Use Your 5 Senses When Walking Cattle

Use Your 5 Senses When Walking Cattle

Posted on by Thomas

Cattle can’t tell you what is going on with them. As you walk the pen use your 5 senses to identify any animals that might not be feeling well, find those that are in heat, and observe how the pen interacts as a group.

 

SIGHT

Cattle are prey animals and will do their best to cover up any sickness or weakness they may have, so my observations often begin by sight 1 or 2 pens away from the group I want to observe. I am on the lookout for any animal that is off by itself, animals that are refusing to eat, and animals that might be lame.

As I get closer to the pen, but not in it yet, one very important thing I evaluate is cud chewing. The best time to observe cud chews is a few hours after feeding when all the cattle are resting. Ideally, we want over 60% of the group to be chewing their cud.

After entering the pen, I begin looking at manure, body condition score, and for any cattle with labored breathing.

 

LISTEN

Next time you walk cattle, close your eyes and listen for the quiet. Quiet means animals are happy and resting. Loud sounds such as balling, or a lot of movement mean the animals may be hungry or stressed.

 

FEEL

Believe it or not, there are a lot of things you can assess by feel when you walk cattle. Feel the ground, is it hard, wet, or dirty? If so, cattle may be expending more energy than they should standing or trying to keep warm. Soft, dry bedding allows for cow comfort and will make them more apt to rest and be more efficient in feed conversion.

Feel the feed. Does the chop length look right? How’s the moisture? Are there any foreign objects? All things to consider.

Feel the air. Is it hot, cold, humid? Is there enough ventilation? Is there too much of a draft, could cattle benefit from a wind break? All these factors could impact performance.

 

SMELL

“Smells like money”, is what I like to say when someone comments on how cattle smell! But in all seriousness, the different smells associated with an operation can tell you a lot about what is going on and maybe even a little bit about how the money was spent.

On a calf operation, smell of the manure can tell you a lot about the health of the animal. When walking older animals, the smell of the manure may not tell us as much, but there are other smells that can.

Smell of the feed. Did the silages ferment well? Is the feed in the bunk heating?  How about the grain? Any smutty, foul, sour, or moldy smells may give us hints to feed quality and hopefully help us prevent problems with the animals when they are fed.

 

TASTE

Okay, I will be honest, this is not one sense that I use much when walking cattle, but I know many people that do. Often, I will see farmers test the kernels in corn silage with their teeth, and taste to test the sweetness. Others may like to try additives, starters, electrolytes, etc. before letting their cattle eat them.

Use all your 5 senses to come up with your own subjective judgement on how the pen is doing as a whole.

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Cost of Dairy Disease

Cost of Dairy Disease

Posted on by Thomas

Although income over feed costs is a very important number in evaluating herd profitability, it is not the only measure of profitability that producers, nutritionists, and veterinarians should be evaluating. Health issues have a huge impact on cow performance, which affects current profits and the future value of the cow. Disease influences profitability both directly and indirectly.

A farm-level economic model created by the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky gives us a greater understanding of those costs associated with disease.

 

Common Dairy Diseases

Mastitis: commonly caused by pathogenic bacteria invading and multiplying within the mammary gland.

Lameness: foot or leg condition caused by various factors.

Retained Placenta: presence of fetal membranes 24 hours or later after calving, or fetal membranes retained for more than 6 hours. Widely considered a predisposing factor for metritis.

Metritis: inflammation of the uterus due to bacterial invasion.

Left-displaced abomasum: the abomasum is filled with gas and becomes trapped by the descending rumen to the left side of the abdominal cavity.

Ketosis: negative energy balance.

Hypocalcemia (Milk Fever): low plasma calcium levels following calving.

 

Disease Cost

Herd performance and market conditions are extremely influential in determining the cost of disease. These values of course change over time and from farm to farm, however, using the economic model given by University of Kentucky, we gain an idea of the general cost for each dairy disease.

Economic costs considered by the model include:

Veterinary and Treatment

Labor

Discarded Milk

Decreased Milk Production

Culling

Extended Days Open

Death Loss

  

CLINICAL DISEASE TOTAL COST
HYPOCALCEMIA
Lactation 2+ $246.23
KETOSIS
Lactation 1 $77.00
Lactation 2+ $180.91
LAMENESS
Lactation 1 $185.10
Lactation 2+ $333.17
LEFT DISPLACED ABOMASUM
Lactation 1 $432.48
Lactation 2+ $639.51
MASTITIS
Lactation 1 $325.76
Lactation 2+ $426.50
METRITIS
Lactation 1 $171.69
Lactation 2+ $262.65
RETAINED PLACENTA
Lactation 1 $150.41
Lactation 2+ $313.49

 

Keep in mind all these costs were adjusted for the year of 2015.

Practical Application

Knowing the cost of disease on your farm is an important part of evaluating true farm profitability. Keeping accurate records is important in determining if any management changes or improvements need to be made. There are many computer software programs available to make record keeping easier.

Many of these may even help you to figure out how much the cost of disease is on your farm. In my neck of the woods DHI-Plus is a common dairy record keeping program. One helpful feature is a report folder called, What’s it’s Cost. The reports found in this folder are a simulation of the lost production that each individual disease may result in on a particular farm.  If you have DHI Plus and you would like to look at this report, it can be found in the Report List of the Cohort Group Analysis.

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

 

Source: Estimating US dairy clinical disease costs with a stochastic simulation model – Journal of Dairy Science

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.

The Biome Cycle with Brett Reed

The Biome Cycle with Brett Reed

Posted on by Thomas

The soil food web is made up of fungi and bacteria, which are preyed upon by protozoa, nematodes, micro-arthropods, and other larger organisms we also group in our microbiome. There are numerous amounts of species for each of these creatures. The population and ratio of microbes within the soil will vary greatly from ratio to ratio in the soil from one field even to another. This all relates back to the health status and plant environment, because each of these organisms is, in large part, controlled by the plants being grown, and practices being used.

This week Brett Reed from AgriSource, Inc explains how soil health is impacted by how we manage our cattle and how that is all integrated into what is called the Biome Cycle.

 

What is The Biome Cycle?

A biome by definition is a biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate. While a biome can cover large areas such as the high desert in which southern Idaho resides, a microbiome is a mix of organisms that coexist in a defined space on a much smaller scale.

Nutrient and energy flow also play a critical role in ecosystems that make up biomes. Biomes describe life on a much larger scale than either habitats or ecosystems.

What brings this all together is that biomes can be differentiated by the organisms residing there and by the climate, as well as the fact that the organisms within a biome share adaptations for that particular environment. The actual cycles that are present in our biomes consist of water, carbon, nitrogen just to name a few. All these make up our biome cycle.

 

How Does Agriculture Impact The Biome Cycle?

One of the key features of sustainable agriculture is the focus on the health of soils. Healthy soils create a healthy biome and its proponent cycles. Some of the practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, no-tillage, as well as strip tilling, and the application of compost, improve soil fertility naturally and can even speed up the process of new topsoil formation. I would also add that using livestock in these practices helps to propel the health and speed at which soil health can be achieved. These practices help to secure stable yields, increase biodiversity, and help to prevent the exhaustion of these soils, and biodiversity of favorable soil flora and fauna.

Soils rich in organic matter and flourishing with life also contain greater concentrations of the natural enemies of pests, thus supporting the growth of more resilient crops.

According to Dr. Elaine Ingham, one teaspoon of healthy soil can contain up to 1 billion helpful bacteria, while concentration in intensively farmed soils might drop to one hundred.

As with any other plants, growing crops – especially perennial polyculture systems used in permaculture farming and agroforestry – add oxygen to the atmosphere, as plants photosynthesize and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The richer the plant cover is, the more it uses carbon dioxide to support its life functions.

 

What is the most important thing that farmers can do to benefit the Biome Cycle?

Think outside the box and go ahead and try to change some things up. Change promotes growth and growth can promote new solutions on your farm or ranch. I say that because in our modern farming practices in the west we are still predominantly tilling and by tilling we destroy the carbon and microbiomes that we have in our soil. With minimum tillage and or no till we can conserve and build our carbon and micro reserves and populations.

Carbon is also sequestered by soils, which have a natural carbon carrying capacity that increases when soils are managed with minimum disturbance.

In rotational grazing systems, animals help to store carbon in the soil. Through grazing for a limited time period in one area, biodiversity of native plants increases because grasses have time to regrow equally without one species taking over and becoming invasive. Richer and better-quality pasture means more organic material entering soils, which makes soils healthy and increases their capacity to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, this allows more of the soil microbiome to flourish and do what biology has intended it to do.

 

How are microbes involved in the biome cycle and what can we do to cultivate their growth?

Plant microbiomes include microbes, these microbes can be shaped by factors related to the plant itself, much like genotype, organ, species and health status, as well as other factors related to the plant’s environment, such as management, land use and climate. The health status of a plant has been reported in some studies to be reflected by or linked to its microbiome.

In all honesty the best way to sustain and cultivate our microbiology or the microbes is to cultivate our carbon in the soil. The cultivation of carbon is also a sequestration of it. One way is minimum tillage or no tillage, leaving roots in the soil and biomass in and above our soils as much as we can. All of those organisms, most of which are beneficial to the soil help to make up our biomes in the soil.

All of this is important because soil microorganisms hold nutrients in the soil environment, so that the nutrients can be available when your plants need them. Synthetic nutrients are engineered to be absorbed by roots in a soluble form. As the nutrients pass by, what isn’t absorbed is leached away by moving water. Whereas the organic nutrients sustained in the soil food web remain as part of an ever-evolving cycle. No waste. No leaching.

To have a healthy biome or crop we need to pay attention to the microbiomes within our own fields.

 

How can farmers find resources to help them improve the microbiome on their own farm or ranch?

There are programs and people in our area that are willing to help make some of these first steps in promoting growth in your operation. That is usually the hardest thing to do, especially after we have been doing something the same way for all or most of our lives. We must look at what new challenges we face each season we grow products for the world. If we keep doing the same things over and over and expect a different result, then we won’t get anywhere. Always ask questions about your own farm and its practices, it’s never a bad thing to question what and how you are doing things.

 

Brett is a great resource for forage and soil health. If you would like to contact him for assistance in improving your crops and soil please send him an email at breed@agrisourceinc.com.

 

Written by: Brett Reed and Mariah Gull

Not all Direct Fed Microbials are Created Equal

Not all Direct Fed Microbials are Created Equal

Posted on by Thomas

Cow Biology is COMPLEX. A SYMBIOTIC blend of additives is Paramount. The importance of the symbiotic relationship between the digestive system and the immune system cannot be overstated! As the largest immune organ in the body, the gut plays a major role in whole body immunity. Therefore, establishing a healthy gut translates to increased immunity. IMMUNOMETABOLISM is how the immune system regulates ALLOCATING NUTRIENTS between growth and survival.

 

Direct Fed Microbials

In an attempt to optimize rumen health direct fed microbials (DFM), including yeast, enzymes and probiotics, are often added to a diet to improve feed intake, feed efficiency, fiber fermentation, microbial protein synthesis, milk yield, rumen pH, and digestion.

 

Achieve Trial Results

A study was conducted in 2014 with the University of California, Davis, CA. Experts evaluated 2 different yeast-based products and their influence on both post rumen effects and performance of high producing Holstein cattle.

Yeast-based products used were a Competitor Product and Achieve from MicroBasics. Post rumen effects included superior plasma levels of both total essential amino acids (EAA) and total nonessential amino acids (NEAA) for those cattle consuming Achieve.

Performance effects resulted in increased milk flow from cattle consuming Achieve. This increase in milk production resulted in a greater amount of total fat and protein produced.

 

Why is this important?

Better feed ASSIMILATION- intake, digestion and absorption. Dry Matter Intake and Milk Production were highest in the Achieve groups however there was no difference in digestibility in any of the three treatments.

Due to the increased absorption efficiency and increased production exhibited by the cattle fed Achieve we can conclude that the digestive process was enhanced from the inclusion of Achieve in the diet.

Enhancement of the digestive process fuels growth of new intestinal cells and absorption of more nutrients that can be utilized by the animal. In addition to greater amounts of overall essential and non-essential amino acids cattle fed, Achieve had significantly higher levels of plasma threonine, tryptophan, glycine, and asparagine. These amino acids play important roles in the animal.

Threonine: an essential amino acid utilized by the gut to create a protective mucus barrier, used to make T-lymphocytes that work to fight off infections, regulates fat metabolism and prevents fatty liver.

Tryptophan: an essential amino acid that may play a role in the regulation of appetite and feed intake. Tryptophan is a precursor to Melatonin which may serve as a signal for the synchronization of the feeding and digestion processes.

Glycine: a non-essential amino acid that is one of the most common amino acids in the body, promotes muscle growth, hormone production and regulation, and is a building block of tissue in the digestive tract.

Asparagine: a non-essential amino acid that optimizes brain and nerve cell function.

 

Further research will tell us more about how post rumen effects are influenced by DFM’s. For now, our takeaway shall be that not all yeast-based products are created equal. Achieve combines three strains of live yeast with a highly concentrated yeast culture, a proprietary blend of probiotic cultures, several broad-spectrum digestive enzymes, yeast cell wall, yucca schidigera, and IPS (Immune Positioning System) a unique blend of biologically active polysaccharides and polypeptides. Consult with you nutritionist to determine if Achieve might be a good fit for your feeding program.

Interactive Brochure

Learn More

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Core Values, Mental Health, and Sustainable Farms

Core Values, Mental Health, and Sustainable Farms

Posted on by Thomas

This week I am excited to be summarizing an interview I did with someone who I consider a very good friend and mentor! His name is Bob Hostetler. Over the span of his career Bob has worked as a Dairy Nutritionist and a Life Coach.  Bob got his start working with Milk Products, and overtime had experience working with Cargill and as an Independent Dairy Calf Consultant. Bob has always had a passion for youngstock and young people. Not only has been a great resource for raising calves, but he also enjoys being there to support and mentor those who are just beginning their careers in the dairy industry.

Near the end of his Dairy Nutrition career Bob took a little change of pace and went to work for one of his best customers, ST Genetics, at their Ohio Heifer Center. His roles there included nutrition, feed manager, and for a time calf manager. Bob recently retired and is transitioning to the next stage of life.

 

Q. What is one of the biggest mental challenges you see facing the world today?

A. People are being pushed off their core values. What used to be core values for them have now become aspirational values. This means their ability to deal with stress goes down, because they are not who they want to be anymore.

 

Q. What advice do you have to help improve communication for those working on family farms?

A. From what I have observed, especially on family farms, is that everyone makes assumptions of what other family members core values are. Those assumptions often lead to pretty lousy places.

First of all, you need to feel safe enough with each other to be honest, open, and direct in your communication. From there you need to discover one another’s core values. A core value is something that you believe in strongly enough to organize your life around it.

If you think something is a core value, but you don’t organize your life around it, then it becomes an aspirational value. Take a step back and look at how you are directing your life, and that will tell you what you are valuing at that time.

On a family farm it’s easy to believe that other family members share, or should share, the same core values. That they organize their lives around the same things as other family members. A lot of times that is not actually true, and they need to find that out about each other.

Strengths and weaknesses are often talked about to make sure people get put in the right role, but core values are rarely talked about and that is where the stress really multiplies.

 

Q. What advice do you give to help people evaluate their lives and find how to live with purpose?

A. Be honest and open with yourself. Look at your core values, what your life is organized around. Then decide if that is where you want to stay. For many people, if a core value is to stay in the dairy business, then they need to organize their life around it. Honest open dialogue with yourself, often with someone else’s help, family members, clergy, even the feed manager! Various places to have honest open dialogue. Often, we believe we are something when we really actually are not.

 

Q. What advice would you give someone who has chosen to take a different path and leave the family farm?

A. Well, a basic question to ask is “Who am I?” and then, “Who do you want to be?” I have often found in my life I need to zero in on who I want to be. Each of us has a gap between who we are and who we want to be. The closer we can live to be who we want to be, then the more able we become to handle stress.

 

Q. What advice would you give farmers to help improve mental wellness during stressful times like during times of increasing input costs, such as of late?

A. Core values are a big part of it. Another big part of it is personality traits. If your personality traits aren’t in line with the job you have to do, then stress multiplies. Assess yourself to determine if your strengths align with the job you are doing. Find the right person to manage the dollars and cents.

Sometimes for a period of time we can get along with doing things that are not of our strengths. We simply do it just because it has to be done, every dairy farmer has been there. In the long run to stay at it, there must be a match between who we are and want to be (core values) and personality strengths.

Look at the role you are playing, is it the right one? Should you be in a different role on the farm. Sometimes it helps to have someone else ask that question. If personal abilities are not in line with traits needed to fill a certain role, then the sense of failure multiplies stress. The farm should be organized in a way that helps people thrive.

 

Q. What advice do you have to give for finding joy in the everyday grind and in spite of stressful factors that cannot be controlled?

A. Spiritually, Emotionally, and Vocationally if I am white knuckling (holding my fist around something very tightly), which often happens in financial stress situations. That causes anger, stress, and keeps us tense. It does not help me engage well with family. Any part of our lives that we can have an open hand with, then things get better. It’s important for us to be able to receive things from God. It’s important that we don’t wrap up in our own emotions but keep our hand open so we can deal with others well, including those we work with. Open handedness in life is a useful thing for us all to learn.

I will share a personal example, there was a time when our calf feeder did not show up. We had 350 calves that needed to be fed. There was no one to do it, so I had to do it. I started off really angry. My fists were clenched, and I wanted to hit somebody! Part way through I realized, I have to do this, and I am going to open my hands and enjoy the calves and enjoy the work. With my hands open I could enjoy the work. With my hands clenched the chances of enjoying the work are very small.

 

Bob has been a huge influence in the dairy calf and heifer world, both for the cattle and the people. His mentoring has reached and molded many people in the industry and as he likes to say, “Mentoring, is one of my God given talents. It is one of my core values to use that talent to better the lives of others.”

Although not always formally, Bob has used this God given talent to coach and mentor others his entire life.  ne of his goals in retirement is to continue to benefit the lives of others as a Life Coach. He is there to ask the hard questions that need to be asked, but that most of us would rarely ask ourselves. Anyone interested in contacting Bob to learn more about his coaching services can do so at Robert.hostetler57@gmail.com.

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

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.

The Cost of an Activated Immune System

The Cost of an Activated Immune System

Posted on by Thomas

The Immune System is a complex network that protects the body from foreign invaders. Do not underestimate the importance of maintaining a strong and healthy immune system. Every second of everyday animals, birds and aquaculture wage a silent war against billions of viruses, bacteria, pathogens and parasites. This system is made up of different organs, cells, and proteins that all work together in the immune response. There are 2 main parts of the immune system. The innate immune system and the adaptive immune system.

Innate Immune System

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against foreign invaders. Physical barriers such as skin and mucous membranes lining the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and genitourinary tracts are all involved in innate immunity.

The innate immune system is non-specific and lacks memory. Response time can be immediate and involves sending white blood cells to the site of attack, which kicks off a cascade of events that leads to purging the body of the invader, removal and repair of any damaged tissue, and resolution of the inflammatory response.

Innate Immunity Balancing Act

 

Adaptive Immune System

The adaptive immune system kicks in when innate immunity is overwhelmed.  Memory of the adaptive immune system is strong and involves T cells and B cells. It’s important to remember that adaptive immunity takes time to develop. Vaccines work with adaptive immunity; the timing of vaccine administration is important so that this memory can be built in advance, before there is a challenge to the immune system.

 

Nutrient Partitioning

The immune system can be activated by many different things including pathogens, stress, parasites, molds, and mycotoxins. Activation of the immune system requires a lot of energy and partitions that energy away from growth and production of the animal. Immune activation costs producers a lot of money in lost marketable product, labor, treatment, and decreased feed efficiency.

Consequences of an Activated Immune System

 

Inflamatatory Responses

Inflammation is a normal immune response to disease challenge. This process includes movement of white blood cells to the area under attack, and clean up of any damaged tissue. Although this process is necessary, it is glucose dependent and can increase maintenance requirements up to 40%. This puts a great drain on energy supply that could otherwise be used for growth or production.

  • A cow requires 100g of glucose to produce 2.2lbs of milk
  • Inflammatory response consumes 2.2lbs of glucose every 12 hours
  • 22lbs of milk being lost over the same period, or 44lbs/day
  • 10% of cows are experiencing a base level of inflammation due to high cell counts

 

Impaired Immune Function.

A properly functioning immune system has the animal well on the road to recovery in no time, but when the cycle fails to be resolved it continues in a destructive loop into a state of chronic inflammation. Prevention of immune dysregulation is a process that involves homeostasis of the immune response and restoration of healthy microflora.

Placing an emphasis on supporting a healthy immune response will prevent chronic illness and allow producers to avoid the costs associated.

 

Check out our Interactive Immune System Page

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Welcome to the Team – Lauren Woloohojian

Welcome to the Team – Lauren Woloohojian

Posted on by Thomas

MicroBasics has a new team member! We are excited to welcome Lauren Woloohojian to our team! Lauren’s work experience includes ranch management, producer relations for Danone NA, and technical sales. She will be serving dairy and beef customers in the Pacific Northwest. Here is a little more about her.

Q. Lauren, where are you from?
A. I am originally from Rhode Island, but we moved to Bridport, VT where my family owns a small herd of Guernsey cattle and focuses on genetics and continual improvement of the Guernsey breed. I got involved in agriculture through 4-H, which provided myself and my family the opportunity to “dive head-first” into both raising and showing a variety of livestock.

Q. Where did you go to school?
A. I did my undergraduate at Virginia Tech University and received a B.S. in Dairy Science. I then went on to Graduate school at Texas A&M and earned a M.S. in Agronomy.

Q. What are some of your interests and hobbies?
A. I really enjoy being outdoors and I try to spend most of my free time outside. I have horses and dogs, so if I’m not working with them, I like to hike, bike, fish and workout!

Q. What you are most excited about with your new position with MicroBasics?
A. The enthusiasm behind the entire MicroBasics team is contagious and I am so excited to be part of that. We have some of the most incredibly innovative and beneficial products on the market! I am excited to bring them to dairy and beef producers in the Pacific Northwest.

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.