Cattle Chat

Understanding Neurologic Cases in Cattle: Diagnosis, Causes, and Prevention

BCI Cattle Chat — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:02:47 -0400

This discussion focuses on how to recognize, evaluate, and manage neurologic (brain-related) cases in cattle. Common clinical signs include stumbling, circling, weakness, apparent blindness, head pressing, and paddling when animals are down, all of which indicate issues affecting the nervous system. Diagnosing these cases begins with key questions about the animal’s age, environment, recent management changes, and how many animals are affected. Neurologic problems may stem from several major categories, including toxins, infectious diseases, and metabolic disorders, with each requiring a different response.

Toxic causes are especially important, with lead exposure being one of the most common, particularly in young, curious animals. Other causes can include sulfur toxicity, water deprivation (salt toxicity), and certain feed or environmental exposures. A thorough physical exam and, when possible, necropsy and lab testing are critical steps in determining the exact cause. The number of animals affected can provide valuable clues, as widespread cases often suggest a shared exposure like a toxin.

The discussion also highlights the importance of water management, especially in summer, emphasizing both water quality and access. Improper rehydration of severely dehydrated cattle can lead to fatal complications, so water must be reintroduced gradually. Overall, early investigation and veterinary involvement are essential to identify the root cause and prevent additional losses within the herd.

Deadly Dehydration: How a Simple Gate Closure Led to Mass Cattle Loss

BCI Cattle Chat — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:36:16 -0400

This case study from a bovine science discussion examines a sudden and alarming incident in which 12 cows and 2 calves died within 12 hours of routine pre-weaning processing. Initially, the deaths raised concerns about vaccine reactions, toxic exposure, or handling stress, but the pattern of mortality did not align with typical causes. Adult cows, which only received topical parasite treatment, were more affected than calves that received vaccines, further complicating the diagnosis. A necropsy revealed elevated sodium levels in brain tissue, pointing to water deprivation as the underlying issue. Investigation of the environment uncovered that while a water source existed, access had been unintentionally blocked when a gate was left closed during processing. High temperatures and a dry pond exacerbated the situation, leading to rapid dehydration and neurological symptoms in the cattle. Surviving animals displayed abnormal behavior such as aggression, crowding in shade, and signs of severe dehydration. Recovery efforts required carefully controlled rehydration to prevent additional complications like cerebral edema. The case emphasizes the critical importance of ensuring continuous water access, especially when altering animal environments during handling.

Building Better Cows: Smart Heifer Development from Day One

BCI Cattle Chat — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Joined by special guest Dr. Lee Jones from Boehringer Ingelheim, this episode focuses on effective heifer development as a foundation for long-term herd success, emphasizing the importance of selecting the right genetics and defining clear production goals.

This conversation explores how early-life management—including colostrum intake, vaccination programs, and nutrition—plays a critical role in building immunity and supporting growth. They highlight key health risks such as bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) and stress the value of customized herd health plans developed with a veterinarian. Reproductive efficiency is another major theme, with strategies to ensure heifers reach puberty on time, breed early, and maintain long-term productivity. The group also evaluates whether heifers should calve at 24 or 30 months, weighing economic and logistical trade-offs. Overall, the conversation underscores that thoughtful planning and consistent management are essential to producing productive, profitable cows.

For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. Don’t forget, if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Episode sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.

Liver Abscess Research and Cattle Market Risk Management

BCI Cattle Chat — Fri, 22 May 2026 13:42:54 -0400

In this episode of BCI Cattle Chat, the hosts discuss recent research on liver abscesses in feedlot cattle, including how diet, grain processing, and days on feed may influence their prevalence and economic impact. They explore new findings suggesting liver abscesses may not be caused solely by rumen acidosis, highlighting the need for more research into other contributing factors and prevention strategies. The conversation then shifts to current cattle market conditions, where the team examines risk management options for cow-calf producers facing high calf prices, drought concerns, and decisions about retaining heifers. They also cover tools like futures contracts and livestock insurance programs that producers can use to manage price volatility heading into the fall.

3:10 Liver Abscess Research

14:37 Cattle Market Risk Management

For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget, if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

After the Abstract: How does bovine leukosis affect cow-calf herds

BCI Cattle Chat — Tue, 19 May 2026 10:00:44 -0400

In this episode of Diving Into Diets on Bovine Science with BCI, Dr. Brad White and Dr. Todd Gunderson discuss a 2026 study on the high prevalence of bovine leukemia virus in cow-calf operations, implications for cow reproduction, culling, and calf weight. The conversation concludes there is not a great association between culling risk and pregnancy status associated with the ELISA test.

Read the article here

Theileria Diagnosis, Cow Size Economics, and Heifer Rebreeding Strategies

BCI Cattle Chat — Fri, 15 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Cattle Chat, the team discusses how Theileria, a tick-borne parasite that destroys red blood cells, requires laboratory testing for confirmation and cannot be diagnosed reliably from visual signs alone. They emphasized that positive test results must be interpreted alongside clinical signs and herd history, since infection does not always mean it was the direct cause of illness or death. The group also explored how larger cows may produce heavier calves but require greater nutritional inputs, making optimal cow size dependent on forage resources and overall production costs. In addition, they highlighted that successful rebreeding of first-calf heifers depends on early calving, proper nutrition, and consistent mineral intake to support recovery and fertility.

3:27 Theileria

9:01 Cow Size

17:53 Heifer Rebreeding

For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget, if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Million Downloads Episode

BCI Cattle Chat — Fri, 08 May 2026 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode of BCI Cattle Chat, the hosts celebrate reaching one million podcast downloads and reflect on memorable guests, listener interactions, and how the show has evolved since it began in 2018–2019. The discussion highlights popular listener question topics over the years, including nutrition, reproduction, management, genetics, markets, and grazing management. The hosts also share insights from their favorite episodes and discuss how the podcast helps deliver timely cattle industry information to producers around the world. The episode concludes with advice for a high school student interested in ranching, emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning, networking, internships, extracurricular involvement, and gaining diverse experiences across the beef industry.

For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget, if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Coccidiosis induced Diarrhea, Growth Implants in Beef, Timing When Processing Calves

BCI Cattle Chat — Fri, 01 May 2026 08:32:04 -0400

On this episode of BCI Cattle Chat the experts cover diarrhea caused by coccidiosis, emphasizing that it’s a common organism managed through reducing stress, maintaining clean and dry conditions, and using appropriate feed additives rather than trying to eliminate it entirely. The team also discuss growth implants, emphasizing their use to improve production efficiency and that hormone levels in beef are biologically minimal, though consumer preferences may justify selling non-implanted beef at a premium. The last topic was a listener question that asked about protocol when gathering cattle before processing. The veterinarians discussed that timing should minimizing stress while ensuring access to feed and water.

4:27 Diarrhea Caused by Coccidiosis

8:34 Growth Implants in Beef

15:44 Timing When Processing Calves

For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget, if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Research Update: Larrison Hicks, Line Breeding, Nutritional Listener Questions

BCI Cattle Chat — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

On this episode of BCI Cattle Chat, Larrison Hicks gave a research update on his project about beef–dairy cross calves, focusing on how early-life management, such as milk-feeding methods and probiotics, may influence gut development and the higher incidence of liver abscesses in calf ranch systems. Early findings showed no short-term benefits from probiotic supplementation, with more results pending. The hosts also discussed genetics, noting that line breeding closely related high-performing cattle increases the risk of defects and does not reliably produce superior offspring. Additional topics included managing aflatoxins in feed, the limited effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate in feedlot diets, and how excess fat can negatively impact rumen function in grazing cattle.

4:31 Research Update: Larrison Hicks

9:21 Line Breeding

13:43 Nutritional Listener Questions

For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget, if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!

Calving Challenges, Vaccination Decisions, and Managing Liver Flukes in Cattle

BCI Cattle Chat — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400

On this episode of BCI Cattle Chat, the experts cover listener questions on calving difficulty, vaccination strategies, and liver fluke management. The team discusses that while malpresentation in calves can sometimes occur in clusters, it is more strongly linked to factors such as calf size, twins, and genetics than to cattle handling, though low-stress handling remains important. They also discuss vaccination protocols for incoming calves, emphasizing that vaccines are a long-term preventive tool and should be paired with strong overall health management. Finally, they highlight that effective liver fluke control depends on understanding the parasite’s life cycle and managing environmental risk factors, not just treatment.

3:25 Calving Difficulties

10:19 Vaccination Strategies

19:12 South African Liver Flukes

For more on BCI Cattle Chat, follow us on X at @ksubci, Facebook, and Instagram at @ksubci. Check out our website, ksubci.org. If you have any comments/questions/topic ideas, please send them to bci@ksu.edu. You can also email us to sign up for our weekly news blast! Don’t forget, if you enjoy the show, please go give us a rating!