The Hoof Cowboy – Interview with Jeremy Wood

The Hoof Cowboy – Interview with Jeremy Wood

Posted on by Thomas

Jeremy Wood did not grow up around agriculture. His dad worked in a bank, his mother was a schoolteacher, and they lived in a small town in northern Utah. However, he always loved animals and the farming element of life. Which made pursuing a career in hoof trimming a great fit. 

Jeremy is very passionate about life, biology, and ecology. He is all hoof, but when he is not trimming hooves, he enjoys creating and caring for his yard at home.

 

Q: What was it like first getting into hoof trimming?

A: “It was a really slow process. Farmers are very particular about who is doing the hoof trimming on their farm because there is a lot of risk involved.

Ultimately, we are just pedicurists. We are cleaning the hooves up a little to create a base where the cow is most comfortable and we treat any lame cows. If the trimming is done wrong, it will cost the farm a tremendous amount of money. It’s tough for a young person to enter the business because of the risk involved”, says Jeremy.

“Right out of high school I joined the National Guard. My platoon sergeant’s neighbor was a hoof trimmer looking for an apprentice. He trained me and I got my start working for him.

Once I was trained, I moved to Idaho and partnered with an older hoof trimmer from Rupert. I worked with him for 3-4 years and then we eventually split up, each taking half of the clientele. During that time farms were growing very quickly, the timing was perfect, and I was able to get very busy quite quickly as people liked the job I did.”

 

Q: What is one reason you are so passionate about hoof trimming?

A: “The hoof is uncharted territory; we don’t know a ton about it and there are lots of opportunities for us to improve. I spend a lot of time researching and networking with other hoof trimmers about what we are doing and how we can do it better.”

 

Q: What are the basics of hoof care?

A: “With hoof care, what we are ultimately doing is creating comfort. The vast majority of cows are moving a lot walking to and from the milking barn. As the hooves grow, they wear at the same time. Depending on the structure of the cow, as the hooves wear, she may start to ball up in the middle or flange out on the sides. As those hooves change and grow, she becomes less comfortable.

What we want to do as hoof trimmer’s is to restructure that hoof so that the integrity of that hoof is strong and when the cow puts weight on that hoof, she is comfortable.”

 

Q: What is the most common hoof problem that you see? How do you treat it and prevent it from happening again in the future?

A: “I started trimming hooves in the late 90’s and the dairy industry was dramatically different back then. Our diets, management, and facilities were different. Majority of farms were smaller with older free stalls. Cows were getting bigger genetically, and so the comfort level was low.

Late 90’s early 2000’s we had new diseases appearing in the hooves. We started getting digital dermatitis/hairy heel warts that went rampant. Back in those days I would be wrapping feet about 50 out of 70 or 80 cows. It was an infectious disease that came out of nowhere from the environment. That was the biggest problem back then.

Shortly after that, we got into a progressive stage of dairy farming where the industry was growing, and we started pushing cows for production. We started pushing high concentrate diets and we created metabolic disease. Ulcers, abscesses, and white line disease, the hooves a lot of times would just slough off and blow out.

As the industry does, we learned and adapted, we backed the concentrates down in the ration, and we changed and added how we were doing other things. Majority of hoof problems have been fixed with foot baths, ration adjustments, and improving cow comfort. I would say today in our arena of hoof care, comfort is the biggest limiting factor. 

There are so many different opinions on the correct way to trim a cow. The truth is we really don’t know, the cows can’t tell us, they have to take what they get, we can watch them move and we can assume if they look comfortable, but we don’t actually know how it feels to them.

When it comes to the biggest problem nowadays, the misunderstanding and lack of knowledge of what cows really need is our biggest limiting factor.”

 

Q: Why should farmers prioritize hoof health?

A: “The hooves are one of the last things to get taken care of both nutritionally and financially. But it’s the first thing that is sacrificed to take care of anything else that is going on in the cow. I think the arena we are in, and the new things that will be challenging the industry, will all have an impact on hoof health.”

 

Q: How is gut health connected to hoof health?

A: “I think that gut health has flown the gamete in hoof health. During that time when we had a lot of sole ulcers and abscesses, we fed a lot of starch, a lot of corn, and a lot of readily available protein. As that problem got fixed, we kind of took the focus away from nutrition as being the culprit to hoof problems. Honestly, I don’t think it was as much nutrition as it was overall metabolic performance and gut health of the animal.

Whether it is acidosis, leaky gut, insulin dysregulation, there are so many things going on in the animals, when the animal is compromised she takes care of what keeps her alive first, the heart, the lungs, muscle mass, her baby, milk production, she takes care of those things and whatever is left over goes to the feet.

The more incidences the animal has with metabolic stress, not necessarily from nutrition, those stress events trigger different components of her metabolic system.  We still need to work on managing stress in our dairy herds. I don’t think there is enough we can do to mediate the effects of stress on the gut.”

 

Q: What kind of clues can the hooves give us about the metabolic health of the animal?

A: “The hooves are the window to what is going on in the animal. One of the biggest clues is discoloration or hemorrhaging. One of the biggest disservices the hoof trimming industry has given to the dairy industry is to refer to that hemorrhaging as bruising. It’s not from the impact of stepping on rock or hitting their hoof, that hemorrhaging is showing us that somewhere inside the animal there was a challenge, which resulted in burst arteries in the hoof. My opinion is, if we created a hemorrhage in the hoof, did we create a hemorrhage in the lungs, or the ovaries, or the follicles, uterus, or the mammary tissue? If that hemorrhage is not from impact, it is from a disturbance from within the digestive tract, and we have a big opportunity to improve that animals’ health.

I go around with a lot of different hoof trimmers, and when I ask if they see any hemorrhaging, they always say no not really. But when I work with them for a minute there is always 30-50% of the cows we trim that have some level of hemorrhaging going on. Which shows what type of problem inflammation is inside of our diary cattle.”

 

Q: What impact does hemorrhaging have on cow comfort?

A: “Hemorrhaging is not causing the cow to be visibly lame, however if I take a group of cows and sort them, those that walk the fastest and the strongest have the best hoof structure and integrity and they are the most comfortable. Cows with hemorrhaging will not be as fast on their feet and are more likely to be overgrown or have other hoof problems.

There is a big difference from cow to cow and from dairy to dairy on the integrity of the hoof. Hooves can get soft and rubbery, the more inflammation the redder color, the softer they are the faster they grow, the more deformed they grow. Really providing those elements that will create that structure from the inside is paramount.”

 

Q: How often should hooves be trimmed?

A: “When I started trimming cows in the 90’s, most guys were just trimming cows during the dry period, so once per year. As we started down the path of feeding more concentrate and higher mineral levels to push for more production, they started growing hooves faster and we moved to twice per year.  

I think today in our arena, you can correlate it with milk production. Back when we were trimming once per year, cows were giving 55-65 lbs. of milk, and hooves didn’t grow real fast. We move into the early 2000’s and they are up in the 75-90 lbs. of milk range, growing hoof faster, and getting trimmed twice per year. Today a lot of herds are giving over 100 lbs. of milk, and I think trimming three times per year would be a good target to try and achieve. However, there are some cows that honestly need trimmed every 2-3 months due to poor leg structure.

I don’t think you can put a general base line of how many times per year cows need to be trimmed. It needs to be determined on a herd-by-herd basis. Housing environment, diet, and genetics all play roles in determining how often cows need to be trimmed. Good rule of thumb is if they don’t look completely comfortable on their hooves, they need to be trimmed more often.

When you look at the return on investment of the cost of hoof trimming, you could trim them every 2 months and it would pay for itself. There is no cost associated with hoof trimming compared to the return.”

 

Thank you, Jeremy, for sharing your passion for hooves with us!  If you would like to learn more from Jeremy, follow “The Hoof Cowboy” on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram!

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Help Calves Hydrate During Heat Stress

Help Calves Hydrate During Heat Stress

Posted on by Thomas

With wide eyes and sunken flanks, the calves looked up at me. This scene was totally different from the one I saw a month ago on my previous visit to this same farm. What could have changed? A month ago, the calves were full, sleek, and spunky. Today they were dehydrated and lethargic. A lot can change in a month; a lot can change in 24 hours.

 

Thermoneutral Zone

Heat stress is one of the most challenging environmental stressors known to both humans and animals. All animals have a thermal comfort zone which is essential in the upkeep of physiological functions.

A newborn calf maintains its core body temperature with no additional energy from 50F to 77F, while a one-month-old calf’s thermoneutral zone is 32F to 73F. Any temperature below or above the thermoneutral zone will require the calf to utilize energy for core body temperature maintenance. This means less energy and nutrients are available for growth and immune function.

The previous time I visited the farm mentioned above the ambient temperature was 69F. Upon my second visit, the mercury was reading 90F, a difference of 21F and well out of the thermoneutral zone for a young calf. A combination of no management changes regarding water availability in the event of the temperature change, and an outbreak of scours drastically changed the condition of the animals.

 

Molecular Mechanisms

Microbiota populations in the intestine shift due to heat stress. Apart from the microbiota inside the animal, higher temperatures could speed up the growth of the pathogens that live part of their life outside the animal. A heavier environmental pathogen load increases the risk of infection; therefore, appropriate intestinal function is a pivotal component in countering the negative effects of heat stress.

Heat stress harms the intestinal function of digestion and absorption by shortening villi length and reducing the number of goblet cells in the duodenal jejunal epithelium. Additionally, heat stress downregulates the mRNA expression of cholecystokinin, a hormone produced in the small intestine that plays a fundamental role in the process of digestion.

 

Immunity

Heat stress activates the immune response and causes the gut to be more susceptible to pathogen invasions. Additionally, heat stress could induce an inflammatory response and cause tissue damage to the intestine and muscles of the animal.

Disruption in the intestinal barrier and resulting dysbiosis caused by heat stress has far reaching effects on the health of the animal. Gut microbiota metabolism relates to host health and susceptibility to disease. Metabolites from microbes in the gut signal to other parts of the body including the brain. Disruption of the gut-brain axis may result in the animal being more susceptible to disease.

 

Hydration

Water is the most important nutrient and adequate water intake is important for the transportation of nutrients, removal of waste products, and hydration of mammalian cells. During heat stress calves loose additional water through sweating and respiration. It is important to implement management changes in water availability in order for the animal to replace the amount of water that was lost. (See figure 1 below.)

Electrolyte minerals sodium, potassium, and chloride are equally essential in promoting water balance both inside and outside the mammalian cell. Providing an electrolyte designed to hydrate at the cell level, support immune function, and improve intestinal barrier integrity will improve animal health and performance during heat stress.

Immu-Lyte Black Label provides unique components to keep calves thriving during heat stress.

Immune Support: Calves cannot fight off disease without hydration and important nutrients.

Mucus Production: Mucus acts as a barrier between pathogens and the gut wall. When intestinal mucus is dry, the mucosal barrier breaks down and allows foreign invaders to pass through.

Protective Osmolyte: Betaine acts as an osmolyte and holds water inside cells.  When cells remain hydrated, we protect the calf against heat stress and electrolyte loss. Humic acid helps to form a protective film on the mucosal layer of the gut epithelia to protect against toxins and infections.

Nutrient Absorption: Humic and Fulvic Acids offer a superior source of organic electrolyte minerals. These minerals play an important part in carrying water molecules directly into cells.

Plan for warmer temperatures. Implement management strategies that always allow fresh clean water, shade, ventilation, and daily electrolytes to help calves compensate for water and electrolyte losses in the heat. For more information on Immu-Lyte Black Label visit the MicroBasics online store.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

 

Sources:

Calf Note #251 – Cavles lose water in the heat

 

Chaoyue Wen, Siyu Wei, Xin Zong, Yizhen Wang, Mingliang Jin,

Microbiota-gut-brain axis and nutritional strategy under heat stress,

Animal Nutrition,

Volume 7, Issue 4,

2021,

Pages 1329-1336,

ISSN 2405-6545,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aninu.2021.09.008.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405654521001773)

Programming Calf Immunity Through Dry Cow Management

Programming Calf Immunity Through Dry Cow Management

Posted on by Thomas

Bethany Dado-Senn grew up on a 500 cow dairy farm in North Western Wisconsin. Her family raises all their youngstock and homegrown crops. She attended UW Madison for her undergrad focusing on Dairy Science and Genetics. Upon graduation she transferred to the University of Florida for her master’s and PhD. The focus of her research was on understanding how early life stressors impact calf mammary development and general physiology.

That included in-utero studies including dry cow heat abatement, and early life pre-weaning heat stress on dairy calves. She finished her masters in Florida and then her advisor took a position at UW Madison halfway through Bethany’s PhD, so she followed her back to Wisconsin and was able to finish he degree closer to home.

Right out of grad school Bethany hired on with Vita Plus Corporation as a calf specialist. She helps troubleshoot calf problems on farm and she also does training and technical writing for their marketing efforts.

Bethany still helps on the family farm by feeding the calves each morning which is fun and rewarding for her. This week she shares insight with us on how we can manage the dry cow to program the calf for success.

Q: What factors influence health of the dry cow?

A: From a general health perspective, we know the dry period is the start of the transition period. Especially closer to calving we will see a decline in dry matter intake, which partially opens the door to a lot of transition disorders in the next lactation. Now researchers like Dr. Lance Baumgard and Dr. Barry Bradford have started looking into what role inflammation plays in this series of events. Greater inflammatory status at dry off is an indicator of having more inflammatory markers at calving. Which also opens the door for transition cow disorders.

It goes to show we should really be focusing on how cows enter the dry period and give them the support that they need to have low oxidative stress, low inflammation, and overall good general metabolic health. That will ease them into the lactating string even easier.

Another than that is an important consideration is mammary development. At the start of the dry period, we have involution of the mammary gland and cell death of most of the mammary epithelial cells. These are worn out cells that are not as metabolically active and functional. The dry period kills most of these cells and a couple weeks before calving the redevelopment phase begins and these epithelial cells turn over and fresh cells regenerate. They can start off the lactation curve with a lot more activity and robustness.

Q: What factors influence calf development during the dry period.

A: First off, let’s talk about the general concept of over or under nutrition. We know from human literature that if mom is under nourished, that may lead to a lot of metabolic and general growth consequences for the offspring.

On the dairy cow side of things, undernutrition isn’t common, although on the flip side, overnutrition is more likely. There is not a lot of work explaining what it might look like for the calf to be born from a high body condition cow with fatty liver. There is some work suggesting some changes in adipocyte formation, but not a lot of research along those lines.

There is more literature around what we put in the diet. There is a lot of work out there right now around rumen protected choline and rumen protected methionine. Not only their role on cow performance when she starts milking, but also for her calf.

What this looks like on the calf side, for both methionine and choline, is that they are both methyl doners. So, they aid in general growth and development, and feed efficiency. I believe there are also some improvements in things like oxidative stress performance. With that kind of support, you are going to get a faster growing more vigorous calf.

Other factors that could play a role include inflammatory status. Last year an ADSA abstract was presented by Eduardo Ribeiro’s group from the University of Guelph. They found that calves from cows with an early lactation transition disorder were also more at risk of having a health issue. There is something going on in the cross talk during late gestation that passes on inflammation and oxidative stress to the offspring. We are not sure what the mechanism is, but there is a connection.

The final area we look at would be maternal stressors. Late gestation is the period of time in which about 70% of calf growth is occurring. Any stressor that shunts away nutrients or oxygen, as blood is dispersed elsewhere, the calf is not going to be able to grow in the same way.

In my background with heat stress research, we know that calves born to in-utero heat stress are born earlier, are lighter, and are more immunocompromised. They have a smaller thymus, liver and spleen. They have poorer passive immune transfer, they have impaired fertility, and if they make it around all of that and they make it to the lactating string they make 5-10 lbs. less milk per day compared to calves born to a thermo-neutral in-utero environment.

Some of my work looked at some of the early life mammary development. We know that as soon as the calf hits the ground, she already has some impairments in mammary gland size. It is also less proliferative, and it is less complex than mammary development of calves who experienced thermal-neutral in-utero. The synthesizing ducts that will eventually form are less developed and will not proliferate as fast.

Q. How can we “program” dry cows to help calves be ready for passive and active immunity?

A. Consider adding a rumen protected choline or methionine to your diet.  There is a study that shows that feeding rumen protected choline to the dry cow improved colostrum yield. There are benefits to the cow, but also to the calf.

Cooling your dry cows will help with calf passive immunity transfer. The gut of calves experiencing in-utero heat stress has increased gut cell death and poorer tight junction integrity. It doesn’t do as good of a job absorbing the immunoglobulins of colostrum.

We are still exploring the size difference of the thymus, liver, and spleen and the impact that has on the adaptive immune response. My college Marcella did a lot of immune related research while we were in grad school together. She followed calves that were consistently heat stressed in-utero and post weaning and those that were consistently cooled. We see lower IgG consistently across the entire preweaning period and some differences in monocyte and neutrophil populations in those heat stressed calves.

Generally, make sure you have the right colostrum quantity which comes down to dry cow nutrition. Things like correct crude protein levels, overall dry matter intake, and milking cows soon after calving for the best IgG concentration.

Thanks for all the great information about managing our dry cows and programming our calves for immune success Bethany!  If you would like to hear more from Bethany, you can connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

3 Key Management Areas for a Successful Transition

3 Key Management Areas for a Successful Transition

Posted on by Thomas

More than 35% of all dairy cattle have at least 1 clinical disease event in the first 90 days of their lactation. It is important to have a solid protocol in place for transition cows to aid them in the onset of milk production and help them maintain good health.

Remember 3 areas when establishing a fresh cow protocol.

1. Minimize stress

2. Nutrition and feed management

3. Observe behavior for early illness detection

 

Minimizing Stress

  • One of the greatest stressors on a transition cow is pen moves.  Each time a cow enters a new pen she will have to establish her hierarchy within the group. This may result in a drop in DMI (Dry Matter Intake) and elevated cortisol levels.  It is best to minimize pen movements as much as possible and allow animals adequate time, 21-28 days, in the close-up pen.
  • If possible house springer heifers separately from multiparous cows. Springer heifers have been shown to have longer resting times and greater DMI when housed separately from mature cows. First calf heifers also need more metabolizable protein in the close-up period than mature cows.
  • Keep pens clean and dry. Environmental stressors increase metabolic needs, but decrease DMI. Wet pens increase the risk of mastitis and metritis.
  • Heat abatement systems minimize heat stress.
  • Allow adequate pen space ~ 600 ft2/cow (183 m2) and 50-70 ft2 (15.24 – 21.3 m2) of shade.
  • In a freestall barn a minimum of 1 properly bedded stall/cow is need.
  • Avoid overcrowding, 85% stocking density is ideal.

 

Nutrition and Feed Management

  • Properly balanced close-up and fresh rations and sufficient DMI are important in ensuring a healthy immune system and onset of milk production. DMI should be monitored in the close-up and fresh periods.  A good goal for DMI is 2% of body weight pre-freshening and 3 % of body weight post-freshening.
  • It may be beneficial for your farm to select low K+ forages for the close-up rations, or even to feed anionic salts. When feeding a -DCAD diet be sure to routinely monitor urine pH’s.  If pH’s are not falling in the range of 6-7 you will need to consult with your nutritionist about a ration adjustment.
  • Provide adequate, clean water as it is necessary for rumination, immune function, and milk production. Recommendation is 3.5 linear inches (9 cm) of accessible water perimeter per cow, and at least 2 watering locations per group.

 

Animal Observation

  • Early observation of a sick cow will allow prompt treatment and prevention of a downer cow.

Things to look for are:

  1. Decrease in DMI and rumination.
  2. Diarrhea
  3. Increased body temperature
  4. Abnormal vaginal discharge
  5. Abnormal gut fill (too little or too much)
  6. Respiration Rate
  7. Tail Carriage
  8. Udder Fill
  • The best cure is an ounce of prevention. Monitor and record daily animal observations to identify sick animals. Work with your veterinarian to establish appropriate treatment protocols.
  • See table below for appropriate goals for percentage of fresh cow diseases on your farm.
Disease Goal
Subclinical Ketosis <15%
Clinical Hypocalcemia <3%
Subclinical Hypocalcemia <30%
Displaced Abomasum <3%
Retained fetal membranes <5%
Metritis <10%
Mastitis <3%

*Source University of Minnesota Extension

 

Click the link below for our FREE Transition Cow Care Card!

The Art of Nature, Built on Science- Calf Distinction

The Art of Nature, Built on Science- Calf Distinction

Posted on by Thomas

Calf Distinction is a brand that creates innovative and science-backed products designed to promote the health and growth of young calves. Our products are a combination of the art of nature and the latest scientific advancements in the field of animal health and nutrition. This unique combination sets us apart from our competitors and makes us the go-to brand for producers who want the best for their animals.

 

Early Life Development

At Calf Distinction, we understand that a calf’s early life is critical in determining its future productivity and overall health. Therefore, we have developed a range of products specifically tailored to meet the unique nutritional needs of calves during their early growth stages. These products are formulated using natural ingredients and are scientifically proven to promote growth, enhance immune function, and optimize calf health.

 

Calf Products

Surveillance Calf is our flagship product. Surveillance Calf brings every element of nature’s extraordinary DNA together in perfect, seamless balance. Superior performance, scientific design, and masterful technology combine to create a calf product that is giving the customer the option to not have to use antibiotics at all. This product binds and removes pathogens rather than relying on an antibiotic to kill them off.  In addition to pathogen removal, Surveillance Calf provides the animal with the nutrients it needs to initiate the proper immune response, and to rebuild and repair damaged cells post infection. On top of that Surveillance Calf delivers a huge dose of Bacillus probiotics to maintain pathogen control, strengthen the gut lining, and improve digestion.

Sync Paste and Powder provide optimal ingredient combinations and potency to support a calf’s developing gut and immune system. There are so many variables that affect the success of passive transfer immunity to the calf and Sync helps to bridge the gaps when colostrum quality, cleanliness, and timeliness may not be ideal.

TomaHawk iL and TomaHawk iL Zn combine scientific design and masterful technology to provide immune support and gut protection to the animal during times of high stress, such as weaning. Tomahawk iL and TomaHawk iL Zn provide the animal with the nutrients it needs for proper immune response, cell repair, and liver health. Similar to Surveillance, both products also deliver a huge dose of Bacillus probiotics for pathogen control, integrity of the gut lining, and improved digestion.

 

Scientifically Proven Natural Solutions

Calf Distinction products come to you with the finest natural solutions that nature has to offer. We are committed to identifying solutions from nature and providing the most advanced natural products on the market. It is quite simple, nature knows best. Our goal is to continuously improve the care of all calves.

We have a team of experienced Immunologists, microbiologists  and animal nutritionists who are constantly working to develop new and innovative products that are backed by scientific research. This ensures that our products are safe, effective, and built on science.

 

We are a brand that stands out in the crowded animal nutrition market. Our products are the art of nature built on science. This commitment to using natural ingredients, along with focus on science and research, has made us a trusted brand for producers and consumers. If you’re looking for products that will help promote the health and growth of your calves, then Calf Distinction is the brand for you.

Calf Distinction Timeline- The Path to Health

Calf Distinction Timeline- The Path to Health

Posted on by Thomas

The gut microbiome is the Inside story to long term health of the calf. It is home to trillions of microbes, both good and bad, that impact calf health. A balanced microbiome is highly populated and diverse, keeps pathogens in check, aids in breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. Neonatal calves are highly susceptible to enteric infections, one of the major causes of calf death. Recent research has discovered that microbiome engineering of the gut, the mucosal immune system, and early dietary interventions can effectively reduce the susceptibility of calves to enteric infections while promoting growth. The microbiome is linked to brain function, lung health, liver health, and overall health of the calf. Achieving a mature microbiome as quickly as possible is paramount.

 

Birth or Arrival

Similar to humans, when the calf is born large amounts of lactobacillus from the birth canal help to colonize the digestive tract of the newborn calf. At birth both the immune system and the digestive tract of the calf are naïve and immature. These beneficial bacteria help to prepare the gut and immune system for proper development and function.

Many factors in the first few days of life can compromise the colonization of these beneficial microbes. Difficult birth, C-section, dirty environment, shipping, poor colostrum, etc. With the knowledge gained from recent research we are learning that these stressful events can be overcome by supporting proper microbial colonization and providing the necessary fuel for healthy cells in the gut.

Giving a calf Sync at birth, or upon arrival at the calf ranch helps to prevent illness by supporting colonization of beneficial microbes and by fueling enteric cell growth. Pathogens are kept at bay, and the immune system is primed for proper working order.

 

Milk Phase

As of late, a lot of emphasis has been put upon the importance of high-quality colostrum and even transition milk for the health and gut development of the calf. Another point that we should not overlook is that milk replacer is not created equal to whole milk.

Researchers have just touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the goodies found in colostrum and transition milk, and their role in the development of the immune system.  Although we know a lot about calf nutrition and the amounts of fat and protein needed to grow a healthy calf, there is still much that we do not know about milk components that may be affecting epigenetics and immune function.

What we do know is that bottle fed calves, even those fed whole or waste milk, often have more health problems than calves raised on the dam. There are various reasons why a calf may be raised on a bottle; to allow a nutritious food product to be produced for human consumption, loss of the dam, refusal of the dam to nurse the calf, etc.

It’s up to us as calf raisers to use the most current research to do our best job in raising these calves in a manner that will help them fulfill their greatest genetic potential. Even in the event of needing to feed milk replacer, or waste milk containing antibiotics, if we focus on cultivating a healthy gut microbiome in our calves during the milk phase, we can combat many health challenges.

Surveillance combines the most up-to-date technology to bind calfhood pathogens, promote a healthy microbiome, encourage feed intake, and facilitate proper immune function in the calf.

 

Grain Phase

It is truly fascinating to me that when introduced to grain early on, bottle fed calves can develop a healthy functioning rumen in a fraction of the time compared to calves raised on the dam and eating forage can.

One very important factor in early rumen development is encouraging grain intake. The more grain a calf eats, the more volatile fatty acids are produced that can be used as energy for growth of the animal and proliferation of cells in the digestive system. A balanced microbiome will help in the digestion and conversion of feedstuffs to nutrients the animal can utilize.

TomaHawk is designed to keep calves eating through stressful events such as weaning and to promote a healthy gut microbiome to prevent dysbiosis that may result in acidosis and even bloating. TomaHawk also provides many other components to support proper immune function, lung health, and liver health.

At Calf Distinction/MicroBasics we believe that the producer should have options that include effective natural alternatives to conventional ionophores and antibiotics. Our product ingredients are researched and set us apart from others on the market in effectiveness and return on investment. You can find them in the Calf Distinction Store.

 

*Please always consult with your Veterinarian. The statements and products described on this page have not been evaluated by the USDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Early Life Microbial Colonization and Effects on Immunity

Early Life Microbial Colonization and Effects on Immunity

Posted on by Thomas

In the calf world we talk a lot about average daily gain and the effects that better gains early on in life have on lifetime production. Although gains early on in life are important and do affect productivity, much of the growth and development affecting lifetime productivity may be taking place in utero, even before the calf is even born.

 

In Utero

Fetal growth and development are profoundly influenced by the in-utero environment. In humans approximately 20% of stunting has in-utero origins. Growth deficits in-utero are associated with maternal or placental inflammation and infection. This suggests that there may be a role that the microbiome plays in fetal growth and development. It is also very likely that these same mechanisms come into play when we talk about neonatal calf growth and development.

In the United States, and likely many other countries, poor intrauterine environments may occur due to: 1) malnutrition, 2) insufficient energy supply, 3) heat stress or other stressors, 4) overweight mother cows. Each of these stressors influences the nutritional status of the dam as well as her microbial population. In turn affecting the growth and development of the fetus.

A poor uterine environment during the first trimester can have significant impacts on the development of the mammary gland, ovaries, and development of homeostatic mechanisms in the liver and pancreas. Proper development of these organs is critical for future lifetime milk production, heart, lung, pancreatic, kidney, and placental health. Other performance outcomes influenced by intrauterine growth are the development of the small intestine and muscle, weaning weight, and reproductive performance.

 

Establishment of Gut Microbiota

Vaginal delivery plays a key role in colonizing the calf with beneficial microbiota at birth. Typically, vaginal microbiota is dominated by one of four Lactobacillus species. These bacteria are swallowed by calf and colonization of the digestive tract begins. Other bacteria are also ingested by the calf as it enters a new environment. These bacteria are not always helpful. It is important to provide the calf with a clean area to be born so that harmful bacteria do not outcompete the beneficial ones during colonization of the digestive tract.

Colostrum is important not just for passive transfer of IgG, but also for the colonization of the gut. Bacterial composition of colostrum can be highly important for microbial colonization as fresh colostrum contains Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Escherichia, Staphylococcus, Coliforms, and Streptococcus. Additionally, colostrum contains certain oligosaccharides that serve as substances for growth of the establishing bacterial community and for preventing pathogens from binding to the intestinal epithelial cells.

As the calf continues to grow and transition to dry feed the composition of gut microbiota continues to shift until the calf becomes a fully functioning ruminant.  Although the rumen provides a home for a diversity of bacteria, the lower digestive tract still proves to be a very important player in digestion and the immune system.

 

Immunity

Early development of gut microbiota is thought to be very important for the proper development of the immune system. Dynamic interactions between gut microbes and the innate and adaptive immune systems of the calf play vital roles in promoting intestinal homeostasis and inhibiting inflammation.

Gut microbiotas metabolize proteins and complex carbohydrates, synthesize vitamins, and produce a large amount of metabolic products that mediate communication between the gut epithelial and immune cells. Gut dysbiosis can also dysregulate immune responses, cause inflammation, and oxidative stress.

 

Management Factors Influencing Gut Colonization

We have come to know so much about the effects that gut microbiota have on the immune system. There is still much to learn, but here are some key takeaways that you can easily apply on your farm today.

1. Manage stress and inflammation in pregnant and transition cows. Provide proper nutrition and modulate the gut environment and the immune system with a direct fed microbial. (Achieve)

2. Not every calving is perfect. Calves experiencing a difficult birth, or that did not get adequate colostrum are good candidates to receive supplemented levels of lactobacillus. (Sync)

3. Every calf gets adequate amounts of high-quality colostrum and transition milk if possible.

4. Clean calving pen to prevent inoculation of harmful bacteria.

5. Avoid using oral antibiotics if possible. Turn to products that bind and remove pathogens instead. (Surveillance)

6. Provide the calf with appropriate starter feed and fresh water.

 

Sources:

Hang BPT, Wredle E, Dicksved J. Analysis of the developing gut microbiota in young dairy calves-impact of colostrum microbiota and gut disturbances. Trop Anim Health Prod. 2020 Dec 28;53(1):50. doi: 10.1007/s11250-020-02535-9. PMID: 33369699; PMCID: PMC7769786.

Malmuthuge, N. Effect of Early-Life Microbial Interventions on Health and Immunity. Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, 2018.

Schoonmaker, J. Effect of Maternal Nutrition on Calf Health and Growth. Purdue University, 2013.

(PDF) Effect of maternal nutrition on calf health and growth (researchgate.net)

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

TomaHawk iL Zn Trial- The Healthy and Natural Feeding of Cattle

TomaHawk iL Zn Trial- The Healthy and Natural Feeding of Cattle

Posted on by Thomas

The selection of natural feed additives for calves is growing. Traditionally, ionophores and medicated feed additives appealed to calf growers in an attempt to increase efficiency, growth, and to ward off disease. More recently, as we have learned more about the Gut MicroBiome and its impact on animal performance- prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics technologies are now being utilized.

Peer reviewed scientific literature suggests that the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System can be modulated by biologically active feed additives. The decision to use natural feed additives should be based on scientific research, product effectiveness and return on investment.

 

Tomahawk iL Zn

Tomahawk iL Zn is a natural feed additive for cattle that consists of yeast culture, yeast cell wall, yeast extracts, bacillus subtilis, yucca  and zinc methionine. This product was evaluated for effectiveness and economic return by a World Renowned Veterinary Group in the western United States.

 

Experimental Design

In a large-scale trial conducted on a commercial calf grower site, day-old dairy and dairy-crossbred steer and heifer calves at ultra-high risk (UHR) of developing BRD were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups. A total of 1,374 calves were included in the trial.

The Control Group received their normal milk and feed ration, with nothing additional added.

The second group, TomaHawk iL Zn, received the same rations and in addition received 20ml of Tomahawk upon arrival at the calf ranch. Calves were fed 3ml/feeding (total of 6ml/day) during small hutch phase (average of 32 days) and 6ml/head/day of Tomahawk iL Zn in their grain during the large hutch phase (average of 54 days).

Outcome variables were measured from arrival to exit at 240 days (shipping as a feeder, culling, or death) to evaluate the effects of each feeding program on animal health and performance. Statistical analysis was used to determine the probability of whether differences in outcome were due to differences in the feeding programs or by random chance.

 

Economic Value of Feeding TomaHawk iL Zn

Description

TomaHawk iL Zn vs Control

Overall Mortality

$9.32

Program Cost

$3.92

Interest Cost

$0.06

Net Economic Advantage

$5.34

From arrival to shipment, there was an economic advantage of $5.34/animal in the TomaHawk iL Zn group compared to the Control group.

 

Results

Outcomes shown in the chart below are a comparison of the TomaHawk iL Zn treatment group compared to the Control group.

Event

Reduction

P-Value

Initial UF (BRD) Treatment

15.4%

<0.05

1st UF Treatment Relapse

3.67%

<0.10

Initial Gastrointestinal Disease

14.55%

<0.10

Overall Mortality

3.56 %

<0.05

Total Outs (Mortality + Culls)

3.84%

<0.05

TP <5.60 g/dl: Total Outs

9.71%

<0.05

Event

Increase

P-Value

Feed intake

1.23%

<0.05

 

Initial UF (BRD) Treatment– first treatment given for a fever, most likely to an animal with BRD. A reduction in this number is significant as it indicates that less animals are getting sick.

1st UF Treatment Relapse– sick calves that need a second round of treatments. A reduction in this number indicates that the first treatment is more effective.

Initial Gastrointestinal Disease- calves treated for Gastrointestinal Disease. A reduction in this number would mean less animals are getting sick and having issues in their gut.

Overall Mortality– calves that die and are removed from the trial. A reduction in this number means that less animals are getting sick, and more animals that do receive treatment actually recover.

Total Outs (Mortality + Culls)- sum of deads and culls. A reduction in this number means that less animals die, and less are deemed unfit and culled.

TP <5.60 g/dl: Total Outs– total serum protein under 5.6 g/dl is failure of passive transfer, many of these animals do not make it long term and die or are culled. A reduction in total outs in the group of animals with failure of passive transfer means a larger percentage of them thrive, live a productive life, and do not die or perform poorly enough to be culled.

Feed intake– amount of feed eaten. An increase in this number indicates that the calves are eating better.

 

“A picture is worth a thousand words”

 

 

Calf Distinction/MicroBasics

Each calf rearing system is faced with different challenges. Visit with your veterinarian and nutritionist about the benefits of a natural feed additive.

At Calf Distinction/MicroBasics we believe that the producer should have options that include effective natural alternatives to conventional ionophores and antibiotics. Our product ingredients are researched and set us apart from others on the market in effectiveness and return on investment. You can find them in the Calf Distinction Store.

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Yeast and Yeast Derivatives – What’s the difference?

Yeast and Yeast Derivatives – What’s the difference?

Posted on by MicroBasics

Yeast and yeast derivatives have been demonstrated to have a wide range of immune enhancing benefits. It can be confusing trying to differentiate what kind of yeast is included in a feed product and understanding what it does. Let’s discuss this a little further in depth!


Whole-Live Yeast: single celled fungi.

Improved oxygen utilization in the rumen: live yeast use up the oxygen in the rumen and promote the growth of very important anaerobic bacteria and ciliate protozoa.

Improved fiber digestion: the yeast activates helpful bacteria that digest hemicellulose and cellulose.

Stabilized rumen pH: yeast stimulate the growth of lactate consuming bacteria. These bacteria use up the lactic acid in the rumen which helps to stabilize the pH at 6.2 or higher.

Improved gains and feed conversion efficiency: result of improved rumen environment, nutrient availability, and improved digestion.

 

Mannan Oligosaccharide (MOS): glucomannan protein complex on the outermost part of the cell wall.

Binds pathogens: mannose molecules act as binding site for pathogens.

 

Yeast Cell Wall: gives the yeast cell shape, composed of beta-glucan, mannoprotein, and chitin.

Binding pathogens: MOS portion of the cell wall works by binding pathogens on mannose molecules.

Activation of white blood cells: provides nutrients to increase efficiency of white blood cells.

Mitigation of negative effects of stress: pathogen binding and improved gut environment make the animal less likely to be negatively affected by stress.

Improved feed intake: result of improved gut environment and mitigated stress responses.

 

Yeast Extract: soluble portion of yeast cell, that provides additional nutrients to the animal.

Improved nervous system function

Improved metabolism

Production of red blood cells

 

Each yeast component contributes to cattle health and performance in different ways. Benefits can be claimed by feeding any one component separately or in combination with each other. Be sure to read feed labels when comparing products, and consult with your nutritionist to determine which components will have the most benefit in your feeding program!

Here at MicroBasics we utilize yeast and yeast components in our products!

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Farm to Table- Ray Robinson (High Desert Milk)

Farm to Table- Ray Robinson (High Desert Milk)

Posted on by MicroBasics

Recently, as input costs have skyrocketed, more and more producers are turning to marketing their own product to consumers. While marketing a consumable product is not feasible for everyone, it can be an opportunity for some.

This week we will get to hear a few words of wisdom from Ray Robinson, as he shares some of his experiences of maximizing opportunities for growth as they come, and how he and some of his neighbors came to found High Desert Milk.

 

A LITTLE ABOUT RAY AND HIS GROWTH AND EXPANSION OVER THE YEARS

I built my first dairy myself and milked about 250 cows. I had one hired milker, and I fed and did all the other work.

In 1998 we started Moo Mountain Milk and built the first barn there.  A couple years later we built a second barn and purchased the Butte Feedlot. Then a year or 2 later we bought East Ridge over towards Jackson. And then a couple years later we bought South Ridge over towards Golden Valley.  About that time, we also took over the heifer yard over near East Ridge.

Presently, we have crossbred calves in the Harris Fed Yard, dairy heifers in the Simplot Feed Yard out to Malta and we also run an Organic Dairy (Nature Ridge) out in Raft River. All together totaling about 23,000 milking cows.

Some of our cattle are milked twice a day and some of them three times a day.  We also farm a good amount of land. I oversee 10,000 acres of farm ground, and we farm considerably more. I never ever thought we would get this big.

In 2008 we started building High Desert Milk and in 2009 we started running it.  As opportunities come, we just take them on keep moving forward.

 

WHAT GAVE YOU AND OTHERS IN YOUR GROUP THE IDEA TO START PROCESSING YOUR OWN MILK?

We came up with the idea just through different conversations we had with each other about what opportunities we could see were out there. Originally, there was 10 of us that sat down at the table to hash it all out. We all knew one another, but only 6 of us stayed to see it through, the other 4 got up and left that first meeting.

 

WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES YOU OVERCAME AS YOU BUILT YOUR PROCESSING PLANT?

Getting everyone on the board to agree with how to do it and what to do, was the hardest. At first, we would meet every week, now we meet about once per month, unless there is a pressing need.

Three different individuals owned the property that High Desert Milk sits on, we bought it, and construction began.

We started out making just a non-fat 34 powder. Today we also produce butter and MPC 70. We are looking at adding on again to do some other products that would fall in the class 4 market.

 

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A FARMER OWNED PROCESSING PLANT?

It is an advantage, but also a disadvantage. We all bought quota in the plant, so we must stay within 10% of our quota, but it is nice to always have a home for our milk.

In the beginning our goal was to achieve an income equal to Class III. Sometimes we make a little extra money and sometimes we lose a little, but over the years I feel like we have averaged about that Class III price.

One thing that is nice when you are tied to a plant is that the people at the plant help you to know a little more of what the current market is doing.

 

WHERE ARE YOUR PRODUCTS SOLD?

Our product is marketed all around the world. To date, we have sold product in 49 different countries. Some is sold in the U.S.A., but the majority is export.

Originally, we started out just making one-pound cubes of butter, but as time went on, we started packaging our own quarter pound bars as well as picking up some contracts to manufacture for a few other brands. High Desert Milk Butter is sold locally in Ridley’s, Stoke’s, and WalMart stores in the “Idaho Products Section”

Recently our non-fat and buttermilk powder has become available on Amazon in 1-pound pouches.

 

WORDS OF ADVICE FOR ANYONE ASPIRING TO PROCESS THEIR OWN MILK

When you first start, nothing will go like you think it will. It will all go backwards, but you have to prove to the public that you can make a quality product and do the things you say you will do. If you are going to do it as a group, make sure that you can all get along together.

 

Thank you, Ray, for sharing some of your insights regarding growth and milk marketing with us! We appreciate your knowledge and your commitment to provide quality milk products to the public.

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.