CALF_News_June_July_2018

34 CALF News • June | July 2018 • www.calfnews.net F ort Worth will forever be known as Cowtown. It was never more apparent when 4,700 produc- ers, feeders and others in the beef business converged at the city convention center for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association convention this spring. In Cattle Raisers tradition, the convention recognized that cowmen and women are more and more willing to try something different or fine-tune their skills if it can help them improve their profit potential. Proof of this was apparent at TSCRA’s annual School for Successful Ranching. Marketing, ranch and farm law, and herd health and nutri- tion highlighted school sessions. Saddling up first at the school was Donnel Brown of the Brown Ranch at Throckmorton, Texas. Donning a hat his grandfather wore on the ranch in 1928, Brown explained that ranching “is not where you’ve come from; it’s where you’re headed.” He stressed that in order for a ranch to be “sustainable,” it must turn a profit. That’s best achieved by “selecting a cow that fits your environment and selecting a bull that best complements the cow to produce a calf that best fits your market.” Developing a herd health plan The well-attended class looked at various areas of production. The basics of building a herd health plan were popular topics. Arn Anderson, DVM, of Cross Timbers Veterinary Hospital in Bowie, Texas, said a herd health plan should begin by working with a vet- erinarian who understands your ranch environment and the type of cattle you’re running. tion and data on regulatory testing and health certificates.“In process verifica- tion, you need records on all of your vaccination programs,” Anderson said. “You need a bio-security program that includes a formal plan to help prevent diseases from showing up. Very few of us have a closed herd.” Poor fences, neighbors who don’t secure their cattle and even feral hogs can lead to the spread of respiratory, intesti- nal, reproductive and other diseases.“You need to isolate new heifers and bulls,” Anderson said.“You may need to put up an electric fence away from a neighboring pasture to protect them.” Also, a bio-containment plan should be made to include animal health treat- ment protocols, what diseases have been treated for and the follow-through on treatments. Vaccinations are critical for helping prevent diseases. Anderson encouraged cow-calf producers to vaccinate against Clostridium diseases, bovine respiratory diseases (BRD), leptospirosis, Pasteu- rella and scours. “There are more than 200 vaccines for respiratory diseases in cattle,” he pointed out.“They vary in effectiveness. The duration of immunity can range from three months to 12 months. It’s impor- tant to work with your vet to determine a vaccination program.” Calves should be vaccinated as young as possible, preferably at the same time they’re castrated and branded. A vac program is also needed for cows to generate healthy calves with a strong immune system. Anderson said he prefers using modified- live vaccines, but again, a producer should work with his or her vet to set up a vac program best suited for their situation. Treatments are also needed to prevent internal and external parasites. Injectable wormers are Anderson’s choice because “pour-ons are highly ineffective.” Cattle Raisers Convention Corrals 4,700 Record Turnout for 141 st TSCRA Gathering By Larry Stalcup Contributing Editor Donnell Brown proudly wore a hat used on the family ranch by his grandfather in 1928. He said ranching “is not where you’ve come from; it’s where you’re headed.” Arn Anderson, DVM from Bowie, Texas said producers “need a bio-security program that includes a formal plan to help prevent diseases from showing up.” Your facilities are important, he said, and should be safe for your cattle and you, clean, free of bad bacteria and con- venient for working cattle. There should be well-equipped working, holding and storage facilities. Quality assurance is also a key and should include adequate process verifica-