Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Jess McArt, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Jen Roberts, Senior Associate Director Professional Services Veterinarian for Boehringer Ingelheim. This episode is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Find more information about the product portfolio for cattle at www.cattlefirst.com. 
 
This episode explores the widespread, often invisible, impact of subclinical hypocalcemia on dairy herds, with a focus on economic consequences and fresh cow health. The conversation explores how veterinarians can guide producers beyond reactive treatment toward proactive calcium strategies during the critical fresh period. 
 
On average, 30-40% of multiparous cows in a herd have dyscalcemia during the transition period, but this varies significantly between herds. McArt explains that after calving, the demand for calcium doubles from what the cow typically requires. Roberts discusses how this affects cow performance and health. Suclinical hypocalcemia is often unrecognized and underestimated because it is silent but can have health, production and economic impacts downstream. We discuss strategies for veterinarians to screen cows for dyscalcemia and proactive solutions to this problem in fresh cows.

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Travis White, Chief Veterinary Officer for Endovac Animal Health. Endovac is the sponsor of the student reception at the 59th AABP Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. Find information about Endovac and their portfolio of animal health products on this page. 
 
Gram-negative diseases remain a major challenge across beef, dairy, calf ranch and feedlot systems. White discusses these challenges and why the focus should not necessarily be on the organism itself, but thinking about endotoxin, immune stress and animal resilience. Endotoxin exposure drives the clinical signs associated with these disease challenges leading to inappetence, depression, fever and leukopenia. 
 
White reviews core-antigen technology and how this approach differs from a conventional multi-antigen bacterin. He also discusses Immune Plus from Endovac and how veterinarians should think about immune stimulation. This technology can fit into existing vaccine and herd health programs vs. replacing currently used tools. White also reviews a challenge study with Salmonella Dublin and the take-aways from this study to help veterinarians who want to build stronger Gram-negative disease control programs.

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Lisa Greenhill, Chief Organizational Health Officer for the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).
 
This episode of Have You Herd is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and Bovikalk. Is your fresh cow calcium supplement protecting dairy cows’ full potential? BOVIKALC® bolus contains the two critical forms of calcium for immediate and lasting performance with no filler ingredients. For more than 20 years, BOVIKALC has consistently delivered what fresh cows need—right when they need it most. Talk to your Boehringer Ingelheim representative to see why BOVIKALC boluses are designed for milking greatness. Find out more information about BOVIKALC boluses at this link. 
 
Enrollment at veterinary schools has doubled over the last 20 years and currently there are approximately 17,000 veterinary students in U.S. schools and another 3000-4000 U.S. students in foreign schools. Demographics of students has changes during that time period as well with females comprising 86% of students and 30% of students are non-white. Students now fill out a common application and each student applies to 5-6 schools. The national applicant:seat ratio is currently 2.4 but each institution applicant:seat ratio varies.
 
Greenhill discusses the gender disparity in veterinary schools and explains that the issues of fewer men in veterinary schools is due to fewer men obtaining a bachelor's degree. Only 37% of men in the U.S. complete a bachelor's degree compared to nearly half of women. Men also take longer to complete the degree compared to women. 
 
Students from rural communities comprise about 20% of veterinary students. AABP membership data indicate that 70% of our members grew up in rural communities. Nationally, 23% of adults in rural communities have a bachelor's degree or higher. Greenhill discusses some of the challenges and barriers for students in rural communities to seek out a veterinary education including changes to loan regulations and Pell Grants, lack of educational opportunities, and evaluation of rural mixed animal versus urban companion animal experiences. 
 
Find AABP survey information under the Member Resources page of the AABP website at this link.

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Jessica Sperber, Beef Technical Services Manager on the ruminant nutrition team at Merck Animal Health. This episode of Have You Herd? was developed by the AABP Nutrition Committee. If you are an AABP member interested in cattle nutrition, consider joining our Nutrition Committee by going to this link.
 
Sperber reviews the main active ingredients in implants and how they work inside the animal and when they should be used during the production cycle. She also reviews the variables that matter most when selecting an implant. Veterinarians should be aware of FDA regulations on re-implant strategies and timing of implants. Find information about these regulations here and a list of all FDA approved implants for use in the U.S. here. 
 
Veterinarians play a key role in consulting producers on what implants to use and when to use them, but also in assisting with implant quality control. This includes training, monitoring and auditing implants for correct administration to ensure all cattle receive the benefits for maximum returns.

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Sierra Guynn, Clinical Associate Professor at the Clemson University College of Veterinary Medicine. Guynn is a recognized expert and researcher on this emerging disease and invasive tick. She also is the chair of the AABP Beef Health Management Committee. 
 
This episode of Have You Herd is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and Bovikalk. Is your fresh cow calcium supplement protecting dairy cows’ full potential? BOVIKALC® bolus contains the two critical forms of calcium for immediate and lasting performance with no filler ingredients. For more than 20 years, BOVIKALC has consistently delivered what fresh cows need—right when they need it most. Talk to your Boehringer Ingelheim representative to see why BOVIKALC boluses are designed for milking greatness. Find out more information about BOVIKALC boluses at this link. 
 
The Longhorn tick is the biological vector for Theileria orientalis. The tick is an invasive species, first appearing in West Virginia in 2010 based on retrospective identification, and has spread across a large portion of the US. The tick is parthenogenetic, meaning it can reproduce asexually and produce over 2,500 eggs per day. 
 
Theileria spp. are eukaryotic protozoans, therefore antibiotics are ineffective. Antiprotozoals are ineffective based on studies in other countries and the medication buparvaquone has been used in other countries to decrease mortality when anemia is severe; however, it will not prevent the carrier state. The meat withhold on buparvaquone is 18 months and milk withhold is 42 days in other countries. 
 
The acute syndrome results in intravascular hemolysis and clinically is not distinguishable from anaplasmosis in cattle. Guynn discusses the diagnostic criteria for determining if an animal has died or is affected by clinical theileriosis. A positive PCR does not indicate clinical disease due to the lifelong carrier state. Guynn also describes expected morbidity and mortality but cautions that this is highly variable between countries and individual farm operations.