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Merial Introduces Certified Health Program, SureHealth At the NCBA Convention, Merial introduced a certified bovine health program to help producers capture added value from good animal husbandry practices. The program, SureHealth, features management practices proven to increase productivity through the entire production chain. "SureHealth is the industry's first nationwide bovine health assurance program that carries the creditability of veterinarian certification," says Richard Jenkins, associate director, cow/calf marketing, Merial. "In fact, veterinarians developed the protocols specifically for cattle producers. Parasite-free status, early, effective immunity and good management enhance productivity in beef animals. This program carries the creditability of veterinarian certification to support improved information flow across industry segments." Following is an interview with Merial that details the program: Q: What health conditions does Merial SureHealth target? A: Internal parasites - digestive tract and liver parasites can reduce animal gain, immune function, reproductive efficiency and have been implicated in lower carcass merit. External parasites - lice, mites and grubs are associated with reduced feed consumption, lower gain and hide damage. Respiratory infections - these conditions and their precursor conditions are responsible for millions of dollars in losses in all phases of cattle production, particularly in the finishing phase. Besides reduced growth and performance, added costs are incurred due to medical costs, death loss, impact of subclinical infections on gain, poor feed efficiency and reduced carcass merit. Properly immunized cattle are less likely to end up in the hospital pen, or otherwise do poorly. Reproductive diseases - poor reproductive rates are a major factor in the economic performance of cow-calf operations. Clostridial diseases - widespread use of clostridial vaccines have held in check the death losses associated with these conditions, but they remain important in any preventive animal health program. Q: What animal husbandry practices are included in the program? A: Certain proven practices enhance cattle production. They mainly involve preconditioning and basic steps to background cattle. An example is feeder calves that are dehorned, castrated, broken to feed from a bunk and drink from a trough. Q: Why are programs like this growing more popular? A: The market increasingly recognizes the value of animal well being. The market also recognizes that enhanced cooperation and information sharing can increase profits for all players. Q: How does the Merial SureHealth certification process work? A: Parasite control, immunization programs and preconditioning steps are done by the producer and documented by a participating veterinarian. The veterinarian signs off that these steps have been followed. Merial issues a certificate to the producer. The producer uses the document to certify for buyers that the protocols were followed. This record is particularly important in markets or exchanges where animal identity and source would normally be lost, but it can also be of value in private sales. Q: How does this save the feedyard money if they pay more for calves? A: Feedyards can lower arrival-processing costs if calves are treated and immunized before shipment. It is well known that calves should be immunized and placed on a decent ration several weeks before they ship out in order to develop an effective immune response. Freshly weaned calves straight off the truck are stressed, and this compromises their ability to respond effectively to immunization. Calves that get sick in the feedyard do poorly in growth and performance, raising the cost of gain. Preconditioned calves have lower pull and re-pull rates than calves with naive immune systems. Q: How is the Merial SureHealth program related to the AgSpan network? A: AgSpan is an Internet-based electronic marketplace for cattle. Among other services, it recruits veterinarians to certify cattle health for buyers and sellers. Merial SureHealth may be specified as an animal-health protocol in this system. More generally, the information age is an enabling technology for services like AgSpan. It conveniently transmits information, data and value. This technology also breaks down barriers between segments of the production chain and can foster alternative value-based networks. AgSpan can provide information on cattle background to the buyer, make a market for the cattle and provide performance information back to the seller. The Merial SureHealth program fits into this model, but it is also applicable to other ways that cattle are bought and sold. Q: Is Merial SureHealth designed only for electronic markets and Internet exchanges? A: No. It certainly fits these new markets. Merial SureHealth certifies that health protocols have been followed. For example, commercial feeder calves represent the largest volume of cattle transactions. These buyers and sellers get together in many venues. SureHealth documentation is well tailored to auction markets, either traditional or electronic. Sellers can prove their cattle received top-notch care, and differentiate them from the mixed quality of auction-market cattle. Buyers can be sure they can quickly straighten out the calves they purchase. At participating sale barns, certification documents will accompany the cattle, the cattle will be tagged as SureHealth preconditioned and the auctioneer will announce this feature at sale time. Q: Will Merial SureHealth fit into other cattle markets? A: Yes. SureHealth certification will also be very useful in documenting quality of cattle in private treaty sales or through order buyers. Frequently, producers who sell cattle directly to feedyards are doing so on the basis of their reputation for good genetics, management and hard work. In these cases, SureHealth preconditioning status will just be another sign that feedyards are doing business with good managers. SureHealth certification can document practices that the industry agrees are best management practices, which would support cattle sold into alliance-type markets. In each case, SureHealth will enhance the already strong reputations of these sellers, and in addition help feeders adjust arrival processing and save money. Q: Why would a producer retaining ownership in a feedyard use SureHealth? A: Following SureHealth protocols lowers health risk and increases potential gains. Documenting these pre-arrival processing steps and tagging cattle as SureHealth certified will allow feedyards to confidently reduce arrival-processing treatments, lowering costs. There is mutual advantage, even if the producer is already preconditioning and backgrounding their calves. Q: What are other ways that SureHealth fits today's cattle market? A: Replacement heifer protocols are another important area to increase buyer-seller confidence. Protocols are also in development for other breeding stock. Immunization, parasite control and management are widely known to protect production and reproductive performance in breeding stock. SureHealth certification by a knowledgeable veterinarian will enhance the trust inherent to these transactions. |
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