Ensuring the health and productivity of starter cattle is a complex challenge. One of the critical aspects of managing this is understanding and supporting their immune systems, especially during the stressful transition from pasture to backgrounder or feedlot.

University of Missouri researchers have created the first-ever vaccine proven to protect cattle from bovine anaplasmosis, a tick-borne cattle disease. The disease infects the red blood cells of cattle and causes millions of dollars in economic losses across the U.S. due to reduced cattle production, treatment costs and animal deaths.

Vaccine protocol discussions can be energetic and entertaining amongst calf raisers, consultants and veterinarians. It ultimately leads to comparing the current vaccine protocol to a large, well-established calf raiser in the region or even nationally. There can be value in this comparison, but the real value is understanding how these successful facilities arrived at their protocol.

As the field of cattle science progresses, we delve deeper into a previously unexplored domain: the ruminant gut microbiome. Each animal hosts a distinct set of organisms, many of which remain unknown in terms of their specific functions and interactions.

The term “high risk” is mainly applied to calves bought and sold through local livestock auctions or sale barns, although not all these calves are necessarily considered high risk.

Immediate income opportunities incentivize producers to sell their weaned calves, meaning a greater number of heifers are destined for the cattle feeding sector. Collectively, the cow herd hasn’t expanded as quickly as projected, ushering in amazing value for the replacement female.

Explore how fluctuations in daily milk yield can indicate disease resilience in Holstein cattle, potentially transforming breeding practices for better health and productivity. 

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson famously said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” While he was referring to strategy in the boxing ring, the same holds true for starting lightweight (sometimes called peewee) calves.

Approximately 50% of dairy cows, the pinnacle of metabolic athletes within the species, will experience a production-associated disease (e.g., mastitis, metritis, ketosis, displaced abomasum) in every lactation. Even in the best facilities with the best management, mastitis is an inherent risk that can’t be eliminated, so our aim is to reduce it.