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Bovine Herd Health Management Flashcards

7 cards from real NAVLE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Bovine Herd Health Management flashcards as text

  1. A dairy herd has a transition cow period disorder rate of 25% for clinical ketosis. Which nutritional management strategy is most effective at reducing periparturient ketosis?

    Answer: Feeding propylene glycol as a preventive drench in the close-up dry period

    Propylene glycol is a glucogenic precursor that, when drenched preventively in the close-up period or early postpartum, reduces the incidence of clinical ketosis by supporting hepatic gluconeogenesis.

  2. Which test is used to diagnose pregnancy toxemia (ketosis) in beef cows and can be performed on-farm using a handheld meter?

    Answer: Blood beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) measurement

    Handheld ketone meters measuring blood beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) provide rapid on-farm diagnosis of subclinical and clinical ketosis, with subclinical ketosis defined as BHB ≥1.2 mmol/L.

  3. A beef producer reports that 20% of his cows are losing calves due to abortion in the second trimester. Fluorescent antibody testing of aborted fetal tissues confirms Neospora caninum. What is the most likely source of infection in this cow-calf herd?

    Answer: Ingestion of feed or water contaminated with dog feces containing oocysts

    Dogs are the definitive host for Neospora caninum and shed oocysts in feces; cattle are infected by ingesting contaminated feed or water, making canine fecal contamination the primary horizontal transmission route.

  4. What is the recommended minimum colostrum quality (Brix refractometer reading) indicating adequate IgG concentration for feeding to neonatal calves?

    Answer: ≥22% Brix

    A Brix refractometer reading of ≥22% correlates with IgG concentrations ≥50 g/L, which is the threshold for high-quality colostrum suitable for feeding neonatal calves.

  5. A veterinarian is establishing a herd health program for a 500-cow dairy. Which parameter best defines 'failure of passive transfer' (FPT) in dairy calves?

    Answer: Serum IgG <10 g/L measured at 24-48 hours of age

    FPT is defined as serum IgG <10 g/L (or serum total protein <5.2 g/dL as a surrogate) measured at 24-48 hours of age, after the gut closes to macromolecular absorption.

  6. In a beef herd vaccination program, Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) Type 1 and Type 2 vaccines are used. Which cattle are most critical to vaccinate to prevent persistently infected (PI) calves from being born?

    Answer: Heifers and cows before breeding

    PI calves result from fetal infection with BVDV between days 40-125 of gestation; vaccinating cows and heifers before breeding prevents viremia during this critical window.

  7. A producer observes stiff gait and muscle tremors in 2-week-old beef calves born to cows on selenium-deficient pastures. What is the most likely diagnosis?

    Answer: White muscle disease (nutritional muscular dystrophy)

    White muscle disease (nutritional muscular dystrophy) is caused by selenium and/or vitamin E deficiency, presenting as muscle weakness, stiff gait, and tremors in young calves born in selenium-deficient areas.