Feedlot health management D.U. Thomson, Ph.D., D.V.M. Kansas State - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Feedlot health management D.U. Thomson, Ph.D., D.V.M. Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Why do cattle get sick?  Overwhelming dose of pathogen  Compromised immune system  This causes morbidity!

Common Diseases of Feedyard Cattle  Respiratory Disease 16.2%  Digestive Disorders 4.3%  Atypical Interstitial Pneumonia 2.8%  Bullers 2.8%  Lameness 1.8%  Central Nervous System 1.1% NAHMS 2011 3

“WHICH WAY DID HE GO?

DART

How do you cover the pens?  Serpentine fashion  Get all the cattle up  Cattle will hide at the feed bunk

Water tank Feedbunk

Hay and pen riding

Normals Normal Rectal temperature 101.5 to 103.5 Respiration rates 10 to 40 breaths per minute Heart rates 60 to 80 beats per minute Rumen contractions 1 to 2 contractions per minute

What does this mean?

Common treatment questions  Work with your veterinarian!  Single or combination antimicrobials?  How long to I wait to treat again?  Route of delivery and speed to infection?  What about ancillary therapy?

Effects of Diet on Ruminal Papillary Development Calf fed long alfalfa hay + concentrates . Papillae from the ventral floor of the cranial sac

Effects of Diet on Ruminal Papillary Development Calf fed concentrates only

Rumen acidosis  What are the main causes  Rapid intake of a soluble carbohydrate  Improper diet change  Environmental reasons

Clinical signs of acidosis  Sudden death  Anorexia  Depressed  Can have CNS signs  Impaired thiamine production  Increased respiratory rates  Dehydration  Diarrhea

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Clinical signs of subacute acidosis  Cattle go off feed for a couple of days  Decreased performance  Feed left in bunk  Ahead the cattle

Treatment of acidosis  Subacute cases  Hospital stay with good grass hay in bunk  Acute cases  Tube with 500 grams of sodium bicarbonate in water  Rumen evacuation (drastic)

Sequela to acidosis  Bloat  Decrease in rumen motility  Decrease in eructation  Types of bloat  Free gas - concentrates  Frothy – wheat pasture

Taken from Diseases and Disorders of Cattle, Blowey and Weaver

Treatment of bloat  Free gas  Pass tube and let down  Put on hay  Three strikes and they’re out  Fistula  Frothy bloat  Therabloat  Breaks up surface tension of froth

Emergency treatment of bloat  Bloat needle, knife (lock blade)  Stick cattle high on left paralumbar fossa  Do not let cattle lay down  If they go down they die very quickly

Puncture here Taken from Diseases and Disorders of Cattle, Blowey and Weaver

Lameness 34

Prevention is the key

Factors Infectious causes(%) Non-infectious causes(%) Pen condition 85.0 57.8 Pen surface 56.5 41.5 Weather patterns 45.6 19.7 Cattle Handling 34.7 63.9 (prior to arrival) Cattle Handling (post 28.6 37.3 arrival) Nutrition 27.9 25.2 Cattle temperament 23.8 65.3 Cattle type 15.6 11.6 Insufficient 12.9 8.8 preconditioning Breed 9.5 8.2 Cattle age 4.8 6.8 Terrel et.al Bov. Prac. Vol 48 No. 1 pp 53-60

Footrot Taken from Diseases and Disorders of Cattle, Blowey and Weaver

Toe/Sole Abscess Taken from Diseases and Disorders of Cattle, Blowey and Weaver

Moving Downer Cattle Unacceptable Transportation Methods: -Dragging -Lifting with chains Acceptable Transportation Methods: -Sled -Low-boy trailer -Bucket of a loader

Prognosis  Alert downer verses moribund  Animal husbandry  Shelter, hay and water  24 to 36 hours to show improvement  Roll every 6 to 12 hours to prevent compartmentalization  Humane euthanasia

Care of Downer Cattle Keys to Proper Care

Thank you, any questions?