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Making farming a little easier
Healthy Herd Protocols By Cheryl Kepes
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Nutrition and vaccinations are critical for overall health
he warmer weather may be sparking thoughts of spring cleaning and to-do lists. ommend looking for and cleaning off any manure piles on hay or silage. In addition, use While compiling a list of spring chores, how about developing a plan to build a water sources that limit fecal and urine contamination. healthier herd? Experts agree that an unhealthy herd is an unprofitable herd. LuckiA consistent and thorough deworming program can go a long way to promoting good ly there are many ways farmers can get their herd moving on a healthier path. herd health. “The animal spends a lot of its energy on the biggest attacker it recognizes,” First, producers should evaluate their herd health protocols. Gunsaulis said. “When there is a significant worm load, a lot of the “I am all about preventative maintenance, taking care of them beimmune system is focused on that problem and the animal is more fore they have a problem,” Andy McCorkill, livestock field specialist susceptible to other diseases.” Keep an eye out for with the University of Missouri Extension, said. “An ounce of preIt is essential to follow proper deworming protocols so that animals do the toxin cycle in vention is worth a pound of cure.” not develop parasite resistance. Experts recommend following the labels KY 31 Tall fescue A good starting point is making sure a solid nutrition and mineral in order to ensure the drugs are working at their maximum efficacy. n Toxins are concentrated program is in place. “Over the last few years, the typical veterinary recommendation in the seed heads in May “We have to take care of our animals by the way that we feed them. has been to cut back on cattle to once or twice a year on deworming,” through June. Animals that look healthy are going to be more apt to be healthy,” McCorkill said. “Some veterinarians will recommend using multiple n Toxin levels will be high McCorkill added. products with different modes of action so that we completely wipe in the leaves in September Farmers can protect the health of their herd by restricting the out what parasite trouble we have each time,” McCorkill added. through early November. movement of animals coming and going from their operation. Keep Reducing stress is yet another way to maintain a healthy herd. Pron If producers can delay new animals separated from the rest of the herd until it’s established ducers can start to reduce stress by focusing on the youngest animals grazing those fields of the animals are not carrying any pathogens. in their operations. “I like to be well on the road of having the calves solid fescue during that Vaccinations also play a significant role in promoting herd health. vaccinated before I wean them, to ensure that they have that immu time, that will help on It’s never too late to start or improve on a vaccination program. nity built up especially for respiratory diseases,” McCorkill shared. animal stress. “Vaccinations on healthy animals simply gives them a better chance In addition, experts recommend castrating and dehorning calves as n Toxin levels drop to fend off disease challenges,” Johnny Gunsaulis, county extension early as possible to minimize stress. They also suggest fence line wean significantly after agent, U of A Division of Agriculture in Benton County, Ark., said. ing or calf weaners, which are put in the nose of the calf to prevent Thanksgiving. Gunsaulis added some producers may want to test for diseases such as them from nursing, to assist with the transition of weaning. Johne’s, Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) and anaplasmosis. Since calves from first calf heifers don’t have the immunity that calves Wildlife can carry diseases that impact a herd from a reproductive from older cows have, producers should plan to calve their heifers separate standpoint. Livestock can pick up leptospirosis (a disease that causes abortions in cattle) from the older cows. If possible, move them to a clean field just before they start calving and and other diseases that are spread through wildlife fecal matter and urine. Experts rec- then have fields to transition them to every two to three weeks throughout the calving season.
what do you say? Why is efficiency important in agriculture operations?
APRIL 5, 2021
“Of course, the more efficient you are the more money you make. What really improved my efficiency was time management because of a phone app that holds my herd management and records so I can find what I need at real time and not have to look it up later. Saved time is money.”
“No efficiency, no profit. Being efficient is hard with the volatility in the market and because conditions such as weather and input costs constantly change.”
“Without efficiency, you can’t pinpoint where every dollar goes and identify wasteful practices that need to be refined.”
Aaron Ross Lonoke County, Okla.
Randy Williams Carroll County, Ark.
Hannah Walker Baxter County Ark.
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
“Efficiency is absolutely necessary to be sustainable financially because finding the easiest and the most financially sound ways of doing things keeps us profitable.”
Keith Feather White County, Ark.
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