bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
I'm not positive that's a positive
Authors: Smith David R.
Published: February 2023

Diagnosis is central to the function of the medical professions, and yet, making a diagnosis is as much art as science. There are many sources of error that result in the wrong diagnosis, including lack of knowledge, our cognitive biases, and the inevitable use of imperfect tests. Strategic use of diagnostic tests can aid the diagnostic process and make the veterinary practitioner invaluable to their clients. Unfortunately, failure to understand cognitive error, causal logic, and the concepts of diagnostic interpretation have led many clinicians down preventable paths of incorrect diagnoses and inappropriate treatment decisions. Poor diagnostic strategies, especially when applied to population-based decision making, can lead to devastating and costly errors. Blindly following a diagnostic formula is not a substitute for clinical judgment, but neither is clinical judgment sufficient in the absence of critical thought. Quantitative assessment of the predictive value of a diagnostic plan complements clinical judgment to enhance the decision-making process. Diagnostic testing, in the hands of a clinician with an appreciation for physical examination and history taking, aware of their own cognitive biases, and understanding of the importance of the predictive value of the test, becomes a powerful tool for helping clients improve the health of their cattle.
Ultrasound beyond reproduction
Authors: Buczinski S.
Published: February 2023

Ultrasonography is a diagnostic test that is widely used in cattle practice for reproductive tract assessment. Other indications of medical ultrasonography are numerous in cattle. Ultrasound use can easily be extended as part of the evaluation of different medical and surgical conditions in beef cattle practice. The aim of this article is to focus on the current and simplest applications of medical ultrasound that can be easily implemented by the bovine practitioner. Umbilical and lung ultrasonography are used to illustrate on farm use of this important ancillary test.
Performance of multiple diagnostic tools in assessing the progression of respiratory disease in calves infected with IBR followed by Mannheimia haemolytica
Authors: Baruch J. , Renter D. , Cernicchiaro N. , Cull C. , Lechtenberg K. , Parr-Drach J. , Hockett M. , Bryant L. , Ellis G. , Welsh J. , Nickell J.
Published: February 2023

This study objective was to evaluate the performance and applicability of multiple diagnostic tools measuring physiological, clinical, and pathological changes as indicators of early bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in calves experimentally inoculated with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBR) and Mannheimia haemolytica (Mh).
Incorporating small ruminant theriogenology in private practice
Authors: Bott N. Isaac
Published: February 2023

Today's small ruminant practitioners are expected to provide herd health and management services that require a sound understanding of a variety of species. These veterinarians spend time working with small ruminants, particularly goats and sheep. This small ruminant category also includes camelids, such as llamas and alpacas, and cervids, such as deer and elk. A tremendous amount of assisted reproductive technologies in sheep, whitetail deer and non-domestic bovids are currently being provided by non-veterinarians. The purpose of this lecture will be to familiarize the mixedanimal and small ruminant veterinarian with marketing ideas and practical advice on how to incorporate small ruminant theriogenology in private practice.
Characterization of cell mediated immune responses in stressed and unstressed beef calves
Authors: Buhler Veronica , Cash Kaycee , Hurley David , Credille Brent
Published: February 2023

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in North American beef cattle. One part of the cattle industry that is particularly affected by BRD is the stocker cattle segment. It is common for stocker calves to be vaccinated against the most common disease causing agents at arrival to stocker facilities. Unfortunately, stocker calves experience numerous stressors that could impact the efficacy of vaccination and it has been established that stress can suppress immune function in cattle. The objectives of this study were to characterize the cell-mediate immune responses multiple source, highly commingled calves of unknown health history and compare the responses of these calves to those of calves that were single source, of a known health history, and weaned for 60 days.
Tales from the grave
Authors: Menzies Paula I. , Spinato Maria , Jones-Bitton Andria , Cooper Jeannette , Jansen Jocelyn
Published: February 2023

A distance-support program for assisting veterinarians to perform better on-farm postmortems on adult sheep and goats is presented. The support materials are explained - most of which are web-based, improving access and simplicity. Preliminary results indicate that many diagnoses have been made that may otherwise have gone undiagnosed, thus the results are a support to producers and their veterinarians in improving and fine-tuning flock/herd health programs.
Scheduling
Authors: Telgen Carie M.
Published: February 2023

As veterinarians, we enjoy the days when our schedule works as we have planned. Unfortunately, due to the innate nature of our profession, the best made plans often get disrupted. Scheduling can often be a bit like herding cats: a futile attempt to control the uncontrollable. However, there are several keys that can help bring order and organization to the day to ensure the animals are cared for, and the clients are staff all remain happy. Communication, Calendars and Technology are all ways in which our practice tries to ensure the above is true. The most important key is by far communication. Using calendars and technology are ways in which communication is augmented. To become indispensable to our clients and our staff, we all need to be on the same page.
Nine dimensions of veterinary wellbeing
Authors: Brandt Jen C.
Published: February 2023

Veterinarians, like all health professionals, are subject to multiple demands and stressors that at times in their careers can compromise satisfaction, engagement, and wellbeing. These stressors include high debt load, long hours, heavy workloads, client demands, navigating social media, and isolation. Our health as professionals can be conceptualized on a continuum, with optimal wellbeing at one end and burnout on the other. Veterinarians and the organizations they work within may move at times toward the wellbeing end of continuum, while others may move more towards burnout. Individuals and organizations can play a role in fostering and promoting wellbeing through nine dimensions: Career, Creative, Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Physical, Social, and Spiritual.
Calf puller in my pocket
Authors: Videto Judd
Published: February 2023

Knots that are essential are available on You Tube or books. The most important are the bowline, truckers hitch, round turn reverse with 2 half hitches, double fisherman's knot, prusik, Valdotain Tresse, versa tackle, marline spike hitch.
Relationship between serum diamine oxidase activity and severity of diarrhea in calves
Authors: Fukuda T. , Tsukano K. , Otsuka M. , Nishi Y. , Suzuki K.
Published: February 2023

Diarrhea remains the leading cause of mortality in dairy calves, and a common cause of morbidity and mortality in beef calves. Calf diarrhea is problematic because it reduces productivity at the production site. In the healthy state, the intestinal villi absorb water and glucose, but when the intestinal epithelium is impaired by Escherichia coli or Cryptosporidium parvum, diarrhea develops, and damage to intestinal villi reduces productivity. Therefore, it is important to recover intestinal villi during treatment of diarrhea. Diamine oxidase (DAO) is produced by mucosal epithelial cells in the small intestine, especially by villi, and is involved in the control of cell proliferation. The DAO activity value in the blood reflects the state of the villi in the small intestine. Therefore, in recent years, numerous clinical studies have examined the state of intestinal villi. The objective of this study was to investigate whether DAO is an indicator of disorders of intestinal mucosa in calves with diarrhea.
Ionized calcium and glucose changes in refrigerated heparinized blood samples from dairy cows
Authors: Valldecabres A. , Silva-del-Río N.
Published: February 2023

Proper sample handling is required in order to obtain reliable biochemical measurements. Handling recommendations, as well as suggested interval between sample collection and processing, are somehow conservative, and limit the on-farm use of these diagnostic tools. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes of ionized calcium (iCa) and glucose in refrigerated heparinized blood samples from dairy cows to provide more detailed handling recommendations that could facilitate their use in large animal veterinary practice and research.
A comparison of three feedlot vaccination programs on the health, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of high-risk heifers procured from auction markets
Authors: Hagenmaier J. A. , Terhaar B. L. , Blue K. , Hoffman B. W. , Fox J. T. , Theurer M. E.
Published: February 2023

Mannheimia haemolytica (MH) is the primary bacterium involved with bovine respiratory disease (BRO), and there are differences between how the vaccines which confer immunity against this important pathogen are manufactured. Generally speaking, the bacterin and toxoid components of commercially available MH vaccines are harvested through propagation of whole-cell MH cultures. Nuplura® PH (NUP; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) contains both toxoid and cell-associated antigens, but these antigens differ as they are manufactured using recombinant technology and a proprietary purification process. The relative efficacy of vaccine programs incorporating NUP versus products derived from whole-cell MH culture has not been evaluated in a large-pen feedlot setting. The objective of this study was to compare 3 vaccination programs on the health, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of feedlot heifers.
Development of a multivariable reproductive index to assess fertility of dairy cows
Authors: Santos J. E. P. , Pinedo P. , Schuenemann G. , Bicalho R. , Rodrigez-Zas S. , Rosa G.
Published: February 2023

Fertility is a critical component of dairy production and failures to attain and maintain pregnancy are major reasons for production losses in dairy herds. Reproductive efficiency is determined by a number of complex cow and environmental factors. Methodologies refining the identification of cows with low and high fertility would be a valuable tool for research in multiple areas, including genetic selection. Therefore, our objective was to develop a Reproductive Index (RI) to predict the probability of a timely pregnancy in a large population of dairy cows.
Distinct bacterial metacommunities inhabit the upper and lower respiratory tract of healthy feedlot cattle and those diagnosed with bronchopneumonia
Authors: Timsit Edouard , Workentine Matthew , Alexander Trevor
Published: February 2023

Recent evidence suggests that specific nasopharyngeal bacterial communities can provide colonization resistance against respiratory pathogens in cattle. However, the role that bacterial communities of the lower respiratory tract plays in respiratory health remains largely unknown. Therefore, our study aimed to compare the nasopharyngeal and tracheal bacterial communities between healthy feedlot cattle and those diagnosed with bronchopneumonia (BP).
The nasopharyngeal microbiota of preweaned dairy calves with and without ultrasonographic lung consolidation
Authors: Raabis S. M. , Ollivett T. L. , Quick A. , Suen G.
Published: February 2023

Preweaning is a high-risk time period for dairy calves; pneumonia is a predominant cause of mortality and use of antibiotics on farms. Given the concern of antibiotic resistance, there is demand to investigate alternative therapies. Administering probiotics to alter the respiratory microbiome and reduce the risk of pneumonia has shown promising results in mice. Although the bacterial community dynamics of the upper airway have been investigated in dairy calves, they have not been evaluated in calves diagnosed with pneumonia using lung ultrasound (US). By allowing visualization of lung consolidation, US increases the sensitivity of pneumonia diagnosis. Elucidating phenotypes of the commensal community in healthy and pneumonic dairy calves is crucial to investigating probiotics as a preventative for pneumonia. The primary objective of this prospective case-control study was to describe bacterial communities in the nasopharynx (NP) of preweaned dairy calves with and without lung consolidation. Secondary objectives included evaluating the effects of previous antibiotic therapy and age on the composition of NP microbiota.
Canadian National Dairy Study
Authors: Winder C. B. , Bauman C. A. , Duffield T. F. , Barkema H. W. , Keefe G. P. , Dubuc J. , Uehlinger F. , Kelton D. F.
Published: February 2023

Care and management of dairy heifer calves early in life has substantial short- and long-term impacts, from affecting calf morbidity and mortality rates to future milk production. In the past decade, substantial changes have occurred in the way dairy heifer calves are managed. Animal welfare standards have also changed globally. While there is some evidence that the use of pain control for disbudding has increased in the province of Ontario in recent years, no national data have been collected regarding this practice. Other early life heifer calf management practices, as well as morbidity and mortality rates, have not been described at the Canadian national level. In this regard, the objectives of this study, part of phase I of the 2015 Canadian National Dairy Study, were to examine heifer calf health, adoption of rearing practices, and explore factors associated with different rearing strategies on Canadian dairy farms.
Quantifying the forces applied during assisted calvings and the impacts on newborn beef calves
Authors: Kulser Ann , Pearson Jennifer M. , Pajor Edmond , Gurdita Akshay , Ungrin Mark , Windeyer M. Claire
Published: February 2023

Dystocia is recognized as the leading cause of mortality in the beef industry, with almost 26% of neonatal calf losses being attributed to birth-related issues. The term dystocia is defined as a prolonged or difficult birth that may or may not require human intervention, while calving ease is a subjective measure of the effort required for an assisted delivery. A Canadian study reported that 8.9% of calvings in beef herds required assistance, with severe dystocia occurring in 3.7% of births. Similarly, in the United States, 7.7% and 3.4% of heifers and 3.2% and 1% of cows, respectively, required easy and hard pulls to deliver their calf. Despite the incidence and impacts of assisted calvings, there is little available data that quantifies the forces applied during an assisted delivery and the associated compromise in the newborn calf. The objectives of this study were to: 1) quantify the force applied during manual and mechanical delivery of beef calves, and 2) examine the association of force with calf birthweight, vigour, acidemia, and tissue trauma.
Investigation of the relationship between bedding materials, bedding characteristics, and intramammary infection in late lactation dairy cows
Authors: Rowe S. M. , Godden S. M. , Royster E. E. , Timmerman J. A. , Crooker B. A. , Boyle M.
Published: February 2023

Many cows acquire subclinical intramammary infections (IMI) during lactation, necessitating antimicrobial treatment at dry-off (dry cow therapy). If the dairy industry moves toward the adoption of selective dry cow therapy, one essential strategy to reduce mastitis-associated antimicrobial use at dry off will be to reduce the incidence of new IMI during lactation. One important source of mastitis-causing pathogens is bedding. However studies are needed to investigate the association between bedding management, bedding bacteria count (BBC), and IMI risk in late lactation cows.

The objectives of this prospective cross-sectional study are to: 1) describe associations between BBC and IMI prevalence for individual pathogens and specific pathogen groups in late lactation cows, 2) identify bedding-related risk factors for high BBC, and 3) identify critical levels of bacteria in bedding that might be used as cut-points to guide practitioners when interpreting BBC reports. This study is ongoing, with winter 2018 results currently being assembled.
Conventional culture, MALDI-TOF and 165 rRNA compared for agreement in diagnosis of bovine mastitis pathogens
Authors: Wilson David J. , Middleton John , Adkins Pamela , Goodell Gregory M.
Published: February 2023

Tests for bacterial mastitis pathogens include those in use for some time and some that have only become available recently. The objective of this study was blind comparison of culture, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization - time offlight (MALDI-TOF), and 16S rRNA genomic sequencing for test agreement in identification of mastitis pathogens from bovine milk.
Use of an ultrafiltration device in gland cistern for continuous sampling in healthy and mastitic quarters of lactating cattle
Authors: Mzyk D. A. , Bublitz C. M. , Sylvester H. , Hobgood G. D. , Baynes R. E. , Foster D. M.
Published: February 2023

Pharmacokinetic studies of the drugs in the milk are often limited due to infrequent sampling associated with milking. Alternatively, frequent sample collection with repeated milking may increase drug elimination. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of continuously sampling the udder using ultrafiltration.
Assessment of a commercial borescope to evaluate the presence of lesions of digital dermatitis in dairy cows
Authors: Ferraro S. , Rousseau M. , Dufour S. , Dubuc J. , Roy J-P. , Desrochers A.
Published: February 2023

Digital dermatitis (DD) is a worldwide infectious disease of cattle with high prevalence in dairy herds. It is a painful disease with welfare issues causing economical losses.  Identifying the affected animals is crucial to establish early treatment and evaluate the efficacy of a control strategy. The "gold standard" diagnosis of DD is the direct observation of DD lesions in a trimming chute. However, the use of a trimming chute for daily diagnosis of DD in all cows is not possible. To facilitate DD monitoring between trimming sessions, lesions could be identified in the parlor during milking. Therefore, we evaluated the use of a commercial borescope in a rotary milking parlor. Our hypothesis was that a borescope is an adequate alternative to evaluate DD lesions between trimming sessions. Our objective was to assess the sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of a borescope for the diagnosis of DD in the milking parlor as compared to direct observation in a trimming chute, and to quantify the agreement between both techniques.
An evaluation of the relationship between hyperketonemia and pre- and post-calving hoof lesions in dairy cattle
Authors: Wynands E. M. , Cramer G.
Published: February 2023

Recent research has suggested changes related to fat mobilization are an important risk factor for lameness development. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) blood concentration of cows post-calving and hoof lesions during the first 150 DIM.
Cumulative effects of early lactation diseases on fertility and survival in a multi-state population of Holstein cows
Authors: Pinedo P. , Santos J. E. P. , Schuenemann G. , Rodrigez-Zas S. , Rosa G. , Seabury C. , Gilbert R. , Thatcher W.
Published: February 2023

Endocrine changes at calving and drastic metabolic adjustments to support milk synthesis result in negative energy balance and immune suppression. Consequently, a substantial proportion of cows are affected by disease around the time of calving, and most health disorders occur in the first 30 DIM. Diseases have been associated with reduced reproductive performance and increased risk of death and culling. However, large multi-state prospective studies analyzing the effect of health events by use of standardized disease definitions and times of assessment are scarce. Therefore, our objective was to test the cumulative effect of combinations of health events on fertility and survival of a large population of Holstein cows in multiple states.
Herd-level prevalence of Johne's disease and BVD, management practices and farm characteristics for positive dairy herds in Utah and Idaho
Authors: Wilson David J. , Rood Kerry A. , Whitehouse Chelsea , Bunnell Jennifer , Goodell Gregory M. , Byrem Todd M.
Published: February 2023

Johne's disease (JD) and bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) are expensive dairy cattle diseases causing production, infertility, and death losses. Herd-level prevalence estimates are 68% for JD and 15% for BVD. The objectives of this study were to estimate regional dairy herd-level prevalence of JD and BVD and evaluate farm characteristics, management, and control practices on farms with either disease detected.
Cow-calf pregnancy distribution information from records collected at the time of pregnancy diagnosis
Authors: Fountain T. H. , Larson R. L. , White B. J.
Published: February 2023

Identifying factors that influence pregnancy success is important for both veterinarians and producers to optimize management decisions. The study objective was to evaluate pregnancy diagnosis histograms, and determine if factors such as herd size, breeding season length, body condition of cow, age of cow, or the season of year affected the likelihood of pregnancy at the end of the first 21-day interval and at the end of the breeding season.
Pharmacokinetics of tulathromycin following administration with remote delivery devices
Authors: Rivera J. D. , Woolums A. R. , Giguere S. , Johnson J. T. , Lutz A. G. , Tipton P. N. , Crosby W. , Hice I.
Published: February 2023

Remote delivery devices (ROD, aka dart guns) are used to administer antimicrobials (AM) to cattle in situations when individual treatment by manual injection is logistically difficult. However, it is not clear whether the pharmacokinetics (PK) of AM administered by remote delivery device is comparable to that for AM administered by injection; thus it is not certain that cattle treated by ROD experience equivalent AM effect.
Ownership
Authors: Telgen Carie M.
Published: February 2023

Finding the right first job is a good feeling. However, even though it might be the right first job, it may not be the forever job. The most important thing is to be true to yourself and listen to your "gut". Do you truly know what you want, do you want to be an owner? Do you want to be in a group practice or solo? Do you want to be in THIS practice? Once you can answer these questions, it is important to know that being an owner takes time. There are risks, benefits, rewards and responsibilities. My philosophy on ownership is that as an owner I may work more, not less, because it is MY business, MY clients, MY reputation, and MY profit on the line. Being an owner doesn’t mean you can take off whenever you want and leave the rest to the associates and staff. Being an owner means you may work weekends on building maintenance, office work or covering for a shortage. The clinic's success is dependent on you and those who work for you. Ownership is not necessarily a smooth, easy or straight road. There are bumps, frustrations, risks and rewards along the way and there are hundreds of different ways to get there. The income, responsibilities, equity and even challenges have allowed me to become a better person, manager and veterinarian for my clients. I'm better able to help my clients with their businesses and be a stronger leader for them, my employees and even AABP. Ownership seems to be a road less traveled, but it has certainly made all the difference in my life.
Evolution of a food-animal veterinarian
Authors: Blood K. Shawn
Published: February 2023

The presentation describes the complex internal and external effects that led to my career evolving from associate veterinarian to practice owner to staff veterinarian for a large family owned agriculture enterprise, to a technical services veterinarian for a large animal pharmaceutical and services company.
Managing the challenges in transition dairy cows
Authors: Nydam Daryl V. , Overton Tom R.
Published: February 2023

The transition from late gestation to lactation is a period of many physiological changes, and a critical time to ensure cows are well prepared for a profitable and healthy lactation. There are many opportunity areas to implement management practices mitigating the risk of early lactation catabolic armageddon. Most dynamic activities will be better implemented if they are consistently measured and monitored. While comparison to external benchmarks is inherently dangerous to sound decision making, we aim to provide a framework such that a dairy can begin to internally calibrate its management metrics. Monitoring performance metrics that have little momentum, bias, and lag will help dairy farms reach their goals.
Rural veterinary practice
Authors: Goehl Daniel R.
Published: February 2023

The beef industry is steeped in tradition. This is 1 aspect that draws producers into the industry and entices generation to follow generation. While it is always good to honor tradition at the same time one must adapt to the changing times. It has been said the change is neither inherently good nor bad; just inevitable. As veterinarians we also have traditions that shape our industry. It is up to us to shape the practice that we work in to make it an acceptable environment that we are willing to work in. One of the areas that we must focus on is helping our clientele become comfortable with a mindset that will allow us to provide them the beneficial services we can offer. The challenge for the practitioner is to provide high quality service to their clientele and receive adequate financial compensation for these efforts. The practice I work in is not the model practice that every practitioner should strive for. What works for one practitioner may not fit another's personality or skill set. As veterinarians being pulled in several directions by the general public, it is easy to lose sight of trying to enjoy the journey.
Design of management and preventive strategies for neonatal calf diarrhea in beef systems
Authors: Grotelueschen Dale M.
Published: February 2023

Neonatal calf diarrhea outbreaks in beef herds are a common clinical entity that involves a complex association of factors. Calf treatments, diagnostic investigations, and prevention are frequent outcomes of involvement of veterinary practitioners. Preventive interventions to address immediate and future outbreaks are often management related and more difficult to implement. Evidence-based recommendations can be accomplished by addressing research derived risk factors that are known to impact likelihood for outbreaks. The Sandhills Calving System is 1 intervention option. Implementation of preventive strategies requires knowledge that includes, but is not limited to, client priorities, decision making, and risk tolerance. Client communication and understanding are keys to implementation. Thorough understanding of the system, including potential impacts of any interventions, is very important to insure successful implementation of preventive strategies.
Finding and defining your success
Authors: Willingham Callie D.
Published: February 2023

Success is often viewed as an endpoint, a goal, or a final destination, the 1 big thing. In reality, success is more of a cycle with phases of growth that are fueled by your experiences. Failure, while uncomfortable, is an integral part of success. Google dictionary defines success as “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose; the attainment of popularity or profit; a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity.” Ultimately, however, you must create your own definition of success, recognizing that it will likely change over time.
Bovine respiratory disease modeling
Authors: Lechtenberg Kelly F.
Published: February 2023

The bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex involves the classic components of the disease triad: host factors, pathogen factors, and environmental factors. The multiple components included in each of these categories have the potential to overwhelm the immune system of cattle and become recognized as “the cause” of the disease. However, it is the net effect of multiple factors that comprise a final result that we recognize as “disease” (BRD). This presentation discusses how these interrelated factors can be managed in the development of disease models to assess the efficacy of product. Mitigating or managing the sources of animal to animal variation creates more robust and dependable models, but also creates populations that may be different than the population for which we are evaluating an intervention.
Perspectives of the history and development of metaphylactic treatment with antibiotics and how I implement today
Authors: Latta Tom
Published: February 2023

Of all the diseases and health problems that newly arrived cattle in a feedyard face, by far the bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex is the most common and most costly. There are many approaches to preventing and treating respiratory disease in new cattle, including vaccines, feed additives, feeding programs, and low-stress handling. Many of the new cattle have been stressed by weaning, hauling long distances, commingling, and stressful handling. Thus, in these cattle there may be a need for antibiotic therapy on arrival or soon after arrival, a practice called metaphylactic treatment with antibiotics.
economics of metaphylactic antibiotic treatment
Authors: Latta Tom
Published: February 2023

If you are involved in the cattle business, you can’t help but be aware of the low margin of profitability and high risk of this business. Certainly, animal health is in the forefront of managing profit and risk.

Of all the health issues facing new cattle in an operation, by far the bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex is the most common and most costly. There are many approaches to managing health in these cattle: vaccines, immune stimulants, feeding programs, low-stress handling, and antibiotics. Many loads of cattle are candidates for metaphylactic treatment with antibiotics on arrival or soon after. The above factors determine the need for this program, but still in most cases it boils down to an economic decision.
Minimizing barriers
Authors: Román-Muñiz I. N.
Published: February 2023

While veterinarians are increasingly seen by dairy producers as training providers for their diverse workforce, veterinary medicine curricula offers limited opportunities for practitioners to develop into effective communicators, especially when having to engage with multicultural groups. Conducting training on a dairy farm to change behaviors and to improve animal health and performance goes beyond a presentation translated by a bilingual dairy employee. While language barriers should be addressed, veterinarians should also be aware of cultural factors that may affect communication and the success of the training efforts. This article and associated presentation propose best practices for the facilitation of culturally-congruent training programs to improve dairy worker performance.
Fostering success through people
Authors: Yousey Jared R.
Published: February 2023

Labor management on today’s modern dairy is vital to farm profitability and sustainability. High performing teams pose many challenges to keep continuously raising their own bar, in order to achieve higher output per worker. Business culture plays the most important role in developing personal, career, and individual growth for today’s workforce. Like dairy farms there are no 2 vet practices identically the same, therefore it is not an exact science on the outcomes to be perfectly replicable. Managing a modern successful workforce is a constant moving target. These proceedings will discuss the key performance indicators of high performing teams, and how the role of the modern veterinarian can help farms succeed.
Offering nutrition and ration balancing as a service
Authors: Brennan David T.
Published: February 2023

Offering nutrition and ration balancing services can be an excellent way to increase revenue at a veterinary practice, as well be a solution for the changing role of the consulting veterinarian. Today’s dairy producers demand a consultant-based veterinary service which contrasts greatly with the veterinary service of the past. Offering nutrition services is also a great way for young veterinarians to become good at troubleshooting feed-related disease processes on dairy farms.
Medicated feeds and the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) in small ruminants
Authors: Goldsmith Timothy J.
Published: February 2023

The Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA) amended the Food Drug & Cosmetic Act to permit extralabel use of animal drugs under certain conditions. However, AMDUCA does not permit the extralabel use of medicated feed articles. Minor species such as sheep and goats (small ruminants) have very few animal drugs approved for their use and practitioners may determine that extralabel use is justified to prevent suffering and death. Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 615.115 Extralabel Use of Medicated Feeds for Minor Species (CPG 615.115) provides guidance on the current thinking of the Food and Drug Administration related to exercising enforcement discretion with regard to the extralabel use of medicated feeds in minor species. This presentation will walk through the CPG 615.115 from a practitioner’s perspective with goal of addressing common questions and situations where extralabel use of medicated feeds in sheep and goats may be indicated.
new doc in town
Authors: Hardesty M. E.
Published: February 2023

Are your new doctors getting a great start? How do you keep the good ones? It’s not just money. Training and support is critical for new doctors to like their job. A welcoming community and a work schedule that allows doctors to be part of it is a big contribution to practice longevity.
Managing conflict in your practice
Authors: Stup Richard E.
Published: February 2023

Conflict exists in every workplace. We might ignore it, or cover it up, or avoid it, but it will still exist. Conflict is not inherently bad for an organization. Dynamic, trusting organizations can have productive conflict as people constantly seek ways to improve. On the other hand, poorly managed and unresolved conflict can be highly destructive. This presentation discusses recognition of conflict, and strategies to successfully manage them.
Exit from ownership
Authors: McCormick David
Published: February 2023

Planning for your exit can make a significant difference as to how and when you exit as well as what your practice may be worth. The checklists and information discussed in this presentation are guides to prepare for an exit from ownership. The exit could involve selling the practice to another veterinarian that does not work in the practice. It could also involve selling all, or part of your practice to a current associate doctor. Having a known buyer helps to define the timeline and potential transition issues.
purchase and exit process
Authors: McCormick David
Published: February 2023

A successful practice purchase, sale, buy-in or buy-out is a life-changing event for all involved. It is worth making the time to plan your ideal purchase or sale and then a backup plan or two. All involved should make decisions with full knowledge of the relevant facts and have a plan that once put into place, will get you where you want to be, when you want to be there. The material provided in these proceedings is intended to supplement the session taught at the Conference. While the information below is written for the buyer/seller, it is important the practice manager/administrator also be familiar with the process and potential pitfalls – she/he is a part of the ongoing core of the practice and can have significant influence on the stability and success of a transaction.
Virtual mentorship and selecting an externship
Authors: Middleton Gabe E.
Published: February 2023

Mentorship is increasingly important due to changing demands on young veterinarians, particularly those in mixed or cattle practice. Many young practitioners rely on a mentor within their practice to help guide them through many day-today challenges. With multiple ways to communicate on social media or other technology platforms, virtual mentorship is a way to supplement other mentorship a young practitioner may receive from colleagues at their practice. Performing externships while in veterinary school are critical to immediate success in large animal practice. Externships serve a valuable purpose by allowing students to gain clinical skills and non-traditional service knowledge, and to expand their general knowledge base. Students are able to utilize multiple funding sources and methods of networking with practices to gain the best experiences.
Local anesthesia for the eye and foot
Authors: Jones Meredyth L.
Published: February 2023

The benefits of using local anesthetic techniques for medical and surgical procedures in ruminants are many, including avoidance of general anesthetic risks and cost, rapid recovery and return to function, and preservation of animal welfare. Certain blocks, namely the Peterson Eye Block, require some practice to achieve the block’s full potential, but are performed easily over time with practice. The Peterson Eye Block and the auriculopalpebral nerve block for ocular procedures and the Bier (regional intravenous anesthesia) Block and interdigital block for procedures of the foot are presented.
Catheter placement and maintenance
Authors: Nagy Dusty W.
Published: February 2023

Intravenous catheters are an excellent option for providing short- and long-term fluid or antibiotic therapy. Multiple options for venous access exist. Selection of an access point is multifactorial, but volume to be administered and ease of access are 2 things to consider. While catheter materials and lengths vary, there is not a dramatic difference in overall performance for bovine patients. While a variety of methods exist for placing and securing an intravenous catheter, sterile preparation and regular flushing lay the pathway for longevity of catheter placement.
Deep digital sepsis in cattle
Authors: Streeter Robert N.
Published: February 2023

Deep digital sepsis (DDS) as applied to bovine lameness is not strictly defined, but for the purposes of this discussion will include infection of bones, joints, bursa or tendon sheaths within the foot. Often, there are infections of several of these structures in the same digit. Such infections are most commonly due to extension of infection from more superficial layers as in the case of advanced sole ulceration, white line disease or toe tip necrosis, but can be secondary to direct penetration or trauma. Deep digital sepsis should be suspected when lameness is severe coupled with 1 or more of the following: asymmetrical swelling of the foot, swelling extending proximal to the pastern region, and a duration of severe lameness of >2 weeks. Lameness associated with deep digital sepsis (DDS) is severe and requires aggressive and somewhat expensive therapy to resolve. Recognition of the development of DDS is critical to appropriate management of a lameness case. Description of therapeutic options will be provided in another paper in this volume (see Therapy of Deep Digital Sepsis).
Therapy for deep digital sepsis
Authors: Streeter Robert N.
Published: February 2023

Therapy for deep digital sepsis (DDS) can be both challenging and rewarding. It can be as routine as digit amputation or as complex as invasive corrective surgery. The precise mode of therapy will be dictated by numerous factors including the structures involved, value of the animal, its intended use and expected longevity, body size, and the experience and facilities available to the veterinarian. This discussion will be limited to techniques applicable to being performed on a tilt table under local/regional anesthesia rather than more advanced techniques involving arthroscopy/tenoscopy that require general anesthesia, expensive equipment, and considerable training to implement. Description of the methods for differentiation of various causes of deep digital sepsis are reviewed in an earlier manuscript in this volume (see Deep digital sepsis in cattle - clinical differentiation). Additionally, techniques for digit salvage via facilitated ankylosis of the distal interphalangeal joint may be mentioned but not fully detailed.
Methods of antemortem sampling for identification of microbial agents in bovine respiratory disease (BRD)
Authors: Woolums Amelia R.
Published: February 2023

Although bovine respiratory disease (BRD) can often be managed satisfactorily without diagnosis of microbial agents, when presumptive management is unsuccessful, identification of viruses or bacteria may reveal unexpected contributors, or agents for which a change in vaccination strategy or antimicrobial may be appropriate. The most common and feasible techniques for field use include nasal swabs, guarded nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS), transtracheal aspiration, and non-endoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Nasal swabs or NPS are ideal for rapidly sampling large numbers of cattle; evidence suggests that testing these for viruses or bacteria reliably represents the agents in the lower respiratory tract at the group level. If only 1 or a small number of animals are to be sampled, the tracheal aspirate or BAL may provide a more reliable result. Recent vaccination with modified-live viral (MLV) vaccines can cause false positive results by any method, thus sampling should not be carried out within 1 month of MLV vaccination. Paired serology can be useful for diagnosis of viral agents, but serologic tests for bacterial BRD agents are not readily available in diagnostic laboratories. Paired serology can be difficult to interpret in calves with maternal antibody, or in recently vaccinated cattle.
Milk quality still pays
Authors: Treichler Brandon K.
Published: February 2023

As the mailbox price premiums for producing quality milk decline globally, it is fair to wonder if there is still value in producing quality milk. While what defines “quality milk” is evolving, even for the parameters that have traditionally been used to define milk quality, research and field experience continue to confirm that the production of high quality milk continues to be a primary driver of dairy profitability.
Central nervous system diagnostics
Authors: Nagy Dusty W.
Published: February 2023

Both antemortem and postmortem diagnostics for central nervous system disease are available. Cerebrospinal fluid will help determine if disease is bacterial, viral, parasitic, or degenerative in nature. In addition, it may help to rule out diseases outside the central nervous system like hypocalcemia, which may mimic disease within the CNS. In addition to CSF analysis, diagnostic imaging can also be helpful. Animal size and value will often dictate the utility and affordability of imaging modalities. Postmortem, we typically consider harvesting the brain for histopathology, culture, or specific assays or special staining.
Milking system evaluation
Authors: Thompson Roger
Published: February 2023

The mastitis triangle involves the cow and her environment, the milk harvest technicians and how they are trained and the equipment they are given, and the milking equipment and its impact on mastitis risk. Other points to consider are treatment protocols/residue avoidance and labor. Adding these 2 points creates a mastitis tent. Veterinarians are independent, reasonably unbiased milk quality advisors to dairy producers. Create a road map to better understand milking systems and evaluation of milking systems. The greatest risk for new cases of mastitis resides in the number of bacteria on the animal’s teat end and teat skin. The 2 most important locations at which to measure vacuum are in the milking claw and the milking receiver. Keeping the milking equipment clean on the inside and outside is important to reduce the risk of new cases of mastitis.
Recordkeeping, treatment protocol compliance, and measuring success
Authors: Niles Donald
Published: February 2023

The presentation will look at the entire process used to establish and maintain treatment protocols on a modern dairy. Discussion will include a process for developing new protocols, including dosage and duration of treatments, as well as withhold times. Also included in the discussion will be a means for recording all treatments correctly and consistently, as well as use of records to guide all remaining steps from retreatments to reevaluation to withhold times. The systems used are particularly suited to large modern dairy operations.
Vitamin A and its association with inflammatory disease from dry off through the fresh period
Authors: Strickland J. M. , Wisnieski L. C. , Sordillo L. M.
Published: February 2023

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient and is well established to be crucial for regulating hematopoiesis, epithelial integrity, vision, and embryogenesis. In humans, vitamin A deficiency is associated with increased risk of morbidity, mortality, and a decreased immune response to vaccines. However, despite being the first vitamin discovered, little is known about its role in these outcomes in dairy cows. Dairy cows experience a significant decrease in serum vitamin A concentrations at the time of calving when cows are most at risk for disease. Previous study findings show conflicting results as to the effects of vitamin A and diseases such as mastitis in dairy cows. However, many studies with negative results are limited by their small sample size and short study period. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between vitamin A and known disease biomarkers for fresh cow diseases as well as incidents of disease.
Whole blood RNA-Seq analysis of stocker calves reveals insights into BRD
Authors: Scott M. A. , Woolums A. R. , Swiderski C. E. , Perkins A. D. , Nanduri B. , Smith D. R. , Karisch B. B. , Epperson W. B.
Published: February 2023

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in stocker cattle. It is difficult to predict which cattle will develop BRD. Improved prediction could facilitate more responsible and rational use of antimicrobials and vaccines to limit BRD. We hypothesize that altered transcriptional profiles in the blood of stocker calves on arrival represent regulatory pathways including biomarkers useful to improve prediction of BRD risk.
Associations of serum biomarkers of stress and inflammation measured at arrival with bovine respiratory disease incidence, mortality, and growth of calves transported within the first 4 days of life
Authors: Celestino M. L. K. , Menta P. R. , Fernandes L. , Poit D. , Neves R. C. , Caixeta L. S. , Machado V. S.
Published: February 2023

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is 1 of the major causes of mortality and growth delay in pre-weaned calves. Stressful events, such as commingling and transportation, are predisposing factors to BRD. Elevation in circulating concentrations of the inflammatory biomarker haptoglobin (Hp), and stress biomarkers cortisol and l-lactate, have been observed in calves after long-distance transportation. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the association between circulating levels of Hp, cortisol, and lactate at day of arrival and BRD incidence, mortality, and growth of calves transported within the first 4 days of life. We hypothesized that higher levels of Hp, cortisol, and lactate are associated with higher BRD incidence and mortality, and with delayed growth during the pre-weaning period.