Celebrating Earth Day: Nurturing Animals, Nurturing Our Planet

Celebrating Earth Day: Nurturing Animals, Nurturing Our Planet

Posted on by Thomas

As we celebrate Earth Day, it’s crucial to reflect on the interconnectedness of all life on our planet. At MicroBasics, we understand that the well-being of animals and the health of our environment go hand in hand. That’s why we’re committed to providing sustainable solutions for animal health while minimizing our ecological footprint.

In the world of agriculture, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a necessity. As populations grow and resources become scarcer, it’s imperative that we find ways to produce food that are both environmentally friendly and economically viable. That’s where our approach comes in.

From dairy cows to poultry and aquaculture, our range of products is designed with both the health of the animals and the planet in mind. We believe in harnessing the power of nature to promote animal well-being, which is why our 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. Every product has a purpose. Every ingredient solves a problem. By utilizing natural solutions, we can minimize the use of antibiotics, reducing the environmental impact of animal agriculture.

One of the key ways in which we contribute to sustainability is through the promotion of animal health and welfare. Healthy animals are more efficient producers, requiring fewer resources to thrive. By providing products that support the immune system, digestive health, and overall well-being of livestock, we help farmers optimize their operations while reducing the environmental footprint of animal agriculture.

Furthermore, healthy animals lead to higher quality food products for consumers. By ensuring that our products meet the highest standards of safety and quality, we’re not just benefiting the planet – we’re also promoting human health and well-being.


As we look to the future, the need for sustainable solutions in animal agriculture will only continue to grow. By prioritizing sustainability and the use of natural products, we can create a more resilient food system that benefits both people and the planet. This Earth Day, let’s recommit ourselves to nurturing animals and nurturing our planet for generations to come.

At MicroBasics we’re proud to be a part of this important mission. Together, we can make a difference – for the animals, for the environment, and for the future of our planet. Happy Earth Day!

Introduction to Biotoxins

Introduction to Biotoxins

Posted on by Thomas

What are biotoxins?

Biotoxins are toxic substances that are a threat to human and animal health.

Several key biotoxins are relevant in the livestock industry:

Endotoxins: Also called lipopolysaccharides (LPS), are components of the outer membrane of all gram-negative bacteria. LPS are released upon death of the pathogenic bacteria and can induce an inflammatory response.

Endotoxins are always present in the rumen to some extent. At higher levels they can compromise the integrity of the gut wall and impact animal health. The damage done to the gut wall may increase the uptake of mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins: Toxic compounds produced by fungi. Mycotoxins wreak havoc on the gut microbiome, suppress immune function, reduce feed intake, reduce nutrient absorption, and impair metabolism. Both endotoxin and mycotoxins can trigger inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects, and both toxin types cause liver damage.

Aflatoxins: Toxins produced by certain fungi found on agricultural crops. Aflatoxin-producing fungi can contaminate crops in the field, at harvest, or during storage.  People become exposed to aflatoxins when they eat a contaminated plant product or eat and dairy products from animals that ate the contaminated feed. Exposure to aflatoxins is associated with an increased risk to liver cancer.

Forever Chemicals: PFAS found in products ranging from waterproof clothing to Teflon cookware are called ‘forever chemicals” because they never break down.  It is commonly known that PFAS can have serious negative effects on health, including immune system deficiencies, low birth weights, and cancer.

Because these chemicals do not break down, they are polluting many water systems across the world. Animals that consume water or feed with high levels of PFAS in them can pass them along in their milk or meat. Binding up these compounds to prevent them from contaminating milk and meat may become fundamental in preserving human health and well being in the near future.

How can we manage biotoxins in our food production systems?

As producers our dilemma lies in choosing the best strategy and product(s) to combat mycotoxins.

Intercept FEND has been formulated to address each of the following areas.

  1. Reduced feed intakes = Feed Yeast
  2. Reduced nutrient absorption and impaired metabolism = Enzymes and Probiotics
  3. Altered endocrine and exocrine systems = Immune Support
  4. Suppressed immune function and inflammation = Immune Modulators
  5. Altered liver function = Phytogenics
  6. Removal of the biotoxin = Toxin Adsorbent

For more information on how you can combat biotoxins in your food production systems please visit our website or reach out to us at service@microbasics.com.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Anti-microbial Stewardship- Education Over Domination

Anti-microbial Stewardship- Education Over Domination

Posted on by Thomas

Antimicrobial resistance poses a major threat to human health around the world. In the United States there are more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result.

Although antimicrobial-resistant bacteria affecting human health have risen mostly due to the use of antimicrobials in human medicine, antibiotic use in livestock is still known to contribute. Worldwide, an estimated 73 percent of antibiotics important to human medicine are sold to be used in livestock production. We have the opportunity in the agriculture industry to be a leader in curbing the rise of antimicrobial resistance by improving management programs and by turning to effective alternative therapies.

Should we limit antimicrobial use?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that one step to limiting antimicrobial resistance is to limit antibiotic use.  This means only using antibiotics when absolutely necessary. The move by the FDA in June 2023 to move all medically important antibiotics for animal use to require a prescription from a licensed veterinarian is an attempt to limit use.

While this type of thought process is all well and good there are a few flaws that have been brought to my attention as I have interacted with livestock producers across the nation.

  1. Even though medically important antibiotics are required to be prescribed by a veterinarian this does not guarantee that the producer will use the antibiotic as it is intended.
  2. For livestock owners without a Veterinary-Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR) this makes it very hard to get medicine to treat their animals and may lead to some finding creative ways to get an antibiotic without going through a veterinarian.
  3. Limiting the amount of antibiotics sounds good on the frontside, but on the backside does this mean that some animals that need treatment will get passed over?

Education Over Domination

As an industry I think it is important that we take the bull by the horns and instead of letting others dictate how and when we can use antimicrobials, let’s own up to our stewardship and do our part to responsibly use antibiotics.

Accomplishing this will mean that producers, veterinarians, nutritionists, and other industry consultants will have to work together to use the latest research, technologies, and information to establish on farm protocols that are effective in improving animal health and reduce the need to treat with an antibiotic.

When antibiotics are needed, they should be used as directed by a licensed veterinarian. Additionally, proper training needs to be given to the employee using the antibiotic.

Effective Practices

New technologies are getting better than ever to help use diagnosis and prevent disease. Here are a few useful technologies that I believe will help in our quest to improve animal health and welfare and reduce disease incidence.

  1. Lung ultrasound: using an ultrasound to visualize the lung field allows for early detection of lung consolidation or damaged lung tissue.
  2. Pedometers/Collars/Ear Tags: may help to monitor rumination, behavioral changes, and eating patterns to help identify changes that may indicate illness.
  3. D2Dx Immunity test: identify animals with low immune protection.
  4. Feeding strategies: support the microbiome, strengthen the gut epithelium, and modulate immune function.
  5. Biosensors: used for rapid disease diagnosis based on detection of redox reactions that are unique for each pathogen and antibody.

At MicroBasics we believe the producer should have natural options to antimicrobial therapy.  This involves management and feeding programs to help prevent disease, and potent therapies to help the animal pull through an infection and recover to live a healthy and productive life.

Contact us for more information on how you can implement these types of programs on your farm.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Sources:

Factors influencing dairy farmers’ antibiotic use: An application of the COM-B model – Journal of Dairy Science

Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis – The Lancet

Updated Antibiotic Guidelines (ncba.org)

National Estimates for Antibiotic Resistance | CDC

3 Levels of Immune Defense

3 Levels of Immune Defense

Posted on by Thomas

The immune system is an intricate network of specific immune cells and proteins that work together to protect the animal from foreign invaders and harmful toxic materials found in the environment.

In cattle, like many other species, there are 3 levels of defense mechanisms that protect the animal from pathogenic infections.

 

  1. Physical Barriers

Barriers including skin and the mucosa of the digestive and respiratory tracts help eliminate pathogens and prevent infections.

  • Skin is an impermeable physical/mechanical barrier that protects many pathogens from entering the body.
  • Mucosa or mucous membranes that line internal systems help trap pathogens by producing mucous.
  • Hair inside the nasal cavity and ear wax trap pathogens and environmental pollutants.
  • Coughing, sneezing, and diarrhea aids in eliminating invading microorganisms.

 

  1. Nonspecific Innate Immune Response

Pathogens successful in crossing physical barriers are then encountered by the second line of immune defense. This level of protection involves immune cells and proteins that nonspecifically recognize and eliminate pathogens that enter the body.

  • Immune cells use pathogen pattern recognition (PPR) to identify invading antigens.
  • Phagocytes bind pathogens and then the plasma membrane surrounds and engulfs pathogens inside the cell.
  • A phagosome is generated and fuses with a lysosome.
  • Digestive enzymes present in the lysosomes finally destroy pathogens by breaking them into fragments.
  • Indigestible materials are removed by exocytosis.
  • Complement proteins are activated which recruit more white blood cells to the site of infection. Which leads to an inflammatory response producing swelling, redness, and pain.
  • Oxylipids regulate the onset, magnitude, duration, and resolution of the inflammatory response.

 

  1. Specific Adaptive Response

The third line of defense is eliminating pathogens that have been encountered by the immune system before. The adaptive immune response occurs throughout the entire body of the animal.

  • B cells are involved in antibody mediated immune responses (humoral immunity)
  • T cells are involved in cell-mediated immune responses.
  • B cells are activated when they encounter a ‘familiar’ antigen. Activated B cells engulf and digest the antigen.
  • Antigenic fragments are presented on the B cell surface which further activates helper T cells.
  • Helper T cells secrete cytokines to trigger growth and maturation of antigen-presenting B cells into antibody-producing B cells.
  • Some B cells are transformed into memory cells to prepare the immune system for the next invasion.
  • Antibodies can intercept pathogens and prevent them from binding to host cells.
  • Differences in antibody quantities differ between cattle breeds.
  • Antigen-antibody complexes can signal to activate complement proteins.
  • Complement proteins trigger an inflammatory response and congregation of white blood cells to the infection site.
  • In cell-mediated immunity, activated T cells secrete cytokines that further trigger the production and maturation of T cells.
  • Some T cells mature into regulatory T cells that help stop the immune response and maintain immune system homeostasis when the invasion is eliminated.
  • Some T cells mature into memory T cells and initiate an immediate response when the animal encounters the same pathogen again.

 

Bovine immune responses are driven by a combination of unique aspects that may vary depending on age of development, herd-specific traits, nutrition, and management of preventative and therapeutic protocols.

As we learn more about how the microbiome interacts with and supports the immune response we can better feed and prepare our cattle to fight infection, prevent disease, and reduce the need for antibiotic therapy.

 

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

 

Sources:

Frontiers | Bovine Immunology: Implications for Dairy Cattle (frontiersin.org)

What are the Three Lines of Defense? (news-medical.net)

2023 Harvest Recap with Carmen Monson of Monson Consulting

2023 Harvest Recap with Carmen Monson of Monson Consulting

Posted on by Thomas

Carmen Monson, of Monson Consulting, is a nutritionist in the state of Wisconsin. After graduating from college Carmen did an extension internship with the University of Wisconsin. While it was interesting it was not her main interest so she decided to pursue other opportunities. After completing her internship she started working for Purina feed mills and did a short stint with Form-A-Feed.

She and her husband were blessed to work together, and 30 years ago this last Oct they started an independent consulting business. Their goal was that through nutrition they were going to save the family farm.

Carmen works with many farms in her area and formulates out of 9 different feed mills. She does lots of dairy and some beef nutrition, totaling 51 herds ranging in size from 30-900 cows. She also feeds a 600-animal dairy goat herd and even some hogs. Prior to chronic wasting disease being found in Wisconsin, she and her husband also worked with some deer and elk ranches, and for a while she fed some Ostriches too!

Carmen is going to share some of her experiences with the 2023 harvest in her area as well as what she considers when using a toxin binder.


Q: How did harvest go in 2023?

A: We do a fair amount of small grain silages too, but the main crops are alfalfa and corn silage. We had lots of moisture for 1st crop alfalfa this year, thank goodness. 2nd crop alfalfa was low in carbohydrates due to the smoke cover from the Canada fires. 3rd crop alfalfa was good quality but not a lot of it because of little moisture.

Corn silage was all over the place this year. Some of it germinated and survived the drought, other seeds even in the same field did not germinate until later in the summer when it rained. It was weird, there were some plants that had an ear like two feet off the ground and then the rest of the plant was 12 feet tall. The plant had set the ear while it was dry and then it rained later. The plant recovered and grew beyond that. Growing conditions like this are unusual and set the plant up to be at risk for mold growth.

Some farms will spray with a fungicide, but that was difficult because the plants across each field differed so much. We will have to be cautious of mold and yeast growth in our silage this year.

The low carbohydrate content of our 2nd crop alfalfa makes the alfalfa silage ferment slowly during ensilation and ends up with production of butyric acid during fermentation. When high butyric acid haylage is fed to dry cows you end up with ketosis, when we feed it to lactating cows, we can dilute it as much as possible or pull it out and let the butyric acid volatilize, but it still causes problems.

Q: What are the risks of feeding spoiled forages?

A: Mold and yeasts by themselves are an issue, but they also produce toxins that cause a lot of problems. Gut issues and immune suppression which make the animal more vulnerable to other conditions.

It’s a good idea to test feed, but you also need to watch the cows. In the sampling process you may miss areas where the feed is contaminated. If we do identify a toxin, we can then match a binder to it.

Intestinal bleeding from mycotoxins is the easiest thing to identify, decreased fertility, higher somatic cell count, and vulnerability to other diseases is much harder to pinpoint as a mycotoxin problem because it can look like a lot of other things.

Q: When do you recommend feeding a toxin binder?

A: I feed a maintenance level of a binder all the time. When we do pinpoint a mycotoxin problem, I will increase the amount or switch to another binder that better matches the issue at hand.

Q: Management tips for feeding tainted forages.

A: We always talk about dilution first if you can. I usually increase vitamins, and if the toxin is bad, I will include vitamin B complexes, because rumination isn’t working well at that point.  Additionally, I will include yeast or probiotics.

Carmen is a great resource! Check out her website if you want to read her blogs and newsletters. You can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram for informative content!  She can be contacted through email at monsonconsultcows@gmail.com.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Welcome to MicroBasics, Taylor Ross

Welcome to MicroBasics, Taylor Ross

Posted on by Thomas

MicroBasics is excited to welcome another team member! Taylor Ross grew up in a law enforcement family. As the black sheep of the family, Taylor found her passion in agriculture. She grew up raising and showing sheep on her family’s hobby farm. In her early teens her parents divorced, and she moved to Farmington, Minnesota. On her first day of freshman year, she sought out the FFA advisor and inquired how she could be involved in the program.

This same FFA advisor found Taylor a job milking on a local dairy farm, where her passion for dairy sparked. After working on this farm for a couple of years, Taylor decided she wanted to pursue a career in the industry.

 

Education

Upon graduating from high school Taylor had already completed an associate degree. She then attended college at University of Wisconsin-River Falls and completed a bachelor’s degree in both Dairy Science and Animal Science in just 2 years.

 

Work Experience

After graduation Taylor started her career at TIMAB USA as a Business Development Intern where she focused on magnesium usage in swine. Selling magnesium wasn’t her dream so she transferred to SAM Nutrition as an Account Executive where she learned a lot about the commodity world. Taylor loved her job, but it wasn’t a perfect fit. She wanted to switch to working more closely to the producer level and with technical products, and she found that opportunity with MicroBasics.

 

Hobbies and Interests

Taylor enjoys spending time with her family, she has a 2-year-old and was recently married in September. She notes, “We are a big hunting and fishing family. The summers are always filled with cabin weekends. I also do a lot of photography on the side and laser engraving. Yetis, glasses, wood signs, etc. I also love anything True Crime.”

 

New Role at MicroBasics

Taylor shared her excitement about coming to MicroBasics. “I am excited to come into an undeveloped territory! I can’t wait to dig in and build it from the ground up. I enjoy building relationships and I am excited to work as a team to bring our positive energy out into the field. I want my customers to know that I am not here to just sell them a product, but to help them find solutions.”

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Interview with Justin Axman – DNMC Consulting LLC.

Interview with Justin Axman – DNMC Consulting LLC.

Posted on by Thomas

Today we are fortunate to share some thoughts from Justin Axman, a consulting nutritionist from Kansas. Justin grew up on a dry land farm in central Kansas. The primary focuses were commercial cow calf, wheat, milo, alfalfa, and grass hay. Growing up he was involved in 4-H and athletics. After high school Justin played baseball at Pratt Community College. There he also completed an associate of science. Justin continued in that field of study with an emphasis on Biology/Pre-Med at Emporia State University. He completed the program there and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in science and biology.

Justin had become less interested in pursuing the medical field as a career and had found he had a great interest in human nutrition and how those concepts were mimicked in animal production. After multiple conversations Justin was led back to his roots and decided to pursue a career in animal production. He entered the Kansas State University Master of Animal Science program with a focus on feedlot nutrition.

During that time Justin took a manager position as a research assistant over the beef cattle research center. There, under the direction of his advisor, Dr. Jim Drouillard, Justin oversaw daily duties at the feedyard, and studies conducted there at the beef cattle research center. The experience there was paramount and integral to how his career has been shaped. He uses the experience he had there in both the beef and dairy consulting that he does today.

Q: What part of bovine nutrition are you most passionate about and why?

I have always been an analytical thinker, and naturally from my background, I have a passion for all things animal production. My greatest passion, however, is utilizing and leveraging my peers and my experience and knowledge base to achieve the most optimal solutions for our clients and producers.

Being able to implement successful nutrition and management programs and having the ability to continually manage and evaluate data to adjust those programs periodically. I would say is the most fulfilling part of being a consulting nutritionist for me.

Speaking on behalf of me and our team, I am so fortunate to work with very forward-thinking individuals. It makes for very productive conversations and plans of action with each interaction we have with our clients.

Q: What do you feel are some of the most important aspects of nutrition?

  • It gets over sought but, supply of fresh feed and water is paramount. Cows may be out of feed at 1 am or calves out of feed and water midday. It happens more often than we may imagine. Don’t overlook the importance of feed availability.
  • Simply having a feed and nutrition program in place with a nutritionist, in addition to a receiving and vaccination protocol in place with a licensed veterinarian that fits the goals of the farm.
  • Write goals down to make sure they don’t get lost in the shuffle.
  • Have a team in place that can implement those goals and tasks in an effective and timely manner.

Q: What are some management or performance issues that you have seen in your area this year and what did you do to overcome them.

It’s been a long summer for most folks. Southwest Kansas received annual rainfall in 75-90 days in most areas. And in combination the heat and humidity have certainly imposed health risks and performance losses for both my beef and dairy customers.

Most of the operations in this area are dry lots and the heavy rainfall posed a lot of risks and muddy conditions. In previous years this area was primarily drought stricken. That certainly had an impact on the beef herd and those growing calves.

Resolutions to these problems are to recognize them early on. The drought gave us the opportunity to evaluate if vitamin supply, most importantly vitamin A, is in ample supply?

In areas of higher morbidity and mortality, it certainly created urgency to revisit the nutrition program to make sure things were firing on all cylinders and that nutrients were in the right amounts and concentrations.

Additionally, how are intakes looking on farm. Sicker animals usually don’t eat good. If intakes are off how to we rectify that and resolve them?

Q: Who else is an important ally for you and your clients?

I love open conversations including veterinarians. Sometimes there can be a disconnect there, and I like to make sure there is a healthy relationship. I can always learn something from the veterinarian. We rely heavily on them for diagnosis and vaccine protocols. The weather challenges we have had certainly resulted in deeper conversations with our veterinarians.

Justin has been on staff with DNMC Nutrition a little over 2 years in now. He has served in a consultative nutritionist roll for 10 years and is a great resource when it comes to nutrition and management for both beef and dairy cattle. If you would like to know more about Justin or connect with him, please visit the DNMC website.

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Managing Mycotoxins

Managing Mycotoxins

Posted on by Thomas

The U. N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FA) estimates that annually 25% of the world food crops are contaminated with mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by mold and are harmful to living organisms. Exposure is usually by consumption, contact, or inhalation of contaminated feeds. Negative biological effects because of mycotoxin exposure include liver and kidney toxicity, central nervous system effects, and estrogenic effects.

 

Mold in feedstuffs

Mold is a fuzzy looking fungi that occurs in feedstuffs. Molds can cause a disease called mycosis that typically occurs when the immune system is suppressed during stressful times. Mycosis can occur in many different locations including the lungs, mammary gland, uterus, or intestine. Intestinal infection may result in hemorrhagic bowel.

Molds also produce poisons called mycotoxins that affect animals when they eat contaminated feeds, resulting in mycotoxicosis.

 

Mycotoxins in Cattle

Because of degradation in the rumen, cattle are more resistant to mycotoxins than monogastric animals are. Due to greater feed consumption and production stresses, dairy cattle may be more susceptible to mycotoxins than beef cattle.

There are hundreds of mycotoxins known, only a few have been extensively researched.  Mycotoxins of greatest concern most often include ergots produced in small grains, fescue, and grasses. Aflatoxin which is usually produced by Aspergillus mold; deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2 toxin, and fumonisin. Contaminated feeds often contain multiple mycotoxins which alters the expected symptoms of the animal.

 

Management

Mold spores are in the soil and in plant debris and can grow on crops in the field, during harvest, or during storage, processing or feeding. Management of crop production can reduce the prevalence and concentrations of mycotoxins.

Management of crops can help to reduce the amount of mold and mycotoxin contamination delivered to the animal. Hybrid selection, reduced field and harvest stress, rapid filling of silo bunk or bag, applying a silage inoculant, tight packing, covering, rapid feed-out, and discarding spoiled feed all help to reduce exposure.

 

Illness

A single dose of mycotoxin can cause an acute toxicity in cattle, but it is more likely that low-level consumption over time will result in more chronic symptoms. Mycotoxins affect cattle by reducing feed consumption, reducing nutrient utilization, altering rumen fermentation, suppressing immunity, altering reproduction, irritating tissues, and causing cellular death. Diagnosis is difficult because mycotoxin residues are not easily detected in the animal and symptoms are nonspecific and may result in a series of events of opportunistic diseases.

 

Detection

Feed analysis to detect mycotoxins is difficult as it is hard to gather representative feed samples. Not all mycotoxins can be detected by commercial laboratories. Managing the quantity of contaminated feed in a ration can help to reduce the impact of mycotoxins on the animal. See chart below for Mycotoxin Guidelines and Dietary Limits.

 

 

POTENTIALLY HARMFUL TOXIN LOADS FOR TOTAL DIET DRY MATTER

 

Dairy

Feedlot

Swine

Poultry

Equine

Toxin Type

All underlined values are in PPM, all others are in PPB

Aflatoxin

20

20

29

20

20

Deoxynivalenol

(DON or Vomitoxin) *

0.5-1.0

10

1

2

500

Fumonisin

2

7

10

20

500

T-2 Toxin

100

500

100

100

50

Zearalenone

400

5

300

10

50

Ochratoxin

5

5

50

100

35

Ergot Toxins (combined)

500

500

500

750

300

 

*Deoxynivalenol may be used as a marker for other forms of mycotoxin contamination. 90-100% of the time DON is detected with other mycotoxins present.

Measured toxin levels are likely not the only type of toxin present in a sample. Multiple toxins may interact to affect animal health and performance.

Source: Dr. John Goeser, PAS & Dipl. ACAN, Rock River Laboratories

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

Interview With Dr. Barb Petersen – Sunrise Veterinary Service

Interview With Dr. Barb Petersen – Sunrise Veterinary Service

Posted on by Thomas

This week we get to hear some thoughts on dairy cattle health from Dr. Petersen of Sunrise Veterinary Service.  Dr. Petersen is originally from Eastern Iowa and jokes she did her whole career backwards. In 2009 she graduated from veterinary school at Iowa State University and began her first job with the USDA in a slaughterhouse in the Central Valley of California.  She spent a year in regulatory medicine and then she joined a private practice in Tulare, CA.

“In a large practice, all the younger associate veterinarians were everyone else’s relief,” notes Dr. Petersen. “We had many clients, but there were few that I had the opportunity to visit more than one time. I wanted to have one on one relationships with the farms that I work with, and to get to know the people taking care of cows so I could build relationships with those crews. I attended a continuing education meeting and met a veterinarian from the Texas Panhandle. He asked if at some point I would be interested in joining him in the Panhandle, and I did the following year. I worked for him for one year branched out independently after that time. Four years ago, I took a break from clinical practice and worked in the pharmaceutical and technology industry. I rekindled my private practice formally last year.

At the end of the day, the biggest difference I can make is to have my boots on the ground with individuals that are able to make decisions. While I am grateful for the experience I had working in industry and technical services, I feel I can make a stronger impact locally with the dairy industry.”

Dr. Petersen brings a well-rounded perspective to herd management. Here are a few things she has to say about dairy management.

 

What management aspect is often overlooked in dairy herds?

I am fortunate to work with owners and managers who are very hands on. Something I think that gets overlooked, on the size and scale of dairies that I work with, is that you have layers of specialized individuals, and those layers support and supervise employees that may have less specialization or experience. From the top down, the farms that I see the most engagement on are those that when the owner or manager askes someone on their team to do something, and they themselves know how to do it and can demonstrate how to do it, the person completing the job, project, or task is way more likely to be successful at completing it. Additionally, follow-through is much more effective because the owner or manager can quickly verify that the work has been done correctly and be available for follow up.

A second aspect that ties into the first is to be able to communicate clearly.  Having additional language skills, even if just some key words and phrases, really opens up these relationships. Like many in the dairy industry, I learned to speak Spanish via a combination of classes, apps, immersion, and lots of patient coworkers.

 

What are the biggest health concerns you encounter in dairy herds in the Texas Panhandle?

At times the challenges we face are procedurally dependent, and other times they are seasonally dependent. Some of the dairies that I work with raise their own heifer and dairy beef crossbred calves on site all the way through to milking or to the feedyard. Often times, what I see are very straight forward animal husbandry opportunities. How is the milk being pasteurized and mixed?  Is it being done consistently? How are procedures being handled in maternity with colostrum handling and feeding? When a heifer freshens, what happens during her first few visits to the parlor?  How are we detecting mastitis, and caring for calves, heifers, and cows that get sick?

This late spring and summer, it has been quite wet in the Panhandle this year. We have ongoing challenges with udder health and hoof health when cattle are standing and lying in a wet environment. The moisture has also caused a lot of insects to hatch and fly around. So, we have pressure from several types of flies and gnats in the corrals, which causes the heifers and cows to bunch up, spend more time standing up than lying down, be more irritated when they are handled, and there has been some sporadic pinkeye as well.

 

What issues have you witnessed this season?

This year we had a really late wheat harvest, and delayed corn planting. We won’t see those effects now, but we will see them once we begin to feed our wheat crop and in the future with the corn crop.

Those are the things we are thinking about now. We had been in a drought, so we had a lot of challenges getting enough forage. Now we have the opposite, and we are having trouble harvesting what we need when we planned, as well as getting the next crop in the ground.

There are a whole variety of housing types in this part of the world. At the end of the day, it is important to ensure you have the right environment for the animal. Our open lot pens with shades have been put to the test with all the moisture, and we have managed many cases of mild to severe mastitis. We usually bed pre-weaned calves with sand in the summer, but it has been so wet we had to go back and straw the hutches! You would not expect that here in the summer months.

 

What tools have you used to help correct those problems?

At wheat harvest some of the wheat ended up much more mature than expected.  The fields were so wet that we couldn’t get in there to chop it. We tried baling some. We even tried going after the seed, which isn’t something we would normally do.

As far as fly control we have implemented anything and everything. I really tip my hat to my clients as they have aggressively removed wet manure, box bladed, and harrowed. They’re making sure that pens are getting dried, soft bedding regularly and getting rid of stagnant water.  Slashing weeds, spraying weeds, using feed through fly control, predator wasps, spraying surfaces and cattle, and putting out fly traps. All the above!

Nobody really knows how corn harvest is going to turn out right now, but my clients and I will sit down with their nutritionists and review our ongoing ‘battle plan’, and then the rubber will hit the road when harvest happens.

 

What management practices could producers implement to avoid or reduce health problems?

Probably the most straight forward forms of animal husbandry are where I love to start with dairy owners and their teams. It is really all about setting goals for the cow’s environment, for her nutrition, and evaluating what is normal or abnormal for her health.

There is a term called normalization of deviance. An example would be that I grew up on a dairy farm, and I envision something that is abnormal as normal because we have always done it that way, or I have seen other people do it that way. As a team we need to define what is normal and the procedures we need to take to keep the animals well cared for.

 

What resources would you like to see more available to dairy producers?

First off, I think something that can be helpful to all producers is having a group of peers you are comfortable talking with about what is happening on your farm, learning from each other, and supporting one another during tough times. Many are already doing this with family, neighbors, and friends.

Secondly, prioritize goal setting and benchmarking on your farm. We do that already with our bankers and our nutritionists, but it’s important to formalize those goals we already have in mind.

A lot of my farms keep track of data in a couple of different ways. It’s finding a way to maintain that data specific to that farm and understand the drivers behind each metric. As much as the peer opportunities are great, it’s important to focus on what is feasible on your specific farm.

The last thing is follow through. I love having another set of eyes on the dairies that I work with. But what’s most important is that if we make a change, what is the outcome?  We must monitor when we make changes so that after a few weeks or a few months we can go back and evaluate if that change had the outcome that we thought it would. That means having a group of trusted advisors to work with. Connecting with allied dairy industry colleagues is also a big deal.

 

How can farms use industry standards to evaluate individual performance?

A big one for veterinarians is continuing education. We get to go and geek out about what’s new and what people are trying, and what current research shows us. Veterinarians get quite excited to work with dairy clients who want to continuously improve every day.

Day to day though, we know dairies can ‘break a lot of rules’ – meaning flex the standards – and be very successful. I challenge my farms to rethink what the standards should be for them, often times much higher standards (lower incidence of disease, higher ADG/weaning weights, etc. than industry dictates) and believe we should redefine what success looks like to them.

Insanity is the definition of doing something over and over and expecting a different result. It is difficult to refocus, because everyone gets very focused on the daily tasks of feeding, milking, breeding, moving cattle and so on, but we need to step back and see the whole picture. I want to know who the outlier individuals are and why they are different. We should constantly be looking for opportunities and challenge our conventional norms.

 

Thank you, Dr. Petersen, for sharing your insight into dairy management!  We appreciate the influence you have in your area and on the dairy industry as a whole!

 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.

MicroBasics and the Power of Immune and Gut Microbiome Technology

MicroBasics and the Power of Immune and Gut Microbiome Technology

Posted on by Thomas

Introduction

In today’s rapidly evolving world, ensuring food safety has become an increasingly crucial priority. The consumption of safe and healthy food is vital for the well-being of individuals and the overall health of communities. A company that has emerged as a leader in this domain is MicroBasics, harnessing the power of immune and gut microbiome technology to raise healthier animals and produce safer food for consumers. This article will delve into the significance of food safety, highlight the role of MicroBasics, and explore how their innovative approach is revolutionizing the agricultural industry.

 

The Importance of Food Safety

Food safety encompasses the practices, procedures, and regulations implemented to prevent contamination and ensure the quality and integrity of the food we consume. The consequences of compromised food safety can be severe, leading to outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, public health emergencies, and economic losses. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 600 million people globally fall ill every year due to contaminated food, resulting in 420,000 deaths. Food safety is a multifaceted issue that requires a comprehensive approach. It involves addressing various stages of the food production process, from the farm to the fork. By focusing on prevention, monitoring, and intervention strategies, we can minimize risks and protect both animal and human health.

 

MicroBasics: Pioneering Immune and Gut Microbiome Technology

MicroBasics is at the forefront of utilizing cutting-edge immune and gut microbiome technology to revolutionize the agricultural industry. They recognize the critical role of the immune system and gut microbiome in animal health, growth, and overall well-being. By optimizing these key aspects, MicroBasics aims to improve animal welfare and enhance food safety. The immune system acts as a defense mechanism against pathogens, preventing disease and promoting overall health. MicroBasics leverages this knowledge by developing immune-modulating solutions that strengthen animals’ ability to fight off infections and diseases. By enhancing their natural immune response, MicroBasics reduces the need for antibiotics and other medications, consequently reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance. Another essential factor in animal health is the gut microbiome—the diverse community of microorganisms residing in the digestive tract. A balanced gut microbiome is crucial for efficient digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune regulation. MicroBasics leverages advanced microbiome research to develop products that promote a healthy gut environment in animals. By optimizing the gut microbiome, they enhance nutrient utilization and reduce the prevalence of harmful bacteria, lowering the risk of foodborne pathogens.

 

Benefits of MicroBasics’ Approach

MicroBasics’ innovative approach offers numerous benefits that contribute to a safer food supply chain:

  1. Reduced Antibiotic Usage: By bolstering animals’ natural immune responses, MicroBasics minimizes the need for antibiotics, combating antibiotic resistance and reducing the risk of residual antibiotics in food products.
  2. Enhanced Animal Welfare: Promoting the health and well-being of animals is a fundamental principle of MicroBasics’ approach. By optimizing immune and gut health, animals experience improved growth rates, increased disease resistance, and decreased stress levels.
  3. Improved Food Safety: A healthy animal population leads to safer food. By reducing the prevalence of harmful bacteria and pathogens in animals, MicroBasics helps prevent foodborne illnesses and enhances overall food safety.
  4. Sustainable Agriculture: MicroBasics’ commitment to sustainable agriculture is evident in their focus on reducing antibiotic usage and promoting a balanced ecosystem within animals’ digestive tracts. This approach aligns with global efforts to achieve environmentally friendly and socially responsible farming practices.
  5. Research with specific MicroBasics Products showed a 52.5%-100% reduction in E. coli O157:H7  which causes  severe intestinal infection in humans. It is the most common strain to cause illness in people.

 

Conclusion

Food safety is a global concern, and companies like MicroBasics are leading the way in developing innovative solutions to tackle this issue. By leveraging immune and gut microbiome technology, MicroBasics enhances animal health, reduces antibiotic usage, and produces safer food for consumers. Their commitment to sustainable agriculture and a holistic approach to animal welfare makes them a game-changer in the industry. As consumers, it is essential to support companies like MicroBasics that prioritize food safety, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. By making informed choices and demanding safer food, we can collectively contribute to a healthier world.

 

*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.