When Kee Jim talks, people in the cattle world listen. He has spent a decades-long career refuting the notion that a jack of all trades is the master of none, offering his extensive expertise to help feedlot operators become as efficient and profitable as possible.

It’s time to work cattle. You’ve gotten the vaccines and all you have to do is load syringes and you’re good to go, right? 

In my 25 years as a cattle veterinarian, I’ve seen the impact of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) – the most prevalent and costly challenge facing North American cattle producers – in many operations.

Ranchers have so much invested in the genetics and in the long process of getting that live calf on the ground that we want to do everything we can to protect that investment. Let’s look at how to give our young calves the best possible start.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus, or BVDV, is one of the most frequent diseases dealt with in cattle, in all sectors of the industry.

And just like that, it’s time for fall processing. Let’s look closely at what we’ll need to give our weaning-aged calves a leg up on their next stage of life, starting with vaccination strategy, implants and deworming.