Animal Science E-News January 2016 - uaex.edu · 2019-04-25 · words, cattle lice will not feed on humans and vice versa because the hair of cattle and humans is dissimilar. Biting

Calving is one of the most importanttimes on the production calendar. Manage-ment decisions made prior to this period caninfluence success at calving and ultimatelyprofitability of an operation. Calving diffi-culty (dystocia) is a very important economicproblem in the U.S. beef cattle industry.

Nutrition

The last trimester ofpregnancy is when themajority of fetal growthoccurs. During thisperiod, the nutrientrequirements of the cowincrease accordingly. Inparticular, the last 45 days prior to calving isa critical time. The best method to assess thenutritional status of the cow is to monitorbody condition. Ideally, most cows shouldenter the calving season with a body condi-tion score (BCS) of 5. However, early-calvingcows (January and February) and young cows(two- and three-year-olds) should have aBCS closer to 5.5 or 6. Research has clearlydemonstrated that body condition can have adramatic impact on subsequent reproductiveperformance. If cows are thinner than desired,it is advisable to alter the plane of nutrition toadd body condition prior to calving. Aftercalving, the nutrient demands associated withlactation make it difficult and expensive toadd body condition.

A common misconception regardingpre-calving nutrition is that feeding cowstoo well results in increased calving diffi-culty. This is absolutely incorrect! Actually,underfeeding cows prior to calving couldincrease calf scours and mortality andreduce calf survival. Along the same vein,

overfeeding can be a problem as well.Cows that are over-conditioned actuallydeposit fat in the birth canal, which can leadto calving problems.

Some research suggests that calf vigorcan be influenced by the pre-calving plane ofnutrition. Calves from cows on a maintenanceor high plane of nutrition got up and nursed

more quickly than calvesfrom cows on a low planeof nutrition. Time to nurseis critical in getting anadequate amount ofcolostrum in calves priorto gut closure.

Vaccination

The focus of pre-calving vaccinationprograms is to provide immunity to the calfvia colostrum. There are several diseases thatcan be vaccinated at this time; however,to vaccinate for every possible disease isneither practical nor economically prudent.Consult your veterinarian to develop thevaccination strategy that is appropriate toyour operation.

Timing of Feeding

The Konefal Calving Method was developed by a beef producer in Manitoba,Canada. This method involves feeding cowstwice daily at approximately 11:30 a.m. and9:30 p.m. Using this regime, Gus Konefalwas able to get 80 percent of his cows tocalve between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Research atIowa State University produced similarresults. Results of USDA research were not asdramatic but still showed a 10 to 20 percentreduction in the number of cows calvingbetween 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Animal Science E-NewsJanuary 2016 Vol. 10, No. 1

The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Be Prepared for Calving SeasonDr. Tom Troxel, Professor

Inside:

■ Riparian Buffers AreImportantLandscape Features

■ Ditch the Itch inYour Herd

■ Arkansas 4-HLivestock ProgramUpdate

■ UofA LivestockJudging TeamFinishes Its YearWith Success and anAll American TeamMember

DIVISION OF AGRICULTURER E S E A R C H & E X T E N S I O N

University of Arkansas System

Management decisions madeprior to calving can influencesuccess at calving and ultimatelyprofitability of an operation.

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Calving Management

Preparing calving facilities prior tocalving is wise. The calving area shouldbe clean and dry and be in close prox-imity to shelter and facilities needed toassist cows with calving difficulty.Maternity pens with a headgate, crowd-ing gate and nursing panel can also bequite helpful. Calf shelters and/orwarming boxes should also be cleanedand checked (wiring in particular). Oncethe facilities are prepared, it is alwayswise to make a list of needed items andmake sure they are accessible. Somekey items would include calving jack,OB chains or straps, iodine, tube feeder,rags or towels, light source, tags and/ortattoo equipment.

Colostrum

Colostrum is critical to survival ofthe newborn calf. The immune systemof newborn calves is not completely

developed. Consequently, the antibod-ies and immunoglobulins in colostrumare a substantial component of theimmune protection in newborn calves.Calves should receive 5 to 6 percentof their body weight as colostrumwithin 6 hours and again within thesubsequent 6 hours.

If the calves are not able to nurseor the cow’s production of colostrum isinsufficient, colostrum from other cowsor commercial colostrum supplementsmay be necessary. Ideally, colostrumshould be collected from cows within24 hours of calving and fed fresh.Colostrum can also be collected, frozenand used later. Johne’s disease can bespread via colostrum, so caution shouldalso be exercised when collectingcolostrum from unknown animals.Colostrum should only be used fromcows known to be Johne’s free.

When collecting colostrum,consider freezing it in “serving” sizes,or one to two quarts per container.Once colostrum has been thawed, itshould not be refrozen. Correctthawing will also help prevent theantibodies and immunoglobulins frombeing damaged. Frozen colostrumshould either be slowly warmed inwarm water to a final temp of 105 to110 degrees F or in a microwave onmedium power. In both cases, thecolostrum should be stirred frequently.

Commercial colostrum supplementsare available, and research suggests thatcalves fed colostrum supplements arehealthier than calves that received nocolostrum. However, the level of pro-tection was lower than in calves fedfrozen colostrum.

Riparian Buffers Are Important Landscape FeaturesDirk Philipp, Associate Professor - Forages

Riparian buffers help maintainwater quality in grassland ecosystemsby filtering runoff, holding back nutri-ents, providing wildlife habitat andcooling water temperatures in streams.In many cases, riparian buffers alsoprovide shade and water access pointsfor livestock. Unfortunately, many ofour riparian buffers are in bad shapeand do not function as intended, solet’s review some of their importantcharacteristics and how functionalitycan be enhanced.

First and foremost, riparian buffersneed to have a minimum of tree cover,understory vegetation and a width ofat least 30 to 50 feet to be effective.In many instances, large trees are theonly remaining cover, but those treesprovide less protection from erosionthan a combination of trees, brush andgrasses to better hold soil in placeand thereby protect streambanks. Ariparian buffer is a progression oflow-growing vegetation on the outeredges with increasing height and plantdensity towards the center of thebuffer, where the stream is located.Maintaining this continuing increase invegetation density is important fromboth soil retention and nutrient filtering

perspectives. It has been shown thatlarge amounts of nutrients, up to80 percent, can be collected by grassyfilter strips made of the usual foragegrasses common to Arkansas, such tallfescue or bermudagrass. These stripscan be periodically grazed withoutcompromising riparian functionality orfarm profitability.

Adjacent to the grassy filter strip isbrushy vegetation that provides soilstability and wildlife habitat. This partof the riparian buffer is usually themost disturbed, as the intent of provid-ing water to livestock in an unrestrictedmanner can lead to various negativeimpacts – eroded banks, sediment lossand soil compaction. Compacted soilwill retain little rainwater, and accumu-lated nutrients in this area are likely tobe transported into the adjacent stream.Similar to the grassy outer edges ofriparian buffers, the middle section canbe managed so benefits are maximizedwhile negative environmental impactsare minimized. If livestock will bewatered from streams, specific water-ing points should be installed to protectthe most vulnerable parts of a riparianbuffer. This will not reduce farmincome; it will in fact help manage

livestock more efficiently as animalswill soon return to grazing on theadjacent pastures instead of loafing andlingering in the streams. One of themost efficient, low-cost features isdesignated, fortified stream crossingsthat serve as watering location andcrossing for vehicles. These crossingscan be built from concrete with a fewfeet of adjacent coarse gravel reachinginto the stream to either side to preventanimals from loafing extended periodsof time.

Close to the edge of the stream,large trees are the usual form ofwoody vegetation. In most cases, thesetrees have been left standing to provideshade for animals. However, if thereis not sufficient understory and vegeta-tive ground cover present, the runoff-slowing capacity of this section islimited, as large trees have virtually nofiltering function. Trees, however, playa large role in maintaining bank stabil-ity and holding soil in place due toexpansive root systems.

The maintenance of riparianbuffers on livestock farms cannot beseen as a separate item from the largerissue of watershed management.

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Especially in fast-growing populationareas, riparian buffer zones are affectedby encroaching urban development thattriggers high peak flows and dischargesthat streams running through adjacent

farmland are unable to handle. Iencourage landowners to seek opportu-nities for cost-sharing improvements totheir farms with the intent of protectingriparian buffer zones. Reclaiming

disturbed areas costs money, but withofferings by NRCS or Soil Conserva-tion Districts, taxpayers from urbanareas share the expenses of improvingwater quality on a larger scale.

Ditch the Itch in Your HerdHeidi Ward, Assistant Professor and Extension Veterinarian

Winter is upon us, which meanslice are getting prepared to snack onyour livestock. Lice infestationstypically appear in late fall and peak inlate winter, when the air turns colderand cattle stand in groups to keepwarm. Winter is also when animalsgrow extra hair, providing a perfectenvironment for these pesky parasites.Treating the problem of lice requirestime and money, but ignoring theproblem leads to economic loss.

There are two types of lice thataffect cattle: biting lice and suckinglice. Lice are tiny insects with clawsthat attach to hair. The claws areadapted to hairs of a specific diameter,making lice species-specific. In otherwords, cattle licewill not feed onhumans and viceversa becausethe hair of cattleand humans isdissimilar. Bitinglice have a large,blunt head withventral mouth-parts adapted tofeed on the skinand skin secre-tions of cattle(Figure 1).Sucking licehave a narrowhead with long,piercing mouth-parts adapted tofeed on the bloodand serum ofcattle (Figure 2).Lice irritatecattle causingthem to scratchand rub theirskin, eventuallyleading to adecline in health.

In addition, lice can carry viruses,bacteria and fungus, which all poserisks for immune-compromised cattle.Animals stressed from growth,pregnancy or underlying disease aremost at risk of experiencing secondaryhealth problems from lice.

Lice infestations add to the impactof cold weather, poor winter diet, stressfrom shipping and underlying disease.Infested animals are often restless anddistracted by their discomfort, whichkeeps them from eating. Cattle can beseen rubbing their face, neck, shouldersand rump to alleviate the itching,which often results in patches of furloss (Figure 3). The energy that licesteal can have a severe impact on ananimal’s immune system and health ingeneral. This impact manifests asanemia, delayed recovery fromdiseases, poor weight gain or overallunthriftiness.

Lice species of concern inArkansas are the short-nosed cattlelouse (Haematopinus eurysternus),long-nosed cattle louse (Linognathusvituli), little blue louse (Solenopotescapillatus) and cattle-biting louse(Bovicola bovis). The life cycle of liceonly lasts 20 to 30 days, with the entirecycle taking place on the host. Femalesattach their eggs (nits) to hairs, whichhatch in 5 to 14 days. When thenymphs emerge, they go through threemolts within 7 days. In 14 days, thenymphs become egg-laying adults, thuscompleting the cycle. Fortunately, theshort life cycle makes lice easier to killwith insecticides.

The type of lice infesting the herdis important to know when developinga treatment. Pour-on pyrethroids killboth types of lice, but injectableavermectins mainly kill sucking lice.No matter the product, the label shouldbe followed closely as there might be

strict pre-slaughter withdrawal times orenvironmental precautions. Giving thecorrect amount is important as theseproducts quickly become toxic to cattleif too much is given. Some productsrequire a second treatment, usually 3 to4 weeks after the first treatment, to killlice finishing their life cycle. Adult licecannot live very long away from thehost. Sucking lice die within a fewhours when off the host, but biting licemay live for several days as long asthey are not exposed to direct sunlightor cold air. Along with treating theanimals, the environment (i.e., treesand frequented fence posts) should alsobe treated prior to allowing newanimals into the area. For best results,follow the advice of your veterinarian.

Control and prevention of liceinfestation can be achieved bymaintaining cattle on a high plane ofnutrition. Cattle with an ideal bodycondition going into winter have betterimmune systems and can resist thenegative impact of lice. Prophylactictreatment with insecticides in late fallwill also help prevent infestation, butcattle should be checked regularlyduring the cold season for recurrence.By having a plan and paying attentionto your cattle, you can ditch the itch inyour herd.

Figure 3. Calf with hair loss from liceinfestation.

Figure 2. The suckinglouse, Hematopinuseurysternus.

Figure 1. The bitinglouse, Bovicola bovis.

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Arkansas 4-H Livestock Program UpdateChelsey Ahrens, Assistant Professor

Arkansas State Fair Sale of Champions

The Arkansas State Fair was held October 9-18 in LittleRock. In the junior market, commercial and breeding shows(beef, swine, sheep and goats), there were a total of 3,109

entries exhibited by 2,201 youth from across the state vyingfor the coveted title of Grand Champion. An elite group ofindividuals showing market animals were selected to be inthe Arkansas State Fair Sale of Champions or received schol-arships. Below is a recap of the Sale of Champion exhibitors:

Carrie Wiggs of White County withher Grand Champion Single Fryerpurchased by Deggeller Attractionsfor $1,700.

Kaylie Stone (center) of Clark County with herGrand Champion Meat Pen of Rabbits purchasedby Arkansas Farm Bureau for $3,000.

For more informationabout supporting the ArkansasState Fair Junior LivestockPrograms, contact ShermanLites at 501-607-4059 [email protected].

Riley Hoyle with her brother Jack ofColumbia County with her Grand Cham-pion Market Goat purchased by ArkansasFarm Bureau Insurance for $3,700.

Riley Hoyle with her brother Jack of ColumbiaCounty with her Grand Champion Market Lambpurchased by Arkansas Farm Bureau for $5,500.

Dodge Cowart of Pike County with his GrandChampion Market Steer purchased by ArkansasFarm Bureau for $15,000.

Makayla Herring of Greene County with herGrand Champion Pen of Broilers purchasedby the Poultry Federation for $3,900.

Jessica Griffin of Greene County with herGrand Champion Market Hog purchasedby the Steve Cobb Family for $8,000.

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National 4-H Livestock Skillathon Contest

The state winning Arkansas 4-H Livestock Skillathonteam from Washington County competed at the National 4-HLivestock Skillathon Contest in Louisville, Kentucky, onNovember 16. In the individual portion of the contest, theyhad to identify equipment, retail meat cuts and livestockbreeds. They also had a hay judging class, wool judgingclass, individual quality assurance exercise and a 30-questionquiz. The team portion of the contest consisted of meat andcarcass evaluation, performance and marketing, livestockfeeding, animal breeding scenario and a team quality assur-ance exercise. The team placed ninth in identification. Teammembers included Sagely Burnett, Colton Burden, MesaKutz and Nick Pohlman.

National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest

The state winning Arkansas 4-H Livestock Judging teamfrom Washington County competed at the National 4-HLivestock Judging Contest in Louisville, Kentucky, onNovember 17. At the contest, they judged four classes ofcattle, three classes of hogs, three classes of sheep and oneclass of goats. They also had four reasons classes and threequestions classes.

As a team they placed sixth in swine, eighth insheep/goats, and tenth overall. The top 20 individuals in thecontest were named All-Americans. Jeffrey Marley earnedthis honor by winning sixteenth overall. Members of theteam were Kinder Harlow, Jacob Marley, Jeffrey Marley andBlayke Rogers.

Team members from left to right: Colton Burden, MesaKutz, Sagely Burnett and Nick Pohlman (not pictured).

Team members from left to right: Jacob Marley,Blayke Rogers, Kinder Harlow, and Jeffrey Marley.

Jeffrey Marley with his All AmericanNational 4-H Livestock Judging belt buckle.

Upcoming Events

February 26, 2016 – The Arkansas Beef Quiz Bowl will beheld at the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Arena inFayetteville. This event is designed to challenge andeducate Arkansas students about the beef industry.Teams must be composed of four members. For moreinformation, contact Bryan Kutz at 479-575-4337 [email protected].

March 24-26, 2016 – The Arkansas 4-H Livestock LeadershipAcademy will be held at the Arkansas 4-H Center inFerndale. This event is designed for senior 4-H members

to gain hands-on leadership experiences, learn aboutcareers in the livestock industry as well as attend a collegefair, become better agvocates and learn what the currenttrends are in the livestock industry. For more information,contact Dr. Chelsey Ahrens at 501-503-6592 [email protected].

To learn more about Arkansas 4-H Livestock programs,visit our website at http://www.uaex.edu/4h-youth/activities-programs/animal-poultry-science.aspx. If you areinterested in volunteering or donating to help the 4-Hlivestock programs, please contact Dr. Chelsey Ahrens at501-503-6592 or [email protected].

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UofA Livestock Judging Team Finishes Its Year With Success and an All American Team Member

Bryan Kutz, Instructor

The University of Arkansas livestock judging teamcompleted its eligibility with a year of success and oneteam member named All American. This year’s teamcompeted in 12 contests that ended with trips to theAmerican Royal in Kansas City and the North American

International contest in Louisville, Kentucky. The 2015team finished in the top ten teams overall in 11 of 12contests and was named Champion team at the DixieNational and Reserve Champion team at the ArizonaNational and Mid America Classic.

2015 Livestock Judging Team Results

Arizona National Livestock Show, Phoenix, Ariz. Reserve Champion TeamNorthwestern Stock Show, Denver 7th Team Overall, 3rd in Carload ContestDixie National, Jackson, Miss. Champion TeamHouston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Houston 7th Team OverallNational Barrow Show, Austin, Minn. 10th Team OverallAksarben, Omaha, Neb. 5th Team OverallState Fair of Texas, Dallas 3rd Team OverallTulsa State Fair, Tulsa, Okla. 8th Team OverallMid-America, Hutchinson, Kan. Reserve Champion TeamAmerican Royal, Kansas City, Mo. 11th Team OverallNorth American International, Louisville, Ky. 6th Team Overall

At the final awards banquet in Louisville, Kentucky,eleven individuals were awarded All American. Thecriteria for this award is based on six categories: livestockjudging performance, grade point average, statement ofcareer goals and community, industry and universityinvolvement. This year UofA student Morgan Marleyreceived this honor. Marley was also named an AllAmerican in 2012, when she judged livestock forNortheastern Oklahoma A&M College.

“Being successful in my academic work is somethingI strive for on a daily basis,” Marley said. “But mycharacteristics that allow me to be successful came fromjudging livestock and my agriculture background. I wishthere were more students, especially at the University ofArkansas, that were involved in judging.”

This team of students operated like a close-knitfamily. They never complained about the long hours andmiles spent traveling or missing class. Each one originatedfrom a diversified livestock background, which helpedmake them successful judges because of their basic under-standing of practical production. This team was successfulbecause of the combination of intelligence, a strong workethic and a passion for the livestock industry. Picturedfrom left to right (top picture): Jacie Sweeney fromHermitage, Ark.; Emily Hasenauer from Wallace, Neb.;Morgan Marley from Elkins, Ark.; Kolton Moore fromCave City, Ark.; Blaine French and Trenton Tosh fromBatesville Ark.; and Bryan Kutz, Coach.