CHAPTER 1

OVERVIEW OF THE BEEF CATTLE

INDUSTRY
1.1 Inventory
• Please do research on the following items for
our discussion
– Inventory of beef cattle worldwide (2018)
– Inventory of beef cattle in the Philippines
• Top region with the highest beef production
– Commercial and backyard
– Annual growth
1.2 Supply, Demand and Disposition
• Please have a research on the current supply of
beef, demand and disposition (percent
change/inclination due to diseases) of cattle in
our country
– Imports/exports
• Prices
– Farmgate price
– Wholesale
– Retail
1.3 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES OF BEEF
PRODUCTION
• Increasing demand for beef
• Ability to transform low quality and fibrous feed
materials into high value protein food product
• Abundant supply of crop residues in small farms
• Favorable climate for fodder production and
• Cattle production and meat processing
technologies are available for increased
productivity
1.4 CONSTRAINTS IN THE CATTLE SECTOR

• Low breeding base

• High financing cost for breeder operation
• High cost of inputs
• Lack of infrastructures
• Competition of use of land
• Changing policy guidelines
• Import substitutes particularly beef
• Policy to unify and integrate the beef industry
1.5 INTERVENTIONS
• Build up population base through well-defined breeding
program
• Increase animal productivity through improved
husbandry practices and application of biotechnologies
• Promote appropriate feeding and encourage utilization
of nonconventional feedstuffs
• Effect strict quarantine procedures and efficient disease
control/eradication programs
• Improve marketing/pricing system
• Review policies on importation and credit system
 CHAPTER 2

BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN THE

PHILIPPINES
2.1 EXTENSIVE SYSTEM
1. COW-CALF OPERATION
– method of raising beef cattle in which a permanent
herd of cows is kept by a farmer or rancher to
produce calves for later sale
– AIM: to produce stockers and feeders
• Stockers- Refers to weaned calves grazing pasture to
enhance growth prior to finishing and slaughter; they are
usually younger, weigh less, and are of lower condition
(finish) than “feeders.”
• Feeders- Refers to weaned calves grazing pasture and of
sufficient weight and maturity to be placed on high-energy
rations for finishing; they are generally older, weigh more,
and carry more condition (finish) than stockers.
• Characteristics of Stockers and Feeders
a) uses grade of Philippine native cows and purebred or
high-grade bulls
b) Involves selling calves at weaning as stockers; or as
feeder stocks after grazing them out on the range; or
as fat slaughter cattle after feeding them out, or selling
heifers to others ranchers for breeding purposes
c) Extensive use of native pastures and minimum outlay
for supplemental feeds/concentrates
d) Maybe integrated with orchard or coconut plantation
2. PUREBRED PROGRAM OF BREEDER FARM
OPERATION
– Breeding of purebred or registered cattle (highly
specialized form of production)
– Requires large capital for animals and equipment
– Possess skill and sound judgment for manager
– AIM: to produce breeder stocks to be sold (uses
purebred cows and bulls and requires large capital for
animal/equipment, better feeding and salesmanship)
3. Pastoralism
– practiced by nomadic people with large, migratory herds and
flocks grazing over communal lands
4. Subsistence farming
– Mixed farming with small numbers of pigs, poultry and small
ruminants, usually scavenging or grazing on communal land.
– Livestock receive crop by-products, residues and kitchen wastes
whenever these are available
5. Ranching
– involves large herds of cattle or sheep often grazing on communal
land
– Human labor input is minimal but provides occasional
supplemental feed, disease treatment or prevention and predator
control
2.2 FEEDLOT FATTENING OPERATION

• Three reasons why this is important to

livestock industry
1. Provides the farmer with extra income
2. Gives him year round work and allow the use
of cheap, plentiful farm-by products
3. Helps meet the urgent demand for high
protein foods in the Filipino diet
• AIM: to add weight and increase its value
• Characteristics of feedlot fattening operation
a) Returns from cattle feeding comes from the difference
between the buying and selling prices and the gain in
weight
b) Turnover of capital is faster
c) Use of high energy feeds in order to give the cattle a better
“finish” and appearance
d) Requires very little land area
e) Located in areas where large quantities of livestock feeds
are raised
f) May also be integrated with pineapple and sugarcane
enterprises or any set-up which produces large quantities
of by-product feeds
2.3 BACKYARD CATTLE RAISING OR SEMI-
SUBSISTENCE OR SMALL HOLDER
• AIM: to produce livestock that can be sold and
augment farm income
• Characteristics:
a) One or two heads of either fattening or breeding
cattle is raised on a farmers spare time
b) Farmers usually tether animal to graze around
home lot and then supplements this with farm
wastes when back in pen
c) Practice soiling and supplementing concentrates
d) In Batangas, force feeding
 CHAPTER 3

BEEF CATTLE BREEDS, BREEDING AND

REPRODUCTION
3.1 BREEDS OF CATTLE
• Great Britain led the world in the
development of the principal beef breeds:
– Hereford
– Angus
– Shorthorns
– Galloway
• Other great beef breeds originated from India
(Brahman or Zebu)
• France (Charolais, Limousin, Normandy)
• Switzerland (Simmental)
• Africa (Afrikander
HEREFORD
• Is believed to be the first breed developed in England
• Distinguished by its white-face, white flanks, white tail
and white crest on its neck
• The body color ranges from cherry to mahogany red
• It is of medium size but increase in weight gains and
mature weight is attained by breeders
• Mature males may weigh up to 1,800 pounds, while
mature females may weigh around 1,200
• The Polled Hereford is a separate breed brought about
by hornless mutations in 1901. they have the same
characteristics as the horned Hereford but it became
popular because of its hornlessness
ABERDEEN ANGUS
• Is solid black with abdominal spot of white
underneath
• Developed in Scotland, in the countries of
Aberdeenshire and Angus
• This breed is noted for its high quality of meat,
increased weight gains and smoothness
GALLOWAY
• They are a medium sized breed with a mature
bull weighing from 1700 to 2300 pounds with
an average being 1800 pounds and a mature
cow generally weighing from 1000 to 1500
pounds with the average being around 1250
pounds
• Very curly black hair
SHORTHORN
• Popular due to its excellent milk production
but yield sizeable meat
• It is red to roan or white and red spot
• The famous Sta. Gertrudis breed of Texas was
developed in the famous King Ranch of
Kleberd County, Southwest Texas. It is 5/8
shorthorn and 3/8 brahman
BRAHMAN
• The Brahman breed originated from India, where 30 or more
strains exist.
– The more preferred are Guzerat, Nellore, Gir and Krisna Valley strains
• These strains together with the Brahman are characterized by a
pronounced hump, excessive skin on dewlap and underline, large
droopy ears and horns which tend to curve downward and
outward
• The color ranges from near white to through brown, brownish-red
and near black
• It is heat tolerant, drought resistant and resistant to ticks and
other parasites.
• Its popularity ranges to Central and South
America, the gulf coast regions of the US
especially Texas and Florida, parts of Europe
and Asia, especially Philippines and Thailand
• Lesser breeds were developed from Brahman
crosses.
– These are Charbray (Charolais), Braford (Hereford),
Brangus (Angus), Brahorn (Shorthorn), and
Beefmaster (Brahman-Shorthorn-Hereford)
 Modern cattle descended from
• Aurochs (Bos primigenius primigenius)
– Centers of domestication
• Eastern Europe, Middle Asia, Southeast Asia
• Species related to aurochs
– Yak (Pocphagus grunniens)
• from mountains of Tibet
• Some regions of Middle Asia
• South Siberia
– Genus Bibos
• (B. banteng) or Bali Cattle
• (B. frontalis) or Gayal
• from India, Malay Archipelago and Indochina (Burma)
 Modern Cattle
• Family (Bovine), Genus (Bos)
1. Bos taurus – originated in Europe such as
Shorthorn or Jersey. Those are without humps and
therefore of temperate origin
2. Bos indicus – of tropical origin such as the Brahman
or Zebra cattle of India or Afrikander of Africa.
These are hump cattle
3. Crosses of two – Sta. Gertrudis (5/8 Shorthorn, 3/8
Brahman) and Brangus (5/8 Angus, 3/8 Brahman)
There are 277 identifiable Breeds Worldwide

• 33 as beef breeds
• 18 as draft breeds
• 39 as meat draft
• 54 meat dairy
• 21 dairy draft
• 61 meat-dairy-draft
• 51 dairy breeds
3.2 Beef Breeding
• Breeding is then defined as the controlled
propagation of cattle to improve qualities
desirable to man
• Modern Goal
1. To develop types that will meet market demand
2. Be productive under adverse climatic conditions
3. Efficient in converting feeds to animal products
Variations due to genetics and Environment

• Cattle traits are either qualitative or quantitative

• Qualitative traits shows discontinuous variations
– Coat color
– Horned or polled
– Certain blood characteristics
• Blood types
• Presence or absence of particular enzymes
• “Generally, inheritance of qualitative traits are simple
in accordance with the laws of heredity. Environment
plays a very minor role”
• The quantitative traits show continuous variations
between the extremes. The mean types among the
characteristics are most frequent to changes
– Growth rate
– Live weight
– Body measurement at maturity
– Milk yield
– Milk composition
• Such traits are influenced by many genes, with each gene
exerting relatively small effect. Environmental factors are
responsible for a considerable part of the variation.
• There is no distinct borderline between
qualitative and quantitative traits.
– Qualitative traits can be analyzed with regard to a
single gene and its behavior
– Quantitative traits are best studied by appropriate
statistical methods. It permits the analysis even
with unknown member of genes or their
interrelationships
• It is possible to establish the fraction of total
variation in the population that is caused by the
additive effects of the genes. This fraction is known
as heritability
– A heritability of 1.00 show that all variations observed in
the population of the traits is determined by genetics
– A heritability of 0.00 means that it is entirely due to
environment
– A heritability of 0.50 means that the variations is equally
due to genetics and environment
• “Generally, heritability is very low for fertility and
resistance to infectious diseases and high for growth
rate, body size at maturity and composition of milk
3.3 Breeding Systems
• Breeding systems are defined as several types
of mating to combine desirable qualitative or
quantitative characteristics through mating
systems which are planned or non-random

• Random mating (or unplanned) – this means

each possible mating in a population has the
same probability or occurrence
– Allele- one member of a pair or series of genes that
occupy a specific position on a specific chromosome
–Dominant – HH,Hh,hH
–Recessive – hh
–Phenotype – horned (H) ,polled (h)
–Genotype – HH, Hh, hh
– Heterozygous – two different alleles
–Homozygous – (dominant-RR), (recessive-rr)
• Inbreeding
– mating of closely related individuals within a breed
– To increase homozygousity and decrease
heterozygousity of the inbred
• Close breeding
– Mating of close relatives (e.g. father-daughter, son-
mother, brother-daughter)
– Brahman Sire X Brahman Dam

F1 (male or female)
• Line breeding
– Breeding of not so close relatives (e.g. cousins)
– A mild form of inbreeding designed to concentrate genes
of a certain ancestor of the genetic constitution of the
progeny
• Strain breeding- a very mild form of inbreeding
which leads to increase homozygousity within
the strain in the long term
• Effects of inbreeding:
1. Marked decrease in fertility
2. Reduces vigor
3. Decrease in growth rate of offspring
4. Reduces viability of the offspring
• Crossbreeding – mating of individuals from
two or more established purebreeds
– To increase heterozygousity
– To take advantage of hybrid vigor or heterosis
• “ hybrid vigor” is defined as the average quality of the
first generation exceeding the average of the two
parental breeds.
– Ex. Brahman X Angus

F1 50%B 50%A
 Types of Crossbreeding
• Systematic crossbreeding – two or more breed
are involved in a breeding program lasting
several years
• Ex. A, B and C are breeds
– A triple cross
– A x B

F1 50%A x 50%B
(Breed to C)

F2 25%A, 25%B, 50%C

• Upgrading- the mating of purebred sires to
non descript or native females and their
offspring generation after generation. Ex.
Ex. 100% Brahman sire X 100%BC dam (Batangas cattle)

F1 50%B 50%BC (select the female, then bred later to 100%B)

F2 75%B 25%BC (select the female, then bred later to 100%B)

F3 87.5%B 12.5%BC (and so on and so forth)

3.4 Reproduction
• Reproductive phenomena
a) Sexual maturity (bulls/heifers) = 6-8 months
b) Estrus cycle = 18-24 days (21 days average)
c) Estrus duration
- exotic/European breeds = 14-18 hours
- Indigenous/Zebu = 10-12 hours
d) Ovulation = 10-14 hours after end of estrus
e) Gestation = average of 283 days
f) A bull ejaculates 2-12 ml of 500 or more sperm cells per ml
g) The sperm cells survive the oviduct up to a maximum of 48 hours
h) Many sperm cells reach the oviduct in 6 to 7 hours after deposition in the
vagina
i) There are many thousand egg cells produced by the female but those
released are very few. One mature egg cell is released at anytime
j) One egg cell is fertilized by one sperm cell at the oviduct (fallopian tube)
• Signs of estrus (defined as the period of sexual
receptivity of the female to the male)
a) Mount others
b) Reddening and swelling of the vulva
c) Mucous discharge
d) Isolates herself
e) Seem sickly and has no appetite
f) Frequent urination, restlessness and sometimes
bellowing or mooing
g) Standing still when mounted (the only reliable or true
sign of estrus)
• Modern reproduction techniques
– Artificial insemination - is the process of collecting sperm
cells from a male animal and manually depositing them into
the reproductive tract of a female.
“Females observed in estrus in the morning are inseminated
late afternoon of the same day. Those observed late in the
afternoon are inseminated not later than noon time the next
day”

– Estrus synchronization – the estrus of females is manipulated

or synchronized using drugs such as Prostaglandin F2 alpha
• Embryo transfer – involves superovulation of females.
Several follicles can develop and multiple ovulations can
occur. Insemination can be done and the embryos are
collected non-surgically.the collected embryos can be
frozen and stored I liquid nitrogen tanks for future transfer
to surrogated dams. Or transfer can be done to surrogate
dams treated to synchronize estrus and physiologically
ready to receive and implant the embryos.
3.5 Some Indicators of Good Breeding or
Reproductive Management
a) Conception rate (pregnancy) – percent of
breeding females that conceived versus the
total exposed females
CR = cows pregnant at end of breeding season X 100
cows exposed during breeding season
b) % (90 or 120 day) non-returns
• Percent of breeding females confirmed pregnant at 90
or 120 days, by pregnancy diagnosis, versus the total
exposed females. This is similar to conception rate
c. Calving rate – percent of breeding females
that give birth versus total exposed females
d. Calving interval – the average length of time
(in days) between successive calving
e. First heat after parturition – the occurrence
of estrus after giving birth to a young
CHAPTER 4

NUTRITION
• Ruminants can totally subsist on highly fibrous diets
(grasses, legumes, tree leaves) and efficiently utilize
farm by-products and concentrates
• A unique digestive anatomy of the ruminant, a
foregut fermenter with a four compartment
compound stomach namely the: rumen, reticulum,
omasum and abomasum
• The reticulum together with rumen forms the
fermentation region
• The rumen is about 70% of the compound stomach
• The ingesta is ruminated and masticated several times
to reduce particle size for more efficient digestion by
the microorganisms
• The rumen fluid abounds with bacteria, protozoa and
fungi which are responsible for the continuous
degradation of nutrients contained in the feed into
fermentation end products
• Carbohydrates are acted upon enzymes released by
the microorganisms to yield VFA, CO2 and CH4
(methane).
• The VFA consists mainly of acetic, butyric and propionic
acids, which produce major energy sources for the
animal. The fermentation gases are continuously
eructated. If not, the animal suffers from bloat.
• Feed protein in the rumen are likewise broken down by
the microorganisms into ammonia and CO2
• Ammonia is absorbed across the rumen wall, enters the
circulatory system, is converted into urea in the liver
and filter out in the kidney via the urine or recirculated
into the digestive system via the salivary glands
• The omasum is filled with lamilla, which increase
the surface area for absorption of water, VFA and
bicarbonate
• The unabsorbed nutrient then flow into the
abomasum, which is a glandular compartment
capable of secreting pepsin and HCL. This is the cite
for initial digestion of proteins into polypeptides
• Compared with the neutral pH of the rumen, the
abomasum is highly acidic.
• From the abomasum, the chyme flows into the
duodenum where secretions from the liver, pancreas
and intestine allow further breakdown of nutrients into
simple compounds for absorption similar to
monogastric animals
• The bacteria can also synthesize water soluble vitamins
and can utilize non-protein nitrogen from plant into
microbial protein
• The microorganisms who pass into the small intestine
are digested as sources of energy, protein and other
nutrients
• The efficiency of rumen microbial digestion is
dependent on particle size of the feed,
chemical structure of the cell wall, nutrient
deficiency and many other dietary factors
• The saliva plays important role in maintaining
the neutral pH inside the rumen, where acids
are constantly produced
 4.1 Nutrients and Their Function
• Water
– Essential in the transport of metabolic products
and wastes in the most chemical reaction of the
body
– The amount of water consumed by cattle depends
on the water content of the feed, body size and
environmental temperature
– A deficiency in water intake depresses feed intake
• Energy
– Required for maintenance, growth, work and
production
– The most common source of energy for ruminants
are carbohydrates , namely the soluble (starch and
sugars) and structural (cellulose and hemicellulose),
lipids (other source of energy from plants)
– The unit of measure of energy it digestible energy or
TDN
– 1 kilogram of TDN is equal to 4.2 kcal of DE
• Proteins
– Are large chemical units made up of amino acids
– Utilized by microorganisms in the rumen for their own
growth and reproduction
– Microbial fermentation of proteins produces ammonia
and CO2 as main end product
– Undigested feed proteins and the microorganisms from
the rumen are passed on to the lower gastrointestinal
tract where these are then enzymatically digested and
absorbed as amino acids
– It is therefore clear that protein requirement of the
ruminant is influenced by the requirement of the rumen
microorganisms
– Feed proteins must contain rumen soluble protein for use
by the microorganisms and rumen insoluble protein as
source of amino acids by the host animal
• Minerals
– The mineral nutrition of ruminants is largely influenced by
the mineral status of the soil where the animals are
grazed
– Phosphorus is the single most limiting mineral in the soil
and therefore the grasses are deficient in this element
– Deficiency in P results in low feed intake, low production
levels and in severe cases osteoporosis
– Salt is likewise deficient in the normal diet of ruminant
and is best provided ad libitum in the form of blocks of
loose form
– Calcium, magnesium and potassium are normally
sufficient in grasses to satisfy the requirements of
the animals. Feeding large amounts of
concentrates and grains may lead to deficiencies
in these minerals and should be supplemented
– The trace elements cobalt, iron, iodine, copper,
manganese and selenium are best provided for
ruminants in small amounts in areas where soil
deficiency for these elements are known
• Vitamins
– The water soluble vitamins including Vitamin C are
synthesized by the rumen microorganisms
– The fat soluble vitamin K is likewise synthesized in the
rumen by the bacteria
– Vitamin E is found in most feeds while vitamin D is
synthesized in the skin when the animals exposed to
sunlight
– Vitamin A is synthesized from carotene which is abundant
in young, fresh grass, but devoid in mature grasses, most
crop residues and some grains
– Animals may tolerate low dietary intake of Vitamin A for
as long as sufficient Vitamin A has been stored in the liver
4.2 Common Feeds for Ruminants
• Forages
– Natural cheapest feed for ruminants
– Grasses 8%CP (goes down at 4% at maturity) and legumes
20%CP
• By-products roughages
– Highly fibrous (rice straw, corn stover, sugar cane tops), low in
CP and total digestible nutrients (TDN), poor digestibility
• Concentrates
– Copra meal, rice bran, wheat pollard are commonly used by-
product concentrates
– Contain on the average 75% TDN and vary widely in their CP
content from 0% as in case of molasses to 21% in copra meal
• Use of Urea in ruminant Ration
– Partial protein source for ruminants
– Capacity of the microorganisms to utilize nitrogen into
microbial protein makes it possible to incorporate small
amount of urea in the ration of ruminants
– Urea is instantaneously degraded by microbial urease into
ammonia, which is utilized by microorganisms and the
excess is absorbed across the rumen wall and circulated in
the blood
– High concentration of ammonia in the blood is toxic and
fatal to ruminants
• Guidelines for safe use of Urea
– Add fertilizer grade urea at not more than 1% of the ration
– Adequate source of energy (molasses, corn) must be fed
with urea
– Sufficient amount of minerals particularly S in case
molasses is used must be available
– Daily allowance of urea should be consumed in small
amounts throughout the day rather than in just one
feeding
– Urea whether fed in granules or dissolved in water should
be well mixed
 CHAPTER 5

HERD MANAGEMENT
• The goal of herd management is to produce a crop
of high quality, heavyweight calves. Factors that
contribute to the accomplishment of this goals are
– Early sexual maturity of females
– High conception rate
– High calf crop
– Early rebreeding after calving
– Excellent milk production of the cows
– Availability of year round feed supply
5.1 Herd Division
• This ensures appropriate nutrition of various age groups of the
herd, prevent premature breeding and prevent high rate of
abortion
• Animals may be divided into the following herds
– Pregnant herd
• Composed of pregnant females. Cows are grouped in the herd during the
breeding season
– Breeding herd
• Consists of dry cows and heifers ready for breeding
– Heifer herd
• composed of heifers not yet ready for breeding
– Steers, feeders or fattening herd
• Consists of growing cattle and those to be fattened for the market
– Bull herd
• consists of mature males kept mainly for servicing the breeder cows
5.2 Management of Breeding Females
a) Lactating and pregnant cows
– Separated from the herd to prevent injury and possible
abortion
– Signs of pregnancy are the cessation of estrus or heat and the
enlargement of the abdomen and udder
– The more reliable pregnancy test is through rectal palpation
60-90 days after breeding

b) Open cows and replacement heifers

– Given the right amount of feed daily to ensure they are in the
right physiological status
– Animals with reproductive problems are culled
5.3 Management of Calves, Growers and
Fatteners
a) Calves
– Should suckle colostrum milk from their mother within three
hours after calving
b) Grower
– Usually maintained in the pasture with very little attention.
They are given salt and mineral supplement
c) Fatteners
– Require a shorter period to reach slaughter weight
– Generally bigger, mature or nearing maturity
– One and a half year old animals weighing 200-300 kg are
preferred
5.4 Management of Breeding Bulls
• They should be in good condition at the start of
breeding season (2 years of age)
• Given supplemental feeding of grains or
concentrates 60-90 days before and after breeding
• Should be kept in the herd as long as he is
aggressive enough to mate
• To avoid inbreeding, bull should be kept out of the
herd two and a half to three years when the
offspring reach the breeding age
 CHAPTER 6

GENERAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

6.1 Cattle Identification
• Necessary for management purposes and
denote ownership
a) Branding
– With the use of hot iron and the brand must be
properly registered by the owner with the
livestock identification office of the municipality
concerned. Placed on the animals left foreleg
b) Ear notching
c) Ear tagging
6.2 Dehorning
• Advantages
– Dehorning cattle requires less space in feedlots
– Occupy less space in transit or shipment
– More uniform in appearance
6.3 Castration
• Castrated when they are few weeks to seven
months of age
• Bloodless castration is done with Burdizzo
pinchers or emasculator
6.4 Record Keeping
• Records list genetically superior cattle that may
be used for breeding
• Slow gaining heifers, bulls that produces
undesirable hereditary traits and those do not
perform satisfactory despite good feeding and
management can be identified
• These are culled and removed to improve the
herd quality and to increase profit in beef
production
6.5 Selection and Culling
• Breeding stock with poor performance should be culled
for slaughter. These are as follows:
– A cow that calves every one and a half to two years
– A cow that produce a little amount of milk and raises a small
calf despite good feeding and management
– Small, weak and unhealthy animals which are susceptible to
diseases
– Heifers that do not come in heat in spite of proper age, good
size, healthy condition, vigor and strength
– Heifers that fail to meet the standard set for the breeding herd
– Bulls and cows which have undesirable hereditary defects such
as inverted teats, dwarfism, hernia, cryptorchidism (failure of
one or both testicles to descend normally)
 CHAPTER 7

ANIMAL HEALTH PROGRAM

7.1 Herd Health Management
• Responsibility is equally divided to veterinarian
(device a program with due consideration to the local
conditions or resources) and livestock raiser
(implements it with optimal supervision)
• Slow growth of cattle industry due to
– Low conception rate
– High preweaning and postweaning mortality
– Annual death losses in mature cattle
• Readily identifiable cause of death are infectious,
nutritional and parasitic diseases
• Some suggested disease preventive measures are:
– Start with healthy stock
– Parasite and disease control (deworming, deticking and
immunization)
– Provide adequate ration (perform well and resistant to
infectious and parasitic agents)
– Optimum protection from environment stress (provide
housing and water supply)
– Practice sanitation
• Continuation:
– Graze in the pasture relatively safe from internal
parasites (liverfluke)
– Unproductive breeding stock must be culled
– Regular check up for the presence of parasitic disease
(fecal examination)
– Separate sick animals from the herd
– Immunize regularly (vaccination)
– Segregate cattle from other species to avoid
intertransmission of disease
7.2 Health Program for Cattle
• Before Breeding
– Pick out those which are potentially good ones based
on physical characteristics, temperament, or
reproductive performance
– Blood test animals for diseases (brucellosis,
leptospirosis)
– Deworm animals with broad spectrum anthelmintics
– Inject vitamin ADE to improve reproductive
performance
– Vaccinate against diseases
• Pregnancy period
– Maintain animal on high plane of nutrition
– Immunization
– Last 2 to 3 weeks of pregnancy, deworm against
intestinal roundworm
• Calving and post-calving
– Segregate expectant cows from the herd at least one
week before calving
– Prepare calving area (small, clean and dry)
– For day old calf, cut the umbilical cord and apply
tincture of iodine. It must suckle colostrum
– To prevent infection of the dam, antibiotics must be
given. Retained placenta (unexpelled for 24 hours)
must be removed by gentle traction or inject with
oxytocin
• Calves up to weaning
– Deworm calves as early as 4 to 5 weeks
– Provide multi vitamin/mineral preparations preferably
Vitamin B complex for unhealthy looking calves
– Spray with insecticides to remove ticks and external
parasites
– Repeat deworming at 2 to 3 months
– Vaccinate at 6 months or before weaning
– Allow creep feeding a few weeks in advance of their
weaning to reduce the stressful effect of weaning the calf
• Yearling to growing period
– Repeat vaccination
– Repeat tick control
– Repeat deworming
– Consult veterinarian for proper treatment and
control (for sporadic incidence of specific disease