Farm & Ranch
Meningitis
By Jessica Crabtree and Dr. Jered Harlan
A cow/calf producer’s top priority is to raise quality stock that are healthy. Besides a healthy mother cow, a healthy baby calf is the main concern, which ultimately leads to a return of investment. The last thing a producer wants to see is a calf in distress or worse, lifeless.
After birth a mother is expected to clean the calf, get him up and walking and very soon after that, nurse to get the much needed colostrum full of antibodies to fight off infection. If the colostrum is not ingested within 24 hours, problems occur.
Back in May, a reader sent in a topic that affects a small percentage of calves, meningitis. Through this article we will examine what meningitis is, what the symptoms are, the cause and the treatment. In a world of countless diseases, meningitis is typically diagnosed by a veterinarian to rule out other disease. The most visible sign of meningitis in a calf is the head and neck position called “star-gazing.” This is when the head and neck are extended. Attempts to reposition the neck can result in a tonic extension and thrashing of the limbs according to a recent article from cattlenetwork.com entitled, “Meningitis in calves.” To read more pick up copy of the July 2016 NTFR issue.
By Heather Welper
Husband and wife duo, Heather and Calvin Welper, are the Co-Owners and Operators or Two C Livestock, located in Valley View, Texas.
The pair’s operation has a show cattle focus where they raise and sell purebred heifers of all breeds and club calf Hereford steers.
When it comes to show cattle, the Welpers know a thing or two including how to prepare for the cold winter months and the Texas major show season run.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Hannah Claxton, Editor
As the sun rises each day, so do the dozens of mouths that Meghan McGovern is responsible for getting fed. Rather than the sounds of a rooster crowing, McGovern hears the bellows and bleats of a variety of exotic deer, the chortle of kangaroos, the grunts of water buffaloes, and the chirps of a lemur.
Nestled against the banks of the Red River, the Double M Ranch and Rescue, with its high game fences and deer sprinkling the landscape,s its in stark contrast to the surrounding ranches.
“Having deer is kind of like eating potato chips- you can never actually have just one,” said McGovern with a laugh.
McGovern has several herds to take care of- fallow deer, axis deer, water buffalo, goats, and bison. In smaller numbers, there’s also a few kangaroos, a lemur, a potbelly pig, a pair of zebras, a watusi, and a few horses.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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