Attend the beef and forages program Friday Posted On: Sunday, Aug. 23 2009 05:10 AM By Dirk Aaron
Bell County Extension

The best opportunity to attend a beef and forages program is coming up Friday at the McGregor Research Station Beef Center. This event is sponsored and coordinated by the County Agents, Lyle Zoeller and Shane Mclellan, in Coryell and McLennan Counties repectively.

The program will be held at the TAMU McGregor Beef Center from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Topics of discussion include Beef Herd Health, Stocker Cattle Health, Trichomoniasis Program, Integrating Legumes in Forage Systems, Oat/Wheat Variety Testing and Use of Growth Implants in Calves. Presenters for these topics will be Dr. Jason Cleere, Texas AgriLife Beef Cattle Specialist; Dr. Larry Redmon, Texas AgriLife Extension Forage Specialist and Scott Porter with Fort Dodge Animal Health.

A sponsored lunch will be provided. RSVP by Wednesday for meal count to Coryell County Extension Office at (254) 865-2414 or McLennan County Extension Office at (254) 757-5180.

The key topic that cattleman need to be aware of and that will be addressed at the event on Friday is "trich" or officially known as Trichomoniasis. Cattle trichomoniasis (trick-o-mun-eye-i-sis) is a venereal disease of cattle caused by the Tritrichomonas foetus protozoa, which is about the size of a sperm and is carried by bulls.

"Trich" is transmitted to cows through breeding. Cows may abort early in the pregnancy and become temporarily infertile. Cattle producers can lose valuable income from the resulting extended breeding seasons and diminished calf crops.

You simply cannot tell by looking, smelling or feeling bulls for infection. Infected breeding bulls continue to appear and act normally. Only testing will confirm the presence or absence of the disease-causing protozoa. Once infected, bulls remain infected and capable of spreading infection. No approved treatment or vaccine exists for bulls.

On the other hand, the majority of infected cows will clear the infection, if given 120 – 150 days of sexual rest. A vaccine also can be administered to cows to help manage the disease.

We have had infected cow herds in Bell County, and I urge all producers with infected herds to work with their veterinarian to determine the most appropriate measures to employ to eliminate the disease from their cow herds.

The Texas Animal Health Commission developed a working group of producers, market operators, veterinarians, laboratory representatives and educators to gather information, develop the proposed new regulations, and following the conclusion of the comment period and then, considered all comments to develop a viable, cost-effective program.

The first of the two phases of regulations, effective April 1, 2009, are directed toward breeding bulls entering Texas from other states. The second phase will begin on Jan. 1, 2010, when rules for breeding bulls changing possession in Texas will go into effect. These rules will have significant impact on each cattle operator in Texas, whether you raise breeding age bulls or whether you buy and use breeding aged bulls.

More information will be presented at the event this Friday concerning "trich" and its management. Call our office for additional information at (254) 933-5305.