Technology intersects many segments of agriculture with applications extending into animal health for prevention, detection and treatment of illness. Many of the newer tools are aimed at blending data collection, analysis and specialized interventions.

To treat or not to treat? That’s the question producers often face when it comes to re-treating sick calves. It's hard to treat a calf for respiratory disease and not see immediate results. But sticking to an antibiotic’s designated post-treatment interval (PTI) is essential for both calf health and producer success.

Have you, or a cattle producer friend, ever encountered a situation where you vaccinated your cow herd against rotavirus scours but still had problems with rotavirus scours? What about experiencing a Histophilus somni (H. somni) break in pens of vaccinated feedlot calves? Or Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis)? Or pinkeye?

We all know infectious diseases exist on dairies. They can present as an outbreak, be endemic in the herd or potentially both, and some cattle diseases may even pose a health risk to farm employees.