Feeding changes open opportunities

Sep 28, 2023

There’s a strong relationship between health and growth in a calf’s early life and that animal’s lifetime production. That means what happens to a calf in its first few hours and days is extremely critical, particularly concerning what it’s fed.

What, how much and when to feed calves is changing and opens new opportunities for producers to impact the long-term health, growth and productivity of their animals, said Michael Steele, a professor in the University of Guelph-Department of Animal Biosciences.

“You can mold the calf when it’s born,” he said. “We call this developmental plasticity, which is strong early in life and goes down as time goes on.”

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Video: Five Confirmed New World Screwworm Cases Raise Alarm for Livestock and Pet Owners

Pat Hoffmann, Swine Technical Consultant at Elanco Animal Health tells us about the impact of New World Screwworm. The emergence of New World screwworm in the U.S. creates a threat for veterinarians, livestock producers and pet owners that has not been seen north of the Florida Keys since the fly was eradicated from the United States more than 50 years ago. New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) larvae feed on living tissue and can affect a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including livestock, companion animals, wildlife, and even humans.
“New World screwworm could have a devastating impact on animal health, welfare, and producer livelihoods,” said Jeff Simmons, President and CEO, Elanco Animal Health. “We want to thank the FDA, EPA and USDA, for all their work to prepare for this threat. We’re committed to supporting our customers during this challenging time by delivering innovation, scientific expertise, and available resources to help treat New World screwworm and support the health and well-being of animals.”
Elanco is working alongside the U.S. animal health industry to help them fight against this parasite, offering a portfolio of options for pets and livestock that can help treat New World screwworm larvae infestations.