BW Cattle Services

No Bull....No Problem
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Most clients will back up an AI Program with a bull to cover any cows that don't get in calf to the AI.
However, some clients only have a handful of cows and don't own a bull to put with them after the AI Program finishes.
No problem 👍
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We can do a "Return AI" after the initial AI Program.
A "Return AI" simply means that we AI anything that returns to oestrus 18 - 24 days after the first AI.
So, the girls that didn't get in calf to the first AI get a second opportunity with a "Return AI"
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After the initial AI Program has finished we can either:
* re-insert cidrs (depending on the program used)
OR
* if it's only a handful of cattle we can re apply heatmounts on day 16 from the last AI and heat detect from day 18 - 24

Shout out to KVN Contracting for this custom made feed trough. Sturdy and well built 👍
🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

Despite it being 0 degree, I still love getting out first thing in the morning and doing my job.
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It was a bit wet this morning when I had to remove Cidrs, PG & apply heatmounts
to this group of heifers.
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Great Tip - heat the Estrotect heatmounts up before putting them on wet cattle. The stickier the glue, the better they stay on.
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I use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel.
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I also put tail paint on in the rain just in case we lose a heatmount.
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It's that time of year again!!
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Using Estrotect Heatmounts prior to your AI Program gives you the opportunity to select only cycling cattle to submit to your program.
This saves you time and money and will give you higher conception rates....👍

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Pink Eye in cattle - Infectious Bovine kerato-conjunctivitis (IBK)

Primarily caused by the bacteria Moraxella bovis

How do they get it❓️
Scratches/irritation to the eye ball from dust, long grass or other abrasions allow the bacteria in and is then rapidly spread by flies and fluid secretions to other cattle. IBK is highly contagious.

Symptoms ⬇️
Excessive weeping
Inflammation
Membranes of the eye are red & swollen
Cloudy opaque look to the eye ball
Ulceration of the cornea
Temporary or permanent blindness

Treatment⬇️
The key to a successful outcome is treating IBK swiftly.
Long acting penicillin eye ointment eg: (Orbenin) ➡️ Every 2nd day until the symptoms have regressed.
Eye patch to shield the eye from further dust, flies and abrasions.
In severe cases a Long acting Oxtetracycline injection may prove helpful for any secondary infections.

Vaccination⬇️
Pilliguard is an IBK vaccination that is administered 6 weeks prior to the onset of the summer/fly season.
Pilliguard provides protection against 64% of the different strains of m.bovis found in pink eye outbreaks.
Whilst it doesn't offer full protection, any protection from IBK is a bonus!

Thank you to all my wonderful clients and friends for your ongoing support.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas break and that 2024 brings prosperity and great times. 🎄

Great Information!

Three Common Categories of Pregnancy Losses in Beef Cattle “Although pregnancy losses in beef cattle are a fact of life, late-term losses are likely the most discouraging,” says Gerald Stokka, NDSU Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist.

Time to get Inked!
These Blonde d'Aquitaine stud calves from were getting permanent identification today.
Stud cattle are required to have two forms of permanent identification.
Some studs Freeze Brand & Tag (usually black cattle) but with Blondes we Tattoo & Tag.
The tattoo consists of:
➡️ Stud Prefix (usually 2 or 3 letters)
➡️ P or F (Pure or Fullblood)
➡️ Year drop letter
➡️Calf number
All this fits in one ear or spread out over two ears.

How cute is this little lady.
She is a minature galloway with brown points, that makes her extra special😉
I AI'd her today as well as some of her friends.
Spring joining has started

🌟Disbudding🌟
I bet you thought this bull calf was polled.....❌️

If disbudding is done properly and at the right time, then the result is just like this bloke.

✅️ Between 1 - 6 weeks
✅️ I use an electric Hot Iron
✅️ Hold on for btw 8 - 12 seconds
✅️ Use pain relief and a topical antibacterial spray.

Horned cattle play an important role in cattle breeding, so when it's this easy to deal with, it's really no drama at all.
practice

What is a Freemartin ❓️

Basically, a Freemartin is a female Bovine who is a non breeder. She does not have a full female reproductive tract or is able to conceive a pregnancy.

Why❓️❓️
This mainly occurs when there is a male & female twin set.
The placentae fuse together and have a common blood supply.
Because the male hormones are produced before the female hormones kick in, the heifer twin starts to develop as a male. Later on in the pregnancy the female hormones take over and the external genitalia is developed to represent a female but the internal reproductive tract has not developed. They are either missing the cervix, ovaries, uterine horns or everything!
Quite often the exterior genetalia looks "not quite right" which is a dead giveaway for a Freemartin.
Internally, as a preg tester, I find the pelvis to be very narrow and the obvious the lack of reproductive organs.

As we approach our Autumn joining period, it's time to consider which cows get submitted to the AI Programs.
A highly useful tool to help make these decisions are Heatmounts
(Estrotect)
A cow needs to be cycling post calving in order to have a chance of getting in calf to AI or natural service.
If a heatmount is put on 4 weeks prior to the start of your AI program, you will know which cows are cycling and will be best suited to be submitted to the AI program.
This is especially useful with late calvers.
If a cow is not cycling post calving, she is not suitable for AI.

What a beautiful day....and I'm stuck inside doing paperwork🙄