Dry Cow Mastitis

We are not always aware of the summer mastitis cases that you are treating, because there is a tendency for this severe infection of dry cows and heifers to be treated by yourselves. There is an argument in the early stages to treat summer mastitis aggressively with antibiotics and intravenous anti inflammatory drugs in an effort to save the quarter. This only really works in the very early stages, sometimes if the animal is very toxic aggressive treatments are needed to save the cow and her calf. I can remember years ago one summer we took part in a survey to determine which bacteria were involved in the disease and which were the better drugs to treat it. At that time there were no shortage of animals to sample and samples were dispatched every day to the laboratory.

It would be much more difficult to conduct a survey into summer mastitis now as there are not many cases. It is not clear why that should be.

Low Incidence

Reports nationally for July, August and September indicate that summer mastitis cases were down to less than a quarter of those seen in 2005, and that was a year of few cases. Most farms have a different calving pattern now so there is a tendency not to calve heifers down in August and September. Even so with larger herd sizes there will still be a considerable number of susceptible animals about. There are now more fly control products, but I am not convinced that this is the whole answer as there use on many farms is selective and they are not always repeated at the recommended intervals especially for animals that are not coming through the milking parlour. Also most of the dry cows tubes that you use have been around in the same formulation for several decades and none have any specific claims that they are able to prevent summer mastitis infections. Part of the improvement for cows may be that the milking machine is not damaging the teat sphincter as much as it did in the past so the teat end is sealed, but there must be more to it than just that.

Sheep and Pasturella

Last year October was mild, there was again good grass growth and in November we started to get sheep with pasturella problems. This disease tends to occur when sheep are brought in from farms where the fields are densely stocked and turned out free range onto lush autumn pastures. It is the contrast between what they were used to and what you are giving them now that tends to trigger pasturella. It can be expensive to treat the whole group with antibiotics if you have a crisis, often the stress of getting them in may cause further losses. If you can try to get them vaccinated before they go onto the better pasture. Two doses one month apart are required for full protection, until then restrict the grazing and try to use permanent pasture that has had cattle on it to take most of the grass.

Sheep and Parasites

The dry summer and warm autumn are just the right conditions for haemonchus larvae to build up on the pastures. Lambs are the least able to cope, older animals will normally have some immunity unless sheep have recently brought the infection onto the farm. Regular worming perhaps every three weeks will control the infection. If ewes have been scouring it is particularly important to try and clear the infection before the colder weather comes. Any residual haemonchus larvae bury themselves deep in the wall of the stomach in the winter where they are shielded from worm treatments and ready to lay eggs on pastures in the spring. Worming before the first frosts will stop this happening.

Sheep Health Meeting

A final mention about the sheep health meeting arranged by the Moredun Foundation at the Royal Oak Hotel in Leominster. 7.30pm Thursday November 16^th. In the past these annual meeting have been most instructive full of useful tips about managing and vaccinating your flock. The venue is fairly easy to find. The Hotel in near the centre of the town and admission is free.

Testing Intervals

There has been a steady trickle of letters from DEFRA about testing intervals. Farms near Westbury, Yockleton, Ford and Pulverbatch have been put onto annual testing. You may not find this very different to what was happening before as many of you would have had at least an annual Tuberculin Test in the past if any of your neighbours have had a disease breakdown. Usually when testing intervals change your next test will be scheduled one year from the last one. It is quite likely that the new testing intervals will continue for some time.

Changing the Timing

There is never a good time of the year to do your tuberculin test. Sometimes when testing intervals are changed there may be some flexibility to move it to a different time of the year when you have not got so many cows calving or when you are not tied up with other activities on the farm. It is easier for us to alter things before you have your first annual test and a pattern is established.

What is the Risk?

If you buy in cattle it would be wrong to reject animals from annual parishes. There is a risk when you buy in cattle from anywhere. Many farms that are on annual testing have not had recent reactors, some would never have been under restrictions and they could be several miles from an infected farm. In some ways you can argue that because they are tested so frequently they are a safe bet as they are likely to have passed the test several times in the recent past.

The way things are going it is just a matter of time before the whole of Shropshire will be on annual testing

Foot and Mouth Scare

Last Friday the early morning farming programme mentioned as it’s last item that a sow at that abattoir in Essex had been sampled because it was seen to have blisters on it’s nose and that the plant was closed and restriction were placed on stock movements within eight kilometres of the premises. This is the same abattoir where Foot and Mouth Disease was first detected five years ago so they know what they are looking for. Fortunately there were no further reports and restrictions were removed later that day. I am not sure if these things are sent out to keep us all on our toes. Foot and Mouth disease can be detected within hours now and it is wrong to report an incident before all of the facts are known.

Stacy Roberts

Over the past six years Stacy Roberts has been a valued nurse at our surgery on Saturdays and during school and college holidays. Sometimes she has ventured out onto farms to help with operations and testing. Stacy has recently gained a degree in Biomedical Science and has finally found a full time position at a hospital laboratory in Wrexham. We wish her every success in her chosen career.

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