Solving sow lameness starts with prevention
Lameness issues continue to be a significant problem in sow herds, causing 40% to 50% of all sow removals, according to Bill Minton, DVM, Four Star Veterinary Service in Chickasaw, Ohio.
Reappearance of F18 E. coli strikes nursery pigs
A resurgence of the F18 strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in weaned pigs on a growing number of hog farms is causing a rise in mortality and a reduction in performance.
Early pregnancy testing in a beef herd pays off
Pregnancy testing cows in a beef herd can help producers make better decisions to improve their bottom line, but must be conducted early in pregnancy when the accuracy is high.
Little-known sapovirus causes diarrhea in baby pigs
A couple of puzzling cases of diarrhea in baby pigs that didn’t test positive for the usual culprits were recently identified through genome sequencing as a porcine sapovirus.
Cold stress poses threat to calf health even at mild temps
Cold stress can become a drag on growth rates if calves aren’t kept warm and dry even at temperatures as high as 60° F.
Managing Strep suis in commercial pig production
Most, if not all, pigs harbor some strains of Strep suis. Lately, challenges by the bacteria appear to be on the rise, but that could be interpreted as a positive.
Properly prepare gilts to match farm’s Mycoplasma status
After living with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo) for years, producers now know that maintaining a stable M. hyo status is key to reducing the disease’s impact.
Post-farrowing sow care important for piglet care
Day-1 pig care is essential, but we also need to recognize that sow care is an important component of it.
Heat stress can set cattle up for respiratory issues
Cattle suffering from heat stress will go off feed and, in some cases, become more susceptible to respiratory disease. A few tactics can reduce the effects of hot weather.
Reduce sow mortality with documentation and intervention
The cause of high sow-mortality rates may be tough to determine, but producers can take steps to address the problems and lower rates.
Biosecurity needs regular maintenance to keep out disease
Hog production today involves detailed biosecurity plans to prevent disease outbreaks. But keeping up biosecurity protocols can become tedious.
How to improve a young calf’s future performance
“Everything we do for calves in the first 6 weeks will dictate how they perform for the rest of their life,” stated Taylor Engle, DVM, with Four Star Veterinary Service in Chickasaw, Ohio.
