Holistic Large Animal Veterinary Treatments

Proud to be an American

Tipp City, Ohio

A.J. Luft, [email protected]

419-305-5502 cell

1996 Ohio State University DVM degree Co-owner of Chickasaw Veterinary Center since 2003 Working with the organic industry since 2004 with about 20%

organic clientele Loosely affiliated with Organic Valley, OEFFA, & Crystal Creek ;

continually developing more contacts NODPA & CFSA Dealer for Crystal Creek, Dr. Paul’s, Lancaster Ag & more Couple of public speaking engagements per year Small 20 acre farm with 13 dual purpose cattle, a few chickens &

hogs plus gardens & orchard Lovely wife with son 17 (aspiring country singer) & daughter 12

(aspiring future veterinarian) who I dedicate my life's work too

mailto:[email protected]

Evaluating Response to Treatment

The only way to evaluate the success of any treatment is did it work or not? Try anything once if it sounds logical, nontoxic & not unethical

Very difficult to determine success in AVM due to the lack of trials and EBM: Why?

If only accept EBM• Few procedures would be performed • It de-emphasizes intuition, common sense, experience &

rationale EBM is based on trials supposedly w/o bias, only one or

maybe two variables & plenty of statistics • Does not account for touch (healer interaction); ‘thoughts are

things’ • Statistics don’t tell you which animals will respond, and which

ones will not (vitality)

Evaluating Response to Treatment

Lack of EBM is NOT proof of ineffectiveness or unsafe; thousands of people/animals die every year due to adverse drug reactions from FDA approved drugs

R & D is important but medicine is an ‘art’ and many factors contribute to diseases and the success of medical procedures

Knowledge often gets in the way of wisdom Dextrose, calcium, grain to calves, etc.

The Medicine Cabinet: Suppliers

Dr. Paul’s: Through private distributors


Crystal Creekwww.crystalcreeknatural.com1-888-376-6777

http://www.crystalcreeknatural.com/


Lancaster Agwww.lancasterag.com1-717-687-9222

http://www.lancasterag.com/


Agri-DynamicsPenn Dutch Cow CareDr. Sarah’s EssentialsImpro productsBio-Vet, Inc.More but no experiences

The Medicine Cabinet

1. If organic all medications must be approved by your certifier.

2. Conventional meds allowed for organics:a. Injectable Vitamin/Mineral supplementsb. Electrolytes: CMPK, Cal-Nate, hyper-saline, LRS,

Normosol-Lc. Dextrosed. Aspirine. Topicals: Iodine, alcohol, mineral oil, glycerinef. Synthetics: Flunixin, xylazine; emergencies only

poloxalene, epinephrine, oxytocin, ivermectin (?)


3. Antibiotics: We are obligated to save a life by whatever means necessary that is ethical or put animal out of misery Criteria for antibiotic use: Fever, severe

depression, dehydration, infections or surgeries (3 strikes = out)

Excenel, Polyflex, oxytetracycline, etc. Circling disease, severe pneumonia, severe

footrot, toxic metritis or mastitis, pinkeye, Clostridial muscle disease, after any major surgery, etc.


4. Antioxidant Vitamins & Minerals:

a. Vital EA&Db. Vitamin Cc. Mu-Se or Bo-Sed. MultiMin

All four are Rx medications

e. Oral supplements: Nutri-Vit, Maxcalibur, many other sources


5. Electrolytes:a. Parenteral: CMPK, Cal-Nate, Dextrose,

Hypertonic saline, LRS, Normosol-L, etc.b. Oral (calf): Calf 180, Replena-Lytes,

homemade recipes & many morec. Oral (cow): Homemade recipes

Oral Cow Fluid RecipeGeneral “Off-Feed”

1. 10 +/- gallons of warm/cool water2. 4-5 lbs. of alfalfa meal or equivalent3. 8-10 oz. apple cider vinegar or

equivalent4. 6-8 oz. aloe vera juice5. 140gms salt (5oz), 25gms KCl (1oz) &

10gms CaCl2 (2 tsp)

6. ½ lb Diamond V Yeast7. 2 oz. kelp

Homemade Parenteral Fluid Therapy for Calves

*Normal eye reflexes but slow suckle reflex or moderate*to severe (>8%) dehydration SQ or IV recipe

1. One gallon of distilled water (Sterile water is preferred)2. Remove ~12oz from the jug3. Add ¼ tsp (1.4gm) of No-Salt (KCl)4. Add 1 heaping tb (24gm) of salt5. Add 2 heaping tsp (17gm) of bicarb6. Add 400ml 50% dextrose7. Add 1ml of MultiMin /100 lb of BW (one time)8. Add 1-2ml of B-Comp Forte

Mix thoroughly and use immediately! Donald Sockett, DVM WVDL, UW


6. Biologicals:a. Antibody: Bovi-Sera, Calf Guard,

Ecolizer + C, First Defenseb. Commercial vaccines: 5-way &

intranasal upper respiratory virus, 7-way clostridial, Lepto, calf scours, etc.

c. Bacterial cell wall extracts: Immunoboost

d. Hyperimmunized egg yolk technology: First Arrival, Dairy ‘R’ Caps, etc.

The Medicine Cabinet7. Whey products:

a. Hyperimmunized colostrum whey: Immune modulating substances like cytokines & lactoferrins that orchestrate the immune response i.e. Impro & Biocel CBT

b. Milk whey: Crystal Wheyc. Oral whey capsules: Maxcalibur &

Dairy “R” Caps


8. Botanicals: Many products availablea. Tinctures: Tri-Support, First Step, Will John,

Garlic, etc.b. Extracts: Aloe vera, Neem oil, etc.c. Whole plant: Pul-Mate, Eliminate, Detox Plus,

Comfort, Power, S & G, etc.d. Combinations: Check, Calf Shield, Calf Start,

Wound Spray, Phyto-Mast, etc.e. Essential Oils/Liniments: Prism, Oxxy-phyte,

Poke oil, Wound Savvy, Udder Savvy, Udder Fancy, Shoo Fly, No-Fly, Ecto-Phyte, Udder Comfort, etc.


9. Homeopathy: Requires accurate symptom picture, compliance, good restraint & healer interaction (mind/body or ‘thoughts are things’) Aconite, apis, arnica, belladonna,

caulophyllum, echinacea, hypericum, nat mur, nux vom, phytolacca, pulsatilla, pyrogenium, rhus, sepia, utrica, etc.

Every farm should have a basic kit


10. Acupuncture Requires knowledge & healer

interaction Diagnostics purposes (extension of a

good physical exam) as well as treatments

May require multiple treatments Drs. Mark Mattison, Richard J. Holliday

& Hubert Karreman are all certified bovine acupuncturists

Treatment Facilities

1. Inadequate on most smaller farms Leads to non-compliance & safety issues Requires good footing Never enough gates in working order

2. Head stanchions/locks: a. Homemade, head locks, old parlors, stationary,

tie-stalls, etc.b. Located in areas for easy access to head

3. Portable chutes: Universal for multiple uses and can be placed anywhere needed quickly

Portable chute

• Easy Chute• Manufactured by:

Linway Mfg. Co. New Paris, Indiana 1-800-808-4366 ~$3,000

Springer-MagrathMcCook, Nebraska 69001www.springermagrath.com1-308-345-17571-800-445-9254Pump only = $169.05Everything = >$300

http://www.springermagrath.com/

Restraint is Everything!

Mastitis Prevention Never totally avoidable: All farms have constraints imposed

on them by natural principles and the innate nature of the cow.

Be proactive: 1. Supplement ration during times of stress2. Routine equipment maintenance, monitoring & testing3. Clean & dry bedding is paramount to success4. Routinely P.E. udders5. Vaccinate when necessary6. Rewarded with premiums

Knowledge of basic physiological principles of lactation:1. Insure a good ‘let-down’ by mimicking suckling: warm, moist, some

massage & pre-strip2. Must begin milking in less than 60 seconds to maximize yield and

avoid residue milk Cull when necessary: Face reality when P.E. & records strongly

suggest another occupation

Staphylococcus Mastitis

1. Lives on the surface of the udder2. Has the ability to invade living tissue and develop

scare tissue3. Quickly can become resistant to antibiotics: MRSA4. Avoid any damage or compromise to the physical

barriers of the teat & udder: improper milking machine function, irritating teat dips, frost bite, trauma, etc.

5. Culture to verify which type of Staph: Contagious: age, stage of lactation, chronicity & P.E. (cull

if older, chronic & abcessed) Environmental: post teat dip evaluation, cleaner

environment, investigate physical damage

Streptococcus Mastitis

1. Not generally invasive2. Live on surface of the udder & in

residual milk3. Review milking procedures/techniques4. Avoid stimuli that interferes with letdown:

visitors, stray voltage, abrupt changes in routine (creatures of habit), etc.

5. Culture to determine contagious vs. environmental and adjust management

E. coli Mastitis

1. ‘Manure bacteria’ unsanitary conditions2. Excess protein: Increased sources of

nitrates, urea or NPN3. Coliforms are acid-living bacteria:

Manure & cow comfort management, avoid slug feeding, avoid excessive grain feeding and treat high sulfate water

Mastitis Flare-ups

1. Without systemic signs: Fever, depression, hot-hard-watery quarters, or off feed

2. Early recognition & therapy for best results3. 6-10cc’s injectable Vitamin EA&D: SC once & caution4. 6-10cc’s injectable MultiMin: SC once5. 30cc’s whey (Impro) SC followed with oral whey (Maxcalibur,

Hemocel or Dairy “R”) BID for 3 days6. Strip out quarter as often as possible7. (Avoid infusions): Anything will act as an irritant and risk

introducing more pathogens8. E.O./Liniments: Apply externally after each strip-out9. Avoid managing the symptoms without looking for cause: No

treatment will be really effective until the cause is removed or at least reduced

Common-sense dry cow program

1. Quit abruptly, never linger2. Administer immune modulator or stimulant:

kelp/aloe, Vital EA&D, TM, etc.3. After 5-7 days, check milk & milk out

completely4. If normal, dip teats and leave alone5. If questionable appearance repeat steps 1-3

until normal secretion6. In some cases may need to pre-milk cow till

freshening: colostrum quality will not be compromised & milk fever? (no EBM)

Retained Fetal Membranes

Retained if not passed after 6-8 hours Nutritional disturbances: Weather,

change in forage, change in DMI, metabolic disturbances, etc.

Dystocia of any kind: twins, large calves, uterine torsions, etc.

Always give warm water preferably with electrolytes (with calcium) plus Pulsatilla immediately after calving

Retained Fetal Membranes

If retained:1. 50cc’s of Uterine Care Whey daily until pass 2. One dose of Mu-Se with caution3. Oral calcium4. Pulsatilla BID until pass5. Drench with aloe vera & give aspirin

After second or third day1. Check for fever, ruminations & ketones daily2. Gently tug on afterbirth from the outside: if membranes

do not let go start cow on aloe vera & aspirin BID, pack uterus with I.O. Dine boluses daily as needed

3. Persistent fever after 24 hours consider systemic antibiotics and/or Pyogenium 200C (3 strikes = out)

Scours Prevention Foundation of any calf raising program is an excellent dry cow

program: Any investigation of scours begins with the dry cow environment/diet especially if scours develops within three days of age

If calf is separated from cow must take on the responsibility of a consistent, clean product delivered in clean utensils with the right temp, time & elevation

Clean & separate calving areas: 1. Pathogens that cause calf diseases are carried by adult cattle2. Do not share sick & pre-fresh cows within calving areas

Foundation diet for calves should always be milk, NOT grain Adequate milk supply prevents lots of issues: 50-100% increase

during cold weather stress Always provide clean water from day one every day of the year Dump milk should be dumped: Only to calves older than one

month, sloop pigs or use as fertilizer on fields

Scours Treatment

1. Probiotics &/or yogurt (make your own)2. Electrolytes between regular milk feedings or

delayed by one hour (commercial or homemade)3. Do NOT take off milk: hypoglycemia4. Learn to use esophageal feeder

Will save many calves

5. Humates for toxin absorbent & source of carbon6. Whey products: First Formula7. Many commercial products: Calf Shield, Calf

Start, Primary Care, Arrival etc.

Pneumonia Very preventable disease but difficult & expensive to

treat Clean fresh air (outside) without direct drafts in a

clean, dry & comfortable environment Calf jackets during cold weather Adequate nutrition for immune system Vaccination: Inforce 3 & 5-way respiratory MLV Medical treatments depends on clinical presentation:

1. Good appetite and thrifty do well on natural methods: Aspirin, aloe vera, Pul-Mate & homeopathy

2. Fever, depression, inappetence, open-mouth, rapid & shallow breathing should be aggressively treated (three strikes = treatment)

ANY QUESTIONS?

WHAT BREED?

Banteng (= endangered wild cattle species from southeast Asia1. Bos javanicus also known as Tembadau2. Domesticated banteng are called Bali

cattle3. Originate in Java4. Males are black and females are buff;

white stockings and white rump5. Average between 1300-1750 lbs6. Used for work & meat

The End

Health & Medicine

Holistic Large Animal Veterinary Treatments