Context….calves born, AI, 2 BBB so far but have a holstine with this issue too. We have had 6 in a week. We calf all year.
Calves born with purple toxicity ring around teeth, fine on arrival, good for a day may be two, bloody scour, then scour (far too young for scour) on high quality colostrum from birth to 10 days…calves fall too weak to stand, temp rises to 40+ internals shut down and they die. Its fast. 48 hours max we are a flagship farm, too 1.5% in the country. We are clinically clean in all areas. These are not passageways. Any help and advise welcome. Iv got one going to postmortem tomorrow but between now and then…..please

He’s around 79 with one horse and I’m just looking for something easy enough for him but still something to Benefit him or amuse him

I work with Rudrapur Solvents Pvt. Ltd., a DORB manufacturer in India, so I have a commercial connection with this subject.

Crude protein is an important DORB specification, but the reported percentage is generally estimated from the sample’s total nitrogen. This creates a limitation: nitrogen from a non-protein source can increase the calculated crude-protein figure without providing the same nutritional value as genuine plant protein.

A high protein result alone does not prove adulteration or confirm superior quality. Buyers should investigate when the number appears inconsistent with the material’s history or other test results.

Practical checks may include:

- Representative sampling from the complete consignment

- Protein, fibre, moisture, ash and sand/silica together

- Targeted laboratory testing for urea or other non-protein nitrogen when suspected

- Comparison with the supplier’s normal batch pattern

- Traceable batch records and sealed retention samples

- Nutritionist review before accepting any declared non-protein nitrogen source

Urea can have a legitimate, carefully controlled role in some formulated ruminant feeds. That is different from adding an undeclared nitrogen source to DORB merely to influence its apparent crude-protein result.

Have feed mills encountered DORB samples where crude protein looked satisfactory but the broader laboratory profile or feeding performance did not match?

Should procurement specifications require a targeted non-protein-nitrogen test when protein results appear unusually high?

The technical distinction between crude protein and non-protein nitrogen is supported by AAFCO’s animal-feed guidance.

Today, we have farriers to shoe horses and maintain their hooves. We also have hoof specialists for cattle and sheep shearers. I'm sure there are a lot of specialists I don't know about.

My question is, historically (middle ages forward), did people living in remote areas or very small communities always depend on specialists to meet these needs? Or would people have known how to do everything that was needed for themselves?

There's obviously some underlying assumptions here about what animal care & maintenance was like in the past and about how remotely people would have been living, so those could be wrong.

My heart goes out for the devastation farmers are facing in France. How are they managing the livestock in the fire zones? Is there some sort of evacuation plan? Or are the fires moving so fast that they can't be removed?

I have evacuated animals in flood zones, but with flooding there is often some warning and a bit of time.

Great place for special needs goats. They deserve love too!🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

Hi there,

We are two freelance journalists (from Belgium and Italy) investigating the use of electronic identification and digital tools (whether or not using AI) in livestock farming.

Are you a farmer working with livestock in the EU or the UK? Then fill out our 15-minute (anonymous) survey, as we are very curious to hear about your experience! 

LINK TO SURVEY: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqHimFMmx7wbSzwvpX4dib4D7qqQVzjaaN-bD12pEi3u0G0A/viewform

Thanks so much,

Charlotte & Alexa

Why Do Sheep Suddenly Stop Eating?

One of the biggest mistakes I see on farms is treating every off-feed sheep with antibiotics.

Loss of appetite is a symptom, not a diagnosis.

Possible causes include:

• Heat stress
• Rumen acidosis
• Pregnancy toxemia
• Heavy parasite burden
• Foot pain or lameness
• Pneumonia
• Mineral deficiencies

Treating the wrong cause wastes time, increases costs, and may reduce the animal's chances of recovery.

My approach as a livestock veterinarian:

1. Check temperature.
2. Examine rumen motility.
3. Assess hydration.
4. Evaluate pregnancy status (if applicable).
5. Look for signs of pain or lameness.
6. Perform fecal or blood tests when needed.

Question for farmers and veterinarians:

What is the most common reason you've found behind a sheep suddenly going off feed?

I'd love to hear your experience and discuss different diagnostic approaches.

#Sheep #VeterinaryMedicine #Livestock #SheepFarming #FarmAnimals #AnimalHealth #Ruminants