Preventing beef cattle morbidity and mortality

Presented by Claire Windeyer, DVM, DVSc, BSc

Continuing education questionnaire

CE credit: 1

AssignedWebcast

Name

First name *

Last name *

License number *

Province where you practice *

Email *

Questions

1. What is an appropriate target for pre-weaned calf mortality in Canadian beef herds? *

10%

2. What is an appropriate threshold of pre-weaned calf mortality that should trigger action in Canadian beef herds? *

10%

17%

3. Which of the following is not a disease prevention strategy that expert veterinarians deemed as “always useful for all herds”? *

Administering scours vaccines to pregnant cows and heifers

Administering clostridial vaccines to pre-weaned calves

Feeding colostrum or colostrum replacer to calves using a nipple bottle if it has not nursed

Feeding colostrum or colostrum replacer to calves using a tube feeder if it has not nursed

4. Which of the following is associated with a 5x higher odds of outbreaks of mortality? *

Introducing cattle into the herd

Using the Sandhills Calving System

Not administering clostridial vaccines to pre-weaned calves

Overwintering and calving in the same area

5. The “Foothills” Calving System involves moving pregnant cows onto fresh calving pastures every 2-3 weeks. *

True

False

6. Approximately how many calvings in Canada require assistance? *

1% of cows, 16% of heifers

4.5% of cows, 22% of heifers

4.5% of cows, 16% of heifers

1% of cows, 22% of heifers

7. Which blood parameters were significantly higher in calves born by a difficult assist compared to unassisted or easy assist? *

CK and AST

CK and haptoglobin

AST and haptoglobin

Haptoglobin and substance P

8. Pain mitigation after an assisted calving did NOT result in which of the following outcomes? *

Improved average daily gain during the first week of life

Higher amounts of time spent being active

Higher amounts of time playing

Better transfer of passive immunity

9. Each case of failed transfer of passive immunity cost approximately how much (in 2016)? *

$38

$57

$112

$201

10. Which of the following is not a recommended practice for beef calf colostrum management? *

Calves who have not nursed within 4 hours should be assisted with colostrum consumption.

All calves should be fed supplemental colostrum products within the first 24 hours of life.

High-risk calves should be fed colostrum right after birth.

Suckle reflex and calving ease can be used to help predict which calves may not consume colostrum on their own.