As the cattle industry continues to advance and improve antibiotic stewardship practices, producers and veterinarians are reevaluating their approach to metaphylaxis, the administration of antibiotics on arrival to calves at high risk of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

Vaccines are great preventative measures producers can use to protect their cattle, but that’s only when they work properly. There are a multitude of reasons vaccines can fail, and knowing solutions will help protect and prevent vaccine failure within your herd.

Most folks think summertime is typically a time to relax for cattle owners. If we’ve had sufficient rain and grass is good, we can turn cows out and not worry too much except to check water, fences and put out summer mineral. However, there are a few calf diseases that can change those plans.

Cattle producers invest their time and resources in the best vaccination protocols and nutritional programs. However, these efforts are not fully utilized without an effective deworming strategy. Why? 

Going from the winter lows to summer highs often leaves cattle without the proper coping mechanisms. Seeing the signs of heat stress and being prepared can help your cattle recover in a safe manner and allow you to mitigate performance and economic loss before it becomes largely impactful.

As cow-calf producers and veterinarians evaluate options for pre-breeding vaccinations on heifers and cows, it is critical to think about the long-term effects of the disease pathogens that you are protecting against.

This year it is important for ranchers to prepare for upcoming changes to the rules regarding purchasing medically important antibiotics.

Ask a good cattleman to tell you how much that calf in the pasture weighs and he’d be able to give you a pretty accurate eyeball guess. While that cowboy knowledge is truly a special gift and has suited the cattle production industry for generations, today’s demand for efficiency has created a need for a more accurate assessment.

Hoof health impacts every aspect of your beef herd’s profitability. Managing for hoof health through environmental challenges and seasonal change is critical for your cattle to achieve lifetime performance.