Predicting Animal Health Matters

NADIS the national animal disease information service has been operating for more than twenty years now and has accumulated a vast amount of data about the sort of conditions Vets are encountering on farms. Each month they look for trends in disease incidence and relate it to the weather conditions in the different regions of the country. Because of this they are able to predict what conditions are likely to be a problem in the coming month as well as to remind you about the things that always turn up at this time of the year. Whilst it is true that some things are not seasonal they have in the past been accurate relating high rain fall at harvest time to things like poor winter fodder and poor quality straw to increased incidence of mastitis.

Good Sources of Information

NADIS has recently improved their web site so there are now short lectures about the parasite forecast and specific issues that you are likely to encounter in the next few months. They are easy to find if you use google. Make sure that you click on the Midlands part of the map when you first get to the site as it has been programmed to remember where you are so that it can show you the topics that are relevant to our area. There is also information about the different diseases that you might find useful especially if you come across a disease that is new to your farm.

Copper Poisoning

We are still getting reports of sheep that have died as a result of getting too much copper in their ration. Some breeds such as Texels are not able to cope with excessive levels of copper and there is a fine line between deficiency and toxicity. Problems usually occur when animals are in for long periods or are fed a diet intended for cattle or pigs. Copper accumulates in the liver when levels rise in the blood stream, when the liver is not able to work properly the animal will become jaundiced, stop eating and soon die. Changes in the liver are not reversible and it is very difficult to save sheep with copper poisoning unless you notice it in the very early stages. Take care not to feed concentrates intended for cattle to cade lambs as they will not be able to cope with it.

The German Virus Vaccine

It is difficult to predict what will happen next with the Schmallenberg virus. The vaccine is now available, but it is more expensive than I thought it would be and there are limitations as it cannot be used on cattle or sheep that are pregnant. Sheep need just one injection, but cattle need two doses four weeks apart so it will be difficult to get the timing right if you want to protect your cattle before they become pregnant. The general assumption is that most sheep and cattle in Shropshire would have been exposed to the infected midges by now unless you live in an exposed area as the insects are reluctant to fly when it is windy. There may be some benefit from the vaccine if you are selling breeding animals especially if they are likely to go to areas of the country where the disease was so troublesome earlier in the year.

Getting Rams Fit to Work

Are your rams ready to work? Most rams only have to work for two months of the year so it is important that they are as fit as possible to get the best from them. Many flocks have had to deal with more foot problems than usual this summer so it would be good if you could lift their feet and get them well trimmed. Rams will benefit from a worm dose now if they have not been treated recently and start feeding a small quantity of concentrates. It can be difficult to maintain the feeding when the rams are with the ewes unless you can train them to feed from the back of a vehicle when you are inspecting the rest of the flock. We are used to seeing rams at shows and in markets that are fatter than they should be and it can be difficult to get the most from rams if they are over weight. The ideal is to improve their condition as tuping time approaches but not to over do it. Also it helps if the ewes are on a small field when the rams start working so they do not have to cover too much ground to serve the ewes.

Calves and Nematodirus

Dairy and bucket reared calves are particularly vulnerable to worm infestations at this time of the year when they go out onto pastures that have been grazed by sheep. Calves are susceptible to nematodirus in a similar way to lambs, it will take longer to get established, as it is a parasite that overwhelms their immune system before they can resist the infection. This is the worm that responds well to one of the white drenches. If possible it is better to move the calves onto silage aftermath after dosing particularly if the weather is likely to stay wet.

Beware of infected Bedding

Because of the cost of bedding for dairy cows there is further talk about using compressed slurry as a bedding material in cubicles and loose housing. It is apparent that this is a material that is readily available and cheap to prepare and that it is used extensively in America with good results. Such materials have been banned in Europe as you are not allowed to sell animal bye products for use in this way through out the whole of Europe to safeguard the health of your cattle. There are dangers of disease transmission for problems including Botulism, Johne’s disease. Salmonella and E coli infections. Things are very different in America where the weather is dry and and bacterial infections take a good deal longer to get established. It is wrong with our damp winters to assume that there will be no problems here. Sponsors of the idea are saying that the legislation is not clear as to whether compressed slurry can be used as a bedding material for cattle. I think we should continue to be cautious as the risks are far greater than the benefits

Summer Mastitis

This is the summer mastitis season and the chances are that if you have cows that are dry at this time of the year or in calf heifers you will see at least one case before the end of the summer. At least three different kinds of bacteria are known to cause infections in the non lactating udder, often several can be cultured from the same quarter. The infections are transmitted by a fly called Hydrotea irritans which lives in trees and bushes and can only fly in damp humid conditions. They are not good fliers and do not cope well in windy weather. Summer mastitis can be a field problem that is more likely next to woods and high hedges. Watch out for the early signs to avoid permanent udder damage.

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