Achieving Excellence in Health and Productivity
PARAGON VETERINARY GROUP
ISSUE 33
Livestock NEWS Laparoscopic correction of LDAs Paragon are now able to offer a new service correction of LDAs (twisted stomachs) by key-hole surgery. This technique has been used for some time in Holland, but is relatively new to this country - it's currently being used by just 4 other practices in the UK.
Ewe care and lambing... Do you have up and coming young farmers or other staff who could benefit from more knowledge about problems that occur around lambing time? The course includes common ewe problems and their treatment, care of the new-born lamb and correcting common mal-presentations. February 7th 2013 at Dalston 10am-3pm, ÂŁ45, lunch provided. Please contact the practice on 01228 710208 if you wish to attend.
LDAs are a relatively common occurrence on modern dairy farms. Whilst our aim is always to find ways of preventing them through good transition cow management, there are always going to be some that need to be fixed. Correcting an LDA involves getting the abomasum back into the correct position, and fixing it there. Until now, we had two main methods - either rolling and toggling, or using surgery. Both have pros and cons - toggling is generally quick, and when all goes well, cows recover quickly, but it does involve turning the cow upside down, and we are working blind when inserting the toggle. Surgery allows us to see where we are fixing the stomach, but there is always a risk of infection when operating on cows. A laparoscope is a type of camera that's inserted through a small hole (about 1cm), to look inside the cow. This allows us to see the displaced abomasum, insert a toggle and deflate the abomasum. Once deflated, the abomasum sinks back into it's correct position, and the toggle is fixed down through the body wall to hold it in place.
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The whole procedure is done with the cow standing, using equipment specifically designed for this procedure. The cow is left with two very small wounds that are stapled closed. The advantage of the laparoscopic technique over conventional surgery is that it's less invasive, there's much less risk of infection, so cows don't need antibiotics, and cows generally recover more quickly and there is the reduced expense due to the lack of drugs and lack of discarded milk. The advantage over toggling is that we can see exactly what we're doing, so there are less likely to be complications or recurrences, and the cow can stay standing. Laparoscopic correction may not be the best option for every cow - we will still be toggling or operating when they are most appropriate, but many cows will benefit from the advantages of our new technique. The laparoscope can be used for more than just LDA correction. Being able to see inside a cow's abdomen allows us to make a more accurate diagnosis of many conditions without having to resort to full surgery. It is still relatively new, and it's full potential is yet to be realised, but we are confident that by investing in new technology we are continuing to improve the service we can offer you and your cows.
JANUARY 2013
Contact us: PARAGON VETERINARY GROUP CALDEW VETERINARY HOSPITAL Carlisle House, Townhead Road, Dalston, Carlisle
Tel: (01228) 710208 vets@paragonvet.com TOWNHEAD VETERINARY CENTRE Townhead Veterinary Centre, Newbiggin, Stainton, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 0HT
Tel: (01768) 483789 townhead@paragonvet.com PARAGON ET The Mart, Tyne Green, Hexham, Northumberland NE46 3SG
Tel: (01434) 600566 et@paragonvet.com
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LIVESTOCK NEWS
JANUARY 2013
Lambing Products & Offers EWE-GO 1 litre pack = £10, recommended dose 100ml per ewe (£1 per dose) ●
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Twin lamb disease (low blood glucose) and low blood calcium are common problems in ewes before lambing. Ewe-Go contains both energy sources and calcium.
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Energy sources Glycerol & Propylene Glycol.
Also conatins Calcium Chloride as a source of calcium in the gut. Comes in flexi-packs so any drenching gun can be fitted for easy administration.
LAMAID - Lamb Colostrum A lambs most important feed 20 x 25g sachets £38.50 500g Tub £35 Newborn lambs are exposed to a variety of infectious agents and without protection young lambs can easily become diseased and die.
FFIS Grants Round 2 In mid July the deadline for the FFIS 2nd round of grants was held. As usual it was a mad rush to get applications in on time and on our part get Northwest Livestock Programme health plans and health plan reviews completed in order to be submitted as supporting documentation for the grants. It has taken many months for everyone to hear whether they have been successful or not but we are very pleased to hear that 90% of our clients that applied were successful! £2 million was available in this last round so at least some of this money has ended up in the local area. Items that received grant aid included; cow mattresses, rubber matting, concrete grooving, back flush systems, mobile sheep handling facilities, sheep EID equipment, slatting for sheep sheds, shedding gates, self-locking yokes, foot trimming crushes and rotary brushes. If there is another round of grants it will be in the late Spring of 2013, depending on if funding is still available. For further information contact; DEFRA NorthWest RDPE Delivery Team at Penrith on 01768 215805 or email: rdpedeliverynorthwest@defra.gsi.gov.uk or Jemma at Dalston or Victor at Newbiggin.
of Vitamin E can lead to White Muscle disease.
Colostrum contains high quantities of the required antibodies to protect against such infections.
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Lamaid also contains
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Vitamin E which is important for the development and function of the immune system. Deficency
Vitamin D which is used for efficient Calcium absorption from the gut to the blood stream. Vitamin A decreases susceptibility to infection and scours, if deficient in Vitamin A they are very susceptible to pneumonia.
BUY 7 GET 1 FREE
BUY 10 GET 1 FREE
SPECTAM SCOUR HALT
ALAMYCIN LA 100ML
For the prevention of bacterial neonatal disease (watery mouth). 1ml as soon as possible after birth.
Suitable for the treatment of acute infections. 1ml per 10kg. Meat withdrawal 9 days.
100ml £16.85
100ml £9.97