The Emma Barnsley Foundation Protecting the Herd In cooperation with: The Emma Barnsley Foundation John Deere The PEER Program at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences peer.tamu.edu

Herd Health A program designed to prevent disease and maintain the health of a group of livestock Regularly scheduled veterinary visits Cooperation of veterinarian and producer Integrates disease biology and production management

Goals Prevent the development of and/or uncontrolled spread of diseases Reduce economic losses

Individual Resistance Factors to Consider Environment Exposure Nutrition Stress Stocking rates Individual Resistance

Production Management Factors to Consider Production Management Biosecurity Disease Biology

Management Identify most prevalent or devastating problems Risks prevalent in the area & to species/breed/production type… With potential to cause the most damage Keep records

Management Focus on prevention through: Evaluating & maintaining appropriate stocking density Providing good nutrition Environmental control Decreasing exposure Reducing stress Vaccinating

Management Immunity Protective immunity: innate, acquired Subclinical vs clinical cases: Many infectious agents are present in herds Clinical cases may indicate something amiss in animal husbandry

Management Vaccinations Reduces the need for medications One size does not fit all – know your risk There is not a vaccine for every disease

Management Re-evaluate based on records New information about disease, prevention, production strategies

Review

The Human Herd Human health also depends upon Movement into and out of communities Individual resistance Disease biology Environment Nutrition Stress

Management Break the cycle of transmission Kill the infectious agent Increase host resistance

Community Immunity A portion of a community is immunized so most members of the community are protected against that disease

Infection Occurs when viruses, bacteria, or other microbes enter the body and begin to multiply (rapidly) by utilizing the host’s resources Bacteria through asexual reproduction Viruses invade cells to be copied

Infection

Infection Shedding of infectious agent Breaks in the skin surface Gastrointestinal tract Respiratory tract Urogenital tract

Prevention Vaccines consist of a weakened or killed version of a bacteria or virus responsible for disease When the vaccine is given, the body’s immune system detects the microbe and reacts by making antibodies.

Prevention These antibodies remain in the body, prepared to react if an actual infectious organism attacks. Antibodies can often stop the infectious organism from multiplying and causing infection.

Research Disease biology Immunity Impact of outside factors

https://www. tractorsupply https://www.tractorsupply.com/know-how_Cattle-Care-101_cattle-management-is-the-key-to-your-herds-health http://www.ansci.wisc.edu/extension-new%20copy/sheep/Publications_and_Proceedings/Pdf/Dairy/Health%20and%20Nutrition/Herd%20health%20management%20for%20dairy%20sheep.pdf http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/courses-jmgay/FDIUcowcalfHH.htm http://www.vaccines.gov/basics/protection/index.html