1. health and fitness
2. disease

Bohaty Farm Bulletin
June 2015
Bohaty’s British Whites—
Quality You Can Count On Since 1983!
2015 Open House &
Sale Highlights!
Started Friday off by Diane washing
and blow drying the 2 open heifers we
used for the clipping demo.
B&B Panzee (pictured above) wasn’t so
calm during this process so I decided
to use B&B Desi for the clipping. These
two heifers are broke to lead but not
nearly ready for showing!
(See more highlights and pictures on
page 3)
Bohaty’s British Whites
Walter & Nancy Bohaty
1371 42nd Road
Bellwood, NE 68624
402-367-4741
Email: [email protected]
www.britishcattle.com
Bohaty’s Herd Reduction Sale
We are getting old enough to slow down some so
we are offering pairs—first come first pick!
B&B Pocahaunus 49Y & 2015 May calf
This pair and others like her for sale
Contact us for details
Thanks for Coming
to Our 2015
Open House & Sale
We enjoyed visiting with
Friends and Customers!
Everyone had a
great time!
Come Again Visitors
Always Welcome!
June 2015 Page 2
How did your herd bull make it through the
winter? Jim Neel, University of Tennessee Extension
Did your herd bull receive any concern during the long cold winter we have experienced? Probably
most of the concerns were directed toward the cow herd and calves. However, the long cold winter
we experienced may have led to several negative effects on the bull that could severely reduce his reproductive potential. These range from frostbite on the bull’s scrotum, excess loss of body condition,
and perhaps injuries to the feet and legs depending on the condition of the frozen surfaces they were
walking on.
Under normal winters, with sufficient care, the effects of cold weather would be less of a problem.
However, with the extremely cold weather this year, bulls have been exposed to conditions with
greater risk of frostbite and cold injury to the scrotum and testicles that can cause subfertility or in
some cases, infertility.
In cold weather sperm quality is reduced, and the colder it gets the more quality reduction occurs.
Bulls with larger, hanging scrotums are more susceptible to being sub fertile or possibly, even sterile
in cold conditions. These bulls would have a problem “drawing” their testicles up close to their body
to keep them warm.
Both cold and hot weather can interfere with the spermatogenesis process and reduce reproductive
potential.
Check the bulls’ scrotum for scabs; these would probably be found on the lower part of the scrotum.
The presence of “no scab” is not an assurance that the reproductive potential is not negatively affected. If frostbite and or cold injury is a concern, the bull should have a Breeding Soundness Examination (BSE) 45 days or so after the injury. Check with a local bovine veterinarian and discuss the
possibility of “frost bite” and arrange to have a BSE done on the bulls.
A BSE prior to the breeding season has always been a good practice and may be even more important this year. An exam should include an evaluation of the bull’s reproductive tract, semen volume
and quality, as well as the bull’s structural soundness and overall physical condition.
Observe the bulls for lameness, as frozen, slippery and sometimes sharp edged ground conditions
can lead to lameness that will affect their ability to breed cows.
Did they come through the winter in decent physical condition? Or, did they end up thinner than you
would like due to the cold weather energy requirements causing them to burn more calories to stay
warm? Ideally bulls should have a similar Body Condition Score (BCS) to that of replacement heifers: from a 5 to 6.5. Top performing bulls will be busy and lose weight during the breeding season so
they need to be in adequate condition before breeding begins. Also remember young bulls are still
growing and may need extra feed during the breeding season.
During the pre-breeding period bulls should physically and nutritionally prepared for the work they
have ahead of them. (Continued on Pg 4)
June 2015 Page 3
Highlights of our 2015 Open House & Sale
(Continued from page 1)
Pizza was served to all who stayed for supper followed
by a birthday cake for Rick Stockhill. This part was
planned
by all his
Face
Book
friends.
He was
really
surprised.
Saturday morning everyone returned to our farm to
check out the sale animals and decide which ones they
might want to buy. Breakfast of rolls and hot beverages
was available for all. Dinner at 11:30 and the sale
started at 1PM. Door prize ($20) winner was Paul Sims
of MO.
Sale Time with our Sale Referee
Kent Clymer
(See picture at right)
A picture of those who attended our 2015 Sale! Thanks everyone.
Visitors from many states began arriving Friday afternoon to check out the sale animals and visit with friends
old and new. All who were interested in seeing me clip
the heifer gathered around the grooming chute at 2 PM
and the demo began. I explained what I was doing and
why and tried to answer any questions that people asked.
I hope the demo was helpful to those who watched. I am
sure some thought it was a lot of work, which it certainly
is, but when going to shows and sales clipping is important.
A social time
followed as
friends gathered around
the picnic table to visit.
June 2015 Page 4
Proper injection sites to remember at
calf-working time
By Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Extension May 05, 2015
The month of May is traditionally the time when
“spring round-ups” take place. This is the time that
large and small cow/calf operations schedule the
“working” of the calves. As the majority of the calves
reach their second month of life, it is time to castrate
the male calves and immunize all of the calves to protect them against blackleg. Also the new information
suggests that in some situations, calves may be vaccinated for the respiratory diseases, i.e. IBR and
BVD. Check with your veterinarian for vaccination advice.
Correct administration of any injection is a critical control point in beef production and animal health. There
is a negative relationship between meat tenderness and
injection sites, including injection sites that have no
visible lesion. In fact, intramuscular (IM) injections,
regardless of the product injected, may create permanent damage regardless of the age of the animal at the
time of injection. Tenderness is reduced in a three-inch
area surrounding the injection site. Moving the injection-site area to the neck stops damage to expensive
steak cuts. Therefore, cow/calf producers should make
certain that their family members, and other hired labor are sufficiently trained as to the proper location of
the injections before the spring calf-working begins.
Give injections according to label instructions. Subcutaneous (SQ) means under the skin, intramuscular
(IM) means in the muscle. Some vaccines (according to
the label instructions) allow the choice between intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SQ). Always use
subcutaneous (SQ) as the method of administration
when permitted by the product’s label. Remember to
“tent” the skin for SQ injections unless instructed otherwise by the manufacturer. Proper injection technique is just one of many components of the Beef Quality Assurance effort that has had a positive impact on
the entire United States beef industry.
Another important aspect of the Beef Quality Assurance effort is keeping of accurate treatment records. Treatment records should include:
· Individual animal/group identification
· Date treated
· Product administered and manufac
turer’s lot/serial number
· Dosage used
(Continued from Pg 2)
During the peak of breeding season bulls will
need the physical stamina to cover many
miles in one day. Just like with people, reaching this level of fitness won’t happen overnight. Providing a 1-2 acre lot during the prebreeding period will go a long ways in building a bull’s stamina.
So, take a good look at your bulls to see how
they made it through winter. Now is the time
to evaluate them, so that you have sufficient
time to put them on a pre-breeding program
to have them ready to go when the time
comes, or have time to find replacements if
needed.
(Continued from left column)
· Route and location of administration
· Earliest date animal(s) will have
cleared withdrawal period
· Name of person administering
the product
Treatment records for cattle should be stored and
kept for a minimum of three years after the animal(s) have been sold from your operation. Beef
producers are encouraged to learn and practice
Beef Quality Assurance Guidelines. You can learn
more about the Oklahoma Beef Quality Assurance
program by going to the website: http://
oklahomabeefquality.com/ The Oklahoma Beef
Quality Assurance Manual can be downloaded
from that site. Examples of treatment records to
be kept and stored are available from the Oklahoma Beef Quality Assurance Manual or the Oklahoma Beef Quality Assurance program website.
Worry is like a rockin' horse. It's something to do that don't get you nowhere.
-- Old West Proverb
June 2015 Page 5
Seven spring suggestions to set
up calves for top performance
By Kevin Hill, D.V.M., technical services manager,
Merck Animal Health April 28, 2015
In the cow/calf business, fall profits depend heavily on decisions producers make in the spring for both cows and calves.
Keeping calves healthy and prepared for top marketing programs, as well as getting cows rebred, are universal keys to
ranching success. Here are seven springtime management
suggestions that will provide reproductive protection
through breeding and gestation, plus build strong calf immunity to maximize their growth potential and be immunologically prepared to transition to the feedlot in the fall.
1.
Work with your veterinarian to build a
health protocol specific to your herd. Your veterinarian is the best resource you have to identify
the pathogens and disease challenges that are
most important in your area. Vaccinations for
cows should be focused on optimizing conception and preventing abortion, while prevention
of respiratory disease is the most important element of calf vaccinations.
2.
Vaccinate cows in the spring whenever possible. Three to six weeks before breeding is the
ideal time to vaccinate cows for maximum reproductive protection. The focus is to protect against
reproductive pathogens that can interfere with
conception or trigger abortions. Administering a
combination vaccine, such as Vista® 5 VL5 SQ,
can accomplish this in one dose. And don’t forget
to include trichomoniasis testing for bulls in
your health protocol. There are no vaccines for
trichomoniasis, so testing is the best option
available.
3.
Vaccinate calves for respiratory protection
with a target on fall marketing health programs.
Spring is often our first opportunity to prime the
calf’s immune system, so they rapidly respond to
weaning vaccinations. The viruses of concern
that need to be included in a vaccination program are Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis
(IBR), Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) and Bovine
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV). The most
prominent players for bacterial pneumonia are
Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida. Look for combination vaccines, such as
Vista Once SQ, that address all the important
respiratory viruses and both bacteria. For more
information about calf preconditioning protocols, visit www.cattleprimevac.com.
4.
Use intranasal vaccines in calves younger than 5
months of age. Intranasal vaccines, such as Nasalgen®
IP and Once PMH® IN, stimulate a strong immune
response directly on mucosal surfaces in the nose – the
major route of respiratory infection in cattle. Intranasal vaccines also are less stressful on the young calf
than vaccines given under the skin and escape interference from maternal antibodies in colostrum.
5.
Eliminate internal parasites before turnout.
There’s no shortage of evidence that shows if parasites
are effectively eliminated, the cow will eat more, milk
better and produce a heavier calf. Because of documented parasite resistance to ivermectin products, the
most effective strategy to control internal parasites
should include fenbendazole, the active ingredient in
Safe-Guard®. Using Safe-Guard with an ivermectin
pour-on for external parasites will achieve a near 100
percent parasite kill. Consult with your veterinarian to
assist with the diagnosis, treatment and control strategies for internal parasites.
6.
Control pinkeye with vaccination and management. Because pinkeye is a significant health problem
in many parts of the country, a combination of vaccination and fly control is recommended for complete control. Fly tags in cows and calves can be very helpful in
areas with heavy fly pressure. (Note: We here at
Bohaty’s have found that using a good mineral with
Vitamin A in it helps control Pinkeye and have
stopped using the vaccine for Pinkeye.)
7.
Consider implanting all calves at branding. Implanting a calf will add 20 to 25 pounds to the weaning
weight and an extra $40 in revenue for just a $1.25-per
-head investment. Unless a producer has a solid contract for a “natural” program that guarantees a premium of $40 or more, implants should be part of his
spring turnout program for all calves older than 1
month of age. (Note: This step is optional, especially
for those breeders who are raising calves for breeding
stock)
After you have taken the steps to ensure optimal calf health,
be sure to document the products and practices you have
used. A signed certificate, especially one signed by your veterinarian, will add value to your calves. Documentation
should comprise of vaccination, parasite control and other
treatments, including the product, what it’s for and the date
applied. Print a copy to accompany the calves when they go
to market. Buyers pay $15 to $35 more per head for calves
with that kind of documented health history.
If you get to thinking you're a person of
some influence, try ordering somebody
else's dog around. -- Will Rogers