Latest News From Rhonda Brooks

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners is making the name change, as it more accurately reflects the issue.

Kay Russo, DVM, Novonesis technical services manager for dairy and poultry, emphasized the situation is rapidly evolving and more clarity will come with time as researchers learn more.

Sid Miller, commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, says the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza impacting beef cattle in the state's panhandle – where dairy cows have been infected – is minimal.

Livestock producers and veterinarians are urged to practice good biosecurity practices to prevent transmission of the disease. Five states have also issued restrictions on dairy cattle movement.

Beef-on-dairy numbers in the U.S. will reach up to 5 million head – roughly 15% of the cattle harvested annually – as early as 2026. The sexed-and-beef model of production will play a prominent role in the process.

From improved telehealth services to reimagined small-town hospitals, the National Rural Health Association is working to help folks in farm country tap into more and better medical care options.

Analysts say an initial cut could be made as early as first quarter 2024. One of the key factors the central banking system will consider is whether its inflation rate target of 2% has been achieved.

After a typical birth a calf should breathe within 30 seconds of delivery. If it doesn't, be ready to intervene and provide extra support.

The problem occurs in nearly 50% of cows in the first 24 hours after calving, says Jesse Goff, DVM and ISU professor emeritus. He details four nutrition strategies to prevent or treat the problem so cows aren't culled.

Work by the House or Senate Agriculture Committee on a new farm bill is essentially stalled, Randy Russell tells AgriTalk's Chip Flory. Russell says that could be the case until government funding issues are resolved.

Less than 5% of new grads choose rural food animal practice. That needs to change to protect the U.S. food supply and public health. Contacting legislators is one way farmers and ranchers can weigh in and help.

Solvet Lidoband is approved for use in calves under 250 pounds and in lambs under 50 pounds. The local, soothing anesthesia works for up to 42 days, helping veterinarians and producers improve animal well-being.

Paul Virkler, DVM, Cornell University, says teat end scoring is a good way to gather insights on a dairy's milking processes and whether adjustments are needed to improve an individual cow's comfort and care.

Sens. Chuck Grassley and Sherrod Brown have introduced the Farm Program Integrity Act. It would create a cap of $250,000 in commodity support for a single farm operation and, potentially, some undesirable side effects.

The first dual-active endectocide for the U.S. has been approved for use, starting August 1, in beef cattle 2 months of age and older and in replacement dairy heifers less than 20 months of age.

A mid-year report from Farmers National shows land values are increasing by single digits instead of the double digits common in 2021-22. But the company says it has a strong roster of listings headed into late summer.

Areas in the upper Midwest, Mid-South and Mid-Atlantic are being impacted. The American Veterinary Medical Association says to monitor animals as well as people and take precautions to keep everyone safe.

The food system is being reimagined today and farmers can benefit by thinking about how to improve their ability to take advantage of opportunities in the process, says Rob Dongoski with Ernst and Young.

Ask 10 dairy producers what they believe is an effective vaccination program for calves, and you’ll likely get 10 unique answers. That’s OK, because there is no effective one-size-fits-all strategy.

Household units and mini fridges are often unsuitable for maintaining veterinary products, according to a recent study by Emmanuel Rollin, DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia.

Scoring teat ends tells a story of how happy a cow is with how she is milked and treated. It also provides insights into whether the milking process is harmful to the animal and needs to be changed.

If your spouse dies, look into filing Form 706 Federal Estate Tax Return with the IRS. Taking that step could help you protect farm assets so they pass to your heirs without estate taxes. The process isn't automatic.

Yes, basic insurance for the farm is pricey. But an umbrella policy is usually more palatable, and it could literally save your operation in the event of a wreck or other tragedy, says Purdue's Fred Whitford.

If you listed the top three disease problems in young dairy calves, diarrhea and pneumonia would likely come to mind immediately. The third one might not be as obvious: umbilical infection.

Matt and Lisa Moreland hoped at least one of their sons would return home to farm after college. What they didn’t anticipate? All three sons wanted to come back. Here are four things the family learned in the process.

Drugs such as penicillin and some others routinely used to treat cattle, hogs and other food animals will be available only with a prescription from your veterinarian, starting June 12, 2023.

Experts say the Fed is looking for signs of weakness in the economy before deciding interest rates have been raised sufficiently to curb inflation. Some signs are available now, says Vince Malanga, LaSalle Economics.

After a typical birth the calf should breathe within 30 seconds of delivery, says Dr. Geof Smith, dairy technical services veterinarian for Zoetis. If it isn't, you need to intervene.

This is the story of one dairy producer's struggle with the impact of stray voltage on her cows and family. She wants her family's experience to be something veterinarians and dairy producers can learn and benefit from.

Curtail transmission levels by stopping the so-called super shedders, says Ron Erskine, DVM and professor emeritus at Michigan State University, by identifying and culling them. He explains the process here.

After 30 years working in the field of rural mental health, Ted Matthews understands the factors that stress farmers and knows how to help them.

Sizzling heat hit much of the U.S. this week. The NOAA reports May 2022 was among “Earth’s top 10 warmest months,” and that 2022 is the sixth-warmest year on record so far.

Flies are a nuisance and contribute to lost productivity on the dairy. Controlling flies requires an integrated management plan that includes inspection, sanitation, treatment and monitoring. 

Keep an eye on water intake and feedstuffs. Avoid vaccinations when heat levels are high. Address the environment for management steps you can take to improve cow comfort.

About 500 rural counties in the U.S. have too few or no veterinarians. The lack poses risks to farming livelihoods and, ultimately, the country's food supply.

Up to $12.06 million can be passed to your loved ones upon death, exempt from federal estate tax. While living, you can also gift $16,000 annually to as many individuals as you'd like. Of course, some exceptions apply.

Expect Russia's invasion of Ukraine to dominate the State of the Union address tonight. As for issues affecting agriculture, there may be few details offered, says USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

An oil price of $120 a ton could send the global economy into a major recession and fan inflation in the U.S., which Jim Wiesemeyer says is already in double digits for rural Americans.

There can be huge costs -- monetarily and in human capital -- if you don’t set up the structure of succession well, say Paul Neiffer, with CliftonLarsonAllen, and Rena Striegel, Transition Point Business Advisors.

Factors for consideration include colostrum management, group composition and dynamics, bedding and space, nutritional management, early disease detection and the need for "real life" observations.

Most uterine prolapses occur immediately after birth and nearly always within 24 hours of delivery.

Zoetis Draxxin KP is designed to control bovine respiratory disease and, specifically, fever.

The dollars tagged for such purposes are part of the Build Back Better program, the Biden administration’s COVID-19 relief plan.

“I like to say you’re going to have to have a permit to do normal farming decisions,” he told Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk.

This is the first time since last July that rural cases of the virus are occurring at a lower rate than in urban areas, says Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association.

Veterinary technicians, podiatrists, dentists and paramedics are also being authorized to administer the vaccine.

The most common metabolic disease in U.S. dairy cows is ketosis. Research shows one case costs a producer an average of $298.

A single case of ketosis costs a dairy producer an average of $298.

Ohio State University scientists are looking for SARS-CoV-2 in animals and the environment.

Research showed a statistically significant decrease in respiratory disease in the animals at around 21 days of age,