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Post by kansasdexters on Apr 7, 2015 16:55:33 GMT -5
The USGS forage map is really not adequate or accurate enough to determine if you're going to have a selenium deficiency in any of your cattle. Our county is not indicated to be deficient in selenium on the USGS map. However, our ranch was intensively farmed for decades before we converted the row crop ground into pasture areas. The soil was depleted of minerals like selenium and the grass that grows in our pastures does not have sufficient selenium or copper. Our loose mineral supplement also did not have sufficient selenium or copper, and we ended up with a couple of cows that aborted because they were deficient in selenium (which we discovered after testing them extensively for diseases that they ended up being negative for, and then finally testing them for copper and selenium levels, in order to discover that they had half the normal blood level for selenium, and that they were also deficient in copper.) We changed our mineral supplement several times before finding a product that our herd would willingly consume free-choice and we started buying our hay from several different suppliers, so that our herd was getting quality hay throughout the winter months that provided sufficient nutrition in combination with the free-choice mineral supplement.
People sometimes ask me "how do you know that your cattle are getting the minerals they need?"; and my response is, "you can see it in the health of their hair coats, their eyes, their hooves, their horns, their vigor, and their reproductive success."
Patti
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Post by Fran on Apr 8, 2015 6:43:19 GMT -5
Thanks, Patti, I hadn't noticed that. I don't milk (no time) and probably won't for a few more years (hopefully I'll get to retire one day), so I may just stick with what I already use. If memory serves me correctly (and it doesn't most days), I was thinking of making the switch to cut down on the extra booster shot the first time around....
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Post by Dahdo on Apr 8, 2015 15:13:53 GMT -5
Just FYI, if you are ordering vaccines, my usual sources for vet stuff had Vision 20/20 on back order. I found it at QC Supply, ordered all my vaccines Monday, received it in a freeze-pack shipper Tuesday, and the shipping cost was.....$10. I was blown away by the service and cost. Vaccine prices were comparable to other online sources.
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Post by Fran on Apr 9, 2015 6:23:42 GMT -5
Sometimes I order mine and sometimes they have it in stock at Tractor Supply.
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Post by hollydzie on Apr 19, 2015 10:19:19 GMT -5
If you are weaning at say 5 months would you then give the calf it's first vaccinations before weaning? If so, how far in advance of weaning would you give it? What is the youngest that you would vaccinate with the upper respiratory and clostridium vaccines?
Thanks Holly
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Post by kansasdexters on Apr 19, 2015 12:03:57 GMT -5
I would give the first round of vaccinations at 3.5 months old, then give the booster vaccinations 10-14 days before weaning (5 months old), then booster again before 1 years old.
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Post by hollydzie on Apr 19, 2015 20:19:44 GMT -5
Thanks Patti, that will be perfect timing for this situation.
Holly
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Post by cathylee on Apr 22, 2015 14:52:36 GMT -5
That is an interesting map. In general the Northwest has been considered low in both selenium and copper. My Montana County isn't included in your selenium map above unless they are showing it as adequate. But I know people who had calves with white muscle disease years ago. They are just about 5 miles North of me. Mineral blocks with high Selenium are big sellers here. Minerals are extremely complicated in their utilization and availability.
I had a steer that the vet felt was copper deficient. On reading about Copper deficiency and the problems it causes I had to agree that he fit the picture (joint problems and immune dysfunction giving him more trouble with worms). I've recently read that Selenium helps with Copper absorption and utilization. We have high molybdenum levels in our soils and use well water. Molybdenum and Sulphur interfere with Cooper utilization and absorption. If you have a high protein diet (more alfalfa and less grass) you need more copper. If it is a bad year for grass and cows are eating close to the ground they take in more molybdenum with dirt they tend to eat pulling grass out of the ground. So I wonder if my steer would have done better if we had used extra Selenium even though the copper might have been low. I don't feel that I can get adequate copper presently without using granular minerals. I give the granular mineral (Northwest formula) but will also put out some trace mineral blocks with extra Selenium after reading about the connection. Of course, the granular formula also has extra Selenium, but blocks can be convenient.
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Post by Dahdo on Apr 29, 2015 16:06:46 GMT -5
What size needles do you use for IM and SQ injections? I see guidelines for SQ using anything from 16-18 gauge, 1/2-3/4 inch long, and for IM 14-18 gauge, 1 to 1-1/2. I want to use as fine needle as possible, but not limit flow too much. I'm injecting Virashield and Vision 20/20.
Thanks! Dave
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Post by kansasdexters on Apr 29, 2015 16:23:06 GMT -5
Dave, We normally use 18 gauge, 1-inch needles for doing either IM or SQ injections in the neck area on calves. We use Luer Lock syringes (not Luer Slip) so that the needle is securely attached to the syringe when we give the injection. Here is what we buy for needles (Item 12948): www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=1e15d699-52ab-445e-995e-6ace0c37cbf5If we need to do an IM injection on a cow, in an area other than her neck, we'll use either a 16 or 18 gauge, 1.5 inch needle. Patti
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Post by Dahdo on Apr 29, 2015 17:13:38 GMT -5
Patti, do you use the one inch, 18 gauge needles for annual boosters on cows and bulls, in the neck area? And while I have you, when giving something more viscous, like LA-300, do you still use an 18 gauge needle? Thank you.
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Post by kansasdexters on Apr 29, 2015 18:15:06 GMT -5
Dave,
We do use the 1-inch, 18 gauge needles for cows when we are giving them their annual booster vaccinations in the neck area, either for SQ or IM injections. For viscous injections like Nuflor, we use a 16 gauge needle (you can't hardly draw that stuff into a syringe through an 18 gauge needle!) For Noromycin 300 LA, we use a 16 or 18 gauge needle (it isn't too viscous for an 18 gauge needle).
Patti
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Post by ravenwoodgrl on Apr 30, 2015 17:23:31 GMT -5
Does anyone use the BANGS vaccine?
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Post by kansasdexters on Apr 30, 2015 17:48:34 GMT -5
Yes, we have all of our heifers vaccinated for Brucellosis (aka "Bang's"), and USDA tagged, and tattooed in the right ear by our vet. This vaccination is also referred to as OCV (Official Calfhood Vaccination) and it must be given between the age of 4 months and 12 months by a licensed veterinarian. The record of vaccination is given to the heifer's owner, the vet administering the vaccine keeps a copy, and a copy is sent to the State. This vaccination is only given to females. Giving a Bang's vaccination to a bull can make him sterile, so bulls are never vaccinated for Brucellosis. Bulls that are from areas that don't have Brucellosis-free status should be tested for Brucellosis, prior to interstate or intrastate transport.
Kansas is a Brucellosis-free state, but we vaccinate all of our heifers for Brucellosis because we sell our registered breeding stock all over the United States, and most states currently require a brucellosis test, within 30 days of interstate transport, if an animal is not already Brucellosis vaccinated. Anyone showing cattle at the State level needs to have either a negative Brucellosis test result or proof of vaccination when they arrive at the fairgrounds. It is far more economical to vaccinate the heifers, at the appropriate time, than it is to have to repeatedly test a cow every time you want to show at the State Fair or transport over state lines.
Patti
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Post by ravenwoodgrl on Apr 30, 2015 19:13:01 GMT -5
Thanks just wanted to make sure. Nancy
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