1. 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

2. 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

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

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

5. Production Management
Factors to Consider
Production Management
Biosecurity
Disease Biology

6. 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

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

8. 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

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

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

11. Review

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

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

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

16. 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

17. Infection

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

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. Research
Disease biology
Immunity
Impact of outside factors

22. https://www. tractorsupply