There are a number of plants, such as yellow foxtail (Setaria glauca), needle and thread grass (Stipa comata), foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum), squirreltail (Sitanion hystrix) and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) that may cause mechanical injury to the oral tissues of grazing animals. Of these, yellow foxtail creates significant animal health problems and is commonly found in…
West Nile virus West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease of birds that was first detected in the U.S. in 1999. It has steadily moved west and late in 2002 the disease was confirmed in 2 birds and 2 horses in Washington State. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have predicted that the West…
The WSU College of Veterinary Medicine Field Investigative Unit has found the ingestion of certain mustards and possibly other members of the Brassicas family is a concern for horse owners. If mares consume these plants during late pregnancy they can cause a condition called Congenital Hypothyroid Dysmaturity Syndrome in foals. The syndrome most often results…
Pigs often grow slower during the hot summer months than at other times of the year. This is especially true during July and August in the central part of Washington. As a result, pigs are delayed in reaching market weight which disrupts pig flow, feed efficiency and profitability in commercial units. Show pigs fail to…
It is well known that market pigs and sows suffer from the heat during the summer by decreasing feed intake, growth and milk production, but we often fail to realize that younger pigs suffer equally or to a greater extent during the cooler times of the year. Harmful results of chilling include slower growth, poor…
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand the problem of drought – when the soil doesn’t receive rain, or otherwise get wetted, plants can’t grow. When plants can’t grow, cattle can’t graze. Cattlemen who, on Western average, spend upwards of 50% of their operation budget on supplemental feed are acutely aware that any reduction…
Introduction Although present in European and Asian swine herds for more than 40 years, the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) virus was confirmed for the first time in the U.S. in May 2013. So far, cases have been con- firmed in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota. The disease is a concern because the American swine…
Foreign animal diseases are not only a serious threat to American livestock and agriculture, but also to our nation’s economy and security. A wide variety of devastating plant and animal pathogens exist outside of the U.S. Many of these agents could be accidentally or intentionally transported inside the U.S borders. The transportation of livestock and…
As we enter the colder, darker, damper time of year, we will be re-visited by a pest from the past: lice. An annual problem, lice can affect animal health and farm profitability. Here is a short primer on this parasite. Species Specificity Lice are generally quite species specific (Table 1). This means poultry lice won’t spread…
Introduction Flushing isn’t just an aspect of indoor plumbing—it’s also part of a well- managed flock’s nutrition and reproduction program. This article will address the whys and hows of flushing sheep and goats. Flushing Defined What is flushing, anyway? The term describes a temporary but purposeful elevation in the plane of nutrition around breeding time.…