Posted by Dr. Sara Hooge on June 30 2009 08:47

Cryptosporidium (Crypto) Cryptosporidiosis (crypto), a disease affecting both animals and humans, is caused by the organism Cryptosporidium Not bacteria or a virus...a protozoa Can affect mice, pigs, lambs, calves, dogs, cats, horses, and PEOPLE...so be careful!! How does it cause diarrhea? Invades the lining of the gut, kills the cells that absorb nutrients low nutrient absorption leads to water loss to gut leading to secondary milk fermentation and dehydration which results in se... [More]

Posted by Dr. Steve Dudley on June 29 2009 13:49

These two diseases have been the most economically important diseases recently. Prevention and control strategies have been an area of focus in herd health. We have come a long way in our understanding of these pathogens, but there is still much to learn and accomplish.  Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus PRRS is the disease..... PRRSV is the virus Several Other Names SAMS SMD SIRS Blue Ear Lelystad Most economically important disease of swine ... [More]

Posted by Dr. Steve Dudley on June 29 2009 08:32

October 25th I was called to a nursery to exam pigs that were doing poorly. Owner complained of some Strep type pigs and some increased death loss. (Of course this was on a saturday morning when no lab work is available) The owner was busy in the fields harvesting corn and was not available to go through the nursery. The producer had received 800 piglets weighing 15 pounds starting in September 15th through October 1st. Approximately 8 dead pigs were laying outside the nursery when... [More]

Posted by Dr. Steve Dudley on June 26 2009 14:26

This is a common question in my line of work…and the answer is that it depends People make decisions differently and what one farm is willing to tolerate in prouction loss would cause other's to lose sleep at night. The ultimate answer to this question is dictated by what we would do with the information that we get from the diagnostics Case Study 500 sow unit has been experiencing an increase in abortions and a moderate cough is going through the sow herd. There are a moderate... [More]

Posted by Dr. Steve Dudley on June 26 2009 11:47

Calf huts Excellent facility to minimize contact between calves. Important to clean and disinfect huts between calves. Some types of huts do not ventilate well in the summer. Important to keep bedding clean and dry. Difficult to feed and manage calves in winter months. Cold barn Naturally ventilated with curtains and ridges. Barns over 40 ft long need a ridge. Recommend individual pens. Recommend solid, plastic paneling between calves. Fill barn within 2 weeks. All-in-all-out t... [More]

Posted by Dr. Brian Dorcey on June 26 2009 11:29

Factors that impact the cows Authored By: Dr. Dorcey Feeding space per cow Pre-fresh housing Fresh cow housing Planned transition pen moves Fresh cow screening and exams Transition diet ration sorting Body condition, pre-calving

Posted by Dr. Sara Barber on June 26 2009 11:13

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can be caused by a variety of pathogens, both bacterial and viral. Clinical signs of pneumonia include decreased appetite, coughing, thumping, fever and nasal discharge. There are several factors that can contribute to pneumonia. Added stresses from the environment, such as temperature fluctuations, dusty conditions, overcrowding and manure buildup can all contribute to the development of pneumonia. It is also important for lambs to build their imm... [More]

Posted by Dr. Sara Barber on June 26 2009 10:51

Review of Herd Health Recommendations Prevention is the name of the game when it comes to disease prevention in sheep. There are several reproductive diseases are a common cause of abortion in sheep. Campylobacter fetus (Vibrio) causes abortions in late pregnancy. Vibrio is commonly transmitted by ingestion of contaminated feed or contact with an infected fetus. These abortions occur 7-25 days post-infection. The main way to bring Vibrio into an uninfected herd is to buy sheep that are infec... [More]

Posted by Dr. Sara Barber on June 26 2009 09:49

Adults: Two weeks prelambing, at pasture turn and 3 weeks after pasture turn out and prebreeding. Lambs: 4 and 8 weeks of age. If they are on pasture they should be dewormed 3 weeks after pasture turn-out. Fecal samples are a tool to determine how the herd’s parasite control program is working. Product Options: **The class of dewormer should be changed annually (not every time the herd is dewormed. **There are no effective pour-ons for internal parasite control in sheep. Class: ... [More]

Posted by Dr. Sara Barber on June 26 2009 09:37

The following program is based on lambing ewes in January and February; replacement ewe lambs in April. Allowing ewes to run on pasture and feeding out lambs in dry lot. January: Spend time with lambs and make sure they nurse. Colostrum or first milk is vital for survival Colostrix can be used if colostrum not available Vaccinate lambs for sore mouth if you have an immune herd, inject L-Se plus with tetanus, and identify lambs and ewes. Observe lambs for scours or pneumonia. (... [More]