The Bovine Vet Podcast

Body condition scoring has traditionally given veterinarians a snapshot of where a cow is at a particular point in lactation. New automated systems can provide scores continuously, creating an opportunity to track trajectories, identify outliers and combing body condition score data with other herd information. In this episode, Dr. Joaquin Azocar of DeLaval and Nicole Mozeliak of Herd-i discuss what continuous data can tell veterinarians, how it could change herd health decision-making and where precision dairy is headed next.

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In this episode we take a closer look at how dairy producers are detecting and managing lameness. Tyler Ribeiro of Rib Arrow Dairy shares how mobility monitoring has changed the way his farm identifies problems and responds to cows, while Jayden Palmer of J&L Hoof Products offers a broader perspective on hoof health, emerging technology and where lameness management is headed.

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In this special episode, we're bringing you practical takeaways from the American Association of Bovine Practitioners 2026 Annual Conference with veterinarians sharing new tools, techniques and approaches that can help improve cattle health and veterinary practice. Covering topics from targeted thoracic ultrasound and cattle restraint to feed additives and recycled manure bedding, with a focus on what's new, how it works and where these innovations fit into everyday bovine practice.

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Join Dr. John Kastelic, professor emeritus of theriogenology at the University of Calgary, for a deep dive into the science and practice of bull fertility. From breeding soundness exams and ultrasonography to heat stress, early-life nutrition and emerging technologies, Kastelic shares practical insights gained over decades of research and clinical experience. Learn what today's BSE can — and can't — tell you, how new diagnostic tools are changing fertility evaluation, and why a bull's reproductive potential begins long before breeding season.

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Bovine respiratory disease remains one of the biggest health challenges facing the cattle industry, despite decades of research and advances in prevention and treatment. In this episode, Dr. Paige Schmidt-Rios and Dr. Melissa Cantor explore both sides of the equation. Dr. Schmidt-Rios shares practical insights into diagnosing and treating BRD in today's feedlots, while Dr. Cantor discusses development of the CalfHealth system, an innovative research project using behavior monitoring and artificial intelligence to identify calves before clinical signs appear. Together, they examine where BRD management stands today and where new technology could take it next.

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New World screwworm has been detected in the United States, creating new challenges for veterinarians and livestock producers. In this special episode, Dr. Diane Kitchen, state epidemiologist for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, discusses what practitioners should know about identifying suspect cases, collecting diagnostic samples, treating affected animals and supporting eradication efforts. She also explains current movement restrictions, reporting expectations and why daily animal observation remains one of the most important tools in the response.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
TAHC Monitoring and Reporting: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/emergency/nws.html
Interstate Animal Moving Requirements: https://www.interstatelivestock.com/
FDA Approved Drugs List: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/safety-health/new-world-screwworm-information-veterinarians
USDA Screwworm Home: screwworm.gov

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For decades, estradiol-based protocols have been central to fixed-time artificial insemination in beef cattle, but growing scrutiny of estrogenic compounds has prompted researchers to explore alternatives. In this episode, Dr. Jaswant Singh and Dr. Carlos Leonardi discuss their research on Cetrorelix, a human fertility drug that may offer a non-steroidal approach to follicular wave synchronization.

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Routine, whole-herd deworming is giving way to a more strategic approach as veterinarians grapple with resistance, subclinical production losses, and changing management goals. In this episode, Dr. Megan Bollin and Dr. Nancy Jackson discuss diagnostics, refugia, combination therapy, and every day management practices shaping the future of parasite control in cattle.

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This episode brings together three expert perspectives to tackle milk fever from every angle. Together, they unpack why milk fever is more than just a calcium deficiency and how better transition cow management, nutrition and early intervention can reduce both clinical and subclinical cases.

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You can't see fertility, feed efficiency or disease risk, but genomics can. In this episode, host Andrea Bedford sits down with Dr. Tom Short and Dr. Kent Andersen to discuss how genomic testing is helping reduce risk, improve profitability and move from herd-level decisions to individual-animal precision.

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