I try to avoid things like ‘blackleg’

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

I have been hearing about some blackleg in the area It might have been blackleg or it might have been pneumonia, but the feller said he was pretty sure it wasn’t pneumonia. If it wasn’t having trouble breathing, it had to be blackleg. Of course, a dead animal doesn’t have any trouble breathing, no gasping and coughing at all! I would sure enough believe that part of the story.

I called the vet and asked him if he had heard of any cases of blackleg in the area and he hadn’t. He said he had treated some white scours out our way this week but that was a long stretch from anything resembling blackleg. Just rest easy, but go ahead and vaccinate for a preventive.

Blackleg, like a lot of the nasty things that kill cattle lives in the ground for many years and, if a feller adds any stock he might be adding a carrier. It sure is better to guard against the diseases than to live with the loss of cattle. The banker does not like to hear about mortgaged deaths!

Taking good care of the cattle is a priority for almostall the beef producers. We may have to put off new tires so we can afford minerals, but most of us will do what it takes to provide nutrients and medications for our herds. One of the most important aspects of our business is to put meat on the bones of the animals. Feeding pests such as nematodes and blood suckers is not our intent and, so, deworming is a major expense. The selection of the product is also one of the hardest things for us.

What species of creepy crawlies we have in the cattle can be determined by a vet checking the feces of several head. We try to buy the most productive product for that particular pest we can afford. And I can assure you, as I have our offspring, sometimes the cheapest product is not cheap at all! There are also decisions to be made about what type to use, pour on, oral or injectable. All sorts and kinds of worms on this outfit are up for death by whatever style we deem suitable!

This good summer has brought many questionable herds up to pretty good weights. It is questionableas to their genetics, but the Golden Arches and Taco Tico don’t ask for pedigrees anyway. Another reason you see so many good cattle in this area is the fact of available and reliable education from universities. Yes, most of us are teachable, regardless of what you may have heard!

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, taking care of stock is second nature for a successful cattleman. If hetries to raise cattle without putting any money into the animals, he is shooting himself in the foot and will soon be out of the business. Stay on the stick and keep things going up and, sooner or later, you might get to be like me, just owe one bank and one feed store!

Bill is a pen name used by the Gravette author of this weekly column.

News, Pages 5 on 10/09/2013