasible to be handling cattle every day, although some producers prefer penicillin and other treatment options are available when affected cattle can be separated from the herd and treated daily. Sixty eye swabs and 41 nasal swabs were sent to Prairie Diagnostics Services in Sask atoon to identify the bacteria involved and the susceptibility of M. bovis and M. bovoculi bacteria to all antibiotics commonly available to producers from their veterinarians. Some pooled samples were also sent to the Provincial Animal Health Laboratory at Guelph to test the isolates for the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) needed to kill the organism.
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Symptom s
Pinkeye progression Pinkeye is highly contagious, but not life-threatening unless an animal is so severely affected it becomes blind in both eyes, leaving it prone to starvation, accidents and predation. That’s rarely the case and most of the time pinkeye clears up on its own, although the
Using MICs as the measure of resistance, 20 per cent of the M. bovis bacteria were considered resistant to oxytetracycline at the labelled dose; however, none of the M. bovoculi showed resistance. M. bovis showed the highest level of resistance to penicillin, likely because it has traditionally been the drug of choice for treating pinkeye. Sensitivities of bacteria to antimicrobials will vary from operation to operation depending on the drugs used in the past. “Knowing what kind of sensitivity these bacteria have toward the antimicrobials can really make or break whether your treatment method is effective. The best bet for producers who encounter outbreaks is to call a veterinarian. Getting a representative number of the calves sampled will tell you exactly what bacteria are present in the eye and can also determine the most effective method of treatment, which in the long run will save time and money,” Van Schothorst suggests. Samples should be taken before treatment and early in the process when the eyes show excessive tearing and minimal visible lesions on the cornea. It is best to restrain cattle in a headgate rather than roping them because contamination from soil and other organisms in the sample make it difficult if not impossible to isolate the pathogens. The turnaround time for testing is two to three days. More research is definitely needed to better understand the epidemiology of pinkeye and the pathogens involved to improve the routes and efficacy of treatments and vaccines.
healing process can take up to five weeks. The first signs are excessive tearing and extreme sensitivity to light. Extra blood vessels are visible toward the centre of the cornea to promote healing, which gives the white of the eye its telltale pink colour. The conjunctiva (inner layer of the eyelids) becomes red and inflamed and secretions become thick and yellowish. The surface of the eyeball turns cloudy and one or more ulcerated white spots
develop on the cornea, often starting near the centre. A good indication that healing is underway is that the ulcer(s) begin to shrink. In some cases, the ulcer grows to cover the entire cornea before starting to heal. Severe infections that penetrate into the eyeball give it a yellow colour due to a buildup of pus inside. Permanent or partial blindness can result if ulcers rupture and eye fluids are lost, or if the inner tissue of the conjunctiva herniates and forms a bump over the eyeball.
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Moraxella bovoculi update
An extensive study by Aaron M. Dickey et al. at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska, investigating the genetics of M. bovoculi was published in February 2016 on the open-access website, BioMed Central (//veterinaryresearch. biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/ s13567-016-0316-2). c
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C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6 5735 Solmectin Ad PROD FINAL CM.indd 1
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ď ľ animal h ea lt h
By Roy Lewis, DVM
The Benefits of Palpating Heifers
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any commercial or purebred producers and auction markets are realizing the benefits of palpating heifers pre-breeding. This can also be done at pregnancy checking and involve a more thorough exam than simply a determination of whether they are pregnant or not. I will try and highÂlight some of these and explain how this may economically benefit your operation. With the advent of very early maturing breeds such as Gelbvieh, Angus, Simmental and others, it is not unusual for unwanted pregnancies to occur when breeding bulls are left out late. By palpating early these pregnant heifers can be identified and removed from the breeding group. If they are not heavily pregnant (less than four months), abortion is a possibility as long as there is ample time for rebreeding. My advice for heavily pregnant animals (seven months or greater) is to calve them out. A fair percentage will calve normally. Palpating will at least identify them and give you an opportunity to segregate them. If you do abort them keep in mind they need time to clean up for rebreeding and a percentage will not rebreed so it is a risk you take. Aborted heifers generally retain their placenta so rebreeding takes longer than with a normal calving. If aborted under three months gestation I find they will clean up rather quickly (within a month) and be ready for rebreeding. If pregnant ones are found a dialogue should ensue. Consult your veterinarian regarding stage of pregnancy and whether they should be aborted, left to calve or marketed. If you decide to abort be sure and identify them in case they have problems or you want to repalpate them to be doubly sure that the abortion worked. When palpating open heifers we are looking for several things. An
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intact uterus is necessary to conceive and evidence of cycling can be detected by palpating both ovaries. You can detect twins. With large herds the records of twin calves can often be lost with the grafting of twins to cows which have lost calves for various reasons. Freemartins (heifer calf born twin to a bull) can be detected by palpation and eliminated, as often they have only a very rudimentary uterus, or none at all. Conversely, in about five per cent of cases an intact uterus with two ovaries are present and these can be retained and most times will breed. Keep in mind palpation is almost synonymous with ultrasounding and veterinarians will use whichever technique they are most comfortable with. Either technique in the right hands provides accurate results and increases conception rates. Various strategies for grading the development of the reproductive tract have been tried. These are based on the size of the reproductive tract and degree of development of the ovaries. Veterinarians basically want an adequately developed uterus with ovaries that show some sign that cycling is occurring. This is more critical the closer to breeding season when we palpate. Keep in mind certain breeds develop earlier than others. If you have lots of grass, freemartins will exhibit growth approaching that of bulls. They commonly still cycle from rudimentary ovarian tissue so will keep the bull busy all summer. Pelvimetry can also be performed at the same time. Both the Rice and Krautman pelvimeters are accurate in experienced hands. We use them to measure the minimum height and maximum width of the pelvis. I am most familiar with the Krautman tool which calculates pelvic size in square centimetres and predicts the birthweight in pounds that a heifer could deliver with little or no assistance.
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animal health
All these techniques are used to avoid potential C-sections or hard pulls next spring by eliminating small pelvises. We can select for larger pelvises while maintaining moderate body size. Palpating also uncovers misshapen pelvises, adhesions (scar tissue), kidney infections, cystic ovaries or other internal cysts and masses. The decision then becomes to market these animals or keep them as replacements. Weight is good way to compare heifers so if possible get a weight. If any genetic tests are desirable, especially with purebreds, your veterinarian will grab a hair or blood sample as well. It is often desirable to avoid selecting the most rapidly growing heifers for replacements. Avoid the top five per cent. They are often hormonally more like males and as a result conception rates are lower. By tying in all these procedures with palpating you will be going a long ways toward selecting sound heifers that hopefully will be very productive and provide fertility and longevity to your herd. If palpating was missed last spring you can incorporate pelvim-
etry into pregnancy checking in the fall to look for potential calving problems. If it’s done early enough to predict those that conceived in the first, second or third cycle, the pregnancies can be staged. We need heifers calving right at the beginning of the calving season or even a cycle earlier so they rebreed and remain in the herd their second year. Be sure to vaccinate the bred heifers for scours, especially if you are bringing them into your herd. Palpating while reading the ear tags makes it easier to get some of this useful selection information into your database along with the usual notations for feet and legs, body condition and temperament. In the future with more genomic testing, we will no doubt be adding to this list by selecting for disease resistance, parasite resistance and even fly resistance. c Roy Lewis is an Alberta-based veterinarian specializing in large-animal practice. He is also a part-time technical services vet for Merck Animal Health.
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animal h ea lt h
By Heather Smith Thomas
Don’t fret too much over sand cracks They look bad but rarely cause lameness sand crac ks
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racks in the hoof wall are fairly common in beef cattle. Dr. Chris Clark, associate professor of large animal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, says many older cows on the Prairies in Western Canada develop cracks in the hoof but you might not notice this unless the cow is lame. “You can expect to find sand cracks (vertical cracks that start at the ground surface) on almost 25 per cent of older cows. These cracks most commonly occur on the outside claw of the front foot, and the vast majority of these don’t cause any signs of lameness or ill health,” he says. “My colleagues and I here at the university have done some work on this, and we’ve looked at the feet of many cattle that have gone to slaughter. The sand cracks almost never penetrate the entire thickness of the hoof wall. They are just in the outer layer. The way the hoof matrix is built, it has what is called a crack diversion mechanism. As the crack penetrates deeper, it is diverted away from going in a straight line.” The pressure is dissipated outward and spread out rather than creating a deep split. “The animal’s body responds to the presence of a crack by actually thickening the hoof wall in that area, to protect itself. Often the very worst-looking cracks don’t cause lameness. If you cut into a dead hoof and look at it, you might discover that the hoof wall in that area may be up to two to three times thicker than normal. Sometimes, if the wall gets very thick in a localized area, you may also see a bit of remodeling of the bone of the foot, to accommodate the increased thickening of the hoof wall. Some of these cracks can persist for years,” says Clark. CAUSES
“We don’t always know why they happen. Actually this question was the basis of my master’s project. We didn’t come up with complete answers, but we did discover that hydration — the water content — of the hoof horn varies considerably throughout the year on the western Canadian prairies. In summer the moisture content of the hoof is fairly close to what I believe would be opti-
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mal. Even in dry years the hoof tends to pick up some moisture. But as cattle go through winter here, the hoof dries out,” he explains. In the cold, dry climate, the feet are not exposed to any free water. There may be a lot of snow, but at very cold temperatures the snow is dry, not wet, and that moisture is not available. There’s no moisture in contact with the foot. “The humidity is very low here, in the winter. We took some hoof samples of cattle in February, when it is typically -30 C. There is snow, but it’s very dry. Those hoof samples were also very dry,” he says. “As the hoof wall dries out, it starts to desiccate and become brittle. From studies that have been done on horse hooves, we know that as the hoof dries out, it becomes less pliable and more prone to breaking,” says Clark. “We also discovered that cracks are more common in larger, heavier cows. We believe it has something to do with the physical forces of walking that particularly affect that outside claw on the heavier cattle. They probably have more force and strain on their feet, and if the feet are brittle they become prone to cracking in this particular area. The cracks are almost always at the front of the toe on that outside claw of the front foot. We think it is a local stress in this area that causes the hoof to crack,” he says. One of the things he looked at was whether longer toes might make the claws more vulnerable to cracking, due to the added strain from the long toe. “We did find that the bigger feet were more prone to cracking, rather than the length of the toe, as the main factor. The volume of the foot was most important,” he says. “The only thing we’ve ever seen published regarding what you could do to prevent cracking is that there’s some evidence that supplementing the diet with the B vitamin biotin may be beneficial. But that’s the only thing I’ve ever seen that suggests a way of preventing it. On the whole, I think cracks are mainly a consequence of raising cattle in certain environments,” says Clark. There may be a genetic tendency toward cracking, as well. “One paper looked at Continued on page 30
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a n i m a l h ea lt h
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this, trying to determine heritability of hoof defects, but this is a tough area to study. The researchers tried to demonstrate a genetic factor but were unable to find a conclusive link. This wasn’t a major study, but the only one I’ve seen,” he says. Some people feel there is a genetic link because often the animals that get hoof cracks in a certain herd are related. It may be due to the inherited conformation of the front feet. Hoof quality/horn strength in horses is definitely affected by genetic factors and this is probably true in cattle. “I was going through some of the ancient books here in our university library, and found a horse book dating from the 1700s, which had a wonderful description of sand cracks in horses. It discussed the fact that these cracks were caused by keeping horses in dry, sandy areas. This illustrates the fact that after 300 years we really haven’t progressed very much in our understanding of these cracks. We do feel that cracks correlate with dryness in the environment, more than anything else,” says Clark.
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“We took whole hoof samples from cows at slaughter houses — cows that did and did not have sand cracks. We did biomechanical testing of the hoof, and were unable to find a difference. There was certainly nothing about those animals’ hooves that seemed to make them more
“W e do feel that cracks correlate with dryness in the environment more than anything else.”
prone to cracking in a fracture mechanics test. The only things we found that made a difference were the position of the claw and the size of the claw. The front outside claw was most commonly affected. Those were the two biggest risk factors we could find, and the fact that the water content of
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the hoof really dropped off in the winter. There have been other theories proposed regarding causes, but the final conclusion of my master’s thesis was that drying was the biggest risk factor,” says Clark. “The way the hoof is formed, it’s almost like reinforced concrete. The hoof wall is made up of tiny tubules that run vertically; they are like rebar in concrete. This is why most cracks form vertically rather than horizontally, because that is the natural cleft between the tubules. But the crack diversion mechanism usually makes sure that the crack doesn’t split inward but is diverted off to the side,” he says. “Once in a while an affected animal does go lame and you may find an abscess at the deepest part of the crack. In my experience, dealing with lame cattle, the crack itself is rarely the cause of lameness. We see many lame cows, and the owner often thinks it’s due to the crack. When we trim the foot out, we often find an abscess somewhere else in the foot, rather than under the sand crack.” Usually an abscess is from a different cause, and the crack is incidental.
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animal health TREATMENT
“Regarding what you can do with sand cracks, our usual advice is the old adage: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If the animal is lame, however, the owner may want to deal with it. You can clean the crack out — such as grind it out or trim it out — and try to get back to healthy horn. I am not convinced that this will absolutely encourage it to grow out and disappear. I think the risk factors for crack formation still exist. Even if you could get that one to clean up, the chances of it reforming would be quite high,” says Clark. The susceptibility of that animal probably hasn’t changed and the likelihood of future cracks is always there. “I generally don’t worry about cracks unless they cause a problem. The only way you know if sand cracks are a problem is by examining the cow’s foot — to see if she’s sore when you palpate the area over the crack, and the coronary band above the area. If there’s an abscess it will also be hot. Then we use hoof testers, like we use on a horse. If you put pressure over the sand crack and she winces, then we suspect an abscess and we clean it out,” he explains. Debriding the area and cleaning it out, getting to the abscess and draining it, will relieve the pain and lameness. It’s important to deal with the abscess, just like you would any abscess. “I always tell my students that it’s important to not focus on the sand crack when faced with a lame cow. Look at it like any other foot, and try to find the true cause of the problem — to see if there’s an abscess and where it is. If it happens to be in the sand crack, deal with the sand crack,” he says. “If there’s an abscess under the crack, we simply open it up and use a very fine grinder to clean it up. We just remove all the damaged and underrun horn and smooth out the sides. In some cases, in the past, I’ve also tried filling the crack with an epoxy product, but I don’t think it really helps in the long run,” says Clark. The hoof will grow out slowly. “The crack takes a long time to grow out. The hoof grows at a rate of about five millimetres per month. The average foot length is about 7.5 centimetres (3.5 inches) so it takes about 15 months for the wall to grow completely new horn, from the coronary band down to the tip of the toe. It’s a slow process getting it to grow out, and the risk for the crack reforming is quite high in those individuals,” he says. PREVENTION
In commercial beef production, hoof cracks really aren’t much of an issue. It’s www.canadiancattlemen.ca
not economically feasible to deal with them unless they are causing lameness. They might be a cause of concern in a purebred herd, however, when the rancher is selling registered bulls and heifers. “If someone comes to look at their animals, those breeders don’t want cracked feet. Even in those cases, however, other than telling the cattle breeder to try supplementing the cattle with biotin, I’m not sure what else to suggest — to minimize
the cracks. They do seem to be a prairie issue and are not reported as often in other parts of the world. It’s primarily an issue in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba,” says Clark. This type of crack is rarely found in dairy cattle and is much more common in beef animals. “Dairy cattle spend their time in a wet environment. Their feet are always exposed to manure and moisture, and don’t dry out,” he says. c
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animal h ea lt h
By Debbie Furber
Implants Done Right
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low-release growth-promoting hormone implants for beef calves have been in use since the mid1960s in Canada. With that many years of research and approval from Health Canada behind these products you’d be hard-pressed to argue that they don’t safely do what the manufacturers say they do — improve average daily gain and feed efficiency. The benefits are additive, meaning that the additional weight gain as a sucking calf is on top of the additional weight gain if given an implant as a feeder calf and that’s on top of additional weight gain if given an implant during the finishing period. Various sources indicate implanting calves improves average daily gain by four to eight per cent on sucking calves, another 10 to 20 per cent on feeder calves, and another 15 to 20 per cent during finishing, given proper nutrition to support the added growth potential at each stage. Feed conversion efficiency can be improved by six to eight per cent during the growing period and by as much as
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15 per cent during the finishing period because energy for growth is directed to muscle tissue rather than fat. The end result is more lean beef per pound of feed consumed. The cost-to-benefit ratio for implants remains one of the best of any technology available to beef producers; however, the full benefit can be lost because of incorrect implanting technique. Field representatives Gordon Roger with Elanco, Glen Cartwright and Lee Sinclair with Merck, and Les Byers and Clarence Manegre with Zoetis, were on hand during the Western Canada Feedlot Management School tour to give producers tips on how to get the job done right and an opportunity to hone their technique on cadaver ears. Ready
Implants work by gradually releasing natural or synthetic hormones to replace or supplement natural growth hormones produced by cattle. Products are available in various hormone combinations, strengths and durations of activity for differing ages and sexes
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of calves so that implant programs can be designed for all classes of beef calves to meet your production goals. There is an implant approved for calves as young as 30 days old and another for calves at least 45 days old, with a wider selection for calves over 400 pounds. The overall strategy is to maintain the same potency or increase potency through each stage of development. Company field representatives, veterinarians and beef specialists with your department of agriculture have information to help design implant strategies suited to your operation. If you are new at implanting or feel there’s room for improvement, have a field representative come out to help with staff training. They are also available to do followups approximately three weeks after implanting to identify problem areas and give pointers on how to improve. At some operations, implanting with no related issues is as high as 95 per cent, which is considered very good. Ninety per cent is acceptable, but some have been as low as 65 per cent. The most common problems are abscesses, missing or partial implants, crushing and bunching.
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animal health Set
Place a table close enough to the headgate to be able to easily reach back to get supplies, but far enough away that debris from the squeeze won’t get kicked or flicked onto it. Have a spare implant gun and needles on hand. Changing out damaged and burred needles will make the job a lot easier. You’ll need a disinfectant to mix with water for disinfecting the needle between each use and cleaning ears. Non-irritating disinfectants, such as chlorahexidine, are generally recommended over harsher products, such as iodine and rubbing alcohol. A thick sponge placed in the well of a paint tray can be soaked with the disinfecting solution for needle cleaning and the tray keeps the implant gun high, dry and clean. A stiff-bristled dry brush works well to remove caked-on mud and manure before scrubbing the area with a soft-bristled brush and disinfecting solution. Good-quality water is important because high organic content in water can tie up the disinfectant. The same goes for contaminants introduced during implanting, so keep the disinfectant and fresh water
nearby to change out the solution in the brush bucket and sponge tray as needed, or at least every 200 animals. Moving cattle through the chute in a relaxed manner so that they’re not as likely to push up against one another can save a lot of ear cleaning by the time they reach the headgate. Latex gloves can be easily switched out for a clean pair when they get dirty. If possible, have a trained person dedicated to doing the implanting in a sanitary manner while others take care of the rest of the procedures. The point of all of these sanitary measures is to reduce the risk of abscesses developing. This is the No. 1 cause of implant failure because abscesses can affect the rate at which the hormones absorb into the bloodstream, wall off the implant altogether, or push it out of the ear. Opening an abscess to try to drain the infection can make matters worse. If the abscess ruptures on its own and the implant has been lost, it’s OK to put in a new implant. More importantly, abscesses are generally an indicator of improper sanitation during implanting and a signal to the crew to make
some changes in technique and processes at the chute. Implanting young calves at branding out in a corral without a squeeze or tipping table can present challenging sanitary conditions. Some producers carry a pill bottle with a sponge soaked in disinfectant to dip the needle after each use and a brush to remove dirt and manure from the ear. At the very least, having a tray with disinfecting solution on the table with the rest of the supplies is a reminder to disinfect the needle as often as possible. Tips such as wearing disposable gloves to keep hands clean and having a dedicated person doing the implanting can go a long way, too. Go
The implant has to be inserted just under the skin on top of the cartilage at the back of the ear, ideally in the very middle of the ear, midway between the base and the tip. If the end of the ear is missing, place the implant as if the tip was still there and at least 1.5 inches from the base of the ear. The only approved placement for all Continued on page 34
FenceFast Ltd
www.Fencefast.ca 778-888-4355 FenceFast411@gmail.com
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C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6
33
a n imal health
The only approved placement for homone implants is the vertical middle third of the ear. Continued from page 33
hormone implants is in the vertical middle third of the ear. This is where absorption is best and ensures that the implant will be discarded with the ear at harvest. There is some leeway to place an implant in the upper or lower part of the middle third of the ear if the centre is cluttered with tags and holes from lost or old tags. It helps to think about implant location when applying identification tags. The general rule of thumb is to place a new implant a finger-width away from the last implant site. You’ll be able to easily feel the space left under the skin from previous implants. It’s quite common for pellets to not completely dissolve after releasing the hormones. If you hit a blood vessel by accident, squeeze and hold your thumb over the implant hole for 30 to 60 seconds to try to seal off the bleeding. This is usually a temporary problem and bleeding will stop when the animal settles in the pen or pasture. The best way to hold the implant gun is the way that feels most comfortable and gives you the best results. Whether the bevel on the needle is up or down doesn’t matter as far as getting the implant placed properly. The important skill is finding the space between the skin and cartilage so that the implant doesn’t pop out one side or the other. The needle makes an opening between the skin and cartilage as it is inserted the full length. Withdraw it about halfway, or the length of the implant, before releasing the implant so that it slides into the opening ahead of the tip. This gives the pellet or individual pellets in multi-pellet implants
34
C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6
space enough to lay in a nice straight row for consistent absorption. If the pellets are released when the needle is fully inserted, there’s a chance they will bunch up or crush against the cartilage at the end of the needle. Bunching isn’t too much of a problem other than the rate of hormone release could potentially increase because more surface area is exposed, in which case the implant would be used up more quickly than normal. Crushing can be more of a problem because hormone release could be very fast and potentially induce riding problems. Animals showing this behaviour, especially heavy feedlot cattle, should be closely monitored and, if possible, placed into a smaller pen to reduce the possibility of injury from excessive riding. Press lightly on the insertion site as you withdraw the needle to prevent pellets from pulling out with the needle. Do a quick check with your finger to be sure the implant is in place and then give the opening a pinch to help close it off. This is also a way to double check that the needle and implant didn’t go right through the ear and that you didn’t fire a blank because of not rotating the pellet cartridge or noticing that it was empty. Swipe the needle across the disinfecting sponge every which way to clean it before implanting the next animal. Opened cartridges with unused implants can be stored in the fridge. Be sure to seal them in a plastic bag or container, otherwise they will take on moisture and be ruined. For more information on implant products and strategies and to find field representatives in your area visit www.elanco.ca, www.merck.ca, www.zoetis.com. c
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Canada’s Custom
Feedlot Guide September 2016
Special PULL-OUt Section
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Vista ad Feedlot Guide.indd 1
2016-08-22 11:19 AM
British Columbia Andrews A1 Feeders
Gary Andrews 167 Dure Meadow Road Lumby, B.C. V0E 2G7 Ph/Fax: 250-547-2219 Lot capacity: 650
Ben Wurz, Johnny Wurz Box 40, Carmangay, Alta. T0L 0N0 Ph: 403-643-2456 • Fax: 770-8020 Cell: 795-9806/795-9805 Lot capacity: 5,000
FootHill Farms
Henk Vanden Berg Box 793, Fort Macleod, Alta. T0L 0Z0 Ph: 403-553-4290 • Fax: 553-4291 Cell: 315-3969 Lot capacity: 5,000
9 2 8
1 9 2 4 grandview cattle feeders Ltd.
Cattleland feedyards ltd.
Greg Van Vaerenbergh Box 336, Picture Butte, Alta. T0K 1V0 Ph: 403-328-9775 • Fax: 381-0250 Cell: 317-9550 email: grandvu@la.shockware.com Lot capacity: 43,000
Joe Gregory Box 2265, Strathmore, Alta. T1P 1K2 Ph: 403-934-4030 • Fax: 934-4594 email: karen@cattleland.ca Website:cattlelandfeedyards.com Lot capacity: 25,000
9 2 8
Alberta Antelope Butte Livestock ltd.
Jim Lynch-Staunton Box 10, Lundbreck, Alta. T0K 1H0 Ph: 403-628-2020 • Cell: 627-6770 email: jim@jrtwave.com
9 2 BALLCO FEEDERS inc.
Jeff Ball Box 127, Brant, Alta. T0L 0L0 Ph: 403-684-3540 • Fax: 684-3345 email: jeff@ballco.ca Lot capacity: 15,000
1 9 2 8 4
Carmangay Colony Feeders
7
5 2 4
7
Jason Hagel R.R. 1, Swalwell, Alta. T0M 1Y0 Ph: 403-546-3989 • Fax: 546-3949 Cell: 403-312-7154 Lot capacity: 5,000
Mark Hengstmengel Box 122, Iron Springs, Alta. T0K 1G0 Ph: 403-738-4805 Fax: 738-4806 • Cell: 308-6632 Lot capacity: 2,700 2 9
chinook feeders
Box 343, Nanton, Alta. T0L 1R0 Ph: 403-646-2087 • Fax: 646-2978 Lot capacity: 25,000
1 9 2 8 hairy hill colony
Darius R. Hofer Box 35, Hairy Hill, Alta. T0B 1S0 Ph: 780-768-3770 • Fax: 768-2178 Lot capacity: 1,200
1 9 2 8
Bill Barnett Box 1, Site 14, R.R. 1 Strathmore, Alta. T1P 1J6 Ph: 403-934-4260 • Fax: 934-4920 Lot capacity: 3,000
1 9 2 4
T.J. Larson Box 1043, Claresholm, Alta. T0L 0T0 Ph: 403-625-2911 • Fax: 625-2151 email: claresholmbeef@gmail.com Lot capacity: 13,000
5 9 2 8 Mike Kotelko Box 400, Vegreville, Alta. T9C 1R4 Ph: 780-768-2466 • Fax: 768-3888 Cell: 632-1031 email: mkotelko@highlandbeef.com Website: www.highlandbeef.com Lot capacity: 36,000
1 2 4 5 7 8 9
bear trap feeders
Bob or Don Lowe Box 1499, Nanton, Alta. T0L 1R0 Ph: 403-646-5550 • Fax: 646-5697 Lot capacity: 4,000
1 5 2 9
Mike S. Stahl Box 159, Cleardale, Alta. T0H 3Y0 Ph: 780-685-2800 Fax: 685-2704 • Cell: 834-7165 Lot capacity: 600
1 5 2 8 7 High River colony
Martin & Ed Box 5610, High River, Alta. T1V 1M7 Ph/Fax: 403-395-2107 Cell: 652-8758 Lot capacity: 2,500 9
9 2 8 Codesa Colony
Blue Ridge colony
Eli Wurz Box 121 Mountain View, Alta. T0K 1N0 Ph: 403-626-2388 • Fax: 626-2394 Cell: 359-3287 Lot capacity: 350 9
CAIRNS FEEDYARDS LTD.
Larry Cairns Box 8, Madden, Alta. T0M 1L0 Ph/Fax: 403-946-5897 Cell: 333-2400 Lot capacity: 5,000
Box 300, Eaglesham, Alta. T0H 1H0 Ph: 780-359-3022 • Fax: 359-3004 Cell: 837-4342 Lot capacity: 2,500
1 5 9 2 8 4
Ed Miller/ Lyle Miller Box 60, Acme, Alta. T0M 0A0 Ph: 403-546-2278 • Fax: 546-3709 Cell: 888-2539 (Ed) 888-3973 (Lyle) email: hwy21@wildroseinternet.ca Lot capacity: 20,000
Coulthard Feedlot
Box 907, Castor, Alta. T0C 0X0 Ph: (403) 882-2691
de wilde feeders
1 5 9 2 8 4 calhoun cattle co. ltd.
Rod, Carol or Jason Calhoun Box 72, Swalwell, Alta. T0M 1Y0 Ph: 403-546-2655 • Fax: 546-3831 Cell: 333-5440/333-5438
7
Marco or Adrian Box 142, Monarch, Alta. T0L 1M0 Ph/Fax: 403-824-3635 Cell: 403-634-4026/634-3352 email: adriandw@shockware.com Lot capacity: 5,000
1 5 9 2 8 4
1 5 2 8 4
1 5 9 2 8 4
1 5 9 2 8 4 Jonust Farms Ltd.
7
1custom order buying and selling
5 market analysis
9 backgrounding
7
Bradley Raugust • Walter Raugust R.R. 1, Ponoka, Alta. T4J 1R1 Ph: 403-783-2726 / 783-2202 Fax: 704-2302 Cell: 350-5265 / 350-8023 email: rbraugust@hotmail.ca or blackelk@telusplanet.net Lot capacity: 1,000
9 2 8 2 health program
7
K-Belt farms
Bruce Konynenbelt Box 90, Nobleford, Alta. T0L 1S0 Ph: 403-824-3431 • Fax: 824-3258 Cell: 634-4744 email: kbeltfam@shockware.com Lot capacity: 4,000+ 9 2
Kenwynn Farms Ltd.
Brian McKinnon Box 129, Carseland, Alta. T0J 0M0 Ph: 403-934-4114 • Fax: 934-2122 Lot capacity: 7,500
KeHo lake colony
David R. Wurtz Box 125, Barons, Alta. T0L 0G0 Ph: 403-757-2330 • Fax: 757-2337 Lot capacity: 1,000
1 8 4 Klassen Agriventures Ltd.
Myron Klassen Box 488, Linden, Alta. T0M 1J0 Ph: 403-312-3577 • Fax: 546-2445 email: Myron@klassenagriventures.ca Lot capacity: 5,000
1 2 4 5 8 9
T.J. Larson Box 1227, Fort Macleod, Alta. T0L 0Z0 Ph: 403-553-3110 • Fax: 553-2828 Cell: 394-6496 email: larsonfeeders@gmail.com Lot capacity: 6,000
1 2 4 5 7 8 9 marnies Feeders
Dwight Morhart/ Ryan Kasko Box 1250, Raymond, Alta. T0K 2S0 Ph: 403-752-2333 • Fax: 756-3434 Cell: 795-7394 email: hwy52@shockware.com Website: www.kaskocattle.com Lot capacity: 15,000
Diamond 8 Cattle co.
Cam VanEe Box 100 Pincher Creek, Alta. T0K 1W0 Ph: 403-627-1525 • Fax: 627-1524 Cell: 894-2178 email: barjw@hotmail.com Lot capacity: 7,500
7
hWY 52 beef producers ltd.
7
Ryan Kasko Box 1266, Coaldale, Alta. T1M 1N1 Ph: 403-345-4301 • Fax: 345-3778 Cell: 795-2246 email: ryan@kaskocattle.com Lot capacity: 25,000
Larson custom Feeders ltd.
highway 21 feeders ltd.
7
1 9 2 8 4 Kasko Cattle Co. Ltd.
1 5 9 2 8
highland feeders
Cleardale Colony
Rob Denman Box 5510, Westlock, Alta. T7P 2P5 Ph: 780-349-2476 • Fax: 349-5414 Cell: 780-349-1755 email: rob@jubileefarms.ca Lot capacity: 6,500
1 5 2 8 4
hagel feeders Ltd.
Central h Feeders ltd.
Claresholm Beef producers ltd.
Barnett Farms
1 5 9 2 8 4
1 5 9 2 8 4
jubilee feedlot
Allan Johnson Box 151, Hughenden, Alta. T0B 2E0 Ph: 780-856-2241 • Fax: 856-2399 Cell: 842-0232 email: marniesfeeders@xplornet.ca Lot capacity: 8,500
5 9 2 8 4 J.F. Murray farms
Shawn Murray Box 86, Picture Butte, Alta. T0K 1V0 Ph: 403-732-4339 • Fax: 732-4187 Lot capacity: 9,000
1 5 9 2 8 4
7
Park road farms ltd.
Allan Slomp P.O. Box 419, Nobleford, Alta. T0L 1S0 Ph: 403-824-3676 • Fax: 824-3677 email: prf@xplornet.com Lot capacity: 4,500 9 2
8 pen sharing
4 trucking
7hedging
penridge feeders
Office Box 4, Swalwell, Alta. T0M 1Y0 Ph: 403- 546-0015 Lot capacity: 4,000
1 5 9 2 8 7 Poplar Lodge Ranch Ltd.
Will Porter Box 12, Czar, Alta. T0B 0Z0 Ph: 780-857-2056 • Fax: 857-2057 email: willporter64@gmail.com Lot capacity: 3,500
1 9 2 8 RJ Feeders
Ralph or Josie Kientz R.R. 1, Olds, Alta. T4H 1P2 Ph/Fax: 403- 631-2373 Cell: 994-0581 Lot capacity: 1,700
1 9 2 8 5 4 Rocky ridge land & cattle
Darcy Stewart/ Loren Stewart Box 65, Site 19, R.R. 2 Strathmore, Alta. T1P 1K5 Ph: 403-934-4426 • Fax: 934-9998 Cell 888-5083 Lot capacity: 3,000 9
Roulston Farms
Rob Roulston Box 152, Bruce, Alta. T0B 0R0 Ph: 780-688-2284 • Fax: 688-2289 Lot capacity: 1,000
9 2 8 Schooten & Sons Custom Feedyard Ltd.
John Schooten • Shane Schooten Cody Schooten • Justin Schooten Box 148, Diamond City, Alta. T0K 0T0 Ph: 403-381-3883 • Fax: 381-8809 Cell: 634-1459 (John) 634-1535 (Shane) 634-4116 (Cody) 315-5679 (Justin) email: schootenandsons@yahoo.ca Lot capacity: 30,000
1 2 4 5 7 9 8 Schwartzkopf farms Ltd.
Bert or Brian Schwartzkopf Box 743, Coalhurst, Alta. T0L 0V0 Ph: 403-381-4219 • Fax: 394-2143 Cell: 360-2973 Lot capacity: 4,000 9
Shelter Valley land & cattle
Sam McQuaid Box 131, Czar, Alta. T0B 0Z0 Ph: 780-857-2720 • Fax: 857-2827 Cell: 780-209-2373 Manager, Chris McQuaid (780) 806-6107 email: svlc@telus.net Lot capacity: 38,000
1 9 4 2 7 Shelter Valley Custom Feeding
Sam McQuaid Cell: 780-209-2373 Lethbridge, Alta. Manager: Corey Conan Cell: 403-894-1020 Lot capacity: 10,000
1 9 2 4 7 1custom order buying and selling
Signal Ridge Farms
Russell Klassen Box 1287, Stettler, Alta. T0C 2L0 Ph: 403-742-9762 • Fax: 742-1828 email: info@signalridgefarms.com Lot capacity 2,000
Tongue creek feeders ltd./ Roseburn ranches ltd.
Peter Morrison Box 5910, High River, Alta. T1V 1P6 Ph: 403-652-7410 • Fax: 652-2936 Cell: 312-7909 email: cattle@roseburn.net Lot capacity: 16,000/12,000
1 5 9 2 8 4 7 John Slingerland
Box 1425, Coaldale, Alta. T1M 1N2 Ph: 403-345-2210 • Fax: 345-6844 Cell: 382-9518 Lot capacity: 9,000
1 5 4 9 2 8
South Cara Farms Ltd.
Rick Cromarty Box 157, Provost, Alta. T0B 3S0 Ph: 780-753-4767 • Fax: 753-4745 Cell: 780-753-8801 email: scfl1@mcsnet.ca
1 9 2 8 5
James Bekkering 6311-56th Ave., Taber, Alta. T1G 1X9 Ph: 403-223-9090 • Fax: 223-9061 Lot capacity: 25,000
Uphill feeders
Colby Hansen Box 11, Tawatinaw, Alta. T0G 2E0 Ph: 780-801-2805 • Cell: 307-2574 email: Colbyuphill@hotmail.ca 2 Lot capacity: 500 9
V.C. feeders
south island farms ltd.
Martin M. Stahl Veteran Colony Veteran, Alta. T0C 2S0 Ph: 403-575-2169 • Fax: 575-2190 Lot capacity: 1,000
Scott MacLean Box 249, Bow Island, Alta. T0K 0G0 Ph: 403-545-2422 • Fax: 545-2442 Cell: 952-1405 Lot capacity: 6,500
1 5 9 2 8 4
7
9 2 4
Harold Vandenberg Box 454, Coaldale, Alta. T1M 1M5 Ph/Fax: 403-345-3991 Cell: 382-7986 email: vanfarm@yahoo.com Lot capacity: 5,000
Ken & Chris Box 2243, Athabasca, Alta. T9S 2B7 Ph: 780-675-9207 • Fax: 675-5095 Lot capacity: 6,000
1 9 2 8 4
7
stankievech ranches
Glen & Clare Stankievech Box 389, Trochu, Alta. T0M 2C0 Ph: 403-442-2242 • Fax: 442-3169 Cell: 588-6325 • Wintering cows Lot capacity: 2,000
1 5 9 2 8 4
Vandenberg cattle co. ltd.
John or Geert Box 531, Picture Butte, Alta. T0K 1V0 Ph: 403-381-3302 / 381-6569 Fax: 381-3364 Cell: 380-0300 Lot capacity: 4,300
5 9 2 8
5 2 4
van Loon farms
stauffer farm feedlot
Box 54, Tiger Lily, Alta. T0G 2G0 Ph: 780-674-3954 • Fax: 674-3502 Cell: 780-206-0024 email: vanloonfarms@gmail.com Lot capacity: 2,000
Murray Stauffer Jack Puddifant R.R. 3, Eckville, Alta. T0M 0X0 Ph: 403-746-5737 • Fax: 746-5739 email: stauff1@xplornet.com
1 9 2
1 5 9 2 8
Don Davies Box 12220 Lloydminster, Alta. T9V 3C4 Ph: 780-875-6231 • Fax: 875-6232 Cell: 808-5607 email: veetee@mcsnet.ca Lot capacity: 6,000
Ed Stronks Box 870 Picture Butte, Alta. T0K 1V0 Ph: 403-738-4106 • Fax: 738-2193 Lot capacity: 14,000
1 5 2 8 4
7
1 9 2 8 7
Sunnybend Feedlot
John B. Walter R.R. 1, Westlock, Alta. T7P 2N9 Ph: 780-349-3542 • Fax: 954-2633 Cell: 349-1740 Lot capacity: 2,000 9
Western feedlots ltd.
Tova Place Box 5279, High River, Alta. T1V 1M4 Ph: 403-312-1224 • Fax: 601-8328 Website: westernfeedlots.com
1 5 9 2 8 7
thompson colony feeders
Marvin Tschetter Box 160 Fort Macleod, Alta. T0L 0Z0 Cell: 403-635-0340 • Fax: 553-2958 Lot capacity: 2,000 9
5 market analysis
West Ridge farms
9 backgrounding
birch island land & cattle co.
Shayne Yewsuk / Mark Herman Box 236, Rhein, Sask. S0A 3K0 Ph: 306-273-4600 • Fax: 273-4601 email: birchisland@imagewireless.ca Lot capacity: 8,500
1 5 9 2 8 4
7
Border line feeders inc.
Bradley T. Nyhus Box 128, Ceylon, Sask. S0C 0T0 Ph: 306-454-2250 • Fax: 454-2216 Cell: 442-7401 email: brad.blfi@sasktel.net Lot capacity: 12,000
1 5 9 2 8 4 Ernie Wicks • Jordan Kowal Cody Wicks Box 566, Tisdale, Sask. S0E 1T0 Ph: 306-873-3702 • Fax: 873-5046 Cell: 306-873-0129 Lot capacity: 4,000
1 5 9 8 4 dietrich farms ltd.
Jim Dietrich Box 68, Mendham, Sask. S0N 1P0 Ph: 306-628-4249 • Cell: 628-7170 email: jdietrich@sasktel.net Lot capacity: 2,200
1 5 9 2 8 4 Excellerator Genetics
Ron Dietrich Box 116, Moosomin, Sask. S0G 3N0 Ph: 306-435-9381 email: excellerator@sasktel.net Website: www.excelleratorgenetics.com Lot capacity: 4,000
hagerty livestock ltd.
Larry Hagerty General Delivery, Box 11 Stony Beach, Sask. S0G 4S0 Ph: 306-345-2523 • Fax: 345-2085 Lot capacity: 3,000
1 9 2 8 4 M & T Feedlot
Greg Thompson Box 336, Moose Jaw, Sask. S6H 4N9 Ph: 306-694-5314 • Fax: 693-8822 Cell: 631-7413 Lot capacity: 3,500
1 5 9 2 8 4
7
McQueen Feedyards
Jim Hurt Box 321, Crossfield, Alta. T0M 0S0 Ph: 403-946-4198 Lot capacity: 1,300
2 health program
7
1 9 2 4 7
Vee tee feeders ltd.
stronks Feedlot
Layton Bezan Box 1726, Regina, Sask. S4P 3C6 Ph: 306-775-0412 • Fax: 775-0444 Cell: 537-8898 Lot capacity: 1,200
Burnt out creek ranch
H & R Vandenberg Farms
stafford feeders ltd.
bezan land & Livestock Ltd.
1 5 9 2 4
tfS Expanse Ltd.
9 8 2 5 4
9Saskatchewan 2
Bill & Dave McQueen Box 35, Tessier, Sask. S0L 3G0 Ph: 306-656-4465 • Fax: 656-2042 Lot capacity: 6,000
1 5 2 8 4
8 pen sharing
4 trucking
7hedging
ADD SAFE-GUARD ADD POUNDS
®
Safe-Guard ® (fenbendazole ) is a different class of dewormer than pour-ons and injectables. It works fast to stop internal parasites and the hidden damage they cause. These parasites suppress feed intake, reduce average daily gain, hurt nutrient absorption and immune function, reducing the health and performance of your cattle.1,2 Use Safe-Guard® as part of your parasite control program for more pounds of high quality beef in the feedlot.3,4 For more information, consult your veterinarian. 1 Endoparasite control, L.R. Ballweber, Veterinary Clinics Food Animal, 2006, 22:451-461. 2Economic analysis of pharmaceutical technologies in modern beef production, J.D. Lawrence and M.A. Ibarburu, Iowa State University, 2007. 3Pasture deworming and (or) subsequent feedlot deworming with fenbendazole I. Effects of grazing performance, feedlot performance and carcass traits of yearling steers, R. Smith, et al., The Bovine Practitioner, 2000, 34:104-114. 4A fenbendazole oral drench in addition to an ivermectin pour-on reduces parasite burden and improves feedlot and carcass performance of finishing heifers compared with endectocides alone, C.D. Reinhardt, J.P. Hutcheson and W.T. Nichols, Journal of Animal Science, 2006, 84:2243-2250.
SAFE-GUARD® is a registered trademark of ® Intervet International B.V. Used under license. MERCK® is a registered trademark of Merck Canada Inc. © 2016 Intervet Canada Corp. All rights reserved.
SafeGuard ad Feedlot Guide.indd 1
2016-08-22 11:17 AM
Nine Mile Ranch Ltd.
Ontario
Myles Heppner Box 70, Spiritwood, Sask. S0J 2M0 Ph: 306-984-2149 • Fax: 984-2450 Cell: 883-7476 Lot capacity: 5,500 • Custom feed cows 9 2
Daniel Jeffrey
R.R. 2, Stratford, Ont. N5A 6S3 Ph: 519-273-7843 • Fax: 273-2586 Cell: 272-9001 Lot capacity: 900
9 2 8 4 7
perrault feedlot
Perrault brothers Box 182, Ponteix, Sask. S0N 1Z0 Ph: 306-625-3750 • Fax: 625-3978 Cell: 625-7804 Lot capacity: 1,000
1 5 9 2 8 4
wayne martin
R.R. 2, 7468 Wellington Road 8 Alma, Ont. N0B 1A0 Ph: 519-638-3871 Fax: 271-9382 • Fax: 638-3825 Lot capacity: 450
7
9 2 8
purpose Farms Inc.
Jeff Carlson • Cam Buyer Eric Buyer Carnduff, Sask. Ph: 403-442-3186 • Fax: 442-2261 Cell: 403-350-9674 email: jcarlson@xplornet.com Lot capacity: 5,000 1 9
Pound-maker agventures ltd.
Brad Welter Box 519, Lanigan, Sask. S0K 2M0 Ph: 306-365-4281 • Fax: 365-4283 email: pma@pound-maker.ca Website: www.pound-maker.ca Lot capacity: 28,500
1 5 2 8 4
7
Red Coat Cattle Feeders Inc.
Kevin Antworth Box 86, Hazenmore, Sask. S0N 1C0 Ph: 306-264-3844 • Fax: 264-3206 Cell: 391-9351 email: rccf@yourlink.ca Lot capacity: 18,500
9 2 8 15
Ross L-Seven Ranch
Chad Ross • Brian Ross Box 1087, Estevan, Sask. S4A 2H7 Ph: 306- 634-7301 • Cell: 421-6346 email: chadross@xplornet.ca • Custom grazing • Heifer A.I. • Cow/bull wintering Lot capacity: 2,500 9 2
Seven L Feeders Ltd
Kelly Friesen / Danny Reimer Porcupine Plain, Sask. S0C 0M0 Ph: 306-813-7033 • Fax: 889-4550 Lot capacity: 10,000
1 9 2 8 4
shur Transport exporting & trucking
Norm Shurygalo Box 308, Beinfait, Sask. S0C 0M0 Ph: 306-388-2329 • Fax: 388-2321 Cell: 421-3482 email: shurtruck@hotmail.com Lot capacity: 800
1 5 9 2 8 4 Sunny slope Cattle Ltd.
Don Bowyer Box 1744, Maple Creek, Sask. S0N 1N0 Ph: 306-662-2901 • Fax: 662-4450 Lot capacity: 1,500 9 2
milldale farms ltd. Tyner Valley Stock farms
Dave Taciuk Box 774, Wakaw, Sask. S0K 4P0 Ph: 306-233-5959 email: d.taciuk@sasktel.net
Hamiota feedlot ltd.
Larry Schweitzer Box 610, Hamiota, Man. R0M 0T0 Ph: 204-764-2449 • Fax: 764-2264 email: feedlot@goinet.ca Website: www.hamiotafeedlot.com Lot capacity: 13,000
Td3L Hull Ranch
Terry & Debbie Hull Box 160, Willowbrook, Sask. S0A 4P0 Ph/Fax: 306-782-7295 email: tdhull@yourlink.ca Lot capacity: 1,100
Garry or Cindy Box 1152, Altona, Man. R0G 0B0 Ph: 204-829-7706 • Fax: 829-3676 Cell: 324-7405 Lot capacity: 500
Vaughan Feedlot
1 9 2 4 PEnner feedlot
Phillip Penner Donavon Penner Box 66, Kelwood, Man. R0J 0Y0 Ph/Fax: 204-967-2009 Cell: 212-0221 Lot capacity: 850
9 2 8 westwood Land & Cattle Company
Kevin Woods Box 6, Moosomin, Sask. S0G 3N0 Ph: 306-435-2102 • Fax: 435-4833 Cell: 435-7313 Lot capacity: 10,000
1 5 9 2 4
1 9 2 4 8 Rocking U feeders
Box 779, MacGregor, Man. R0H 0R0 Ph: 204-685-2264 • Fax: 685-2135 email: rockinguf@hotmail.com Lot capacity: 10,000
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willow park ranch
Ben Wurz Box 70, Tessier, Sask. S0L 3G0 Ph: 306-237-9510 • Fax: 237-9511 Cell: 220-0400 Lot capacity: 800
1 9 2 D&P Rooke Farms
Daniel and Penny Box 68, Alexander, Man. R0K 0K0 Ph: 204-756-2073 • Fax: 752-2341 Cell: 204-573-2082 email: daniel@d-pgroup.com
1 5 9
Manitoba Bar M Stock Farms Ltd.
9 T.J. Livestock
Thor Jonsson General Delivery Oakview, Man. R0C 2K0 Ph: 204-768-2422 • Fax: 768-3393 Cell: 739-3230 email: tjonsson@mts.net Lot capacity: 2,000
Brad McDonald P.O. Box 1345 Portage la Prairie, Man. R1N 3L5 email: cattlemen@hotmail.ca Ph/Fax: 204-239-5928 Cell: 856-6293 Lot capacity: 1,800
1 5 9 2 8 4 7
9 2 Dana Johns
Box 188, Kenton, Man. R0M 0Z0 Ph/Fax: 204-838-2003 Cell: 365-7149 email: johnsdm@goinet.ca Lot capacity: 1,000
Wild Rose cattle ranch
1 9 2 8 4 1custom order buying and selling
5 market analysis
5 9 2 4 7
Nova Scotia
1 9 2 8 G.C. Klassen and sons
9 2 8
Lyle Vaughan Box 22, Canwood, Sask. S0J 0K0 Ph/Fax: 306-468-2677 Lot capacity: 1,000
R.R. 1, Norwich, Ont. N0J 1P0 Ph: 519-468-2325 • Fax: 468-2326 Cell: 532-8748 email: vanker@execulink.com Lot capacity: 550
Van Oostrum Farms
Andrew Van Oostrum R.R. 2, Berwick, N.S. B0P 1E0 Ph: 902-538-7716 • Fax: 538-1411 Lot capacity: 400
1 5 9 2 8 4
New Brunswick Davanna Holdings Dean & David Acton
308 Cookville Loop Rd. Cookville, N.B. E4L 2A4 Ph: 506-536-2508 • Fax: 536-2826 Cell: 506-379-0024 email: davanna@xplornet.ca Lot capacity: 1,000
1 9 2 R.A. Farm
Robert Acton, Nathan Phinney, 550 Cookville Road Cookville, N.B. E4L 2A7 Ph: 506-536-2564 • Fax: 536-3396 Cell: 506-364-7263 email: rafarms1@xplornet.ca Lot capacity: 2,000
1 9 2 8 4
Prince Edward Island beech hill Farms
127 Beech Hill Road Alberry Plains, P.E.I. C0A 2E0 Ph: 902-651-2173
1 9
4
Mark or Nicholas Symbol Box 18, Group 6, R.R. 1 Anola, Man. R0E 0A0 Ph: 204-866-2683 Lot capacity: 240
9 2 8 9 backgrounding
2 health program
8 pen sharing
4 trucking
7hedging
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2016-08-22 11:22 AM
animal ca r e
By Debbie Furber
animal health management Canadian feedlot animal care assessment — Part 3
A
nimal health management is the foundation of animal care and one of the most detailed sections of a feedlot audit under the Canadian Feedlot Animal Care Assessment Program. It accounts for a possible 85 to 110 points depending on the size of your feedlot and the protocols you follow. Another 70 points are available by meeting minimum targets for the overall condition of the animals. Regulatory matters are first on the checklist. The auditor needs to see that cattle bear CCIA or ATQ radio frequency identification tags and that retagged animals are properly recorded. Health protocols, feed prescriptions, veterinary reports or bills should be recorded on documents with your veterinarian’s signature or the clinic name to verify a valid client-patient relationship to the auditor. Health protocols must be developed by a veterinarian to cover processing procedures on arrival, the treatment of disease and other conditions, and the use of production-enhancing technologies such as implants and feed additives like MGA and ractopamine. The protocols can be made available in hard copy or your health-management software program. Specific treatment protocols for common feedlot diseases and conditions need to include a description of the disease and drugs to use for pulls and re-pulls. Include the dose, route, withdrawal time, duration and frequency of treatment for the drugs. Protocols are also needed to cover any procedures feedlot staff may need to follow when, for example, repairing a rectal prolapse. Health protocols should include penchecking routine, information on how to prevent, treat, control and manage diseases and conditions, how to deal with animals that relapse, how to manage chronically ill and salvage-slaughter animals, and pain control procedures for dehorning, castrating and other surgeries. There must be no intact bulls in pens unless you have a policy of feeding intact bulls or your castration protocol calls for delayed castration. Alternatively, feedlots may have policies to return intact and/or belly-nut bulls to the order buyer or previous owner. www.canadiancattlemen.ca
management targets Home, shipping, receiving pens Body condition score 2 or less
Sick, chronic, salvage pens
0%
0%
Sickness or other condition
maximum 1%
severe, maximum 10%
Injured*
maximum 1%
severe, maximum 10%
Lame**
maximum 1%
severe, maximum 10%
0%
maximum 1%
Down Dead Extreme tag***
0%
0%
maximum 10%
maximum 10%
* broken bones, gashes, swellings ** bearing little or no weight on one leg *** covered in solid mud/manure on all four legs, underbelly and both sides of the body above the mid-rib
The auditor will ask about training for the animal-health crew and the training records.
Records must be kept to verify that pens are being checked, regularly, and all protocols are being followed. The auditor will ask about training for the animal-health crew and the training records. The feedlot veterinarian must be involved in training staff on how to prevent, diagnose, and properly treat sick and injured animals. The number of pens selected to assess the overall condition of the cattle will depend on the size of the feedlot and include home feeding pens as well as specialty pens for receiving or shipping, sick, chronic, salvage and buller animals. The auditor will walk through these pens with a feedlot guide after the feedlot’s health crew has been through them. During the assessment, the auditor is obligated to request that animals noted as sick, injured, thin or otherwise compromised be treated immediately according to the feedlot veterinarian’s protocol. Any animals found in severe distress beyond the
point of the feedlot veterinarian’s protocol for salvage slaughter, must be immediately euthanized, again according to protocol. An animal found in severe distress during an audit may be considered an egregious act of neglect, and may result in a failed audit depending on the situation. An animal with chronic respiratory disease, for example, may be very thin and mouth breathing due to the disease rather than neglect. Benchmarks for the condition of animals will be fine-tuned as the program is reviewed. Current targets are shown above. This is part of a series of articles on the new Canadian Feedlot Animal Care Assessment Program. Please see Canadian Cattlemen, May 2016, for more background. For more information, contact your provincial cattle feeder association for the link to all program documents on the Nation Cattle Feeders Association’s website or contact the NCFA, 403-769-1519, info@cattlefeeders.ca. c
C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6
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researc h o n t h e r eco r d
By Reynold Bergen
High Pressure Processing
I
n high pressure processing (HPP), food is sealed in water-resistant packaging, placed in a water-filled container, and exposed to very high hydrostatic pressures (up to 87,000 psi) for three to nine minutes. High pressure is harmful or deadly to many pathogenic and spoilage bacteria, so HPP can improve food safety and extend shelf life. But two problems remain. One is that high pressure doesn’t just squash bacteria; it also affects the proteins in meat. HPP-treated beef is much darker than fresh beef. Another is that Canada’s Food and Drug regulations classify “foods resulting from a process not previously used for food” as “novel foods.” This means that detailed scientific data needs to be submitted to Health Canada for review and approval before these foods can be sold commercially. However, HPP may be quite useful if these hurdles can be overcome. Marinating beef also affects the colour of uncooked beef, so perhaps using marinated instead of fresh steaks for HPP may be a way around the discolouration problem. In addition to the cost savings from reduced spoilage, HPP treatment may pose energy savings because HPP-treated beef can be refrigerated instead of frozen. A team of researchers led by Dr. Haihong Wang of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s Food Processing and Development Centre in Leduc, Alta. was funded by the Beef Science Cluster to investigate the effects of HPP on the quality, shelf life and nutritional value of refrigerated, marinated beef steaks that had been treated with HPP. Results from this research have been published recently: Effect of pressure on quality and shelf life of marinated beef semitendinosus steaks, Meat Science 99:148. What they did: Semitendinosus (eye of round) muscles were cut into eight steaks. One steak was used fresh; the other seven steaks were marinated. The eight steaks were exposed to no pressure (both the fresh steak and one marinated steak), or pressures ranging from 300 to 350, 400, 450, 500 and 600 MPa (43,500 to 87,000 psi) for three minutes at 8 C. The steaks were then subjected to a series of measurements, including Warner-Bratzler shear force (a mechanical measure of how difficult meat is to bite through), bacterial counts to assess shelf life at 7, 15, 28, 42, 57 and 85 days of refrigeration, a consumer panel assessment and an evaluation of nutrient levels. What they learned: HPP treatment of marinated eye of round steaks at 350 to 450 MPa (50,000 to 65,000 psi) gave the best results. Beef became paler and tougher when pressures above 450 MPa were used. The WarnerBratzler shear force measurements indicated that steaks treated with HPP at 450 MPa were no tougher than the
36
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marinated steaks that were not treated with HPP. Steaks treated at 500 or 600 MPa were tougher than the rest. The steaks treated with higher pressures had longer shelf lives; bacterial counts indicated that steaks treated with 350, 400 and 450 MPa were acceptable for 15, 42 and 85 days, respectively. The sensory evaluation involved 85 people who assessed the appearance, flavour, tenderness, juiciness and overall acceptability of five different types of eye of round steaks cooked medium-well (fresh steaks, marinated with no HPP, marinated plus HPP at 400 MPa and refrigerated for 31 days, and marinated plus HPP at 450 MPa and refrigerated for 31 or 61 days). Regardless of the sensory indicator, steaks cooked fresh were rated best, the steaks that were marinated but not HPPtreated were rated lowest, and the three marinated HPP treatments were intermediate and no different from each other. The levels of 30 different nutrients were compared between three sets of steaks treated with no HPP, 450 MPa for three minutes, or 450 MPa for three minutes, repeated three times. No differences were seen for any of the nutrients measured, including protein, fat, saturated fat, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, cholesterol, iron or potassium. What it means: HPP treatment at 450 MPa for three minutes can significantly extend shelf life without negatively affecting the meat quality, sensory attributes or nutritional values of marinated beef steaks. The data collected in this study were also instrumental in gaining regulatory approval for high pressure processing. Data were submitted to Health Canada for approval on June 3, 2015. A letter of “non-novelty” for these HPP-treated foods was issued by Health Canada on April 8, 2016. Industry clients can now start producing and selling HPP marinated raw meats in the marketplace immediately. As with all new technologies, whether the process will be adopted will largely depend on the capital and operating costs of the HPP equipment relative to the benefits in terms of reduced product storage costs and extended shelf life. Now they have the option. The Beef Research Cluster is funded by the National Checkoff and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with additional contributions from provincial beef industry groups and governments to advance research and technology transfer supporting the Canadian beef industry’s vision to be recognized as a preferred supplier of healthy, high-quality beef, cattle and genetics. c Dr. Reynold Bergen is the science director of the Beef Cattle Research Council.
www.canadiancattlemen.ca
Untitled-1 1
8/18/2016 9:21:50 AM
animal h ea lt h
By Ron Clarke, DVM
What do coffee and doughnuts have in common with beef?
T
he Canadian Beef Industry Conference 2016 (CBIC 2016) provoked thought on many topics. Presentations by a host of food industry icons stirred the imagination of the cattle industry, a body once thought inert and cloaked so deeply in tradition and romance that any significant degree of change seemed improbable.Through two solid days of presentations, I witnessed sparks of enlightenment. Among the notables were industry’s acceptance of how important “telling the story” of producing beef in today’s marketing world had become, and its corollary of listening carefully to consumers and responding to the things they need and want. Sam Heath, vice-president of marketing, Tim Hortons Canada, talked about branding and the dimension of not only telling what they do, but how they do it. Tim Hortons is in the business of selling coffee. Doughnuts are secondary. From 3,700 locations across Canada, Tim Hortons’ share of the coffee market is approximately 75 per cent. Much of their success depends on what Heath calls “community messaging,” things like: giving it your best, sweat and devotion, lead by example, when you come you are a part of us, and we are Canadian. Their success depends on a life-long relationship with consumers. Heath reminded the audience that a 30-second ad sells many things. Branding is not just a logo, it’s everything a company stands for and can back up. A recent, and important, advance in the beef industry’s story and its quest for sustainability is pain control in animals, especially in young calves at the time of processing. Though pain control is just one element of responsible care and a single issue in the whole umbrella of animal welfare, it draws the askant view of the public and many consumers. Animal welfare has become the currency of progress within the livestock industry. Animal welfare advocacy defines how animals get cared for, how they are raised, how they are transported, and ultimately how they become food. The subject of animal welfare has raised the consciousness of an industry and they are no longer afraid to talk about it. At one time, public exposure threatened producers, but ultimately production practices at the
38
farm and ranch level were transformed and concepts like pain control and prudent antibiotic use extended into corporate boardrooms. Animal welfare moved from something we were once skittish to address in an open forum to top billing at national meetings in Canada and the U.S. The knowledge of pain in livestock has advanced steadily over the past two decades. Behavioural and physiological indicators of pain have been identified, and researchers’ ability to measure animal responses associated to painful procedures have improved. Research has developed new pain control drugs that are registered for use in cattle in Canada. Knowledge is building on the appropriate dosage, routes of administration and synergy between anesthetics and analgesics. In part, consumer pressure to avoid painful practices on cattle when possible brought about change, especially when painful procedures like castration, dehorning, or branding are necessary. The new Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle makes strong statements about pain control. The code requires: • Castration be performed by competent personnel using proper, clean, and wellmaintained tools. • Producers seek guidance from their veterinarian regarding optimum methods, timing, and pain control. • Animals be castrated as young as practically possible, before the age of three months and especially before weaning. • As of January 1, 2016: use pain control when castrating bulls older than nine months. • As of January 1, 2018: use pain control when castrating bulls older than six months. Canadian beef producers are doing a good job at reducing the number of cattle with horns. According to the latest National Beef Quality Audit, fewer than 11 per cent of non-fed cattle and fewer than 13 per cent of fed cattle processed in Canada in 2010-11 had any type of horns. The Beef Code of Practice requires: • Dehorning be performed by competent personnel using proper, clean, and wellmaintained tools. • Producers seek guidance from their veterinarian on pain control availability. • Disbud calves as early as possible, while
C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6
horn development is in the bud stage (two to three months of age). • Effective January 1, 2016: use pain control in consultation with your veterinarian when dehorning after the horn bud has attached. Among pain control products available to producers is the drug meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with analgesic and fever-reducing effects. Meloxicam is available in injectable and oral formulations. The oral solution was recently approved and came into the marketplace as a result of Canadian research. The product, sold through veterinarians by Solvet, is a fast, long-lasting and convenient approach to pain management. The product addresses needs set by the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Animals. It is easily administered as a drench. Meloxicam’s use when calves are vaccinated, branded, castrated and dehorned in the spring has garnered wide acceptance amongst cattle producers. Through the spring of 2016, many producers used meloxicam for the first time during branding. With few exceptions, the drug’s use evolved into a commitment to incorporate meloxicam into routine processing protocols. Following administration of meloxicam, calves were described as more comfortable, nursed more quickly, moved more freely and mothered-up sooner. In the view of a number of producers, meloxicam helped calves overcome the stressful effects of multiple vaccines routinely administered during branding. The livestock industry stands solidly behind responsible animal care and recognizes it as a commitment in the future of sustainable beef production. Limiting the pain and stress of necessary production practices exemplifies how industry addresses the welfare of young calves. In a world where volumes of new information exceed the human capacity to process it and where the quest for answers to complex issues becomes the empty glare of a computer screen, simple things get forgotten. Animal care is about simple things, about thinking and doing simple things right every time. c Dr. Ron Clarke is a consulting veterinarian living in Cochrane, Alta.
www.canadiancattlemen.ca
ď ľ Nutritio n
By John McKinnon
Another Crazy Year for Growing Hay!
L
ooking back at the spring/summer of 2016, the year was fairly typical in that there was a great deal of variation in growing conditions across the country. Much of Western Canada was blessed with significant moisture that resulted in great growing conditions for pasture, hay and silage crops. However, ill-timed rains forced many producers to put up hay at less than ideal quality. In contrast, parts of Ontario experienced drought-like conditions for much of the growing season, which resulted in a poor hay crop for many producers, particularly for those that rely on the second cut to get through the winter. The result of this variability in the 2016 forage crop is that many producers are faced with making decisions about supplementing their traditional winter feeding programs. With this article I would like to provide direction on choosing the right supplement. Depending on your situation, supplementation needs will likely fall into one of three categories. These include: providing a supplemental source of energy, protein or in some cases a combination of energy and protein. For example, when forage supplies are tight, you are likely going to have to provide a supplemental source of energy to get your cattle through the winter. Those that have a sufficient supply of poor-quality hay may need to supplement protein or in some cases both energy and protein. The first step in making the correct choice will be to have your forage tested. A forage test will give you the quality of the material you are starting with and point to the need for supplemental energy, protein or both. The following examples illustrate common sources of energy and/or protein that can be used to supplement winter feeding programs (all values DM basis). Traditional energy supplements include the cereal grains such as corn, barley, and oat and, in some cases, wheat. If we use corn grain as the standard, typically it will contain 88 per cent total digestible nutrients (TDN). Wheat will be similar to corn in terms of energy content; however, barley and oat are lower in energy at 82 and 76 per cent TDN, respectively. To put these values into perspective, a good-quality alfalfa/ grass hay will test at 65 per cent TDN while a mediumquality grass hay will average 55 per cent TDN and barley or wheat straw will come in at 40 to 45 per cent TDN. It is also important to remember that cereal grains are starch-based sources of energy and that cattle need to be adapted to being fed high-grain diets, as may be the case if you are considering feeding significant amounts of straw this winter. As well, in order
40
C a t t l e m e n ¡ S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6
to obtain optimum feed value, barley and wheat kernels will need to be coarsely processed (i.e. dry rolled) before feeding. Oat grain can be fed whole as a creep feed to younger cattle, but is not as efficiently digested when consumed by mature cattle. While not ideal, corn grain can be fed whole to mature cattle without significant nutrient loss. Finally, keep in the back of your mind that these cereal grains are also relatively good sources of crude protein ranging from eight to 10 per cent for corn to 15 per cent for wheat grain. There are also a number of byproducts that can be fed to provide supplemental energy. Examples include wheat midds, grain screenings, dried distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and other specialty byproducts that may be available locally (i.e. cull potatoes). Wheat midds or mill-run is a byproduct of the flour industry. While there is some variability depending on source, this product is typically 90 to 95 per cent of the energy value of barley grain. Wheat midds are also a very good source of protein (i.e. 15 to 18 per cent). A wide variety of grain screening products can be purchased. Typical grain screening pellets range in TDN from 65 to 72 per cent with crude protein levels from 13 to 15 per cent. Pea and lentil screenings are superior sources of both energy and protein relative to cereal grain screenings. Fortified grain screening pellets are sold by a number of feed mills and specialty plants across the country. These pellets are custom blended to provide targeted levels of energy and protein and can also contain a mineral package. One should consult your feed supplier for actual nutrient specifications. Finally, corn and wheat DDGS are unique products in that they are concentrated sources of both energy and protein. Wheat DDGS typically are 38 to 40 per cent CP and are similar in energy content to barley grain. Corn DDGS are lower in protein (28 to 33 per cent) than wheat DDGS but closer to corn grain in energy value (85 to 90 per cent TDN). Both are a highly palatable feed that cattle readily consume. If a protein supplement is required, a wide variety of choices are available including canola meal (38 to 40 per cent CP), soybean meal (46 to 52 per cent CP depending on type) and a variety of commercial supplements. There are numerous options available with prices varying by commodity, supply, location and time of year. Working with a qualified nutritionist can help you make the right decision for your situation. However, as stated above, the first step is to get your forage tested. The results will point you in the right direction when formulating your winter feeding program. c
John McKinnon is a beef cattle nutritionist at the University of Saskatchewan
www.canadiancattlemen.ca
animal h ea lt h
By Roy Lewis, DVM
Steer Clear of Fatigued Cattle Syndrome
A
few years ago cattle from an Ameri can feedlot went down during transport to a packing plant and others developed severe lameness. This condition was eventually labelled fatigued cattle syndrome and became a huge animal welfare issue due to the appearance of severely lame, nonambulatory cattle. Initially beta-agonists were incriminated but numerous studies have essentially proven it was not due to beta-agonists but a combination of other factors that precipitated this condition. Coming out of this discovery were a number of preventive measures feedlot operators could use to prevent this condition from arising. Dr. Dan Thomson of Kansas State University and a team of researchers in production animal medicine determined several stressors lead to fatigued cattle syndrome (FCS). FCS has some characteristic symptoms but of course they can be confused with other syndromes such as acute laminitis due to grain overload, and selenium/vitamin E deficiencies. Symptoms of FCS include a strained pattern of breathing as well as very slow movements leading to non-ambulatory cattle. In severe cases there has been sloughing of the hooves. Contributing factors to FCS are possibly preventable. The heat load definitely contributed as the initial cases appeared in temperatures around 35 C. The specific findings in our upcoming Canadian transportation code revision may lead to specific recommendations, but obviously we need to be extra careful handling, transporting and butchering cattle in the summer heat. Depending on distance travelled or number of cattle moved and sorted, perhaps a maximum temperature will be
42
found that is safe. We also know that hide colour has a lot to do with heat stress and tolerable temperatures may go down as the percentage of black-hided cattle go up. A good percentage of the cattle we see today in Western Canada are black hided. I was privy to a very descriptive video showing heat stress in a pen of mainly blackhided cattle. While the majority of the cattle were in the shade of a porosity fence and breathing heavily, the minority red and white cattle were up at the feed bunk eating. Of the few cattle I have treated for heat stress over the years, all have been black hided. Cattle handling, the distance to be loaded, the distance traveled and the related stress during movement all contribute to FCS. These may all seem like common-sense observations, and they are, but until this specific syndrome appeared there was no reason to suspect we had a problem. The researchers also performed tests to determine muscle enzyme levels in the blood. In affected cattle the levels get very high. It is the same with downer cattle as they attempt to rise or calves with white muscle disease. Dr. Thomson and his group found that aggressive handling produced the same muscle lactate levels as running a seven or eight-minute mile or walking for about 20 minutes. We can all identify with this. If we run too far when we’re not used to it, our muscles can become extremely sore for a few days due to the buildup of lactic acid. Feedlot cattle these days are getting bigger, and when they are in prime condition for butchering they are not athletic enough to be running around for any amount of time. In some large feedlots the home pen may be more than a mile from the load-out area and that had a bearing on the incidence of FCS, so changes may need to be made in
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lot design. It may require staged moving or more load-out areas. It would be nice to have parameters that are easily measurable and tied in with temperature. FCS was even more critical at the packing plants. Some common factors contributing to FCS at the plants were the time the cattle remained in the pens before slaughter and whether shade and cooling were available, particularly in areas with very hot climates. Cattle density in the pens was another factor. When holding pens get crowded the cattle cannot properly dissipate heat. Animal handling practices and facilities were also looked at. Stress, exertion and rough handling can often be reduced by better facilities or better training of staff. Flooring was another factor. Some surfaces resulted in injuries to the feet. In the U.S. discovering the causes of FCS has lead to a training and monitoring protocol termed the “FCS Stewardship Program.” The goal is to minimize or eliminate FCS by removing or reducing these risk factors across the industry. Investigating all suspected cases should identify the areas that need improvement. Although the incidence of FCS may never have been as high in Canada as in the U.S. with our more temperate climate we still gets very hot summer days in southern areas of the country. So it makes sense to be aware of the potential ramifications of how we sort, process, load and transport cattle, especially with heavy marketweight, black-hided cattle on hot summer days. c Roy Lewis is an Alberta-based veterinarian specializing in large-animal practice. He is also a part-time technical services vet for Merck Animal Health.
www.canadiancattlemen.ca
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Free Mar k et R e flect i o n s
By Steve Dittmer
Cattle Industry Concerns Shared By Many in the U.S.
B
eyond the markets and the weather, American cattlemen are riveted on the presidential election more than ever before. Why? You are familiar with Hollywood movie sequels. Well, this is “The Most Important Election in Your Lifetime: Part 3.” How much can any governmental system take? The present state of the economy, the breakdown in the social fabric, in law and order and national security, means many folks are very unhappy with the status quo. Witness the ascendancy of Republican candidate Donald Trump. So for Canadian cattlemen, this might seem like a “there but for the grace of God, go I” review. We’ll wager you are better off in Canada but let these lessons be a warning: never let this happen to your country. • Regulations — Under the current administration — and promised by Hillary Clinton to continue — we have suffered the biggest flood of federal regulations in history — in both volume (many thousands) and unprecedented range. Regulations to CONTROL water, air, soil and energy through our Environmental Protection Agency, plus others working with the Interior Department using the Endangered Species Act to hamper or shut down grazing, farming, energy development and hunting have threatened or destroyed many industries. Beyond that, agencies have been allowed to totally reset and redefine the boundaries of agencies pushing far beyond statutory authority. • Our Supreme Court and federal appeals court appointments are for life, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. What the political left in this country has not been able to achieve with legislation, all too often leftist judges have accomplished. That has resulted in more government control over every detail of business and personal life. The next president could nominate two, three or more justices, with the power to either boost government power or begin the process of liberating society and business from governmental overreach for the next 20-30 years. • Between the developed world’s highest corporate tax rate and ridiculous over-regulation, dozens of companies have elected, through buying or merging with foreign companies, to move their headquarters out of the U.S. Tax overhaul and deregulation is the answer. Farmers and ranchers, of course, have neither the size nor scale to leave. It is also impossible to move fields and pastures to another country to avoid taxes and regs. Reform is desperately needed. And research shows reducing corporate tax rates for all-sized companies tends to directly boost wages. • The economy — Neither agriculture nor many of the average citizens believe this is a good economy or the best we can do. Some inner city minorities and millen-
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nials have already lost hope. Witness socialist candidate Bernie Sanders. Obama won the last election boasting economic data which no presidential candidate had ever overcome. Have enough Americans lost patience with the Democratic approach to managing the economy? • National security — The U.S. and Canada have more than once joined hands to fight tyranny in the world. But I believe Canada always expected the U.S. to be a major, well-prepared force with clear intent and near total commitment. It sounds clichéd but the U.S. has become a nation not trusted by her allies, not feared by her enemies and lacking the confidence of her citizens to prevail. • Trade — Agriculture depends very much on trade. Much of the economy depends on trade, yet the labour unions command political power by virtue of their organization and hefty political giving, making a formidable opponent. The left and consumer activist groups who usually feel sorry for the downtrodden, see American products and services as evil competition for poorer countries. They also oppose conventional trade agreements because they do not force our trading partners far enough in bowing to the global warming and labour union goals they espouse. • Immigration — Agriculture is caught in a quandary. Farmers and ranchers believe in law and order, which means a border that controls the influx of criminals, drugs and unregulated/unknown populations. In addition, the border ranchers are the families most affected by war-torn living conditions on their own ranches, rampant crime and outright destruction of their livelihoods. Conversely, they need labour and want a guest worker program big enough and efficiently run to supply the agricultural economy and yet uphold lawful society. A final word about trade. Last night I read a Canadian friend of mine pronounce TPP as dead because neither American candidate favoured it. I would caution you not to be hasty. The fight for TPP ratification in Congress will be very difficult. But the next president could easily flip flop if it’s Hillary or revise his stand if it’s Trump. There isn’t space to examine those possibilities here but they are there. But in America, we have a congressional session held after the November election and before the new president takes office — the lame-duck session. Members of Congress who have not been re-elected have the opportunity to vote their conscience on what’s good for the country long-term without election consequences. Yes, I know they are supposed to do that all the time. But they are politicians. The point is that proponents of free trade and TPP will make every effort to get TPP considered during the lame-duck session, when they can be assured President Obama will sign it. It is a viable possibility. Stay tuned. c
Steve Dittmer is the CEO of Agribusiness Freedom Foundation, a non-profit group promoting free market principles throughout the food chain. He can be reached at steve@agfreedom.ag.
www.canadiancattlemen.ca
Fall forage management
A look at maintaining productive long-term capacity By Trudy A. Kelly Forsythe
As fall approaches and forage stands approach near dormancy stage, it’s tempting to think what’s going on in those stands can be dismissed until springtime. However, if your goal is to maintain productive long-term capacity in your forage stands, experts say there are some important factors to keep in mind for fall management.
Ensure good fertility The first is ensuring good fertility, particularly with potassium going into the fall as it helps prepare the forage stand for winter. Yousef Papadopoulos, a research scientist with AAFC specializing in forage, explains this is because as the seasons shift from summer to fall and then into winter, perennial species like forage and legumes need to become dormant. “Potassium triggers a slowdown of growth and changes components in the soil to facilitate winter survival,” he says. “It is important, especially with legumes, to avoid winter kill.” While fall potassium is particularly important, Papadopoulos stresses that good fertilization is critical throughout the year. To ensure you maintain the proper levels of all nutrients year round, he recommends doing repeated soil tests and putting manure or fertilizer on if needed.
Avoid grazing The second is not grazing, or harvesting, during the critical rest period to allow the forages to have sufficient root
CANADIAN FORAGE & GRASSLAND ASSOCIATION www.canadianfga.ca Ph: 506-260-0872
reserves going into the dormant season. Papadopoulos recommends allowing it to grow into September and mid-October. “To extend the life of a stand, you really have to not take most of what you can,” he says. “Leave some growth to acclimate that stand.” This is particularly important if a farm is vulnerable to icing. “You need to accumulate good snow coverage and the growth will trap snow and the snow will help avoid exposure to cold temperatures.”
Choose good varieties Another important consideration is ensuring the forage mixtures you seed have the appropriate species and varieties to tolerate the conditions a region can expect for the winter, especially regarding freeze-thaw cycles. “Varieties are very critical,” says Papadopoulos. “They have to be persistent and they have to be compatible. Some are very aggressive, especially orchardgrass as it has something in the root that prevents other plants from growing because they compete with them, except white clover because it gives them nitrogen.” Legumes are important for their nitrogenfixing capabilities and the longer you can sustain them in their stands, the better. “When animals go in to graze, they select the very best, especially legumes,” says Papadopoulos. “If they keep grazing it, regrowth becomes very slow and eventually
A productive grass-legume pasture stand (left) next to a stand with poor regrowth. PHOTO: YOUSEF PAPADOPOULOS
dies out. Let the stand overmature to allow legumes to grow and they may even flower and seed.” If you’re interested in stockpiling to extend the grazing season and reduce feed and feeding costs, some species are good because they grow throughout the fall, namely bluegrass and tall fescue. Papadopoulos explains you should look for varieties that maintain their quality but don’t grow beyond September and if you’re going to stockpile, don’t touch the field in August.
Ask for help Maintaining productive long-term capacity in your forage stands is something you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Papadopoulos recommends you contact an extension specialist if you have any questions.
BUILDING TRUST IN CANADIAN BEEF
Inside the new VBP+ audit A producer’s first audit experience and thoughts for his industry Manitoba beef producer Barry Brigden is quick to tell you in an interview that there isn’t anything unusual about his cow-calf and backgrounding operation. In many ways that’s a fair assessment. He and his family calve out about 300 cows in spring, another 30 or 40 in the fall. And he backgrounds anywhere from the entire calf crop to just replacement heifers, depending on calf prices in the fall. That beef program is backed by a mixed farm cropping operation designed to grow feed. One way he does stand out. He was one of the first beef farms to be audited under the newly revised Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program. That audit covers not just on-farm food safety, the original VBP program, but also new modules added for animal care, environment and biosecurity. How did he fare? Read on. Audit worries
Brigden had heard all of the concerns that come up regarding audits. Privacy. Security. That audits could reveal some things a producer is doing incorrectly. Or that they take a lot of time. The reality, says Brigden, is the process is simple, not intimidating in the least and not very time consuming. What sorts of questions did he face?
He thinks a bit in response to that question, not because they were difficult, he is quick to explain, but because they were so straightforward he answered them easily. “We covered things like animal care and husbandry, environmental practices and biosecurity. And we had a few things pointed out that could be improved, but they were pretty minor,” he says. Thinking confidently
Part of all of this is confidence. Brigden says he has no issues with people having questions because he doesn’t think he has anything to hide. “We spend a lot of time around our yard keeping things neat and tidy. Corrals are cleaned, barn is disinfected. We’re careful about having visitors during vulnerable times like calving. It’s just what we do here. “But anybody comes to our place I welcome them to see what we do.” The producer benefit
Brigden envisions a day when the efforts for VBP+ pay off better in the marketplace. In the constant search for value, he sells at pre-sort sales. He would like to see a pre-sort sale for VBP+ calves. “If I had one thought for producers it would be that VBP audits do not cause nervousness. It is really not that intimidating,
Barry Brigden of Souris, Man., found new VBP+ audit simple to do but important for industry.
it’s really not that hard. I’m willing to bet everybody I know is already complying and there really isn’t much to finish it off and become a certified Verified Beef producer. “The more of us that are audited, it should be good for markets down the road. It should be beneficial for Canadian beef to have it all verified, grown sustainably, meeting standards for medication, health, care and welfare. “I think most guys are close so let’s jump on board and get it done.”
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vet aDvi c e
DID WE WALK AWAY FROM ANAPLASMOSIS TOO SOON?
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s of April 1, 2014, anaplasmosis in cattle was removed from the list of federally reportable diseases. The federal government is no longer involved in controlling the disease. Import controls were basically removed. Cows purchased from infected areas of North America are no longer tested before entering Canada despite the fact that testing reduces the risk of introducing infected cows into Canada. Outside of producer and veterinary practitioner vigilance, animal health agencies have abandoned their control effort. On February 26, 2013, CFIA admitted it had given up on “wiping out anaplasmosis.” Statements given at that time include: • In that the disease has become “established” in U.S. herds, Canadian inspectors will no longer respond to new cases of anaplasmosis starting next spring. • CFIA will remove anaplasmosis from Canada’s list of federally reportable diseases effective April 1, 2014, placing it instead on the “immediately notifiable” list. • There is a strong probability that anaplasmosis will enter Canada from the U.S. and the continuing attempt to eradicate the disease within Canada may not be feasible. • Once that happens, only laboratories will be required to report suspected or confirmed cases of anaplasmosis to the CFIA, thus allowing Canada to still meet the annual reporting requirements of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on the disease. • As of April next year, CFIA “will no longer respond” to anaplasmosis cases, nor run surveillance to verify Canada’s status for the disease. • Anaplasmosis, caused by a micro-organism parasitic to red blood cells, affects ruminants including cattle, sheep, goats and deer, but only causes clinical signs in cattle and giraffes. It remains of “economic importance” to the cattle sector in infected countries, including the U.S. Anaplasmosis in cattle, caused by Anaplasma marginale, became a federally report able disease in December 1969 after Canada’s first outbreak in Manitoba the previous year. Anaplasma marginale poses no direct human health or food safety risk. It is a disease of ruminants, including several deer species and bison, although only clinically apparent
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in cattle. Transmission is by competent ticks, or mechanically through transferring blood from infected animals via biting flies, needles and instruments. In Canada, Dermacentor andersoni and Dermacentor variabilis ticks have been shown to be competent biological vectors for A. marginale. Cattle surviving infection remain carriers for life, even if treated with tetracycline. Five occurrences of anaplasmosis have been previously recorded in Canada: Manitoba in 1968, Quebec in 1979, Saskatchewan in 1983, Ontario in 1996, and Saskatchewan in 2000. With the exception of the 2000 outbreak that occurred in bison, all involved beef cow-calf operations. Incursions of A. marginale into Canada from the U.S. probably occur naturally during migration of infected deer and antelope, or by deer carrying infected ticks. Clinical signs of anaplasmosis
• Cattle of all ages become infected but the severity of disease is age dependent with cattle less than a year old showing no or very mild clinical signs of the disease. • Cattle between one and two years of age will develop acute clinical disease manifested by fever, going off feed, rapid shallow breathing, reluctance to walk, and pale mucous membranes. Fatalities in this group are rare. Milk production in affected dairy cattle rapidly declines. • Cattle older than two years of age also develop acute clinical disease, which may result in sudden death. • Fatality rates in animals older than two years experiencing clinical disease can range from 29 to 49 per cent. • Infected animals remain persistently infected carriers for life and remain reservoirs for infection. Current science indicates that short-term treatment of infected cattle with tetracycline only temporarily eliminates the organism, but does not eliminate the carrier state. Eliminating the carrier state requires long-term treatment with tetracycline, which poses the challenges of expense, offlabel use of an antibiotic, milk and meat residues and suitable delivery mechanisms. • Anaplasmosis persists in cattle herds in certain parts of the country. This persistence, or “endemic” nature, of the disease, needs
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two things: a vector (tick) population that is active throughout most of the year, and a population of persistently infected cattle. Persistently infected cows can give birth to calves that are persistently infected. Unless the infections are extensive enough, or infected animals are placed under sufficient stress, signs of illness might never occur. Anaplasmosis is the most common ticktransmitted disease of cattle worldwide and represents a major obstacle to profitable beef production in the United States. Introduction of anaplasmosis into a naive herd can decrease calf crops by 3.6 per cent and increase cull rates by 30 per cent. Without treatment, mortality in clinical cases often exceeds 30 per cent. Studies have shown that 16 per cent of pregnant carrier cows transmit A. marginale in utero producing persistently infected offspring. Total cost to the beef industry in the U.S. is presently estimated in excess of $300 million annually. Many veterinary disease specialists believe the risk of introducing A. marginale has increased. The prevalence of anaplasmosis has surged in some western states. Kansas, for example, has positive herds in a very large percentage of counties and in 2015 mustered producers, veterinarians and extension personnel to address how they should coordinate their response to the disease. Several experts feel the increasing distribution of A. marginale in the U.S. can be attributed to increased cattle movement and changes in tick activity attributable to climate change. Regulatory change means that only laboratories are required to report suspected or confirmed cases to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). CFIA no longer responds to anaplasmosis cases detected on farms, nor will it conduct surveillance to verify Canada’s ‘anaplasmosis status’. For the most part, cattle, bison and elk producers have to work with their herd veterinarian to deal with cases of anaplasmosis and will be responsible for prevention, testing and treatment of the disease on the farm. c Dr. Ron Clarke prepares this column on behalf of the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners. Suggestions for future articles can be sent to Canadian Cattlemen (gren@fbcpublishing.com) or WCABP (info@wcabp.com).
www.canadiancattlemen.ca
prime cuts
By Steve Kay
Consumers’ food spending switch
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ll wealth of the North American beef industry comes from consumers. So how much they spend on beef and where they spend it is of vital interest to all participants, from cow-calf producers to processors and distributors. One of the most striking trends in the U.S. protein complex this year is how lower beef prices have helped Americans rekindle their love of a good steak. As part of this trend, equally fascinating is the swing in consumer food spending back to the grocery store at the expense of restaurants. The last seven years have been especially instructive in revealing the relationship between price and consumers’ ability to pay for the protein of their choice, whether at a grocery store or in a restaurant. The great recession and its aftermath had two key impacts on Americans’ protein-eating habits. First, they spent more of their food dollars at retail rather than at food service, spending that is normally about 50:50. Even a small percentage swing meant billions more dollars flowed into grocery stores in the late 2000s. Second, and related to beef buying, Americans who still wanted their “beef fix” cut back on buying the more expensive steak items and instead bought more ground beef. What occurred next was a graphic example of how price can hurt sales and demand. Extreme drought from 2010 to 2012 shrunk the U.S. beef cow herd to its lowest level in more than 60 years. This pushed live cattle and wholesale beef prices to record-high levels that are not likely to be seen again for many years. Retail ground beef prices reached record levels and hurt sales. Consumers late last year also began to suffer from ground beef “fatigue” and retail sales have remained weak since then. Meanwhile, beef in 2014 and into 2015 became less and less competitive with
pork and chicken throughout the retail meat case and in restaurants. This year has seen a reversal of these trends for beef. Production is up on last year, by 4.4 per cent by the third week of August. Second, and more important, wholesale beef prices have been much lower than last year, especially this summer. Retailers have featured beef more aggressively than for several years and consumers have responded. Most retail chains report that their protein sales, led by beef, are up sharply so far this year on last year. Restaurant chains, from hamburger to steakhouse chains, cannot make the same claim. Traffic and spending is static at best and expectations for the next several months are somewhat negative. Some restaurant equities analysts even forecast that the restaurant indicators portend a coming recession. That seems overly alarmist. What appears to be happening is that Americans realize their food dollars go far further in the grocery store than in a restaurant. In addition, steakhouses and other restaurant chains have bombarded consumers with an endless succession of coupons this year. But these attempts to attract more patrons have instead confused consumers, who don’t know what’s a bargain and what isn’t. In the grocery store, Americans can recognize a good meat deal when they see one. Hamburger chain Wendy’s in early August openly acknowledged the switch in consumer food spending. The widening gap between supermarket and restaurant prices is far and away the biggest driver for recent softness in the restaurant industry, noted Wendy’s CEO Todd Penegor. It’s gotten a lot cheaper to get beef at your local butcher and go home and grill it, he said. How true. But the beef industry needs strong sales at both retail and food service. Let’s hope the restaurant business gets back on track soon. c
A North American view of the meat industry. Steve Kay is publisher and editor of Cattle Buyers Weekly.
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straigh t f ro m t h e h i p
By Brenda Schoepp
Our Legacy is not dependent on our accomplishments
I
remember walking into my first Cattlemen’s meeting when I was a young woman. I was one of a very few ladies. Straight off the farm, I was not only unsure but politically uneducated and felt somewhat vulnerable. As the years rolled into decades the fear was replaced with confidence and my network grew to include hundreds of fellow cattlemen and women in the industry. Now when I walk into that room it is like going into a large farm kitchen, filled with old friends, some foes and new acquaintances. In August at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference it was a thrill to not know everyone on a first-name basis. The atmosphere has changed and the farm kitchen has expanded to many new faces. The dynamic included the energy of young men and women who dominated the conversation. They were relaxed, informed, confident and ready for leadership roles. The regenerative spirit was palpable. This is in part due to the work of women like Jill Harvie who developed the Cattlemen Young Leaders Program and opened the doors to youth. Her commitment can be measured. A mentorship is a great experience and the outcome of the last five years was evident by those mentees who now were in leadership positions. In the crowd was a good friend of mine whom had sent me a note a few years ago reminding me “that this industry has been good to us.” That came from the dynamic Anne Wasko who has never failed to light up a room with her smile and deeply impress with her wisdom. Anne knows how to stay true to her style, say it like it is, care deeply and she knows the value of commitment. She has had an impact on generations of men and women who strive for excellence and given them confidence to ask the questions they need to ask. Canadians attended from every province who were also part of the Canadian Young Farmers Forum, Farm Management Canada, breed associations, service providers and more. Not only did several Canadian Nuffield Scholars attend (I am a recipient) but one presented and two arrived for the conference from Australia, all evidence that our young global family is growing. The energy in this beef family is also due in part to the way we communicate as an industry and the strong impact of social media. When I first started feeding cattle we did not have cell phones, email, Internet or any instant messaging services. Telephone companies charged for long distance and we received our information by fax or mail! Now it all seems like a dark page in communication history when you compare it to the capabilities of today. During the meeting the conference hashtag became the most used in Canada. That means that folks followed from around the country and the globe. It was a reflection of how youth communicates — in those
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amazing short and sweet messages that convey feeling and opinion. Just like the past elections, the beef industry has become a social media platform. If you want folks to come — you catch them on their cell phone and invite them in. The vibrant nature of social media allows for meetings to be fun and comments to be shared on the spot. Communication comes in many different forms from the beautiful spoken word to what you read on these pages. In writing there is an opportunity to compliment, create dialogue and to take readers to a new plane of thought. It is a creative exercise that challenges the writer to be accurate, engaging and inspiring, and layer in messages that have impact. It is by writing on these pages that I have received my greatest blessings — the men and women who have sent their thoughts on a wide range of topics by email, Twitter or Facebook, the encouragement they shared and the spoken compliments so kind that it makes my heart blush.This is a very special family. I have sold my ranch and am now one step removed from the active duty that was the foundation of my living for 40 years. My writing will likely change a little and sometimes, as readers noted last month, I will take a break to ponder carefully the message that I feel needs to be shared. As we move through the pyramid of life from survival to success and finally to significance, our lens takes in many colours and we strive to share them in meaningful dialogue. This is also an invitation for those vibrant young men and women in industry to consider moving onto these pages. There is no shortage of mentors, myself included, to help get you into the rhythm of this great magazine. Our legacy is not dependent on our accomplishments but by the talent we have nurtured in those around us. In the beef industry we have this fantastic dynamic that is not reflected in other areas of agriculture. We have engaged youth — young men and women who are committed and totally capable because of the leadership of women like Jill and Anne, the young executives and the young farmers and ranchers in Canada who live their core values. We are a family inspiring each other. My family has grown to be international in scope and includes all walks of agriculture. I have been surrounded by the young and transformed into the realm of the possible. Each day is an exciting opportunity to learn and to share that experience. In the future, I look forward to walking into that giant industry kitchen and to be introduced to the person in the industry who competently will take my place at the table. c Contact Brenda through her website: www.brendaschoepp. com. All rights reserved. Brenda Schoepp
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CCA repo rts
By Dan Darling
First Canadian Beef Industry Conference brought the industry together
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s always, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) had an event-filled August. Our semi-annual meeting traditionally held in the summer was for the first time ever combined with other industry partner meetings and events to create the inaugural Canadian Beef Industry Conference (CBIC). The Canadian beef industry is comprised of many moving parts and numerous professions up and down the value chain. Beef production begins with the producers on the ground who choose to raise beef cattle for a living, a choice which creates a ripple effect for numerous related specialists — agrologists, economists, veterinarians, commerce services including insurance, banks, lawyers, technology companies and many more. The CBIC was an excellent demonstration of the breadth of the beef industry, with participation from nearly every part of the value chain, bringing the vast majority of players under one roof. During the CCA semi-annual meetings at the conference, leadership from our U.S. and Mexican cattle association counterparts, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas (CNOG), were in attendance and we enjoyed good discussion at our tri-lateral leaders’ meetings. CCA committee meeting discussions focused on ongoing challenges including workplace shortages, animal care and welfare, uncertainty around the progression of trade agreements, and technical barriers to trade limiting market access. On climate change, the conversations focused on ensuring the Canadian beef industry’s role as a responsible steward of Canada’s natural resources continues, in part through identifying ways to ensure continual improvement in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and optimization of carbon sequestration in grasslands. This dialogue provided a good reminder of how multifaceted the beef industry is and enhanced appreciation for the hard work that goes on daily to ensure the beef industry remains a viable industry and one worthy of the public trust. The CBIC was also an opportunity for the CCA to demonstrate the success of its flagship youth mentorship programs: Cattlemen’s Young Leaders (CYL) and the Young Cattlemen’s Council (YCC). The CBIC featured the fiveyear anniversary of the CYL program, which I believe is a great success, particularly when one considers the success rate of retaining CYLs and YCCs in industry. YCC alumni include Virgil Lowe, co-chair of the CBIC, and an associate at Dentons by day, and Erika Strande, who served as YCC’s first president-elect and is a strong beef industry leader and advocate. CYL graduate Dr. Katie Wood now works at the University of Guelph’s department of animal biosciences as an assistant professor in beef cattle nutrition. Others are involved in their provincial associations: Ryan Beierbach
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(CYL, YCC) is chair of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, and Penny Patton (CYL), Jake Meyer (CYL, YCC) Brodie Haugan (CYL, YCC) are directors of Alberta Beef Producers. The list goes on. The retention of youth in the beef industry is extremely important to ensure our future viability and I am pleased that the mentorship programs and opportunities in place are producing results that benefit the industry as a whole. One of the highlights for me at the conference was the beef demand panel featuring Mo Jessa of Earls Restaurant. His apology to beef producers was heartfelt and I know he will have a more consultative and collaborative approach with industry in the future. He truly sets an example for other agri-food and food service businesses. The Earls debacle earlier this year and media attention in general helped to raise awareness about sustainable beef production. Many articles on the efforts of industry to demystify and clarify the benefits of production technologies from stewardship and environmental perspectives, as well as the healthfulness of beef were produced by media and the scientific community. Overall, the outcome was positive and reflects advice heard from many speakers at the conference, validating the CCA’s existing efforts to communicate with consumers in a transparent manner. I was pleased to see Anderson Ranch Inc. of Fir Mountain, Sask., named as the 2016 recipient of the Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA). The ranch is operated by Miles Anderson and his wife Sheri who work hard to protect the many endangered and at-risk wildlife species living there. Their commitment to preservation and the use of innovation is an example for us all and has captured the attention of other sustainable ranchers and conservationists around the world. The TESA has recognized the excellent stewardship work of producers like the Andersons since 1996 and demonstrates time and time again that producers are indeed stewards of the land. Earlier on in the summer, CCA travelled to Brazil for a meeting of the CEOs of the International Beef Alliance. In 2015 Brazil and Paraguay became new members of the alliance which now represents 46 per cent of world beef production and 63 per cent of world beef exports. The CEOs discussed expansion opportunities, changes to the organization structure, youth mentorship, opportunities to increase the influence of the alliance, and finalized the program and preparations for the full International Beef Alliance meeting in New Zealand. Brazil is a significant producer of beef and has applied for the U.S. to recognize its FMD-free status. The CEOs also met with Brazilian federal and state level veterinary authorities to gain a greater understanding of Brazil’s FMD control programs. Brazil has not yet requested similar recognition by Canada, but we have a good start to understanding their process. c
Dan Darling is president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
www.canadiancattlemen.ca
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THE IN DUST RY
NewsRoundup animal health Immunostimulant Zelnate cleared for Canada
Bayer HealthCare Animal Health’s Zelnate DNA Immunostimulant introduced in the U.S. last fall is now approved and available in Canada. It is the first of its kind among a new generation of products for cattle that kick-start the innate immune system when given at the time, or within 24 hours, of a disease challenge. According to the label, Zelnate is given by intramuscular injection and indicated for use as an aid in the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) due to Mannheimia haemolytica in cattle four months of age or older. It is unique among immunostimulants because of its DNA technology. It is a bacterial-produced plasmid DNA surrounded by a lipid carrier. A plasmid is a tiny mol ecule with genes that enable it to replicate on its own apart from the chromosomal DNA within a cell. The Zelnate DNA has a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) that causes cells of the innate immune system to treat it as an invader. You’re not alone if your eyes glaze over
when trying to decipher the language of the immune system, but Bayer’s website, www. innateimmunity.bayer.com, explains the process in relatively plain language from the need-to-know basics to intricate details. In a nutshell, when a pathogen makes it past the body’s front line of defence, such as skin, sneezing and coughing, cells of the innate immune system are first on the job. These cells can’t tell one pathogen from the other. They only recognize that a microorganism is harmful because the DNA structure of pathogens differs from the DNA structure of vertebrates. Micro-organisms with any type of PAMP are detected by toll-like receptors (TLR) on the surfaces and inside innate immune cells. A TLR binding with a PAMP activates cells of the innate immune system setting off an orderly chain of activity that signals other cells to the danger, blocks the pathogen from multiplying, and alerts the adaptive immune system. Dendritic cells are the go-between. They internalize the pathogen and present a tiny piece of it, called an antigen, to the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is fully developed at birth and provides an immediate response to a broad range of bacteria and viruses, but the cells have no memory of those pathogens and will treat each one the
same way time and time again in presenting it to the adaptive immune system. Immunostimulants help activate or increase activity of components of the innate immune system to do this job more efficiently. The adaptive immune system has the ability to mount a deadly attack on specific pathogens that the innate immune system recognizes as foreign. When an antigen of a pathogen is presented, the T-cells of the adaptive immune system swing into action, one type attacking the pathogen directly and another producing B-cells that release antibodies that bind to the pathogen. All of the T- and B-cells generated during the response recognize the same pathogen. It can take several days or weeks for the adaptive immune system to ramp up, but the cells will immediately recognize the pathogen the next time it invades and quickly mount a strong response. This immune memory offers long-lasting protection against each specific pathogen that has gone down to defeat in the past. The adaptive system remains dormant until the innate immune system presents an antigen, or vaccines are used to introduce antigens directly to the adaptive immune system. The person selecting the vaccine has to determine which cattle are most at risk for which diseases because the
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response of the adaptive immune system is specific to the antigen(s) in the vaccine. The innate immune system, on the other hand, responds to any pathogens that cattle acquire from their environment, thereby presenting those that are actual threats to the adaptive immune system. There is a flurry of research in the pipeline testing substances that show potential to stimulate components of the innate immune system in cattle, pigs, poultry and fish. Examples include nucleic acids, bacterial cell-wall components, viral components or copies of small molecules produced by the innate immune system. Depending on the substance and the cells or activity it influences, the response could
be protective or therapeutic. Some may be useful as adjuvants in vaccines to improve their efficacy. Proving up Zelnate
According to reports on the clinical trials for licencing Zelnate in the U.S., M. haemolytica was chosen as the challenge bacteria because it is the bacteria most commonly associated with BRD. Lung lesions and mortality were used as the measures of Zelnate’s efficacy because they reflect the negative consequences of BRD. Many other studies have shown that lung lesions associated with BRD reduced average daily gain and mortality is the ultimate measure of loss.
One clinical trial tested Zelnate as a stand-alone therapy when given in the face of a BRD challenge. On day 0, steers three to four months of age were given either Zelnate or a placebo treatment by intramuscular injection and challenged intratracheally with M. haemolytica. Lung lesion scores were calculated for all calves by the end of the test on day 5. The average lung lesion score of calves in the Zelnate treatment group was 6.3 per cent of the total lung area compared to an average of 12.1 per cent of the total lung area for calves in the placebo group. The second study tested Zelnate as a Continued on page 56
News Roundup Continued from page 55
stand-alone therapy when given to calves in the face of clinical (showing signs of) BRD. This time, the calves were challenged with M. haemolytica on day 0 and 24 hours later, half the calves received the Zelnate injection and half received the placebo injection. By then, 67.5 per cent of the calves showed signs of sickness. By day 5, only 2.5 per cent of the calves that had received Zelnate had died, versus 20 per cent in the placebo group. Field trials involving much larger groups of calves and naturally occurring BRD infections were carried out as well. A trial comparing Zelnate to Micotil involved 2,000 calves assessed as being at medium risk for contracting BRD because they were heavier calves nearing 600 pounds, transported a short distance, but commingled from several ranches in Mon-
Draxxin provided stronger protection than Zelnate for these high-risk calves, but together they provided the best protection. Preliminary data up to 56 days after arrival show a trend toward Draxxin+Zelnate reducing sickness by 25 per cent and deaths among those treated for BRD by 50 per cent compared to Draxxin alone. The fact sheets on all of these trials, and much more about Zelnate, are available on the Zelnate website, www.zelnate.com, or www. animalhealth.bayer.ca.
tana and North Dakota. On arrival, half the calves were given Zelnate and the other half received Micotil. All calves received BRD and clostridial vaccines, deworming treatment and a steroid implant. Calves pulled for BRD were treated according to the trial protocol specifying the antimicrobial to be used for the first pull and, if necessary, the second and third pulls. After that, calves that continued to show signs of BRD were considered chronic and antibiotic treatment was discontinued. There were no statistical differences between the two treatments for sickness, re-pulls, chronics, deaths of animals pulled and treated for BRD, overall deaths due to BRD, and average daily gain. Another field trial evaluated the performance of Zelnate alone, Draxxin alone and Draxxin+Zelnate given on arrival to 300 high-risk calves in each of the three treatment groups. All calves received BRD and clostridial vaccines along with a deworming treatment. Again, all calves pulled for BRD were treated up to three times, if needed, with antimicrobials specified in this trial’s protocol.
forage
Forage advocates gather in Saskatchewan
Dave Kerr, a beef producer from Lashburn, is the new president of the Saskatchewan Forage Council, with past-president Kelly Williamson of Pambrun and Sarah Sommerfeld of Outlook as finance chair. The vice-president position was yet to be filled coming out of the annual general meeting following the field day with the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Council
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at the University of Saskatchewan’s Kernen Crop Research Farm near Saskatoon. A resolution was carried to add two new producer positions on the board, bringing the number to eight, along with six representatives from forage-related organizations (Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Ducks Unlimited Canada and a seed company). Nathan Siklenka, a beef and forage seed producer from Glaslyn, fills one of two new producer positions with the second yet to be filled. Garret Hill of Duval replaces Ryan Sommerfeld of Meadstead representing the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, and Mike Schellenberg of Swift Current replaces Alan Iwassa representing AAFC. SMA representative Sarah Sommerfeld of Outlook, and Aaron Ivey of Ituna were returned to the board, joining Steve Pylot of Meadow Lake, Tamara Carter of Lacadena, Bruce Coulman and Greg Penner from the U. of S., Allan VanCaeseele (BrettYoung) of Indian Head, Trevor
Plews (Ducks Unlimited) of Yorkton, and SMA ex officio Terry Kowalchuck. Despite a meagre $51,000 operating budget, the SFC leveraged $300,000 in additional funding and project work. Highlights of the past year included sponsoring two demonstration projects, hosting three reclamation workshops and the annual summer pasture tour, as well as co-hosting the Canadian Forage and Grassland Conference at Saskatoon. SFC executive director Leanna Rousell says activities for the upcoming year will centre around creating more awareness among producers of the SFC’s activities and resources, updating the website to a more user- and mobile-friendly version, and continuing to work with the Saskatchewan Forage Network toward establishing a chair position for forage utilization at the U. of S. to complement the strategic research chair position held by Bill Biligetu. Saskatchewan Forage Network (SFN) co-ordinator, Janice Bruynooghe of Outlook, was on hand to provided an update on Continued on page 58
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News Roundup Continued from page 57
the network’s activities. It was formalized in January 2013, with funding support from the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Development Fund and Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Council to facilitate a collaborative approach to research, technology transfer and industry development for all forage and livestock industry stakeholders. Toward that end, an important role has been helping diverse groups understand one another’s differing needs and supporting the networking capacity of many groups that otherwise don’t have the resources to commit to communications. The SFN has been instrumental in leveraging additional forage research funding and in elevating the dire concern about the lack of forage research capacity to a level that is being heard and acted upon. It has also had a role in discussions for the new U. of S. Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, which has advanced to the stage of tendering for the feedlot part of the project. The SFN is nearing the end of its threeyear funding cycle and is seeking industry support to continue.
associations
Cattlemen’s foundation expands its reach
Beef producers now have a way to donate directly to the construction of new beef research centres in Saskatchewan and Ontario through the Canadian Cattlemen’s Foundation. The registered charity was established last year as the old Legacy Fund was drying up to give producers an opportunity to help maintain the work of the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders program along with the research and the environmental programs started up by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. Foundation president Bob Lowe of Nanton says the uncertainty over Alberta’s future support for the beef sector once the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency is folded back into the government may force the industry, and the foundation, to play a greater role in maintaining these programs in future. ALMA, for example, has been the main funder of the Beef Production Research Chair, currently held by nutritionist Dr. John McKinnon at the University of Sask atchewan, along with a raft of beef- and pro duction-related projects. Now the foundation is offering to accept donations for the University of Sask atchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, composed of a research and
FEEDLOT
teaching unit with a feedlot on a 1,760-acre site near Clavet, and the 2,367-acre forage and cow-calf teaching unit housing the university’s 500-head research herd at Floral. The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association has already pledged $1 million to the project. Environmental monitoring sensors have already been installed at the Clavet site and construction is scheduled to begin this fall. The second project is the new beef cow barn at the University of Guelph’s Livestock Research and Innovation Centre at Elora. A new dairy research facility was opened last May but funds are still being raised to construct the new beef barn. The current design would make it the major production research facility for Eastern Canada once it is built. Beef Farmers of Ontario has pledged $1 million for the project and in addition already owns the majority of the animals that make up the research herd. The final size and design of the facility is still being negotiated. The university is planning to move cows into the 400-head capacity facility by 2018. As a registered charity the foundation can issue tax receipts for donations of $25 or more. Donations can take the form of cash, publicly listed securities, life insurance policies or bequests by will. They can be gifted to the general fund, or targeted to specific projects.
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While the cattlemen’s foundation col lects the donations, the funds are managed by the much larger Calgary Foundation. For details visit www.canadiancattlemens foundation.ca, or phone 403-275-8558.
checkoff
National levy is paying off
A new study by University of Alberta resource economists James Rude and Ellen Goddard found the $1 national checkoff provides an average benefit of $14 for producers. The study, funded by the Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency and Canfax Research Services, is an update on a 2010 report done ahead of the merger of the Beef Infor mation Centre, the Canadian Beef Export Federation and the National Checkoff Agency. As such it acts as something of a report card on the merger and the man agement of the agency, better known as Canada Beef. The $14 benefit from 2011-12 to 2013-14 is up from the $9 average between 2005
and 2008. The average benefit grew steadily between 2011 and 2014, implying that despite positive benefits, the industry has been underinvesting in research and marketing. The change in benefit-cost ratio for research, overseen by the Beef Cattle Research Council, had a benefit-cost ratio of $34.50, down from $46 in 2005-08, while marketing, managed by Canada Beef, had a benefit-cost ratio of $13.50, up from $7.55 Busby, AB July 9th, 2016 in the previous study. Generally, an inverse relationship exists between the amount of money spent on an activity and its marginal benefit-cost ratio. It is this diminishing marginal return that helps explain why as investment increased for research over the past five years, the benefit-cost ratio declined, just as market ing dollars declined and the benefit-cost ratio increased. Newly elected agency chair Linda Alli son says, “The 14:1 benefit seen from each national checkoff dollar confirms the value of producer investment. However, with the declining purchasing power of the national Continued on page 61
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checkoff and reduced marketings in recent years, under-investment is evident. It is imperative that we continue to find ways to optimize the return for our producers across the country.” While the checkoff provides the core industry funding for research and marketing programs, it does not fully cover the costs so during this period of shrinking checkoff dollars the industry leveraged the checkoff, by attracting on average $3 for every $1 for research and $1 for every $1 for marketing between 2011-12 and 2013-14. National checkoff revenue to March 31 for 2015-16 was $6.8 million compared to $7.6 million the year before, which provided roughly half of the agency’s revenue for the year. The Legacy Fund, which wrapped up last year, kicked in nearly $3.5 million,(compared to $5.4 million in 201415) to go with $1 million from Growing Forward II , another million from Western Economic Diversification and $918,000 from the levy on imported beef.
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Overall they collected $13.3 million, a million less than the year before. Given that the Legacy Fund is done, the total will drop significantly next year without the proposed increase in the national checkoff. From that $13.3 million, roughly $1.3 million went to the Beef Cattle Research Council and $9.8 million to Canada Beef. Provincial research projects accounted for another $1 million, administration half a million, and rest was invested. During the agency’s annual meeting last month, delegates rejected a Saskatchewan motion to separate the checkoff agency from Canada Beef with its own board of directors made up of producers and importers. Up until this year the checkoff had been administered by Canada Beef, the industry’s marketing arm. Now it operates as a separate division of Canada Beef and the general manager reports to the same board of directors, which includes packer and retail representatives. An Ontario attempt to gain a share of the import levy for provincial projects was also rejected. c
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NEWS ABOUT YOU
By Mike Millar
PurelyPurebred n We announced this last month in another part of the magazine but I just wanted to pass on my own congratulations to Bob Switzer and John Willmott, two men who are closely tied to the Angus breed in this country, who will be inducted into the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame November 6 at the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair in Toronto. I can’t think of many men who deserve this honour more. n The Canadian Junior Angus Association recently presented its first-place $2,000 scholarship to Michaela Chalmers of Ontario. Michaela is also the 2016 Robert C. McHaffie Junior Ambassador for the Angus breed. Melanie Wood of P.E.I. received the second-place scholarship of $1,500; and Rebecca Redner of Ontario received the third-place scholarship of $1,000. The scholarships were presented at Showdown, the annual national Canadian Junior Angus show. Chalmers is enrolled in the University of Guelph animal biology program working toward an Honours Bachelor of Science. Wood is studying plant science at Dalhousie University in the faculty of agriculture while Redner will begin her postsecondary studies in food and agricultural business at the University of Guelph this fall.
Charolais representatives Mel Reekie, general manager, Canadian Charolais Association, and Shae-Lynn Evans.
n Canadian Charolais Association general manager Mel Reekie and Shae-Lynn Evans, president of Canadian Charolais Youth Association, recently attended the Charolais Society of Australia’s National Show and Sale and Youth Stampede. Canadian and Australian Charolais breeders tend to utilize outcross genetics between the countries. Congratulations to Evans on winning the Grand Champion Parader at the Junior Show amongst 85 competitors.
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n From the time Maguire Blair could walk he has been involved in the feeding, preparation and marketing of his family’s Angus and Simmental cattle. That involvement has earned Maguire Blair him the 2016 Junior Angus Stockman Award. In addition to his involvement with Blair’s West Land & Cattle near Drake, Sask., he has developed his own herd of purebred Angus cattle by purchasing females and embryo transfer. Last year Blair’s cow Bar-E-L Erica 74A won championship honours at Showdown, Lloydminster Stockade National Angus show, Brandon Ag Ex, Farmfair and Agribition. Erica was named Canadian Angus Gold Show Female of the Year and won the international “Show Female of the Year” award from AngusBreeder.net. n We were saddened to learn of the passing of Robert (Bob) Henry Gordon in late July. He exhibited his first steer at Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon in 1946 and continued Bob Gordon showing livestock there for more than four decades, as well as Denver, Chicago, Toronto Royal, Ag-Ex, Canadian Western Agribition, World Angus and Hereford Shows until his retirement. Gordon was named “Builder of the Shorthorn Breed” in 1970. In the late ’60s he had a hand in forming the Douglas Bull Test Station while serving on the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association board. He was also the first president and founding partner of Bar-5 Simmentals in Brandon. Achilles Cattle Co. later hired him as its manager to promote and sell Simmental semen around the world. In the ’70s the family established a Hereford herd. While on the board of the Canadian Hereford Association, he initiated the formation of the Canadian Junior Hereford Association, hosting the inaugural youth event at Kinnaber in 1979. In the ’80s he established a small herd of Angus and in 1985 his experience with multiple breeds resulted in his being named as sire selector and manager of the beef program for Western Breeders/Alta Genetics in Balzac, Alta. Gordon was inducted into the Canadian
C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6
Suggestions are always welcome. My phone number is 306-251-0011 Email: mike.millar@ fbcpublishing.com
Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1995 and in 2007, he and his wife Joyce were inducted into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame. They retired to Boissevain in 2008. In memory of Gordon, donations may be made to the Bob Gordon Memorial Fund with proceeds going to youth and agriculture endeavors, Box 605, Boissevain, Man. R0K 0E0. n The 2016 Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation (FCSF) auction raised $100,000 to support the foundation’s programming during the Canadian Simmental Association national convention in Lloydminster, Sask. Donators contributed 84 lots of Simmental genetics, artwork, sporting events and advertising packages, as well as other merchandise. A bred heifer donated by the McMillen family of MRL Ranching located at Carievale, Sask., raised $30,980 and will be going to a new home at S.I.B.L. Simmentals, Barclay Smith, of Barrhead, Alta. Support for the auction was received from all across Canada, U.S., Mexico and Australia. The foundation presented $15,000 from the proceeds to the Young Canadian Simmental Association during its annual meeting held in conjunction with the convention. n The Alberta Simmental Association honoured Gaylene Groeneveld for her years of dedication to the Simmental breed earlier this summer. She was a director and vice-president of the Gaylene Groeneveld Alberta Simmental Association for five years, published the provincial ASA magazine, the Simmental Trail, for six years before becoming the publisher/editor of the Canadian Simmental Country magazine in 1998. She spent the last decade as a managing consultant for the Canadian Gelbvieh Association, and became its CEO in 2015. n The new directors elected to the Canadian Simmental Association board at their summer annual meeting were Roger Deeg, Strathmore, Alta.; Marlin LeBlanc, Estevan, Sask.; and Larry Barkley, Ingleside, Ont., in place of retiring directors Lacey Fisher, David Milliner and Maureen Mappin-Smith. They join president Lee McMillen, Carievale Sask.; first vice-president Garth Rancier, Killam, Alta.; second vice-president Blair McRae,
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PURELY PUREBRED
Brandon, Man.; Kelly Ashworth, Oungre, Sask.; Dan Skeels, Rimbey, Alta.; and Francis Gagnon, Cheneville, Que. n The Keith Gilmore Foundation has selected two winners for its $10,000 KGF Prize for Beef Cattle Innovation: Rae-Leigh Pederzolli, from Medicine Hat, Alta., and Nicky Lansink from Three Hills, Alta. The KGF Prize is awarded to students who are recognized for academic excellence, leadership and commitment to pursue a career to improve, support and promote the beef cattle industry. Rae-Leigh Pederzolli is completing a MSc. at the University of Saskatchewan and will be attending the University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine this fall pursuing a DVM. She is an active member of the Canadian Young Leaders program and the Young Cattlemen’s Council. She has attended and represented the Canadian beef industry at numerous conferences in Canada and the U.S. Her long-term goal is to practice and perform research in the food animal production industries, particularly within the cow-calf and feedlot sector.
The 2016 CLA board of directors are (back row l. to r.): Tim Andrew, Alta.; Erin Kishkan, B.C.; Jim Richmond, Alta.; Joe Cooper, N.S.; Matthew Heleniak, Ont.; Mark Angus, Man. (not pictured); and (seated l. to r.) Bill Zwambag, Ont. (treasurer); Eric Boon, Sask. (vice-president); Terry Hepper, Sask. (president); and Tessa Verbeek (general manager).
n Joe Cooper of Great Village, N.S., was elected to the Canadian Limousin Association board of directors at the association’s annual meeting in Lloydminster, Alta. Eric Boon and Bill Zwambag were re-elected for a second term.
Continued on page 64
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C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6 63
PU R E LY PU R E B R E D Continued from page 63
Nicky Lansink is working on a MSc. at the University of Alberta, specializing in beef cattle genetics and feed efficiency. In addition to her studies, Lansink is a teaching assistant at the university and volunteers with elementary students through Ag in the Classroom. Her unique blend of practical work experience, academic skill and desire to teach, supports her career goal of becoming a professor in agriculture. KGF also announced four winners of the $2,500 Hereford Youth Scholarships for 2016. They are: Ted Creech, Lloydminster, Alta.; Reginald Raymond, Waterford, N.B.; Alexis DeCorby, Rocanville, Sask.; and Samantha Rimke, Oak Lake, Man. The Hereford Youth Scholarship is awarded to students who pursue academic excellence, community involvement and leadership toward careers in the livestock industry. These students are connected to the Hereford breed through membership in the CJHA or other purebred or commercial involvement. n The Alberta Simmental Association has announced a new concept for Farmfair
n Forty nine enthusiastic Manitoba and Saskatchewan Junior Cattle Producers attended the 9th annual Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup in Neepawa, Man. Excitement in the cattle industry brought out a top-notch group of interested cattle producers and 91 head of cattle. International in conjunction with the 2016 National Simmental Show. This year members have a chance to win a $10,000 sale credit to be used towards the purchase of an animal consigned by a Breeders Select contributor to a public auction between November 2016 and May 2017.
n The second Simmental Simbrah of the Americas Congress is being held in Guadalajara, Mexico on October 10-15. Ranch tours plus visits to the National Center for Genetic Resources, and the 35th Simmental Simbrah Cattle Exhibition are just part of what’s on tap for the this second congress. c
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C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6
www.canadiancattlemen.ca
Market Su mma ry
By Debbie McMillin
TheMarkets Fed Cattle The fed market remains under pressure with seasonal lows still to be made. By mid-August, Alberta fed cattle averaged $142.21/cwt, $41.63/cwt under the same week last year and 21 per cent under this year’s high. The current fed steer cash-to-cash basis is -7.87/cwt, slightly narrower than the -8.44/ cwt posted last year. Packer margins remain positive and plants have increased their kill days in response. Canadian steer slaughter to date is up six per cent on the year at 865,559 head while heifer slaughter is down three per cent at 460,945 head. Both jumped recently, however, with steer slaughter the week of August 13 rising 17 per cent over the week before and heifer slaughter up 32 per cent. Fed exports continue to outpace last year, by 40 per cent at press time with 175,992 head heading south. The August 1 Alberta and Sask atchewan cattle-on-feed report came in three per cent below last year. It was the first time in more than a year that inventories slipped below year-before levels. July placements were down 41 per cent from last year, not surprising given the good pasture conditions and delayed grass yearling run. Last year’s low placements were set under drought conditions that forced cattle off pasture early and calves to market ahead of schedule.
Feeder Cattle Feeder cattle sales this summer have been seasonally quiet. Good pastures translated into fewer calves coming in for the early sales. The price of 550-lb. steers declined steadily through the summer to $200.83/cwt in mid-August, which was off more than $20/cwt from two months before. Compared www.canadiancattlemen.ca
to last year these steers had lost $122.42/cwt in value. The first few yearling sales reported good volumes and better money than has been seen through the summer. This trend typically would suggest a higher finish to the August to early September yearling market. However, with the volatility in the industry, it was unclear how the yearling run might be affected this time. The 850-lb. steers averaged $183 in the middle of August which was $79/cwt under year-ago prices but a $16.50/cwt improvement from the start of July. The rise in prices over the past few weeks narrowed the 850-lb. basis, currently just $2.16/cwt under the U.S. Last year at this time it was over -$17/cwt. Feeder cattle exports to date are down 39 per cent from last year at 144,463 head.
Non-Fed Cattle Demand for grinding meats has remained steady through the summer, supporting the non-fed market. D1,2 cow prices hovered near $100-$101/cwt for the past three weeks, up from the low of $90.49 posted earlier in the summer, but still more than $41/cwt under last year. Good pastures kept volumes light over the past month; however, 2016 cow slaughter has crept seven per cent ahead of last year to date at 229,293 head. Exports are also up, by three per cent at 122,548 head. Bull prices held steady through early August but gained $2 midmonth to an average $125.08/cwt. Bull slaughter is 26 per cent higher than a year ago with 7,312 killed to date; however, exports were down 31 per cent at 31,782 head. c Debbie McMillin is a market analyst who ranches at Hanna, Alta.
DE B’S OUTLOOK Fed Cattle In the coming month, fedcattle supply is ample but manageable providing a relatively steady market near term. Further out, North American fed numbers will tighten into the fourth quarter. Fortunately, beef demand generally increases as the weather cools and buyers look to increase sales through the holiday season, which should give fed prices a boost toward the end of 2016. Feeder Cattle A seasonally normal fall run is expected with prices declining as volumes increase depending on the fed market, hedging opportunities, and the final size of the North American feed grain harvest. The Canadian dollar remains largely unchanged from last year, which supports the feeder trade, and encourages a floor under exports that will likely pick up if basis levels widen. Non-Fed Cattle Increased fed-cattle slaughter will limit kill space for cows in the coming weeks as packer margins are good and fedcattle numbers ample. Nonfed-cattle prices will come under seasonal pressure in the near term, as producers start to cull their opens and duds and push up volumes coming to market. The Canadian dollar continues to support the export trade, putting a solid floor under cow prices. As well, demand for grinding and manufacturing beef remains strong and will limit the slump in prices due to higher volumes. Any gains in the fed market in the fourth quarter should be reflected in non-fed prices.
More markets C a t t l e m e n · S E P TEM B E R 2 0 1 6 65
M A R K ETS
Break-even Prices on A-Grade Steers
Market Prices
210
340
190
310 280
170
250
150
220
130 110
ALBERTA Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
160
210
160
190
140
170
120
150
100
130 110
ONTARIO Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Canfax weighted average price on A-Grade steers
Break-even price for steers on date sold
2016 2015
2017 2016
August 2016 prices* Alberta Yearling steers (850 lb.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $176.29/cwt Barley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.35/bu. Barley silage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54.38/ton Cost of gain (feed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67.15/cwt Cost of gain (all costs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97.58/cwt Fed steers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146.93/cwt Break-even (January 2017) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.37/cwt Ontario Yearling steers (850 lb.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $170.96/cwt Corn silage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.96/ton Grain corn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.62/bu. Cost of gain (feed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73.77/cwt Cost of gain (all costs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107.21/cwt Fed steers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148.64/cwt Break-even (February 2017) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.46/cwt *Mid-month to mid-month prices Breakevens East: end wt 1,450, 183 days West end wt 1,325 lb., 125 days
Steer Calves
190
(500-600 lb.) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
80 60
D1,2 Cows Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Ontario
Alberta
2016 2015
2016 2015
Ontario prices based on a 50/50 east/west mix
Market Summary (to August 6, 2016) 2016
2015
Total Canadian federally inspected slaughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,506,074. . . . . . . . . 1,454,385 Average steer carcass weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 914 lb.. . . . . . . . . . . . 870 lb. Total U.S. slaughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,191,000. . . . . . . . 17,509,000
Trade Summary Exports 2016 2015 Fed cattle to U.S. (to July 30) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172,081.. . . . . . . . . . . 121,590 Feeder cattle and calves to U.S. (to July 30). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143,865.. . . . . . . . . . 234,982 Dressed beef to U.S. (to June). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281.51 mil.lbs.. . . . . 249.19 mil.lbs Total dressed beef (to June). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368.29 mil.lbs.. . . . . 331.04 mil.lbs IMPORTS 2016 2015 Slaughter cattle from U.S. (to June) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 *Dressed beef from U.S. (to June) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123.37 mil.lbs. . . . . . 131.50 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from Australia (to June) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.17 mil.lbs. . . . . . . 47.35 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from New Zealand (to June) . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.99 mil.lbs. . . . . . .26.29 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from Uruguay (to June) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.42 mil.lbs. . . . . . .25.06 mil.lbs Canadian Grades (to August 20, 2016) % of A grades +59% 54-58% AAA 18.7 23.3 AA 19.3 9.0 A 0.2 1.3 Prime 0.3 0.6 Total 33.1 39.6 EAST WEST
Total graded 351,955 1,249,604
Yield – 53% Total 20.7 62.7 3.5 31.8 0.0 1.5 1.6 2.5 25.8 Total A grade 98.5%
Total ungraded 17,008 4,856
% carcass basis 81.4% 89.8% Only federally inspected plants
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www.canadiancattlemen.ca
market ta l k
By Jerry Klassen
Feedlot Margin Outlook
F
eedlot margins have been struggling in red ink over the past year. Feeder cattle prices held up last fall near historical highs while fed cattle values drifted lower. Calves purchased during the fall of 2015 and sold in the summer of 2016 were under water by nearly $300 per head. Yearlings bought during the spring of 2016 fared marginally better with most pen closeouts near break even in late July and throughout August. However, there were no bragging rights. Feeder cattle prices were too high compared to the fed cattle market. At the same time, barley prices remained firm throughout the winter and spring only to decline in the last half of July. For the most part, feedlots had no profitable opportunity from September of 2015 to August 2016. Many feedlot operators and backgrounding farmers are rather gun-shy moving forward. I’ve received many inquiries from producers asking if they should be buying feeder cattle at the current levels. Most producers want to know how each leg of the margin structure will move over the course of the next five to six months. Therefore, I thought this would be a good time to discuss the outlook for feedlot margins for the next round. Lethbridge-area barley was trading in the range of $170/mt to $173/mt delivered feedlot in mid-August, which is down from the summer highs of $205. Canadian barley production is estimated to finish in the range of 8.5 to nine million mt, which is up from the 2015 crop of 8.2 million mt. Given the larger supplies, the market will function to encourage demand through lower prices. Canadian barley exports during the 2016-17 crop year will be mostly malt quality. Ukraine and Russia are both experiencing year-over-year increases in barley production. At the same time, adverse rains in Europe have lowered barley yields but larger supplies of feed quality wheat have resulted in lower prices for all feed grains. Feed barley fob the Black Sea was trading at US$155/mt in late August. Feed barley in central Sask
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CME Nearby Weekly Live Cattle Futures Chart Courtesy of DTN Prophet X
Upside potential
I'm looking for upside potentil to the range of $135 to $140 in March 2017
atchewan would need to be under $2.30/ bushel to be competitive in major markets such as Saudi Arabia. Domestically, the barley market will be contending with strong competition from alternate feed grains. The USDA recently estimated the U.S. corn crop at 15.1 billion bushels, which is up from 13.6 billion bushels last year. I’m looking for U.S. corn and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to trade into the major feeding regions of Western Canada later this fall. Lower grade milling wheat and hard red winter wheat will trade into feed channels of Western Canada due to lower values on the world market. Looking at the fed cattle market, I believe the lows are in place. U.S. third-quarter beef production is estimated to reach 6.480 billion pounds which is a year-over-year increase of 412 million pounds. However, it is important to note that the supply situation is not getting more bearish but rather favouring higher prices. Fourth quarter production is projected at 6.360 billion pounds and followed by a sharper drop to 6.050 billion pounds in the first quarter of 2017. Beef production will decline over the next six months. At the same time, beef demand moves through a seasonal low in September and starts to improve in Octo-
ber. Restaurant and retail consumption generally strengthens throughout November and peaks in mid-December. Fed cattle prices are expected to percolate higher throughout the fall/winter period reaching a seasonal high in mid-March. At the time of writing this article, 900pound yearling steers were trading in the range of $175/cwt to $180/cwt in central Alberta. Feedlot and backgrounding operators are encouraged to buy yearlings and calves sooner rather than later. Don’t wait because once margins start to improve, we will see feedlots bid up the price of feeder cattle until margins are at break even or just under. The risks point to weaker feed grain prices and higher fed cattle values. At the same time, cow-calf producers will want to sell their feeder cattle in late winter or even background the calves for sale as yearlings next March. c Jerry Klassen manages the Canadian office of Swiss-based grain trader GAP SA Grains and Produits Ltd., and is president and founder of Resilient Capital specializing in proprietary commodity futures trading and market analysis. He owns farmland in Manitoba and Saskatchewan but grew up on a mixed farm feedlot operation in southern Alberta. He can be reached at 204-504-8339.
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GOINGS ON
Sales&Events Events September
13-15 Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Woodstock, Ont. 20-24 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo, Harriston, Ont. 23-25 Maritime YCSA Classic, Windsor, N.S. 24 Pacific Invitational All Breeds Female Sale, Williams Lake, B.C.
October
3-4 Advancing Women Conference, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Ont. 7-9 Expo – Beef, Victoriaville, Que. 10-15 II Congreso Simmental Simbrah de Las Américas 2016, Guadalajara, Mexico 13 ALMA’s final FutureFare, Delta Edmonton South Hotel and Conference Centre, Edmonton, Alta. 15-22 NILE, Billings, Montana 18-19 Livestock Gentec Conference, Managing in a Time of Unprecedented Change, Delta Edmonton South, Edmonton, Alta. 27-29 Manitoba Ag Ex Livestock Show, Brandon, Man. 29 Edam Fall Fair Commercial Cattle Show, Edam, Sask.
November
2-5 Lloydminster Stockade Roundup, Lloydminster, Sask. 4 Canadian National Charolais Show, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Toronto, Ont. 4-13 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Toronto, Ont. 5 32nd Annual Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture Competition, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Toronto, Ont. 11-13 Farmfair International, Edmonton, Alta. 15-17 Canadian Forage & Grassland Conference, Winnipeg, Man. 21-26 Canadian Western Agribition, Regina, Sask.
February 2017
7 BIO annual meeting, Elora, Ont. 22-23 Beef Farmers of Ontario annual meeting, International Plaza Hotel, Toronto, Ont.
Sales October
14 Lone Pine Cattle — Hereford Harvest Sale, Vibank, Sask.
November
4 Canadian National Charolais Sale, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Toronto, Ont. c
1-18 NA International Livestock Show, Louisville, Kentucky 2-3 Traceability Symposium 2016, Coast Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre, Calgary, Alta.
Event listings are a free service to industry. Sale listings are for our advertisers. Your contact is Mike Millar at 306-251-0011 or mike.millar@fbcpublishing.com
The Canadian Shorthorn Association board of directors for 2016-17. Back row (l. to r.): Richard Moellenbeck, Sask. (president); Peter Greeno, N.B.; Chris Walwin, Man.; Bob Merkley, B.C., Dennis Cox, Que. Front row (l. to r.): Dale Asser, Ont.; Belinda Wagner (secretarytreasurer), and Graham Sharp, Alta.
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A DVE RTIS E R I ND EX Page Advancing Women 54 61 Airdrie Trailer Sales Alberta Vet Labs 25, 29 39 Arrowquip Bow Slope Shipping Assoc. 58 Boxcar Livestock Trailers 57 7 Buhler Industries Inc. Calgary Stockyards Ltd. 58 41, 60 Canadian Angus Assoc. Canadian Cattle Identification 22, 23 Canadian Charolais Assoc. OBC Canadian Forage & Grasslands Assoc. 45, 57 Canadian Gelbvieh Assoc. 60 Canadian Hereford Assoc. IFC Canadian Limousin Assoc. 14, 15 Canadian Shorthorn Assoc. 55 37 Canadian Simmental Assoc. 63 Canadian Western Agribition 49 Canadian Young Farmers 61 Cattlemen’s Financial Corp. Clean Farms 30 Cows in Control 60 Farm Credit Canada 11 Fence Fast 33 60 Gilbrea Consulting Ltd. Greener Pastures Ranching Ltd. 59 61 Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment J. Schooten & Sons Custom Feedyard Ltd. 58 Klassen Agriventures Ltd. 58 Lakeland Group/Northstar 18 a-p Merck Animal Health 5, A1-A8, IBC 17, 31 Merial 27 Nester Livestock Northlands Farmfair International 47 Ridley Block Ops/Crystalyx 34 Royal Bank of Canada – RBC 13 Stettler Auction Mart 58 Supreme International Ltd. 21 Titanium Manufacturing 60 Tru-Test Inc. 59 9 Zinpro
Saskatchewan Charolais Association board of directors. Back row (l. to r.): Mike Neilson, Willowbrook; Raymond Paschke, Love; Tyler Smyth, Herbert; Jared McTavish, Moosomin; and Stephen Wielgosz, Yellow Creek. Front row (l. to r.): Mike McAvoy, Arelee (second vice-president); Kelly Howe, Moose Jaw (first vice-president); Carey Weinbender, Canora (president); and Dave Blechinger, Rosetown (secretary-treasurer). www.canadiancattlemen.ca
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