Livestock Cattle Check out these new livestock products for ranchers These recently introduced products can help ID sick calves, heal pink eye, and upgrade genetics. By Gene Johnston Gene Johnston After 33 years on full time staff at Successful Farming, Gene Johnston is now in semi-retirement. He covers stories and topics as assigned on a freelance basis, with emphasis on the beef industry. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 9, 2023 Close Detect sick calves Whisper On Arrival is a new technology product from Merck Animal Health and Allflex Livestock Intelligence that identifies sick calves needing treatment. The paddle-type device is used chute-side as calves are processed. When held against a calf’s chest (right side of chest, behind the elbow), it detects and measures heart and lung functions, and sends the data wirelessly to an app on your computer tablet. That information, plus a rectal temperature and weight, predicts the calf’s risk of developing bovine respiratory disease (BRD). You get a simple “treat” or “no-treat” message on the tablet. The goal of Whisper On Arrival is to eliminate guesswork and routine antimicrobial treatment of every animal, according to Merck veterinary experts. In tests, the technology has been shown to reduce antibiotic use by 10% to 43% in at-risk calves. Missouri cattle backgrounder Aaron Miller, an early user of the technology, says, “We now treat only the calves indicated by the system. Our overall cattle health is better, and we see fewer cases of pneumonia.” The Whisper paddle is user-friendly, he adds. “It’s about learning where to hold it to get a good reading. We take the reading, do other processing, and then see the results. It takes about 15 seconds.” The Whisper On Arrival system costs about $1,300, and you pay $2.20 per animal scanned. A 60-day trial period lets you scan for free to make sure you are comfortable with the technology. Visit: whisperonarrival.com Homegrown F1 baldy heifers ProGentus, a division of Trans Ova Genetics, has a new program for commercial cattle producers to upgrade their cow herd with a continuous source of F1 Angus-Hereford replacement females. Through embryo transfer, they are calved and grown on your own farm. ProGentus experts select the F1 embryos from the company’s herd, predetermined to be only females. The Angus cows that produce the embryos are in the top 1% of EPD traits for birth weight, mature cow height and weight, dollar energy efficiency of the Angus breed, and other traits. The Hereford sires are in the top EPDs for calving ease, birth weight, udder traits, and maternal index. The resulting elite baldy replacement heifers can upgrade your genetics in one generation, says the company. You work with a ProGentus representative to identify recipient cows and to plan your synchronization program. On embryo implant day, a ProGentus technician comes to your farm for the procedure. Your cost: about $360 per live calf. Visit: progentus.com Fast pink eye treatment Curicyn Curicyn Pink Eye Solution is a spray-on gel formula that can help heal pink eye in cows and calves on pasture. It can be sprayed from the bottle up to 10 feet away; however, it works better if the cattle are restrained. Because it is a gel, one squirt sticks to the eyeball, which heals in one to three days, says Tracey Weaver of Curicyn. “It’s an anti-inflammatory, so it offers quick pain relief,” she says. “It treats all strains of pink eye bacteria, is nontoxic and steroid-free, and can be used on horses or other livestock.” You can buy the product online in a 70-dose bottle for less than $1 per dose, she adds, or find it at farm supply retailers. Visit: curicyn.com Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit