Due to the vulnerability of Louisiana to hurricanes and their potential to cause widespread damage due to high winds and flooding, hurricane preparedness is essential. This fact sheet provides information needed for small-ruminant owners to prepare for all types of disasters.

Due to the vulnerability of Louisiana to hurricanes and their potential to cause widespread damage due to high winds and flooding, hurricane preparedness is essential. This fact sheet provides horse producers with information needed to prepare for all types of disasters.

Due to the vulnerability of Louisiana to hurricanes and their potential to cause widespread damage due to high winds and flooding, hurricane preparedness is essential. This fact sheet provides dairy producers with information needed to get ready for all types of disasters.

Images of major poisonous plants are presented to assist livestock owners with plant recognition. Toxic effects are also mentioned.

Herd outbreaks of acute respiratory disease in cattle may occur. Causes include ingestion of perilla mint, mold damaged sweet potatoes, sudden intake of immature summer forages high in the amino acid tryptophan.

Browse this list of links for additional information on poultry health.

Showy crotalaria is a significant toxic plant in Louisiana. It contains alkaloids that cause liver damage in horses and livestock. The seeds may remain viable in undisturbed soil for 60 years or longer.

Blister beetles are ¾- to 1¼-inch-long, narrow-bodied, broad-headed insects that may be found in alfalfa hay originating from certain parts of the United States. One beetle alone won't caust toxicity, but they can gather in large numbers in concentrated clusters of harvested hay.

Photosensitization, also known as photodermatitis, occurs when the liver is unable to excrete a metabolite of chlorophyll from forages the animal has eaten. The metabolite accumulates in the skin and is activated by sunlight. The reaction yields free radicals that "burn" the skin.

BVD is a viral disease of cattle that can cause clinical disease and subclinical production losses. This article discusses the common signs of this disease and how to manage it.

One of the most difficult feeding challenges faced by dairy farmers is the drop off in feed intake and milk production during the summer. To minimize these losses, rations must be specially formulated for hot weather.

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus infections occur in horses and other equids. Where does EEE come from? What's the best way to protect a horse? Find these answers and more.

Anthrax in livestock and horses is described. Topics discussed include: A brief history of the disease, persistance of spores in soil, clinical signs, what to do if anthrax suspected, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control.

Have your chickens ever had white lesions that developed into wart-like nodules and then formed dark scabs on their combs and wattles? If so, your chickens had fowl pox, according to LSU AgCenter poultry professor Dr. Theresia Lavergne.

The following are some general recommendations to follow when developing a feeding program for horses.

Anaplasmosis is characterized by anemia, which is caused by the destruction of the red blood cells by Anaplasma marginale, a blood parasite, transmitted to beef and dairy cattle by insects. The Anaplasmosis vaccine is made, produced and available by LSU Veterinary Science retired faculty, and a royalty is paid to the LSU AgCenter. If you have questions about Anaplasmosis or the availability of the vaccine, please call 1-800-308-5242.

Louisiana researchers tested the efficacy of a commercially available Staph. aureurs vaccine administered to heifers.

Due to the vulnerability of Louisiana to hurricanes and their potential to cause widespread damage due to high winds and flooding, hurricane preparedness is essential.

The blood-sucking fly pests of Louisiana beef cattle include the horn fly, stable fly and many species of tabanids. By understanding the biology and life cycle of each pest, producers will be better able to devise more effective fly control programs. This publication explains how, in most cases, an integrated approach, whereby more than one control method is used, will prove more effective for long-term fly control.

This fact sheet describes the four parts of a herd health program for beef cattle: Nutrition, deworming, vaccinations and biosecurity.

Flies are the most important insect pests of horses. Among this large, diverse group of insects, the pests of horses include bloodsucking or biting flies, filth or irritation flies, mosquitoes and bot flies. The description, biology, economic/health significance and control are included.

Beef cattle producers seeking to maximize profits in their cow-calf production systems can increase income from their calves by castrating male calves. This edition of the Bayou Beef Tips newsletter contains important information on cowherd management, specifically the methods of castration which are surgical, emasculatome, elastrator, and should you castrate early or delay.

Horse diseases are normally divided into three general areas, depending on the site of their specificdamage. They are general body diseases, respiratory diseases and reproductive diseases.

Vitamin supplementation in horses is generally not needed since common feeds normally contain adequate amounts. Vitamin deficiencies occur primarily when horses are sick or stressed, or if feed is improperly processed and stored over long periods of time. In these cases, vitamin supplementation may be necessary.

The primary concern in mineral nutrition is to provide salt and adequate levels of calcium and phosphorous in approximately a 1.3 to 1 ratio.

This two-part series describes the potential disease problems that may arise in the winter in beef cattle because of shortages of grazing and stored forages, and it offers solutions to help prevent these problems.

The chances of poultry and other domestic birds acquiring mosquito-transmitted encephalitis viruses are relatively low, according to an LSU AgCenter expert, who says you also can take precautions to further reduce that risk.

This article discusses common diseases in show animals and how to prevent them.

This article discusses the common parasites of horses and ways to control them.

The following lists health problems and issues specific to show cattle, but It is not intended to be a complete discussion of the topics presented. Diagnosis and treatment of illnesses in animals are most effective when a veterinarian is able to see the environment in which the animals are kept, discuss the diet and physically examine them.

Is there an absolutely safe level? The answer is probably no. For beef cows, including pregnant cows, a maximum of 100 ppb in the total diet appears to be a practical answer.

By providing good care, horsemen can minimize the costs of health care and maximize their enjoyment of their horses.

Conscientious owners should be aware that there can be potentially toxic substances in feeds.

Although the latest strain of avian influenza, H5N1, has not been detected in the United States, LSU AgCenter specialists say poultry owners should do all they can to protect their flocks and hunters of wild fowl must take precautions

Winter feeding costs are a major expense in cow-calf herds. So, selecting a winter feeding program that is cost-efficient is imperative. However, making sure nutrient requirements are met during this time is critical to future profitability. An investment now can pay dividends for years to come.

These publications are designed to help Louisiana residents recover from floods, storms, extended power outages and other stressful, dangerous events.

Dealing with summertime heat is a great challenge for people in Louisiana, and LSU AgCenter poultry specialist Dr. Theresia Lavergne says high heat and humidity combine to pose severe problems for all types of poultry.

A brief review of the common health problems that can afflict cattle, sheep and pigs. Symptoms and treatments are described, but this is not meant to be a treatment guide. (PDF Format Only)

What is avian influenza (bird flu)? What are the hosts for avian influenza? How is avian influenza transmitted from bird to bird? What are the signs of avian influenza in birds? Find these answers and more in this one-page fact sheet.

Cattle, goats, horses, pigs and sheep surviving Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita are vulnerable to several diseases, including infectious diseases and toxicities, according to a veterinarian with the LSU AgCenter.

The horse industry is alive and well in Louisiana. Purses for racing Thoroughbreds and quarter horses are high, and quality show horses are found in nearly every barn. Knowledge of horse owners and their ability to care for their animals is also increasing. Neurologic diseases and how to best prevent them continue to present challenges to our horses as well as their humans.

The large amount of media attention on human obesity in the past several years has made most of us keenly aware of the health hazards associated with carrying too much body fat. In the world of domestic farm animals, however, emphasis has typically been on how poor nutrition, and specifically poor body condition (little body fat), affect productivity and reproductive efficiency.

Although there’s not an imminent danger, some scientists say a widespread disease or bioterrorism attack could wipe out significant portions of the U.S. farm animal population. That's where the National Animal Germplasm Program comes in.

Cattle in all beef herds are subjected to some of the common diseases. Vaccines are available that can induce some degree of protection against several of the major diseases of cattle.

Genetic selection of broiler chickens for production performance has been associated with changes in their behavior. Traits such as aggres-siveness, mating behavior, fearfulness (propensity to be easily frightened), feather pecking and sociality vary considerably within genetic strains. Many of these traits can exert profound effects on the welfare and productivity of farmed poultry because they influence the birds’ ability to adapt to their social and physical environment.

Stress can lead poultry to "pick" at one another, and LSU AgCenter poultry expert Dr. Theresia Lavergne says the problem seems to be occurring around the state.

The LSU AgCenter operates 25 weather stations at research stations and other cooperating locations throughout Louisiana. The Louisiana Agriclimatic Information System privides temperature and humidity data that researchers can correlate to livestock and crop production. Each station provides minute-by-minute measurements of air temperature, rainfall, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, solar radiation and soil temperature.

Cattle producers and other industry leaders learned about a new National Animal Identification System (NAIS) during the annual LSU AgCenter’s Rosepine Research Station Field Day May 6. The system would enable farmers and government officials to quickly track and contain animal disease outbreaks by using precise identification of each animal.

Some pesticides can potentially harm livestock. There are steps farmers can take in order to counteract toxic effects and minimize the risk of exposure.