Scratching the Surface: Investigating Itchy Cattle with Dr. Brenda Ralston

Brenda Ralston is a firm believer that applied research is critically needed today more than ever and that the Colleges are an excellent fit to carry this out in collaboration with Private Industry, Producer Groups, Universities, Government and most importantly the Producers themselves. Her guiding principle for applied research is ultimately if the outcome doesn’t provide a product or practice that the producer can implement in their operation to enhance their efficiency, sustainability or profitability then she is not doing the right research and not supporting the Agriculture Industry to her full potential. She has demonstrated this principle through her collaborative work with Industry to assist in bringing to market livestock pharmaceuticals that address animal welfare issues related to management procedures such as castration; supporting the development of an anti-bloat agent that can be used during grazing of alfalfa for enhanced gains; boluses to address metabolic disorders in ruminants and alternatives to antibiotics for the treatment of non-bacterial scours. 

Brenda is also interested in practical solutions to address antimicrobial resistance at the farm level for the targeted selection of antibiotic groups for better animal outcomes and enhanced antibiotic stewardship.

After 35 years with Alberta Agriculture as a District Agriculturist, Beef Specialist, and most recently a Research Scientist, Brenda transitioned to Lakeland College in the fall of 2021. Brenda grew up on her family’s century farm northeast of Calgary, where she remains today helping with their commercial cow/calf, forage, and grain operation with her husband Phil and 17-year-old son Mark. 

Brenda received a B.Sc. in Agriculture from the University of Alberta, M.Sc. in Veterinary Parasitology from the University of Calgary and a Ph.D. in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences from Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia.

To start this episode, Brenda gives us an overview of this project, which encompasses a large scope of research, all geared towards itchy cattle.  In this project, cattle herds across the Prairie provinces were examined for lice, environmental factors, allergies and nutrient deficiencies as causes of itching.  Feed and water were studied for potential toxins and nutrients, and blood samples and liver biopsies were taken for further analysis.  Baldness patches and skin hydration were also studied.

The preliminary results might come as a surprise to many.  The research team found that 80% of the cattle (itchy and non-itchy) had no lice.  About 17% had 1-2 lice per site that was looked at, which is not significant enough to be considered an infestation.  Of the cattle included in the study, only 3%had high enough numbers of lice to be considered infested. 

Interestingly, one of the big takeaways from this study is to consider looking twice at your mineral and supplementation program, as copper deficiencies could be contributing to the itchiness of cattle.  There was a significant difference with the itchy cattle having much lower levels of copper than non-itchy cattle.  This can be determined using blood samples, or liver biopsies. 

Full results will be available in the New Year. Listeners can check out the Lakeland College, Beef Cattle Research Council or AVL Solvent websites for more information.  Links for all of these are available below.  Information will also be shared in industry magazines and through producer meetings. 

We also briefly touch on lice resistance to pour on products and alternative options for producers, as well as the possibility to manage a herd, genetically or though breeding or retainment selection, to be resistant to lice, skin conditions or allergies.

For more information, please take a look at the following links.

References and Links:

• The quote included in today’s episode was pulled from the Background Section of the Project Page, found on the Beef Cattle Research Council website at beefresearch.ca (retrieved October 14th 2023) https://www.beefresearch.ca/fact-sheets/scratching-the-surface-investigating-the-prevalence-nature-and-potential-causes-of-itchy-cattle/
• Lakeland College: https://www.lakelandcollege.ca/index.aspx
• BCRC: https://www.beefresearch.ca/
• AVL Solvet:https://solvet.ca/

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

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Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: information@mbfi.ca 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011