C2-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 30, 1996
L
Ch
Extei
WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW ABOUT
BUYING CATTLE
With thfe purchase of outside
cattle comes the risk of introduc
ing diseases into your beef or
dairy herd. The risk of contagious
disease spread is great when pur
chased animals are added to the
herd because:
• Disease organisms on the farm
or origin for purchased animals
may be different from the organ
isms in your own herd.
• Animals that arc moved from
one farm to another are stressed by
trucking and change of environ
ment this makes them more
susceptible to disease and more
likely to shed disease organisms
they may be carrying.
• Introduction of animals to a
new farm environment is often
done around the time of calving
a time of stress and reduced
immune capabilities for most
cattle.
Many different contagious dis
eases can be introduced by the
addition of purchased cattle.
The following are common,
economically important diseases
frequently introduced to herds
through purchased cattle. ;ft is by"'
no means a complete listing of all
diseases which could be intro
duced with purchased cattle.
• Bovine Virus Diarrhea
(BVD).
• Bovine respiratory disease
(BRD) complex including IBR,
BRSV, and PI3 viruses and
pasieurella and Haemophilus
bacteria.
• Contagious mastitis includ
ing Stcrptococcus agalacliae, Sta
phylococcus aureus, and Myco
plasma species.
• Salmonellosis.
• Johne’s disease (paratubercu-
losis).
• Digital dermatitis (hairy heel
wans, strawberry warts).
• Intcrdigilal pododermatitis
■mums
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• Bovine leukosis virus (BLV).
Both your cattle and the ani
mals you bring into your held
need protection against viruses’
and bacteria that can be transmit
ted from animal to animal. Vacci
nation of healthy animals will help
prevent specific diseases from
occurring.
Most producers do not know if
the animals they are buying have
been vaccinated or not
The Pennsylvania Animal
Diagnostic Laboratory System
(PADLS) has developed a bovine
prepurchase test protocol and sub
mission kit for veterinarians. Pre
purchase testing of cattle is impor
tant in order to reduce the risk, of
introducing some infectious dis
eases by carrier animals.
The animal samples should ibe
submitted for testing and the pur
chased animals isolated for about
two weeks at the site of origin
prior to movement, or at the final
destination. Test results will be
provided within a two-week isola
tion period. Cattle can be treated
for parasites and vaccinated dur
ing this period. Vaccination for
specific diseases should be con
sidered by the purchaser in con
sultation with a veterinary
practitioner.
Negative results on the test
samples submitted with this kit are
not a guarantee that the animals
are free of the agents, but repre
sent the best indicator of disease
status. Information on interpreta
tion is provided with the (est
results. The information gained
from testing can reduce the risk of
introducing infectious disease
through the purchase of cattle.
Performing these test at one time
reduces the sampling effon and
cost.
Following is a checklist
approach for buying cattle; <-
For purchased cattle;
• Know the herd of origin
. their health practices?
vaccine history?
herd testing for diseases of
concern of you.
sale animal testing for dis
eases of concern to you.
• Test prepurchase best done
2 to 4 weeks prior to movement of
sale animals; testing will depend
on diseases of concern to your
herd; possible diseases to test for:
Brucellosis
: Tuberculosis
Bovein leukosis virus
Johne’s disease
Salmonella
contagious mastitis (S.
aureus. Strep, ag. mycoplasma)
BVD-persistent infection.
• Avoid carrying diseases home
When visiting sales bam, or
other cattle-purchased sites, use
disposable footwear or clean and
disinfect your boots.'
• Haul in a clean truck
Use clean, dry truck, prefer
ably your own vehicle to haul pur
chased animals; clean and sanitize
your truck before and after haul
ing purchased catde.
• Test postpurchase
lf testing cannot be done pre
purchase or if additional informa
tion on diseases status is needed,
test animals as soon as possible
after arrival, while they are iso
lated from the herd.
Test for those diseases of
concern to your herd (see above
list).
• Isolate new arrivals
Minimum of two weeks.-
• Milk purchased cattled last or
with separate milking equipment
Milk last until determined
free of contagious mastitis
organisms.
• Avoid drug residue
Ask if purchased cows have
been treated with antibiotics;
when? what drug(s)? test milk
before putting it in the tank.
• Vaccinate with all herd
vaccines
Vaccinate on arrival; repeat
killed vaccine use two weeks later
if not previously vaccinated
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• Observe for evidence of con
tagious diseases
Daily observation, particu
larly for signs of respiratory
disease
Additional information can be
requested from your local exten
sion office or by calling a team of
extension specialists in the Veter
inary Sdence Department at Penn
State University (814) 863-2160.
Beef Backgrounding
While the team “background
ing” may be relatively new to
come, this beef production system
is well known to both cow-calf
producers and cattle feeders.
Backgrounding utilizes pas
tures and other forages from the
time calves are weaned until they
are placed in a feedlot. Calves
generally gain 100 to 400 pounds,
depending upon the available for
ages. ration fed, and length of
feeding time. Tlie weight gain
affects mainly the muscle and
frame and causes little fattening.
This program is designed to
achieve weight gains as efficiently
and as economically as possible
by making maximum use of for-
ages, such as pasture, hay, and sil
age. and by using little or no grain.
Backgrounding programs were
developed to reduce the overall
costs of beef cattle enterprises and
utilize crop residues and available
pasture land. Backgrounding
requires some additional time to
WILLIAMSPORT (Lycoming
Co.) Oaty Laudertnilch, area
entomologist with the Pennsylva
nia Bureau of Forestry, will pre
sent a program entitled “Forest
Health Outlook 1996“ on Tues
day, April 2.
Landowners are invited to come
and learn what the preyed but
look is in the way of tree health
and forest insect pests in the
Lycoming County area.
The meeting will be held at the
Pennsylvania College of Technol
ogy, Alvin C. Bush Center, room
205/207. The meeting will begin
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finish an animal, but the savings
realized from feeding less grain
during the major growth phase
generally outweigh! the extra time
spent for finishing. Rather than
feeding lightweight calves high
concentrate rations early on, cattle
feeders have begun buying
heavier-weight cattle in order to
reduce the grain requirements for
producing finished beef.
To be profitable, background
ing programs must have a readily
available source of relatively
cheap forages, a good supply of
feeder calves, and a good market
for heavier and leaner feeder
calves.
Before beginning a back
grounding program, producers
should plan their operation and
research their potential markets
carefully. They may want to put
cattle in their own feedlot for fin
ishing or sell them as feeders.
Grouping cattle according to qual
ity, weight, and sex will increase
their value at market time. These
factors should be considered when
selecting cattle for backgrounding
programs.
For more information, contact
your county extension office and
ask for the new Agricultural Alter
natives fact sheet, “Beef Back
grounding.** which includes infor
mation on forage management,
calf selection and management,
marketing and sample budgets.
promptly at 7:30 p.m.
This meeting will provide
woodlot owners with important
information pertaining to the care
of their woodlot and management
of insect pests. The meeting also
has been approved for two pesti
cide credits in the categories of
Forest Pest Control (5), Demon
stration and Education (18), and
Park Pest Control (23).
, If you have any questions about
the meeting, call Dr. Bob Hansen,
extension forester with Penn State
Cooperative Extension, at (717)
265-2896.