Small Ruminant Services

Medical and reproductive cautions are specific to ruminant herds, as well as each species of ruminantia. Knowledge about preventative medicine, breeding technologies, and production techniques can improve both the animal’s health and your yields. Creston Large Animal has the equipment to help you maintain herd health and be more productive as well.

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Herd Health & Analysis

Formulated Vaccination Schedule

Depending on what you're doing with your flock, this can make or break your operation. By developing a vaccination schedule, you will be spending a little now on preventative health and saving yourself from doctoring cattle all year long. The chance of picking up a virus could put a dent in your herd, or many of your cows could abort and you lose your entire profit for that year. We will help you be proactive and only vaccinate for the things that you need.

Mastitis & Milk Quality Assessment

Any livestock farm will need to decide how much udder health and milk quality they want to do to maximize its overall performance. Some farms want to do just the minimum legal standard and others want to be proactive and they notice the maximized performance. This could make a huge difference in your productivity.

Cosmetic & Electric Dehorning

There are two options when deciding to dehorn your livestock. Depending on the age, size of horns, and use of the animal will determine if cosmetic or electric dehorning is more appropriate. There are pros and cons with both, so ask Creston Large Animal for the best options for you and your heard.

DNA Testing

Testing is done for simple traits such as coat color, horned/polled status, and recessive genetic defects. There are also several parentage tests you could use, which not only identifies pedigree integrity in the seed stock industry, but identifies problematic sires in commercial herds to protect your flock. If you're interested in testing your herd, contact Creston Large Animal to help decide your next step.

Castration

This is a common procedure that should be decided at a fairly young age. The younger the male, the less severe the procedure is. You can use an elastrator if the testicles are small enough; if they are too big they can be surgically removed.

Umbilical Hernia

These are usually diagnosed by a vet with a physical examination. They are easily reducible, not painful, and have no evidence of present infection. Hernias can be hereditary or can be from an umbilical infection that goes unnoticed.

Certificates of Veterinary Inspection

This plays a big role in preventing the spread of animal diseases across state lines. State agencies have created rules and regulations that govern the importation of livestock and other animals. It helps keep animals healthy and slows down bring new diseases in new areas. Creston Large Animal can help you with CVI to insure healthy transport.

Immunization Protocols

Having the proper vaccination schedule is crucial to livestock health. Your animals will be much more profitable and doctoring of cattle will be greatly lowered. If your flock is exposed to anything, you should vaccinate to protect them.

Breeding Management and Reproduction

Breeding Soundness Exam

Livestock producers should seriously consider getting a breeding soundness exam (BSE). The examination is conducted on males prior to the breeding season to assess their reliability and capability as breeding animals. This is arguably the best money livestock producers will spend on an annual basis to protect their heard. We sometimes try to save money by not spending it, but conducting a BSE is a prime example of how to save money in the long run by spending a little up front.

Semen Evaluation

If you're planning on using your male consistently, it may be a good idea to get a semen evaluation done so you know how fertile he is (how effective he is at getting females pregnant). This can make your operation very profitable or a losing battle. If you’re tending to an entire herd but only get a few offspring a year due to a male's low sperm count, the cause of your herd not being profitable could have been forseen with a semen evaluation. Something so simple can make a huge difference.

Frozen Semen Storage

After semen is harvested, it is put into straws, ready to store. From there they are put in what’s called a semen tank. This tank is full of nitrogen which keeps the semen frozen and preserved. Straws are handled with straw tweezers, and fingers can be protected from nitrogen burns by wearing thin gloves.

Dystocia (difficult labor)

Birthing difficulty is often called dystocia. It is the major cause of death loss in breeding operations. Dystocia can have large economic impacts on producers with the possibilities of fetal death, veterinary costs, decreased rebreeding efficiency, and injury or death to the female. All this added up makes a huge dent in an operation. Creston Large Animal can help you create a sound management program to lower the risk of dystocia and quickly recognize females experiencing difficult labor, thus improving livestock welfare and farm profitability.

Cesarian "C" Section

A cesarean is an incision made through the uterus in order to deliver the offspring. C-sections are necessary in livestock when vaginal delivery is too difficult - such as it can be with dystocia - and when the fetus is not progressing in the expected amount of time, therefore endangering the life of itself or the female. Your vet can do this procedure to protect your investment and for the health of your animals.