Bovine MEDICINE and RESTRAINT

Angus

• Developed from cattle native
  to Aberdeenshire and Angus
  in Scotland.

• Very hardy.

• Most common breed of beef
  cattle in US.

• Horn status: Polled

• Colors can be solid black or red.

• Bulls can weigh 1850+ lbs. Cows can weigh 1200+ lbs.

• Can also be used in crossbreeding to reduce the chance of dystocia and to create polled calves.

Brahman

• First bred in US from cattle imported from India. These are the sacred cattle of India.

• Characterized by a large hump over the top of the shoulder and neck; ears are large and pendulous.

• Mainly used for breeding and meat industry.

• Extensively cross-bred with other beef breeds to develop new breeds.

• Known for extreme tolerance to heat and resistance to insects due to thick hide.

• Horn Status: Horned.

• Colors: red, very light gray to almost black.

• Bulls: 1600 – 2200 lbs. Cows: 1000 – 1400 lbs.

Hereford

• Originally from Herefordshire, England.

• Herefords in 1700’s & 1800’s were much larger than modern breed.

• Hardy and thrifty breed.

• Prone to eye cancer.

• Horn Status: Polled and Horned

• Color: (deep cherry red to a light buckskin-orange color),white on face, withers, chest, bottom line, tail switch and feet.

• Bulls: 2000 to 2600 lbs. Cows: 1300 to 1700 lbs.

Limousin cattle

• Originated from Limousin and
  Marche regions of France.

• Initially used as draft animals.

• Popular due to low birth weights
  (ease of calving).

• Heavily muscled; high yielding
  production of lean beef.

• Horn Status: Horned, but now
  selectively bred to be Polled.

• Color: Light wheat to dark
  golden-red, although black
  Limousins are now being bred.

• Bulls: 2200 – 2500 lbs. Cows: 1400 – 1550 lbs

Short horn

• Originated in North East
  England.

• Developed as dual-purpose
  dairy and beef, now are two
  separate breeds.

• Slang term for Shorthorns:
  Shorties

• Horn Status: Polled, but
  some bloodlines have horns.

• Color; red, white or roan.

• Bulls: 2000 – 2200 lbs. Cows: 1500 – 1700 lbs

Simmental

• Originated in Western Switzerland.

• Oldest and most widely distributed of
  all cattle breeds in the world.

• Arrived in US late 1800’s.

• Simmental have been used as dairy,
  beef and draft animals.

• Beef yield is high, well-marbled.

• Renowned for rapid growth of young.

• Provides more combined weaning
  growth and milk yield than any other
  breed.

• Colors: black, red, red/white, white
  face, ears same color as body, lot of
  white on belly and legs.

• Horn Status: Polled and Horned,
  depending on genetics.

• Bulls: 2200 – 2800 lbs. Cows: 1100 – 1500+ lbs

Texas Longhorn

• Descendants of the first cattle
  brought to the New World.

• Have a natural resistance to many
  diseases and parasites that infect
  herds of other breeds.

• Known for its characteristic horns
  which can extend to over 7 ft.

• Hardy animals – heat and drought
  tolerant – low maintenance.

• Produce exceptionally lean meat.

• Commercial ranchers cross breed
  longhorns with other breeds for
  increasing vigor and ease of calving.

• Color: diverse, can be any color or
  mix of colors; dark red and white are
  the most dominant.

Ayrshire

• Originated in the County of Ayr in
  Scotland.

• Ayrshires do better under pasture
  conditions than other major dairy breeds.

• Calves are strong and easy to raise.

• Milk has moderate butterfat.

• Color: red and white (red varies in shade
  from very light to very dark).

• Color markings vary from nearly all red to
  nearly all white

• The spots are usually very jagged at the
  edges and often small and scattered over
  the entire body; spots are distinct with a
  break between the red and white hair.

• Horn Status: Horned

• Bulls: 1500 – 2000 lbs Cows: 950 – 1300 lbs.

Brown swiss

• Long lifespan, sturdy and strong.

• Large bodied with large fuzzy ears.

• Quiet temperament.

• Known for large quantity of milk
  (second highest annual milk yield per
  year); ability to stay in lactation longer
  than other breeds.

• Due to ration of protein to fat in the
  milk, makes it ideal for cheese-making.

• Color: Light brown or gray/silver;
  hooves, nose and switch are black,
  white ring around muzzle.

• Horn Status: Horned

• Bulls: 1900 – 2600 lbs. Cows: 1300 – 1400 lbs.

Guernsey

• Genetics have been improved upon with the advent of AI

• Known for producing milk
  containing high butterfat, high
  protein and a high concentration
  of beta carotene, which gives the
  milk a golden color.

• Excellent for use in pasture based
  milk production.

• Horn Status: Horned

• Color: orange/red and white.

• Bulls: 1300 - 1600 lbs. Cows: 950 – 1100 lbs.

Holstein

• Most common dairy breed in the US

• Worlds highest producing dairy animal, but has less butterfat and protein in the milk compared to other breeds

• Horned or polled

• Bull = 2000-2400 Cows = 1100 - 1300

Jersey

• Originated on the island of “ “, off the coast of France

• Small in stature compared to other dairy breeds

• Produce more pounds of milk per body weight than any other breed

• Popular for high butterfat content of milk

• Horned and Polled

• color varies from light grey to very dark fawn or almost black

• Bulls = 1200-1800 Cows = 800-1100

Normal bovine TPR

temp = 100.0 - 102.5

Pulse = 55-80 beats/min

RR = 10-30

Ruminations = 1-2 every 3 min

Calf

male/female less than 1 year

Heifer

female that had not had a calf

Cow

mature female, shows evidence of having produced one or more calves

Bull

intact male; generally of breeding age

Polled

lacking horns, either naturally or surgically removed

Bovine Gestation length

283 days

Age at first calf

24 months

Age at first breeding

13-15 months

Characteristics

• cloven hoofed

• Dairy or beef

• Second largest type of livestock in the world by number

• herbivores

Normal Behavior

Herd animals

• will follow the leader

• anxious when isolated, can be more dangerous

Means of Defense

Flight animals (prey)

Quick and agile

They will run over you, head for daylight (doors and windows), jump over walls or gates, run through fence

Head butting

charging

herd members help protect calves

cattle do not strike with front feet

reading body language

reasons to restrain

• Castrate a calf

• dehorning

• administration of treatment and medication

• treating sick calf

• putting a ring in a bulls nose

Methods of restraint

• Squeeze chute

• Milking parlor

• Stanchion

• Halter

• Nose tongs

• bull ring

• chemical sedation

Hobbles

What side is the rumen on

THE LEFT!!

Stressed Bovine

• Inc. RR

• Inc. HR

• Feel hot, may sweat

• open-month breathing

• Breathing with head and neck extended

Flank Restraint

Tail twist

Tail jack

Restraint of Animals in general

• Observe the animal first

• Alert animals to your presence

• Fewest number of people around is best

• Avoid loud noise and fast movement

• Approach at animal’s shoulder, not head (flight zone)

• Use adequate but minimum restraint - less is more

When Herding Cattle

• remember they are rarely halter broken

• Make yourself bigger

• Move cattle through chutes and panels

• “Follow the Leader” (rattle grain bucket)

• Use their flight zone to your advantage

What chemical sedations are ruminants very sensitive to?

Xylazine

Down cow

a bovine that is unable to get up due to a variety of causes, usually illness

Drench

a method of giving liquid medication, usually with a drenching gun

Dry cow

a cow that is not lactating

Drying off

the process of ending a cow’s period of lactation; i.e., quit milking her in preparation for parturition

Dystocia

difficulty in giving birth

Freshen

to give birth to a calf and to begin a period of lactation

Grade

a non-purebred or non registered

Heat

another name for estrus or that period of time in which the female is receptive to the male

Lactate

to produce milk

Mastitis

inflammation of one or more quarters of the mammary gland (udder)

Open

not pregnant

Scours

diarrhea in young animals

Scur

horn tissue attached to the head by skin only; usually the result of poor dehorning technique.

Steer

a male bovine castrated before sexual maturity

TMR

total mixed ration – feed for cattle (generally dairy) in which all the ingredients are mixed together so

Beef Cattle

• Angus

• Braham

• Texas Longhorn

• Hereford

• limousin cattle

• Shorthorn

• Simmental

Dairy Cattle

• Holstein

• Jersey

• Ayrshire

• Guernsey

• Brown Swiss

Common Beef breeds

• Angus

• Hereford

• Simmental

• Shorthorn

• Carolais

• Mixed

6 major Dairy breeds

• Holstein

• jersey

• Brown Swiss

• Ayrshire

• Guernsey

• Milking Shorthorn

Vaccination against

Respiratory - viruses and Bacteria

Diarrheal

Reproductive

Internal and External Parasite

“worms”

Lice, mites, and grubs (warbles)

Flies

Segments of the Beef industry

Cow-calf

Backgrounder or stocker

Feedlot

Keys to profit for Cow-Calf

• decrease feed cost

• increase weaning %

• Increase or maintain pregnancy rate

• Decrease unit cost of production

Common diseases - Cow-Calf

pinkeye, foot rot, neonatal calf scours, BRD, “agroceriosis”, coccidiosis, grass tetany

Calves: Diarrhea

Bacterial

Nutritional

Parasitic

Viral

Calves: Respiratory

Bacterial

Viral

Calves disease

Septicemia

TPR

100.0-102.5

55-80 beats/min

10-30 breaths/min

Ruminations: 1-2 every 3 min

Beef disease

Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex(BRDC)

• shipping fever

  • Bacterial

  • Viral

Other Beef Diseases

• Hypomagnesemia

  • Grass tetany

• Ruminal acidosis

• Bloat

Dairy Disease - Metabolic

• hypocalcemia (milk fever)

• Hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver)

• ketosis

• displaced abomasum

Dairy Disease - Mastitis

• Clinical

• Subclinical

Cow-Calf

• Animals produced primarily for meat

• Segment results in a 5-10 month old animal

• will have spring and/or fall calving

Dairy diseases

Metabolic

Mastitis

Lameness

Neonatal Care

• Oxygen/pulse assessment

• Temperature regulation

• Care of the umbilical cord and umbilicus

• Nutrition (nursing)

• Bonding of cow and calf

• Passage of meconium (first defecation)

• Adequacy of passive transfer of antibodies (colostrum)

• Physical examination of the calf

Beef

• Calving

• Low maintenance

• Sell beef

• Wean at about 6-7 months

• Calving season about 65 days

• Save $$ = profit

Dairy

• Freshening

• High Maintenance

• Sell milk

• remove from dam at <1 day

• Increased production = profit

Stocker

Grow frame (no interested in marbling) on animal prior to finishing at a feedlot

Animals usually 6-9 months of age while here

Feedlot

• Finishing cattle for slaughter; interested in marbling/grades/and weight

• Animals fed heavier concentrates to increase marbling

Bovine Anatomy

Squeeze chute

By removing pressure points and ensuring a clear line of sight, a good one of these will ensure that cattle do not feel pressured and will walk through the chute, limiting injury to live stock and handler

Milking parlor

the place where milking happens. They are designed for optimal cow and form worker comfort

• Parallel

• Rotary

Stanchion

Nose tongs

Rope casting methods

• Double Half-hitch Method

• Burley or Criss-Cross method

Double Half Hitch

Advantages:

• Fewer people needed

• better able to predict on which side animal will fall

Disadvantage:

• May injure genitals

• Goes down hard and fast

• Loop around neck may cause respiratory distress

• Need to know BOWLINE knot to start

Burley or Criss-Cross method

Advantage:

• No loop around neck or chest

• Animal does not fall hard

• Less chance of genital injury

• No knots to tie

Disadvantages:

• takes more people

• less control over on which side animal falls 

Where do you take the pulse at

The underside of the tail, femoral, or mandibular

Rope Flank Restraint

to keep from kicking

Where can you check CRT

the vulva

Where do you listen at for the rumen

the left paralumbar fossa

Ping of a left displaced abomasum

variable pitch ping, will also “slosh”

Ping sound for gas in the rumen

dull ping, no change in pitch. 

Ping - location

Ping from hooks to elbow

Lymph node locations

Submandibular, Parotid, Retropharyngeal, Prescapular, Precrural, Supramammary

What gauge and length needle for IM/SQ

14-18 gauge and 1.5 inch

What gauge and length needle for IV

18-20 gauge and 1-1.5 inch