1. Animal, Plant & Soil Science
Lesson C5-8
Managing Animal Health
PPT: APSR: C5-8
E-Unit:

2. Interest Approach
Bring in a pair of tattooing pliers and show the class. Write a number on the board that would be used in tattooing cattle (e.g., A24 or B56). Have the students attempt to write the number backwards on a sheet of paper. Ask one student to put the numbers in the tattooing pliers. Have the student with the pliers press the tattoo onto a sheet of paper. Compare the results an the paper. Ask other students to try to tattoo the correct number on the paper.

3. Objectives Identify good animal health management practices.
Discuss beneficial record keeping programs for dairy.
Explain common maintenance needs to promote animal health.
Describe identification possibilities for various animals.

4. Terms branding castrating dehorning docking earmarks heat mastitis
tattooing

5. What are good health management practices?
Every type of animal needs specific management practices for good health.
There are some broad similarities between some species and breeds.
It is better to prevent problems before they occur.
Many of the same management practices can be used for all animals.

6. What are good health management practices?
A. Always make sure that you purchase your animals from a reputable person.
If you start out with healthy animals, it will be less expensive and less stressful.
If you start out with infected animals, you may deal with the problem for a very long time.

7. What are good health management practices?
B. Obtain animals only if you have a specific use for them in mind.
Bringing in new animals always presents some risk of introduction of disease and other problems.
If you are not committed to completing the necessary paperwork, do not buy animals that will require it for proper health records.
C. Clean and disinfect all areas before bringing animals into an area.

8. What are good health management practices?
D. Ensure that all animals are fed properly.
Many problems can be avoided with proper nutrition.
E. Keep animals out of weather that they do not tolerate well, in order to avoid illnesses and discomfort.
F. Keep track of sexual maturity of animals so that they are not bred at the wrong time or to the wrong mate.

9. What are good health management practices?
G. Monitor animals daily so that you are aware of what is normal and will notice when anything is not normal.
H. Dispose of dead animals properly to avoid further infection.
I. Separate sick animals from healthy animals until you are positive the disease or parasite under control.
J. Call a veterinarian for any situation beyond the control of the owner or manager.

10. What records should be kept to encourage good animal health with dairy animals?
Animals have specific record keeping needs, depending on the species or breed, to encourage good health.
Dairy animals require more paperwork than most.
The breeding program of a dairy is essential to the success of the business.
Common ailments in dairy cattle can be tracked and avoided with proper records of herd health.

11. A. Records of dairy animals are done on an individual basis.
What records should be kept to encourage good animal health with dairy animals?
A. Records of dairy animals are done on an individual basis.
Each cow is monitored for pregnancy, production, and milk quality.
Milking dairy cows two to three times each day at consistent times helps maintain health.
Studies show that milking more frequently decreases mastitis and seems to improve general udder health.
Mastitis is an infection of the milk-secreting glands.

12. What records should be kept to encourage good animal health with dairy animals?
B. Detailed records of breeding programs should be kept, including heat detection and heat cycles.
Heat describes the time in a cow’s estrus cycle when she can get pregnant.
Breeding records will help to determine if there is a reproductive problem with the animal.

13. What records should be kept to encourage good animal health with dairy animals?
C. Good animal health requires keeping track of growth and mortality rates.
By logging this information, you may notice patterns that can be addressed.

14. D. Keeping records of genetic information is beneficial.
What records should be kept to encourage good animal health with dairy animals?
D. Keeping records of genetic information is beneficial.
There might be undesirable traits that are passed on to new generations.
Genetic records can also be used to show that an animal has quality offspring.
E. Pregnancy records need to be maintained.

15. Simple maintenance can help to promote animal health.
Proper management of common maintenance tasks can save time and money in the animal business.
Many of these practices can be performed by, or with the help of, a veterinarian.
Proper timing is the key to successful maintenance.
Some maintenance practices are discussed here.

16. Simple maintenance can help to promote animal health.
A. Dehorning of animals is common to ensure that the animals do not hurt each other, themselves, or humans.
Dehorning is the removal of horns by use of chemicals, hot irons, saws, or other means.
There are several methods of dehorning.
A person should always make sure to have the proper knowledge and equipment before dehorning an animal.

17. Simple maintenance can help to promote animal health.
B. Castrating is removing the testicles from male animals so they cannot breed.
Often males are less aggressive and easier to handle after being castrated.
C. Docking of tails is a common practice for piglets and lambs.
Docking is the term used to describe removing the animal’s tail.

20. Simple maintenance can help to promote animal health.
D. Bedding animals is a very important health management practice.
Animals that have clean, dry bedding are less likely to be sick from parasites, diseases, drafts, cold, and so on.
Using the proper kind and amount of bedding is essential.

21. Simple maintenance can help to promote animal health.
E. Removal of manure and urine is necessary.
Many diseases are passed through feces.
Removing the feces will decrease the occurrence of contamination.
F. The animal facility should be kept free of rats, birds, and other animals that spread diseases.

22. Healthy Environments for Animals
Good sanitation is important to good health
Factors related to good sanitation
Keeping facilities and animals clean
Use of clean equipment
Feeders, milking equip, breeding equip, needles & syringes, surgical equip
Syringe – an instrument used for giving injections or to draw body fluids

23. Healthy Environments for Animals
Disinfectants should be used when cleaning equipment & facilities
Disinfectants – material that kills disease causing organisms
Housing
Should be clean & free of cold drafts
Good air circulation to help lower tem & reduce humidity
Avoid dry & dusty conditions
Proper Maintenance of facilities

24. Healthy Environments for Animals
Handling Manure
Piles of manure are often sources of poor health
Manure attracts flies which may lead to disease
Excessive manure can lead to poor air quality
May reduce rates of gain
May lead to feet & leg problems in feedlots
Feedlots – areas in which large numbers of animals are grown for food

25. Healthy Environments for Animals
Controlling Pests
Control of pests & parasites
Regular use of disinfectants to control parasites such as lice and flies prevents disease.
Prevention is preferable to controlling outbreaks
Control of birds & wild animals
Many birds carry parasites on their bodies and in their droppings

26. Healthy Environments for Animals
Wild animals and pets may also cause serious health problems when allowed to roam freely around farm animals.
Bites from the animals may cause infection
Pets around farm animals may cause the animals to be nervous and may affect how they grow and produce.

27. Healthy Environments for Animals
Isolation
Keeping new animals apart is good prevention
Recommended to keep new animals isolated for a minimum of 30 days for observation
May want to isolate animals returning to farm
Animals with contagious diseases should not be in contact with healthy animals.
It is difficult to treat unhealthy animals in large groups
Healthy animals tend to pick on unhealthy ones

28. Healthy Environments for Animals
It is important to rotate pastures in which animals roam
Many diseases of animals are harbored in the soil and are killed only by not being able to come into contact with host animals for extended time periods
Host Animal – animal in or on which diseases or parasites can live.
Moving animals to different pastures on a regular basis allows for the breakdown of animal waste and for pasture regrowth.

29. Diseases 2 Major categories of disease.
Contagious – those that can be passed on to other animals.
Non-Contagious- disease cannot be spread to other animals
Animals with contagious disease must be isolated as soon as the disease is identified.

30. Diseases
Humans must be careful in handling infected animals because some diseases can be transmitted to humans
Humans handling animals should become familiar with the proper techniques, vaccinations, and precautions to avoid disease and parasitic infection

31. Diseases Causes of Diseases
Contagious diseases are caused mostly by bacteria & viruses.
Can be spread by direct contact, shared housing , or contaminated feed or water
Can be spread by birds, rodents, or insects
Non-contagious may be caused by nutrient deficiencies or nutrient excess
Poisonous plants & animals, injection of foreign material, and open wounds may cause disease.

32. Parasites Symptoms Poor growth reduced production
Reduced feed intake rough, dry hair coat
Discharge from nose or eyes
Coughing or gasping trembling or shivering
Unusual discharges open sores or wournds
Unusual swelling, lumps, and knots
Abortion
Peculiar gait or other odd movements
Some diseases have little or no external symptoms that occur.

33. Parasites Two types of parasites Types of Internal Parasites
Internal – inside the animal
External – living on the outside of the animal
Types of Internal Parasites
Roundworms – slender worms that are tapered on both ends
Flukes – very small, flat worms
Protozoa – microscopic one celled organisms

34. Parasites

35. Parasites

36. Parasites
Most internal parasites spend some of their life-cycle outside the host animal
During this period the parasite may most easily be spread.
Contact with discharges from infected animals, contaminated feed, water, housing, or secondary hosts may cause the spread of internal parasites
Secondary Host – a plant or animal that carries a disease or parasite during part of the life cycle of that disease or parasite
May be spread by insects – mosquitoes and flies

38. Parasites
External Parasites – include flies, ticks, mites, & fleas

39. Parasites Symptoms of parasitic infection
Poor growth diarrhea or bloody feces
Weight loss worms in feces
Constant coughing and gagging
Anemia swelling under neck
Lowered production & reproduction
Poor stamina loss of hair and mange
Mange – presence of crusty skin condition caused by mites
Visibility of parasite itself

40. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Procedures for preventing and treating
Administering drugs
Dipping
Restraining animals
Feed additives
Vaccination
- injection of an agent into an animal to prevent disease

41. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Factors to be considered before administering drugs.
Determine the amount to be administered
Type of drug to use
Purpose of the drug
Site of administration of the drug
Type of animal to be treated

42. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Most information can be found on the drug container.
Must follow the manufacturer’s recommendations closely
It is important to consider the amount of time the drug will remain in the body.
Important in determining how long milk or meat will be contaminated
Must be determined how long to wait before treated animals or product can be slaughtered or sold.

43. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Forms that drugs may come in
Pills
Force pill as far down the side of the mouth as possible using hand or balling gun.
Balling Gun – a device used to place a pill in the animals throat

44. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Forms that drugs may come in
Powders
Normally mixed in feed or water
May need to withhold feed or water before administering drug
Dipping – a process for treating animals, mostly cattle & sheep, for external parasites
Involves a vat with medicated water and forcing the animals to walk or swim through it.
May be used with dogs for ticks and fleas
Popular when large numbers of animals must be completely covered with medication

45. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Taking Temperatures
Usually taken in the rectum
Animal thermometers are normally longer & heavier
Should have string attached
Coat the thermometer with sterile jelly.
Determine Pulse and Respiration Rates
Pulse rate taken by holding ear to animals chest and listening to heartbeat
Respiration rate taken by watching rib cage move

46. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Restraining Animals
Head gates Nose leads
Squeeze Chutes Casting harnes
Halters Snares
Twitches
Vaccination
Prevention of disease is nearly always less expensive than treating animals once they have disease
Vaccination is the injection of an agent into an animal to prevent disease.
The agent causes the animal’s body to become immune to the disease
Immune – means not affected by something

47. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Feed Additives
Used primarily to control the incidence of low level infections in growing animals.
Materials are primarily antibiotics that help increase feed efficiency and rate of gain as well as control disease.
Follow all administration recommendations

48. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Paste
Normally used for treating horses for worms
Placed on the back of the tongue.
Impossible to treat for worms using other methods.

49. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Liquids
Drugs administered orally or placed directly in the animals stomach by drenching.
Drenching – administering large amounts of liquid to an animal
Care must be taken not to get the drug into the animals lung’s
Injection of drugs
Injection – the process of administering drugs by needle and syringe.

50. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Methods of Injection
Intravenous – in a vein
Intramuscular – in a muscle
Subcutaneous – under the skin
Intradermal – between the layers of skin
Intraruminal – in the rumen
Intraperitoneal – in the abdominal cavity
One determining factor as to where injections are made is how fast the drug needs to work
A drug injected into the blood is available faster than one injected under the skin.
It may be desirable for drugs to be released slowly over a long period of time. Ex. Growth hormone

51. Preventing & Treating Animal Health Problems
Procedure for giving injection
Restrain the animal
Select the location for injection – check instructions
Fill syringe, making sure that all air is removed
Disinfect the area to be injected
Clip hair if intradermally
Insert needle in desired area without the syringe attached
Attach syringe to needle and inject liquid
Infusion
Infusion – the process of treating udder problems through the teat canal
A sterile cannula (blunt needle) is inserted into the opening of the teat and the drug is forced in

52. How are animals identified?
It is important to be able to tell animals apart, especially in large enterprises.
By not identifying an animal, the owner will not know what animal to watch, treat, breed, and so on.
This could be detrimental to the operation.
There are different methods of identification used for various types of animals.
It is important to use the appropriate methods for each particular species.

53. Why is ID important? Important management tool
Performance measurements
Identify treated animals
Track ownership and movement
Track disease outbreaks in food animal industry
Ensure consumer confidence
Able to document safety of food products

54. How are animals identified?
A. Cattle can be branded to establish ownership.
Branding is the burning or freezing of a mark onto an animal to determine ownership or pedigree.
Some owners brand the horns of their animals.
There are four methods used:
1. Hot iron branding
2. Freeze branding
3. Branding fluids
4. Laser branding

55. Identification Methods
Ear notching
Used commonly in swine
Permanent

56. How are animals identified?
B. Plastic or metal ear tags are also used to identify animals.
Plastic ear tags are popular, because they are inexpensive, can be installed anytime, and are numbered.
Plastic tags are easier to read than metal tags.
They are also brightly colored, have large numbers, and are easily read from a distance.

57. How are animals identified?
C. Marking the skin with ink on needle points is called tattooing.
This is a permanent marking but can be hard to read.
Tattooing is commonly used with swine and cattle, rabbits and other small animals.
D. Earmarks are permanent notches cut into ears of animals.
This method can be done with a knife or ear notching tool.
Pigs and sheep are commonly ear marked.

58. How are animals identified?
E. Neck chains are sometimes used, but these chains and tags can get lost.
The animal, on rare occasions, could also hang itself.
F. Another way to identify cattle is to have them swallow a transmitter that stays in their stomach.
The transmitter gives off a signal to identify the animal when activated by a receiving unit.
This method is costly, but the transmitters can be retrieved and reused after slaughter.

59. Other Methods of ID
Nose Printing
DNA
Leg Bands
Electronic Devices

60. Review What are good health management practices?
What records should be kept to encourage good animal health with dairy animals?
Simple maintenance can help to promote animal health.
How are animals identified?