Early detection of problem implants using infrared thermography

Thermal imaging of feedlot cattle ears is a noninvasive diagnostic tool that aids in identifying properly placed or abscessed growth-promoting implants. Thirty-two calves were used to determine if abscessed and normal, functional implants could be identified and differentiated using infrared thermography. Infrared images were taken at implantation on days 2, 4, 7, 14, and 21 after implantation. Abscessed implants were easily identified. Use of thermal imaging can verify implant administration and, thus, has the potential to immediately impact feedlot quality assurance programs

Influence of melengesterol acetate (MGA®) and Implus-H® implants on rate of gain, feed efficiency, and carcass characteristics of culled beef cows fed a high concentrate ration

No statistical differences were detected in feedlot performance or carcass traits between control culled beef cows and those that were treated with melengesterol acetate (MGA®) and/or Implus-H® when fed in a feedyard for 56 days before slaughter. All groups performed well, indicating that this practice may be used to improve the market value of culled cows. Cow health during the feeding period is a major concern

Dakota Gold®-brand dried distiller’s grains with solubles: effects on finishing performance and carcass characteristics

A 153-day trial was conducted using 345 heifers to determine optimal level of Dakota Gold dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS) in finishing diets based on steam-flaked corn. Diets contained six levels of DDGS: 0%, 15%, 30%, 45%, 60%, and 75%. DDGS affected average daily gain, final weight and hot carcass weight, all of which increased with 15% DDGS and then decreased as additional DDGS was added. Growth performance of heifers fed 30% DDGS was similar to those fed no DDGS. In general, heifers were overfinished, with 61% being Yield Grade 3 or greater and 83% grading Choice or Prime. Backfat tended to decrease with addition of DDGS, and kidney, pelvic, and heart fat and marbling scores tended to be greatest for intermediate levels of DDGS. Percentage of carcasses grading Choice or Prime tended to be lower for heifers fed 60 or 75% DDGS

Use of Cystorelin® and artificial insemination in repeat-breeding beef heifers after estrous synchronization

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) was administered to a group of 13- to 14- month-old Angus and Angus crossbred repeat-breeding heifers at the time of the second or third artificial insemination to determine its effect on conception rates. Little benefit was derived from the use of GnRH at either second or third service in highly developed repeat-breeding heifers

Effects of sickness on weight gain and radiant energy loss in recently received feeder cattle

Sickness from undifferentiated respiratory disease in recently received feeder cattle reduced weight gain and altered radiant energy loss. Over a 35-day receiving period, weight gains were reduced 26.3% if an animal was diagnosed as sick once and 48.1% if diagnosed sick more than once. Thermal profiles obtained 10 or more days following clinical illness were cooler than profiles of animals never diagnosed as being sick. Our data suggest that respiratory disease alters metabolic activity as evidenced by reduced weight gain and a detectable decrease in radiant energy loss from the body surface

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Effect of deworming with Ivomec® on reproductive performance of yearling beef heifers

To determine the effect of deworming fallborn yearling heifers on reproductive parameters, 78 heifers were allotted to a either Ivomec® or control treatments. The heifers were dewormed in June and October when they were approximately 7 and 11 months old, respectively. Ivomec effectively lowered fecal egg counts from treated heifers compared to controls. In these heifers that were maintained on a marginal plane of nutrition, deworming not only improved weight gains but also hastened onset of puberty and improved conception rate during a 60-day breeding season. The positive effect of Ivomec on these reproductive characteristics could not be explained by increased weight gain alone, because the correlation between weight gain and puberty was not significant

Implant quality assurance: detection of abscessed implants and their effect on feedlot performance of beef heifers

Infrared thermography (IRT) can be used successfully to differentiate abscessed implanted ears from nonimplanted ears 8 days postimplanting. Abscessed ears averaged 5.7EF warmer than nonimplanted ears when ambient temperature was 60 to 63EF. Average daily gain and feed efficiency were reduced 8.9% and 8.3%, respectively, over the 91-day feeding period for cattle with abscessed implants compared to cattle with normal implants. Dry matter intake was not affected by an abscessed implant and averaged nearly 18.0 lb/head/day for both treatment groups. Abscessed implants reduced economic return by $17.70 per head

Performance and carcass characteristics of finishing steers fed dried, full-fat corn germ

Three hundred and fifty-eight crossbred beef steers (average initial weight 701 lb) were fed finishing diets containing 0, 5, 10, or 15% full-fat corn germ to evaluate effects on growth performance and carcass characteristics. Steers were placed into dirt-surfaced feedlot pens (12 to 16 head each) in December 2000 with a total of six pens per diet. Average daily gains during the 155-day finishing period were 2.83, 2.99, 3.01 and 2.93 lb/day for cattle fed 0, 5, 10, and 15% corn germ, respectively. Dry matter intakes decreased linearly (P<0.05) with increasing concentrations of full-fat corn germ in the diet. Relative to cattle fed no corn germ, efficiencies were improved by 8, 11, and 9% for cattle fed 5, 10, or 15% germ, respectively. Feeding corn germ also reduced the incidence of liver abscesses (P<0.05) compared to cattle fed the control diet. Dried, full-fat corn germ can be used successfully in cattle finishing diets to increase energy density and animal performance

Trailer-mounted RFID reader scans EID tags during cattle shipments

One of the challenges regarding implementation of a national animal identification system is the logistics of reading and reporting EID (electronic identification) tag numbers as cattle move through the production cycle. Many small producers would have difficulty justifying the investment required to install an RFID (radio frequency identification) reader system that would only be used seasonally to track relatively small numbers of cattle that are entering commerce. A proposed solution to this issue is to install an RFID reader on commercial cattle trailers so that cattle can have EID tags read as they are loaded and unloaded during transport from one premise to the next. With such an arrangement, the RFID equipment would be used often by a small number of highly trained people in the transport sector and the cost could be spread over a large number of cattle hauled over the life of the reader. The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of a trailer-mounted RFID reader, in one location, using four prominent brands of commercially available EID tags