News Update
May 10, 2010

2010 Black Books Still Available For Fall Calving Herds

The pocket-sized Beef Record Service (BRS)/AngusSource® black books contain a space for management records and calving dates and are again available for purchase through the American Angus Association.

The 2010 books are available in any quantity for $3 each. Sorry, customization is not available. Supply on stock is limited.

The books make great promotional gifts to commercial customers.

To place orders, contact the AngusSource department at 816-383-5100 or blackbooks@angus.org.

Presence of Trichomoniasis Reproductive Disease Leads to Test Requirements for Bulls Coming into Missouri

Trichomoniasis is a reproductive disease in cattle caused by a protozoan parasite that results in early pregnancy loss. It is passed from bull to female during breeding and infected bulls show no symptoms.

“For years it has been viewed as a disease in western states and those of us in the Midwest were not too worried about it. However, in the last 5 to 10 years, the disease has surfaced on more Missouri farms,” said Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri (MU) Extension.

Increasingly, states to the west and south of Missouri have established health requirements for bull traffic into and within the states to prevent the spread of “trich.”

On March 1, 2010, Missouri began a negative test requirement for bulls over 24 months of age that are coming into Missouri. So far, Cole says intrastate movement of bulls is not being affected.

“You first become concerned about trich when presumably bred females start cycling one to three months postbreeding. Finally, in two to six months, many of the cows will settle, but it will give you a strung out calf crop,” said Cole.

A natural immunity can help clear the parasite from the cow’s reproductive tract. Unfortunately, this isn’t permanent and the female can become reinfected in the future.

Bulls over three years of age rarely clear the parasite and they become long-term carriers of the problem.

Public enemy Number 1, as transmission of trich is concerned, is older bulls. Virgin bulls should be free of the trich organism.

“Be careful when buying, borrowing or renting older bulls that have been with cows. If you plan to do any of the above, have the bull tested for trich before exposing him to your herd,” Cole said.

The new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) trich test only requires one test instead of the three procedures used in the past. Veterinarians often recommend in high trich incidence areas that all non-virgin bulls be tested during breeding soundness exams and before turnout time.

In the meantime, Cole says to monitor the breeding activity in your herd and take action quickly if several females thought to be bred start cycling.

“Know the history of your bull and test him when he may have gone visiting. You never know what he might pick up at the neighbors,” said Cole.

He also recommends limiting your breeding season to 90 or fewer days, culling open cows, and avoid buying open cows, and short-breds.

“If you do buy open short-bred cows, play it safe and put them in an isolation pasture away from your main herd,” Cole said.

Vaccination of females may be a consideration but it does require a booster.

“Your veterinarian can assess your risk level and make recommendations that hopefully can keep trich from devastating your calf crop,” Cole said.

For more information, contact any of the MU Extension livestock specialists in southwest Missouri: Eldon Cole in Mount Vernon, 417-466-3102; Gary Naylor in Dallas County, 417-345-7551; and Dona Goede in Cedar County, 417-276-3313.

— Release by MU Extension.

More Efforts To Expand Supply Of Veterinarians

The National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense — aka FAZD, funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is launching a new education program designed to prepare high school students for careers in veterinary medicine.

The One Health Career-Oriented Youth Educational National Program takes aim at a national shortage in veterinary paraprofessionals. The program emphasizes the public health and regulatory aspects of zoonotic and exotic diseases to qualify students as veterinary paraprofessionals and increase their prospects of securing related jobs after graduation.

The phrase “One Health” refers to an international initiative to integrate human and veterinary medicine. At least 60% of all human pathogens are transmissible between humans and animals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and American Medical Association (AMA) are endorsing the One Health Initiative.

The curriculum consists of 75 core lessons on basic veterinary science and career education in three tracks, each with 25 lessons. Some of the areas it will address include clinical sciences, One Health science and technology, and laboratory research/diagnostic science and technology. The curriculum will be published as a handbook and as a web-based course with interactive features to establish a national curriculum in workforce development of youth, called “Veterinary Science: Preparatory Training for Veterinary Assistants,” by this fall.

Participating students will serve as apprentices in their chosen fields. They will observe professionals at work and receive 120 hours of on-the-job training before achieving certification.

Also in regard to the U.S. veterinary shortage, Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain said U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is accepting applications from veterinarians wishing to participate in the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program.

The program addresses veterinary shortages in rural America by repaying the student loans of qualified veterinarians in return for their services in areas facing a veterinarian shortage. In return for a three-year service commitment in a designated area, NIFA may repay up to $25,000 of student loan debt per year.

USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the program April 30.

“I know firsthand that there are areas in Louisiana and elsewhere that are underserved when it comes to veterinary care,” Strain says. “This program will help get trained veterinarians where they are most needed.” More than 150 U.S. locations were identified as having a critical shortage of food animal veterinarians.

“We need more veterinarians in these areas to help our food animal producers,” Strain adds. “Veterinary care is essential for the national food safety and food security infrastructures as well as the health and well-being of animals and humans.”

Major studies indicate a significant and growing shortage of food-supply veterinarians and veterinarians serving in certain other high priority specialty areas. A leading cause for this shortage is the heavy cost of four years of professional veterinary medical training, which can average between $130,000 and $140,000. Congress established the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program as a way to remedy this growing need.

The deadline to apply for the loan repayment program is June 30. Offers of acceptance will be made by Sept. 30. Application forms can be found on the NIFA website.

— Release by FAZD, USDA.

Minnesota Nutrition Conference

The 71st Minnesota Nutrition Conference will be September 21-22, 2010, at the Holiday Inn, Owatonna, Minn. The Conference provides a forum for feed industry professionals to update their knowledge of beef, dairy, poultry, and swine nutrition. This year’s program will include an Equine session. Speakers from throughout North America will bring the latest concepts in livestock feeding to the upper Midwest.

Conference highlights include:

• University of Minnesota Research Updates
• Ruminant and Non-ruminant Sessions
• Equine Session

The Minnesota Nutrition Conference is presented by:

• Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota
• University of Minnesota Extension

For more information, or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please contact John Goihl at 800-322-0437, or Lee Johnston 320-589-1711.

— Release by University of Minnesota Extension.

— Compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.