Valley Vet Supply

Fence Repair

If you are like the rest of us, we are ready for Winter to be over and Spring to be here! With what is an earlier than normal arrival of warmer weather, everyone is charging out the door with a multitude of chores. Time to break out the tiller and mower, seed the patches in the yard, get some garden in, and just sit in the grass and marvel at Mother Nature and how absolutely wonderful it is to live in the USA!

Nothing is closer to nature than walking pasture fence. Although it appears to be OK, it is good to walk it all and hand check the posts, connections, and wire. We usually use the 4-wheeler and try to keep a box full of mending supplies and a few extra posts. In the box we keep an assortment of regular pliers, fence pliers, hammer, trusty baling type wire, extra fence wire, splicers and tool, fencer stretcher (comealong), post driver, and good heavy gloves. There will always be something you forgot, or something someone borrowed, that you will be missing. It doesn’t hurt to add a notebook and a pen (that works) to the box to jot down what you need to bring along on your trip back or notes as to what needs taken care of on a future trip. While you are out, observe the area for washed out spots and holes, trees that could create future problems by falling on the fence, and add these to the notebook. If your memory is like mine, you are so busy thinking of what needs to be done, what you meant to do gets by you, too. Checking fence is not a once-a-year option. At the price of cattle, you want to check several times during pasture season. Helen

Pasture Fly Control

Warmer weather brings a rapid increase in fly populations. When flies are abundant, cattle become irritated and stressed. Extra energy is expended in an effort to fight off  flies, and less time is spent in normal grazing or resting patterns. While we may never get a true measure of the economic loss created by flies, it seems logical that calves running from flies are not gaining weight.

When comparing fly control methods, consider what is the most practical to implement in your operation. If your herd interaction is infrequent due to time, distance or pasture size, your approach may differ from a neighbor whose cattle are nearby and easily accessible. Each season is unique, but it often requires a combination of fly control efforts to provide the greatest benefit.

Pour-on insecticides, including Cylence and Ultra Saber, control horn flies and lice. Pour-on wormers provide nearly a month of protection from horn flies, in addition to internal and broader external parasite control. Fly tags are economical and can help control face and horn flies for up to 5 months. Both efforts can be combined with spring vaccinations when preparing cattle for pasture.

Mineral feeders, dust bags or cattle rubs charged with insecticide allow cattle to self-treat frequently while in the pasture. The Bullmaster II Mineral Feeder with Fly Killer Kover has a built-in insecticide reservoir that continuously saturates the feeder’s felt cover, applying insecticide each time mineral is consumed.

Topical sprays or pour-on insecticides can be quite effective if more frequent application is feasible. As the daylight hours grow each day, it seems that time grows more scarce. Any fly control efforts made early should be time well spent. Lori H

 

 

Spring Born Calves: Minimize Disease

When preparing to work spring-born calves prior to pasture season, producers should consider steps to protect against disease challenge. By vaccinating calves at one to three months of age, the first vaccination takes place at a time when the calf’s stress level is at a minimum. Calves that have been properly vaccinated will face less stress at weaning and are less likely to develop summer pneumonia. read more...

What's New In Your World?

It's always important to know what the up and coming products are. Sometimes it will end up being the best product that you have ever found, and sometimes it will end up being a product that you find isn't useful to you or your farm. Whichever the case may be, Valley Vet is here to help you get the newest products available.

When you are looking at the Valley Vet homepage, you will find a picture of each of our four product catalogs (Equine, Farm & Ranch, Pet, and Valley Naturals). Directly to the right of the picture, you will find links that will take you to different categories throughout the catalog. The very first link by each picture is New Products. By selecting this link, it will direct you to the new product page, showing you everything we have that is new to Valley Vet Supply. It will show you the top sellers first, and then all other new products will follow underneath.

As an operator for Valley Vet, I frequently visit this page so I know what is new to the company so I can help you, our customer, get the best product available. If you need any help, please feel free to give me a call 800-419-9524! I would be happy to help. :)

 

Reduce Separation Stress at Weaning

Two-stage weaning can significantly reduce the stress caused by weaning and separation of calves from cows. In stage one, calves are fitted with Calf Weaner nose flaps to prevent suckling. Calves remain with their dams for 4-10 days, during which they continue to socialize and graze together. In stage two, the weaners are removed and the cow/calf pair is separated. Research has shown that calves weaned in the two-stage process vocalized 85% less, walked 80% less and spent 25% more time eating than calves weaned through traditional separation. Calf Weaners are applied within a matter of seconds and are removed in 4-10 days for use next season.

A sound preconditioning program helps ensure the health of weaned calves. Preconditioning includes vaccinating and other health care procedures, weaning and introducing dry feed. It is designed to prepare calves for arrival at a feedlot in a manner that significantly reduces sickness and death loss. Preconditioning ensures to buyers that calves have been properly handled, and can lead to premium sale prices.
 
Need help with preconditioning records? Ask about our Preconditioning Certification forms, which are free to you upon request with your vaccine purchase. The forms allow you to document health care for buyers, including dates of blackleg vaccination, respiratory vaccination, deworming, external parasite control and other data. Two-part forms include record for buyer and a duplicate copy for your own records. Lori H

Sullivan Scholarship Program

Unless you are independently wealthy, (and if you are, would you be willing to adopt me??) a little extra cash is always welcome, especially to those heading off to college.

This is why I wanted you to know that there is a scholarship program available through Sullivan Supply. The youth scholarship program has a total amount of $20,000 available…20 lucky winners will receive a $1,000 each and we would LOVE to see some our friends be able to get a chunk of that!

To qualify you must be at least a graduating high school senior or college student 21 years of age or younger. The scholarships will be awarded to individuals displaying a great passion for the livestock show industry and/or raising livestock. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION ENTRIES IS MARCH 15, 2012. Visit Sullivan's Supply to download your application and for further details.

Winners will be announced on the Sullivan website on May 1st, 2012.

Good Luck!
Julie

Got Calf Claim?

Calving season is exciting when that first calf hits the ground and everything must be done to protect that awkward, spindly-legged, wide-eyed calf. Every once in awhile an unfortunate situation with calving can occur when a cow won't accept her calf when it tries to nurse.

I have gotten many calls from farmers and their wives wondering what products we may have that will help this situation. We sell several, but according to the farmers I've visited with, one seems to work better than most. It's called O-No-Mo by Springer McGrath. It has been field tested for two years in Iowa and Nebraska on both cattle and sheep.

The way to have the best results is to take a bit of time to prep the animals. Spray the calf or lamb's ear area to the tail area with water and fluff up the hair as much as possible. Then sprinkle the powdered product on the animal from its ears to tail head. The label says that the powder should be at room temperature to work the best. This is a pretty important point as the wind here in the mid-west and north in the winter can be brutally cold. Get the two animals in a windbreak to keep the powder intact, and out of the cold so the powder can release its odor. (The wives tell me - NOT in the house, by the way!) These precautions will help until they get bonded and may improve the chance of success.

When you need a good calf claimer, O-No-Mo is your best bet. Help your little calf or lamb get the opportunity to survive and thrive with this calf claimer. Ellen

Hypothermia in Cold Stressed Calves

I just read the January issue of “The Colostrum Counsel” newsletter from The Saskatoon Colostrum Co. Ltd. Its timing was perfect. The topic of the newsletter is calf hypothermia, the subject of much discussion (and blogging!) here this time of year.

The USDA estimates that 95,000 calves die each year from hypothermia. It’s an alarming figure. Prevention is best, but swift diagnosis and treatment will go a long way to mitigate cold stress and hypothermia.

Symptoms of cold stress include shivering, rapid pulse, rapid breathing and a cold nose. In the early stages, body temperature often drops a couple of degrees from the normal 102°. If the progression continues to more severe hypothermia, calves may stop shivering as muscles stiffen. Movement may become clumsy. Pulse and breathing rates slow. Body temperature continues to fall. A veterinary thermometer helps you assess the situation fairly quickly. When temps fall into the mid-90° range, vital organs are becoming chilled.

Begin treatment by getting the calf dry and warm. The Roy-L-Heat Animal Warmer utilizes a 110-volt heater to circulate warmth, quickly drying and warming newborns. A Calf Coat repels moisture and wind, offering a degree of protection for newborns or young calves. It’s also important that the calf receive adequate warm, high quality Colostrum. This warms them from the inside and helps them achieve passive transfer of immunity from disease.

To learn more, read “The Colostrum Counsel” by Sam Leadley, PhD, PAS (Download January Colostrum Counsel) Lori H

Wichita Farm & Ranch Show

Valley Vet Supply recently had the opportunity to co-sponsor the Wichita Farm & Ranch Show in Wichita KS. It was an expo for livestock producers that featured a series of live cattle chute demonstrations. In each demo, a pen of calves was split between 6 cattle squeeze chutes for processing. Dr. Preston Hickman, Wichita, joined our team of Jay Frerking (Valley Vet Supply), Dustin Baker (Powder River) Livestock Handling Equipment  and Tod Adams (Allflex USA) to process the calves.

Calves received vaccinations, dewormer, an Allflex Electronic ID (EID) tag, a visual ID tag and other health care, as needed.

Watch Dr Hickman’s interview with Bryan Hallman. Learn  more about Beef Quality Assurance and watch our chute demos. 

Watch Tod Adams’ interview with Bryan Hallman. Learn more about Electronic Identification (EID) and see more chute demos. Lori H

     

Improving Survial Rates of Winter Calves

Cold weather is stressful for calves and makes them more vulnerable to sickness and mortality. By giving calves the right start, you can help improve survival rates.

Maternal Scour Protection - Since the cow provides protection via the colostrum, prevention should start with her. When pregnant cows are vaccinated against bacterial and viral pathogens like E coli, Rotavirus and Coronavirus, they pass along the protection to calves through their colostrum.

Prevent Hypothermia – Cold stress presents a significant challenge to the survival of newborn calves. Warm calves quickly after birth to restore core body temperatures. The Roy-L-Heat Animal Warmer utilizes a 110-volt heater to circulate warmth, quickly drying and warming newborns. A Calf Coat repels moisture and wind, offering a degree of protection for newborns or young calves.

Colostrum - It’s important that the calf received adequate colostrum to achieve passive transfer of immunity from disease. Supplementation may be desirable, especially during inclement weather, which can increase pathogen load and weaken the calf’s immune system.

Antibiodies – Provide some scour protection until the immune system is functional.

Respiratory Protection – against respiratory diseases IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV and Mannheimia haemolytica (pasteurella). Modified live (MLV) products for calves have the advantages of a fast immune response and long duration of immunity.

Antibiotics - Scours and pneumonia caused by bacterial infections may improve with the use of sulfas and antibiotics.

Calf scours that are resistant to treatment may be caused by Cryptosporidiosis (Crypto). The organism invades cells in the intestines and can quickly spread through a high percentage of the calf crop. Avoid buying calves to cross-foster, as this is the usual source of the organism. Clean, dry calving areas also help prevent infection. Lori H