When confronting cattle disease, the first step for many producers is evaluating vaccination and treatment options. Increasingly, forward-thinking operations are rethinking every step of management from cattle handling to targeted treatments.

Consumers are demanding many of these practices, but they’ve been shown to increase productivity and profitability too.

In “Supporting Low-Stress Cattle Handling,” (page 14) Tom Noffsinger, DVM, explains how DSRs can support their producers with calm, collected processing. It’s not just a philosophy that contributes to better animal welfare. Low-stress handling can improve everything from vaccination response to AI success rates.

The philosophy toward antibiotic treatments is changing as well. In “Most Likely to Need Treatment,” (page 10) experts discuss the trade-offs between blanket and selective dry cow therapy. Right now, the industry standard is blanket treatment. As consumers push for reduced antibiotic use, producers are searching for ways to support cow health during the dry-off period.

DSRs have the opportunity to partner with clients by understanding newer management practices for controlling disease. These practices can help support both industry-wide goals and on-farm objectives. Always be the first to provide your customer with the latest products and techniques that contribute to their success and bottom line!

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