Achieving Excellence in Health and Productivity
PARAGON VETERINARY GROUP
ISSUE 41
Livestock NEWS STOP PRESS!
OCTOBER 2013
Pneumonia Season
Contact us:
No doubt pneumonia will start to creep in before long. Bear in mind much of respiratory disease can and should be prevented bearing in mind some basic principles:-
PARAGON VETERINARY GROUP CALDEW VETERINARY GROUP Carlisle House, Townhead Road, Dalston, Carlisle
A further round of FFIS grants!
Tel: (01228) 710208 vets@paragonvet.com
Jemma says I have just received an e-mail from the SAC (who are involved with the Northwest Livestock Programme health plan delivery) indicating that it is highly likely that there will be another round of FFIS grants opening at the start of November for an 8 week period.
TOWNHEAD VETERINARY CENTRE Townhead Veterinary Centre, Newbiggin, Stainton, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 0HT ●
The scheme handbook will be available online from mid October on the DEFRA website see link: http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk /funding-sources A health plan updated within the past 12 months is one of the requirements and for those of you that have already participated in the Northwest Livestock Programme your health plan will require a health plan review along with a partial budget justifying the investment.
Please contact Jemma at Dalston or Victor at Newbiggin for further details.
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Tel: (01768) 483789 Ventilation is crucial - Aim to control humidity, temperature and draughts and air quality. Use smoke bombs to assess ventilation and make some changes. Make sure outlets are appropriate and that inlets are 4 x the outlets. We have some very good basic guides to calculating ventilation requirements at the practice. Colostrum - undoubtedly the best protection you can offer a calf in its first 2-3 weeks of life. Getting a few calves blood sampled between 2-7 days old is a good way of determining colostrum transfer. Avoid buying from multiple sources/market and do not mix ages or keep sick calves with healthy ones. Avoid overstocking, concurrent disease (coccidiosis, salmonella, scours etc) and minimise stress and
PARAGON VETERINARY GROUP
visit us at: www.paragonvet.com
timing of stressful procedures (disbudding, weaning, transport etc). ● ●
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Ensure good nutrition with good levels of Vit E & Selenium. Investigate and diagnose the causes. We have some industry support for investigating the causes of pneumonia. Get in touch if you're interested in this.
townhead@paragonvet.com PARAGON ET et@paragonvet.com
Use vaccination to control many of the viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia. Treat and isolate sick calves and where numbers reach over 25-30% consider whole group therapy. Taking temperatures is the best way of deciding whether to treat or not in the early stages. Anything with a temperature over 39.5oC or 103oF should be treated.
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LIVESTOCK NEWS
OCTOBER 2013
From the NSA
Take a ‘Buyer Beware’ approach to protect your flock this autumn: Interherd+ Interherd+ is a computer programme available to us through NMR to assess dairy farm data. This helps us give extra input and support into individual herd performance by looking at key parameters such as mastitis, fertility and nutrition. We have recently had 2 vet meetings with NMR to give us further training in the programme and in formating 'farmer friendly' reports. You do not need to milk record with NMR in order to use Interherd+ so CIS recorded farms are also able to benefit from this. If you are interested to find out more please discuss this with us at your next routine fertility visit.
XLVets Cattle Caesar Audit For the next 2 years along with all other XLVet farm practices we will be participating in a 2 year study of all cattle caesareans undertaken by the XL Vets group. The purpose of this study is to see what factors promote the best outcomes when performing a caesarean to encourage 'best practice' an 'clinical excellence' which are key aims of XLVets. The study involves a questionnaire being completed at certain stages post procedure. There should be minimal hassle to yourselves as the questionnaire will be completed by the vet involved. The first questionnaire is immediately post operation then a follow up 14 days and 18 months later. The follow ups will involve a phone call to see how the cow has performed. If you have any questions regarding this then please contact Jemma - Paragon's co-ordinator for the project. Thank you.
SCOPS has reiterated its quarantine recommendations this week, urging farmers to treat and isolate stock they buy this autumn. The SCOPS advice for effective quarantine has three elements:1. Isolate (quarantine) in-coming stock. Yard for the first 24-48 hours and then keep them isolated from the resident flock for as long as possible, three weeks being the absolute minimum, so that there is time to watch for CODD, orf etc. to develop before mixing. 2. Treat the sheep against the unseen threats from parasites (see below) while they are yarded. Liver fluke may also need to be considered (see www.scops.org.uk for more information). 3. Maintain isolation but make sure they are turned out to an area that has carried sheep this season after treatments (without snail habits if in between fluke treatments) for the remainder of their quarantine. The recommended quarantine treatment is DRENCH WITH A WORMER FROM EITHER THE 4-AD (Zolvix) OR 5-SI GROUPS (Startect) AND INJECT WITH MOXIDECTIN 1% at the same time. Please speak to one of the vets if you have given or will be giving Footvax - Cydectin Injection can react if Footvax has been used. In the case of short-keep store lambs, withdrawal periods can be an issue and the only option in terms of sheep scab may be to ensure incoming lambs are kept away from the rest of the flock, including avoiding contact with vehicles, equipment etc.
The National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS) is warning of a risk of high level of fluke disease in northern and western Scotland and Northern Ireland, with a moderate level over most of the rest of the UK. NADIS says: “The risk of fluke disease is forecast to be lower this year than last, but because disease was so widespread last year large numbers of infected snails will have overwintered and the risk of early disease may be high; any wetter areas may present an unexpectedly high risk.” NADIS says that farms with a known fluke population may need to begin prophylactic treatment in September, plus a second dose four to six weeks later and further winter and spring treatments in some scenarios - but it does stress that producers should consult with their vet or advisor about a treatment plan and see www.scops.org.uk for advice on controlling fluke to prolong the effectiveness of triclabendazole products in particular. NADIS is also warning of a potential autumn/winter peak of nematodes, after the wet weather returns. NADIS says: “Lambs may need a move to cleaner pasture to finish, as even regular worming will not allow acceptable growth rates when pastures are highly infective. If lambs are dosed onto a new pasture then at least 10% of the lambs should not be dosed. Contaminated pastures can be grazed by dry ewes, reducing the risk for next season, and remember most ewes don't need dosing pre-tupping, and it may select for anthelmintic resistance.” You can check disease forecasts at www.nadis.org.uk.