Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts

AABP

Have You Herd? is brought to you by the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, an international association of cattle veterinarians and veterinary students dedicated to the health, productivity and welfare of cattle.

  1. 1D AGO

    Epi. 282 – Assisting Your Beef Producers with Bull Selection

    AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by current AABP President-Elect Dr. Mark Hilton to talk about opportunities for beef cow-calf veterinarians to assist their clients with bull selection. Hilton emphasizes that the number one conversation starter for offering consultative services is to ask questions and listen to your clients.   The first question is to ask your clients what are their goals? Veterinarians can assist producers, but having the client outline their goals is a way for the veterinarian to develop the programs to achieve those goals. The next question to ask is “would you like help with that?” Your clients may not be aware of your expertise on a topic which can be delivered in an unbiased manner to help the producer achieve their goals.   When selecting a bull, the veterinarian should also help the producer identify disease risk. Asking the seller if you can discuss the herd with their veterinarian is a good way to identify any disease risks to the purchaser. The veterinarian can also ask specific questions about what they want to accomplish with their bull purchase. This can include identifying if the bull will be used in heifers or cows to identify where you want to rank calving ease of the bull. The bull should also optimize heterosis for the cow herd. Incorporating cross breeding has a potential value of $400 per cow due to increased longevity, increased pregnancy rate and increased weaning weights. The veterinarian should also evaluate if the herd is retaining heifers and ask how they market calves.   Hilton reviews the EPDs and selection indices that he ranks as important for bull selection. When looking at the calving ease differential EPD for bulls used in heifers, this trait is 9 times more accurate than actual birth weight of the bull, which can be influenced by other factors. It is also important to understand the breed differences in EPDs and to review EPDs and selection indices by breed.   Veterinarians can play a key role in working with their clients on achieving their goals and how bull selection plays a part in that process. Hilton also mentions the AABP Cow-Calf Consulting Seminar which will be held in Alberta, Canada July 8-10, 2026. Registration is open and limited to 12 attendees. Bull selection and genetics will be one component of this seminar which will provide practical information on the pillars of beef cow-calf consulting practice. For more information on this seminar and to register, go to this link. The seminar is also held during the Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Races and is close to the world-renowned Banff National Park for entertainment options while you are in the area.

    43 min

  2. FEB 23

    Epi. 281 – The Role of Copper in Ruminant Nutrition - Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

    AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Bob Van Saun, professor and extension veterinarian at Penn State University. He is also a member of the AABP Nutrition Committee. If you are interested in beef or dairy nutrition, consider joining the committee by visiting this page.    This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and the PYRAMID(R) Line of vaccines, a premier choice to protect calves from BRD. Get relentless protection at PyramidVaccines.com.   Van Saun begins by reviewing the important biologic role of copper for ruminants and why it is a critical mineral for ruminants. We also discuss some clinical diseases or conditions where a veterinarian may be triggered to look at a copper deficiency. This includes bleaching of the haircoat (achromotrichia), anemia, reproductive performance, growth, and disease consequences due to the role copper plays in innate and humoral immunity. Some of these syndromes may be clinically apparent, but a large portion may be subclinical, and the practitioner should evaluate the entirety of the mineral program to evaluate.    Van Saun discusses the interplay between copper and other minerals and how this interaction can affect copper metabolism. We also discuss general guidelines copper in ruminants and diagnostic procedures for evaluating copper metabolism in a herd.    Due to the impacts of copper on many production and disease issues in ruminants, veterinarians play a critical role in evaluating herds for copper deficiencies by performing a diagnostic work-up and evaluating potential interventions.

    49 min

  3. FEB 16

    Epi. 280 – Beef Calf Colostrum Management and Replacement Strategies – Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

    AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich discusses colostrum management programs with Dr. Lisa Gamsjäger, Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University.    This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and the PYRAMID(R) line of vaccines, a premier choice to protect calves from BRD. Get relentless protection at PyramidVaccines.com.   According to research studies, approximately 30% of beef calves have failure of passive transfer and are below 10 g/L of IgG. These calves are 8x more likely to have a disease and 19x more likely to experience mortality. There may be some fundamental differences in colostrum for beef calves, and management strategies between the two production systems are vastly different which can present unique challenges for beef producers. Veterinarians are in a unique position to provide consultation to their beef clients to be prepared to intervene with assistance and/or providing a colostrum replacement product.   We discuss a study that examined various feeding protocols of colostrum replacer and its impacts on passive transfer, morbidity, mortality and average daily gains. We also discuss areas for future research on beef calf colostrum management and replacement products. Veterinarians should prepare their clients for the upcoming calving season to ensure that calves receive appropriate passive transfer of immunity by proactively discussing these strategies.   References: Gamsjäger L, Haines DM, Pajor EA, Lévy M, Windeyer MC. Impact of volume, immunoglobulin G concentration, and feeding method of colostrum product on neonatal nursing behavior and transfer of passive immunity in beef calves. Animal 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2021.100345   Mitman SL, Jenkins H, Chamorro MF, Mzyk DA, Foster DM, Gamsjäger L. Impact of 3 colostrum replacement strategies on immunoglobulin G absorption efficiency, passive immunity, health, and growth in beef calves. J Am Vet Med Assoc. July 2025. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.03.0139   Gamsjäger L, Haines DM, Pajor EA, Lévy M, Campbell J, Windeyer MC. Total and pathogen-specific serum Immunoglobulin G concentrations in neonatal beef calves, Part 1: Risk factors. Prev Vet Med. November 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2023.106026   Gamsjäger L, Haines DM, Pajor EA, Lévy M, Campbell J, Windeyer MC. Total and pathogen-specific serum Immunoglobulin G concentrations in neonatal beef calves, Part 2: Associations with health and growth. Prev Vet Med. November 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2023.105993

    35 min

  4. FEB 9

    Epi. 279 – The Veterinarian’s Role in Semen Strategies for Herd Replacement and Beef-on-dairy Decisions – Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

    AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich discusses how veterinarians can get involved with semen selection strategies for their clients. Guests for this episode include Dr. Julie Adamchick, post-doctoral candidate at Cornell University and AABP liaison to the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), Dr. Daryl Nydam, Professor of Dairy Production and Health Management at Cornell University and incoming AABP Vice-President, and Dr. Michael Capel, Perry Veterinary Clinic and Past-President of AABP.   This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and the PYRAMID(R) line of vaccines, a premier choice to protect calves from BRD. Get relentless protection at PyramidVaccines.com.   Advances in youngstock management and reproduction programs has provided an opportunity for dairy producers to utilize gender-selected semen to maintain the correct number of replacement heifers while taking advantage of the increased revenue from the sale of beef-on-dairy calves. Producers should develop a strategy with their dairy clients to plan three years in advance for the number of replacement heifers the herd will require. The veterinarian can play a role in not only assisting with implementation of these programs, but also monitoring reproductive performance and semen selection strategy monitoring to ensure success. The value that is added from maximizing beef-on-dairy calves produced can be equivalent to $2-$3 per cwt of milk. Our guests also provide tips for avoiding pitfalls and what to discuss with clients during the implementation and monitoring phase of this program.    Cornell University has developed a tool to assist veterinarians in consulting with clients on use of gender-selected and beef semen in their herds. You can find Semen Solver 2.0 at this link.    If you have feedback about the tool, please contact Dr. Julie Adamchick at jms349@cornell.edu.

    37 min

  5. FEB 2

    Epi. 278 – What is Ambiguous Loss and Why Should Cattle Veterinarians Understand It? – Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

    AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Emily Krekelberg, an educator for farm safety within the University of Minnesota extension services. This episode was developed by the AABP Mental Health and Well-Being Committee.   This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and the PYRAMID(R) line of vaccines, a premier choice to protect calves from BRD. Get relentless protection at PyramidVaccines.com.   Krekelberg defines ambiguous loss as a loss that is unclear or lacks closure. Some loss, such as death, is defined both physically (the person is no longer with us) and psychologically (we understand that the person is gone). With ambiguous loss there is an incongruence between physical and psychological loss. Krekelberg provides some examples of ambiguous loss from our everyday lives.   Krekelberg discusses how ambiguous loss might look in a person and offers suggestions for how we can recognize this in our friends, family and clients. Ambiguous loss can be challenging to overcome because we do not know what we are experiencing and grief complicates this process. She also provides some suggestions for coping with ambiguous loss including understanding that conflicting feelings are normal, finding meaning and identifying the loss and discovering hope.   If you are an AABP member interested in this and other mental health topics, consider joining the AABP Mental Health and Well-Being Committee by going to this page.    Resources: The Myth of Closure by Pauline Boss.    University of Minnesota Extension and type ambiguous loss in the search bar.   The Moos Room podcast or find on your favorite podcast platform.

    33 min

  6. JAN 26

    Epi. 277 – An Easier Way to Deliver Calves Using the Utrecht Technique

    AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by AABP President-Elect Dr. Mark Hilton. Hilton provides some guidance on making obstetrics easier, especially for recently graduated veterinarians. The technique is called the Utrecht technique. This technique and being successful at dystocia calls is not dependent on the veterinarian’s size and with practice, Hilton says that all veterinarians can become successful obstetricians with practice and proper technique.   Hilton informs his clients that a cow in labor should make progress every hour, and if not making progress in that time frame, they should call the veterinarian for assistance. The key points for the Utrecht technique include: 1.      Be sure that calf is in a normal presentation. Correct if needed while the cow is standing. If you need to manipulate, use an epidural and administer 10 cc of epinephrine IM to relax the uterus.  2.      Manually dilate the birth canal. Put both gloved and lubed arms in the vagina, clasp your hands and push your arms laterally to dilate the vagina. You can also ask the producer or caregiver to help you dilate the cow to allow you to rest.  3.      Put chains on the legs and apply traction. If you can get the carpi past the vulva, or you can feel room around the calf, Hilton says he makes the decision to pull vaginally versus a C-section. 4.      Cast the cow and lay her in lateral recumbency. 5.      Use a calf puller with traction, but only apply traction when the cow pushes and rest when the calf’s shoulders are through the pelvis. The cow will rotate the calf while you are resting, or if not, you can rotate the calf so the pelvis of the calf is turned to go through the largest part of the dam’s pelvis. If the calf is being delivered in posterior presentation, Hilton continues to use traction to quickly deliver the calf after the pelvis is through to prevent the calf from suffocating during delivery.    For more information:   Midwest Beef Cattle Consultants, LLC. https://www.mwbeefcattle.com/educational-material    An easier way to deliver calves, Mark Hilton, AABP Annual Conference Proceedings, 2020. https://doi.org/10.21423/aabppro20208085

    37 min

  7. JAN 19

    Epi. 276 – High Oleic Acid Soybeans for Dairy Cow Diets

    AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Adam Lock, professor of dairy nutrition in the Department of Animal Sciences at Michigan State University. This podcast is brought to you by the AABP Nutrition Committee.   Soybeans and soybean meal products are an important source of protein and fat for dairy cow diets. Soybeans are typically 38-42% crude protein and 15-20% fat. The fat in conventional soybeans is 50-55% linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) which can suppress milk fat production if fed at high levels. Roasting soybeans is common on dairy farms to increase the amount of bypass protein (RUP).    High oleic fat soybeans have more recently been fed as a soybean source in dairy cattle diets. The primary advantage of these soybeans are that they have the same percentage of fat (20%) but the fatty acid profile is 75-80% oleic acid. Oleic acid does not directly suppress milk fat production since it is a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA). This allows us to safely feed a higher energy diet to cows. Lock suggests that we can target high producing or early lactation cows with these soybeans to provide more energy. These beans can result in higher production, higher milk fat and may have positive effects on health and immunity.    Lock provides some general guidelines for incorporating high oleic acid soybeans in dairy cattle diets. They can be included at 8-12% of diet dry matter for roasted ground beans. Cows do not need a step-up period to incorporate these into the diet and an expected response should be seen in 7-10 days. Diets should be reformulated to account for this added fat and Lock states that many times other fat sources are removed, but some palm fats can be utilized with these beans for a better fat profile. Other protein sources, such as blood meal, can be adjusted.    Effects of increasing dietary inclusion of high oleic acid soybeans on milk production of high-producing dairy cows A.M. Bales, A.L. Lock Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 107, Issue 10, 2024, Pages 7867-7878, ISSN 0022-0302, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-2478   Effects of raw and roasted high oleic soybeans on milk production of high-producing dairy cows A.M. Bales, A.L. Lock Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 107, Issue 12, 2024, Pages 10869-10881, ISSN 0022-0302, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25092

    25 min

  8. JAN 5

    Epi. 266 – Placental Transfer of Minerals and Vitamins in Ruminants

    AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Bob Van Saun, professor and extension veterinarian at Penn State University. He is also a member of the AABP Nutrition Committee. If you are interested in beef or dairy nutrition, consider joining the committee by visiting this page.    Van Saun starts by reviewing why mineral and vitamin transfer are important beyond their biological role in fetal development and reminds us that milk does not have a significant quantity of trace elements and some vitamins. It is important to provide a diet that is adequate in vitamins and minerals to the dam to ensure the developing fetus is not deficient and that the newborn calf is very dependent on what we feed the dam.   Van Saun reviews how minerals and vitamins are regulated in the body and what we know about the placental transfer of minerals and vitamins to the fetus during gestation. He offers suggestions for practicing veterinarians for evaluating the nutritional status of dams. He suggests starting by evaluating the ration that has been formulated to ensure it is consistent with recommendations from NASEUM 2021 (dairy) and NASEM 2016 (beef). The veterinarians can then submit biologic samples for vitamin and mineral analysis which can be done via liver biopsy or blood testing as well as when each test is applicable. In addition, liver samples from stillborn fetuses can be submitted to develop a database for clients mineral and vitamin programs and to determine if stillbirths are due to deficiencies.    Links: Hostetler CE, Kincaid RL, Mirando MA. The role of essential trace elements in embryonic and fetal development in livestock. Vet J. 2003;166(2):125-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1090-0233(02)00310-6. PMID: 12902178    National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) 2021. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Eighth Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25806   National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle: Eighth Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/19014

    47 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

Have You Herd? is brought to you by the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, an international association of cattle veterinarians and veterinary students dedicated to the health, productivity and welfare of cattle.

Information

  • Creator
    AABP
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    274
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts
  • Show Website
    Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts

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