Nutrition Detective by Mike Mehren Ph.D.

Nutrition Detective
by Mike Mehren Ph.D.

Attempting to solve livestock health, reproduction or performance problems are one of my favorite jobs.

Through the years I’ve been involved with some cases that dealt with a large percent of the herd, and consequently a large amount of money (or lack of). I’ve been very fortunate to work with University and private practice veterinarians, and agronomists, who all added expertise in their own area. Despite this, some answers escaped us and Mother Nature had to take over. Such was the following case.

A cowherd in Northern B.C. started having calves born with crooked legs. The family had ranched in this area for many years before this began happening. Everyone involved figured it probably was caused by lupine, since it grows well in that country. Unfortunately that theory was shot down, because no one could find lupine plants inside the fence, and the fences were in excellent condition, we could not see where anything was getting out. This area has lots of summer rain, so winter feed is made by cutting haylage from the pastures. The haylage was put up well, smelled good, and tested quite well. It was tested for the presence of mold, mycotoxins, fungi, and anything else that anyone could think of. The ranch bought some barley to feed when the weather was bitterly cold. This was also tested for microorganisms, farm chemicals, and other potentially harmful agents. The ranch purchased a mineral from a local farm store. It also was thoroughly tested; there was nothing unusual there. The neighbors fed the same mineral, their grass meadows were as much alike as nature could allow, and their barley came from the same source. They had never had a crooked calf.

The water was checked for every imaginable element and organism.

Calves were sacrificed and subjected to all kinds of tests. The genetics from the cowherd and bull group was reviewed to see if there might be a genetic factor.

At one point during the winter a large number of starlings died. They were found underneath the power lines near the corral and barns. I thought there might be some connection. Wrong again….it turns out that starlings freeze to death when the temperature reaches -40 F.

This went on for several years. I believe that everything that came in contact with the cows, bulls, or calves had been studied. Then Mother Nature stepped in; a drought hit and no grass grew so they had to purchase hay from the Peace River Valley for fall and winter feed. Guess what; no crooked calves. Not a one. Something in that meadow haylage was causing crooked calves. Since that time they have found that they could feed some haylage, but a large portion of the winter feed has to be hay. To my knowledge, the exact cause has never been found.

In recent years I’ve been asked to help solve problems that involve rough hair coats. The animals don’t shed off their old dead winter hair. The hair has an off-color tint that is usually lighter than normal. Angus will have reddish-brown or gray hair, while Herefords will have yellow or orange hair instead of red. This kind of problem can be one pasture on a ranch or can encompass a whole valley. A copper deficiency may produce these symptoms. In the Northwest we have quite a few different variations of copper deficiency. Most feeds grown around the northwest are simply low in copper. I find many in the range of 5 to 6 parts per million, while the animal needs 10 – 15 parts per million. Many of our forages contain high levels of iron. Ranges for iron fond range from 1800 parts per million down to 100 parts per million. Research evidence tells us that when iron content of forage is over 500 parts per million that it will interfere with copper use. Some farms fertilize with gypsum (calcium sulfate); the sulfur in this compound also interferes with copper use if the forage level is at 0.30% of sulfur or above. Last but not least, is interference by the mineral element molybdenum. This mineral is abundant in river bottoms and heavy organic soil it ties up copper so that the animal can’t use it. In these three incidences, the forage may have 12 parts per million copper (which should be adequate) but this is tied up by iron, sulfate, or moly or their combination. Copper problems can be solved using tools such as copper bolus that is placed in the paunch and releases copper daily. Another means is through increasing daily copper intake in supplement being fed. Most feed companies use a combination of inorganic copper plus a chelated form of copper in this instance. Injectionable copper is available, however it is a short-term solution. It’s important to know that excess copper can kill cattle very effectively! Be careful about increasing copper in your supplements unless you have positive diagnosis from your veterinarian and nutritionist. Bluestone is used to kill algae in farm ponds. Bluestone is copper sulfate, and if it kills those pond organisms it is quite capable of killing the organisms in the animal’s paunch. It seems that we have become so attuned to copper problems that we forget to even think about worms.

We have excellent de-wormers available now; but I have seen plenty of instances that prove that fall de-worming will not offer protection the following spring and on to the following fall. The animals de-wormed in the fall may be devoid of worms during the fall and winter, but the “spring flush” of worms on pasture or range may re-infest the animals and cause much more damage than just a rough hair coat with faded color. If the damage can be seen in their coat, you can be sure that the lining of the gut is damaged to the point where nutrients aren’t absorbed as well, and performance won’t be what the animal or feed is capable of producing.

Worm samples are simple (and fun!!) to collect. A plastic 1 gal. bag turned inside out can be used to pick up a manure sample, and then reversed and sealed for storage and delivery to your veterinarian or a lab. Keep the sample cool after you take it. However, it should not be frozen. If you have to ship it somewhere include one of those freezer packs that come with vaccine to keep it cool during shipping. To get an idea of worm levels in a group, the sample should be made up from fresh manure from many animals, rather than a single animal. There are several different methods of counting parasite eggs in a fecal sample.

The methods do not offer the same results consistently. It is important to make certain that your veterinarian has ruled out internal parasites as a cause of your problems even if the lab results come back negative.

Playing detective goes much better if there is a team involved. The team may consist of you, your veterinarian, your nutritionist, and someone with expertise in plant identification and toxicity. Different seasons may be involved as in the toxic situation in B.C. The problem actually developed in the summer, the feed was fed in the fall and winter and the symptoms appeared in the spring. Some problems may be limited to mature cows such as grass tetany. Some may occur when cattle are moved to one type of feed or another such as nitrate or prussic acid poisoning on Sudan grass, Many problems may look like feed, but are entirely different, such as worms, flukes, or disease. If a problem persists, look into everything that affects your cattle during the entire year.

I attended a grazing workshop held in pilot rock recently. The speaker was Dr. Lee Manske, a researcher from Dickinson station of North Dakota State University. He has been studying the effect of cattle grazing on perennial grasses, He believes he has identified grazing techniques that are most beneficial to the health of the plant and still allow maximum harvest of protein and energy from those plants. We hope to have this gentleman join us again this winter and put on a three-day workshop that thoroughly discusses a strategy for each individual ranch in attendance. I’ll be certain to let you know the details about this if e are able to put it together.

Michael J. Mehren Ph.D. is a livestock nutritionist disguised as a short-fat man working undercover near Hermiston, Oregon.



		Nutrition Detective by Mike Mehren Ph.D. Attempting to solve livestock health, reproduction or performance problems are one of my favorite jobs. Through the years I’ve been involved with some cases that dealt with a large percent of the herd, and consequently a large amount of money (or lack of). I’ve been very fortunate to work with University and private practice veterinarians, and agronomists, who all added expertise in their own area. Despite this, some answers escaped us and Mother Nature had to take over. Such was the following case. A cowherd in Northern B.C. started having calves born with crooked legs. The family had ranched in this area for many years before this began happening. Everyone involved figured it probably was caused by lupine, since it grows well in that country. Unfortunately that theory was shot down, because no one could find lupine plants inside the fence, and the fences were in excellent condition, we could not see where anything was getting out. This area has lots of summer rain, so winter feed is made by cutting haylage from the pastures. The haylage was put up well, smelled good, and tested quite well. It was tested for the presence of mold, mycotoxins, fungi, and anything else that anyone could think of. The ranch bought some barley to feed when the weather was bitterly cold. This was also tested for microorganisms, farm chemicals, and other potentially harmful agents. The ranch purchased a mineral from a local farm store. It also was thoroughly tested; there was nothing unusual there. The neighbors fed the same mineral, their grass meadows were as much alike as nature could allow, and their barley came from the same source. They had never had a crooked calf. The water was checked for every imaginable element and organism. Calves were sacrificed and subjected to all kinds of tests. The genetics from the cowherd and bull group was reviewed to see if there might be a genetic factor. At one point during the winter a large number of starlings died. They were found underneath the power lines near the corral and barns. I thought there might be some connection. Wrong again….it turns out that starlings freeze to death when the temperature reaches -40 F. This went on for several years. I believe that everything that came in contact with the cows, bulls, or calves had been studied. Then Mother Nature stepped in; a drought hit and no grass grew so they had to purchase hay from the Peace River Valley for fall and winter feed. Guess what; no crooked calves. Not a one. Something in that meadow haylage was causing crooked calves. Since that time they have found that they could feed some haylage, but a large portion of the winter feed has to be hay. To my knowledge, the exact cause has never been found. In recent years I’ve been asked to help solve problems that involve rough hair coats. The animals don’t shed off their old dead winter hair. The hair has an off-color tint that is usually lighter than normal. Angus will have reddish-brown or gray hair, while Herefords will have yellow or orange hair instead of red. This kind of problem can be one pasture on a ranch or can encompass a whole valley. A copper deficiency may produce these symptoms. In the Northwest we have quite a few different variations of copper deficiency. Most feeds grown around the northwest are simply low in copper. I find many in the range of 5 to 6 parts per million, while the animal needs 10 – 15 parts per million. Many of our forages contain high levels of iron. Ranges for iron fond range from 1800 parts per million down to 100 parts per million. Research evidence tells us that when iron content of forage is over 500 parts per million that it will interfere with copper use. Some farms fertilize with gypsum (calcium sulfate); the sulfur in this compound also interferes with copper use if the forage level is at 0.30% of sulfur or above. Last but not least, is interference by the mineral element molybdenum. This mineral is abundant in river bottoms and heavy organic soil it ties up copper so that the animal can’t use it. In these three incidences, the forage may have 12 parts per million copper (which should be adequate) but this is tied up by iron, sulfate, or moly or their combination. Copper problems can be solved using tools such as copper bolus that is placed in the paunch and releases copper daily. Another means is through increasing daily copper intake in supplement being fed. Most feed companies use a combination of inorganic copper plus a chelated form of copper in this instance. Injectionable copper is available, however it is a short-term solution. It’s important to know that excess copper can kill cattle very effectively! Be careful about increasing copper in your supplements unless you have positive diagnosis from your veterinarian and nutritionist. Bluestone is used to kill algae in farm ponds. Bluestone is copper sulfate, and if it kills those pond organisms it is quite capable of killing the organisms in the animal’s paunch. It seems that we have become so attuned to copper problems that we forget to even think about worms. We have excellent de-wormers available now; but I have seen plenty of instances that prove that fall de-worming will not offer protection the following spring and on to the following fall. The animals de-wormed in the fall may be devoid of worms during the fall and winter, but the “spring flush” of worms on pasture or range may re-infest the animals and cause much more damage than just a rough hair coat with faded color. If the damage can be seen in their coat, you can be sure that the lining of the gut is damaged to the point where nutrients aren’t absorbed as well, and performance won’t be what the animal or feed is capable of producing. Worm samples are simple (and fun!!) to collect. A plastic 1 gal. bag turned inside out can be used to pick up a manure sample, and then reversed and sealed for storage and delivery to your veterinarian or a lab. Keep the sample cool after you take it. However, it should not be frozen. If you have to ship it somewhere include one of those freezer packs that come with vaccine to keep it cool during shipping. To get an idea of worm levels in a group, the sample should be made up from fresh manure from many animals, rather than a single animal. There are several different methods of counting parasite eggs in a fecal sample. The methods do not offer the same results consistently. It is important to make certain that your veterinarian has ruled out internal parasites as a cause of your problems even if the lab results come back negative. Playing detective goes much better if there is a team involved. The team may consist of you, your veterinarian, your nutritionist, and someone with expertise in plant identification and toxicity. Different seasons may be involved as in the toxic situation in B.C. The problem actually developed in the summer, the feed was fed in the fall and winter and the symptoms appeared in the spring. Some problems may be limited to mature cows such as grass tetany. Some may occur when cattle are moved to one type of feed or another such as nitrate or prussic acid poisoning on Sudan grass, Many problems may look like feed, but are entirely different, such as worms, flukes, or disease. If a problem persists, look into everything that affects your cattle during the entire year. I attended a grazing workshop held in pilot rock recently. The speaker was Dr. Lee Manske, a researcher from Dickinson station of North Dakota State University. He has been studying the effect of cattle grazing on perennial grasses, He believes he has identified grazing techniques that are most beneficial to the health of the plant and still allow maximum harvest of protein and energy from those plants. We hope to have this gentleman join us again this winter and put on a three-day workshop that thoroughly discusses a strategy for each individual ranch in attendance. I’ll be certain to let you know the details about this if e are able to put it together. Michael J. Mehren Ph.D. is a livestock nutritionist disguised as a short-fat man working undercover near Hermiston, Oregon.		About OFGA Services Join OFGA Meetings & Events OFGA Officers OFGA Bylaws Links Contact OFGA Articles Mike Mehren, Ph.D. Feed/Export Wheat Report