Farm First July 2011 Newsletter
Botulism

Botulism in ruminants was an extremely rare disease in the British Isles until the beginning of the current millennium, since then many outbreaks have been reported in the UK and Ireland with 168 cattle and 19 sheep incidents detected in England and Wales from 2003 to 2009. Their investigations have revealed that a key factor in all sheep incidents, and in 95 per cent of cattle incidents, was proximity to broiler chicken litter. Botulism is caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. These organisms are commonly found in the environment and will grow to high levels in decaying organic matter, including animal carcases. It is believed that contamination of broiler litter with the carcases of chickens that have died during production can render the litter dangerous for ruminants. However, the reasons for the recent increase in the incidence of botulism in cattle and sheep associated with broiler litter are unknown. One theory is the reduction in the use of antibiotics in rearing poultry in recent years.
Clinical signs of botulism may initially appear similar to milk fever, and include, muscle tremor, weakness, recumbency and ultimately death. Fortunately the risk for human health from botulism in cattle, sheep or goats is very low. While meat and milk from clinically affected cattle, sheep or goats should not enter the human food chain, there is no need for restrictions on clinically normal animals in affected herds.
To prevent incidents of botulism in ruminants, poultry farmers should observe strict biosecurity .The carcases of any chickens that die during production should be promptly disposed of by incineration or rendering. No vaccine is available under general licence in the UK for the protection of ruminants against botulism. However, veterinary surgeons may apply for a ‘special treatment certificate’ to import vaccine to protect animals at risk. Although botulism vaccines are highly effective, vaccination should not be used as a substitute for effective biosecurity measures. Poultry manure should only be spread on land that is going to be ploughed up and used for arable crops and livestock should never have access to ensiled poultry manure.

Jejunal Haemorrhagic Syndrome (JHS) in Dairy Cattle
Jejunal Haemorrhagic Syndrome (JHS ) is a recently recognised disease of dairy cattle which had been seen for several years in high yielding herds in North America but has now been confirmed in the UK and elsewhere in Western Europe. JHS typically presents in high yielding mid lactation dairy cows as a sudden onset disaster.Clinically JHS causes severe shock with no increase in temperature, dark blood-stained faeces and distension of the right flank, the cow will often be recumbent and if untreated will die within a few hours. The cause is currently unknown, although some suspect clostridium bacteria may be involved, while others suggest the mould Aspergillus could be involved.
Unfortunately many affected cases die within 24 hours, but giving large volumes of intravenous fluid and painkillers (metacam/flunixin) will increase survival chances. In valuable animals’ surgery can be attempted in the early stages of disease, but recovery rates are likely to be less than 50% disease.
As the cause of JHS is unknown it is difficult to advise on preventative measures. It is likely that the steps taken to prevent abomasal displacement (DA) will help to prevent JHS. Removing any mouldy feed would also be advisable. Vaccination against clostridial disease may also be useful.
Dairy Co Healthy Feet Programme
Andrew recently attended a course to become a Dairy Co Healthy foot mentor. The programme is similar to the Mastitis Control Plan which Jane is involved with. The programme has just recently been unveiled and it is likely that in the future the supermarkets will insist their farmers are enrolled. The programme will initially involve three individual visits to identify the main causes of lameness in the herd and produce an action plan to reduce the problem. As part of the programme the herd needs to be mobility scored. If you have never mobility scored your herd before and would like to start please speak to Andrew. He will be happy to score the herd for the first time free of charge and give you further details of the programme.This is a limited offer and ends on the 31st August 2011.
Naxcel – antibiotic with nil milk withold
Naxcel contains the same antibiotic as Excenel and Readycef. It is only licensed for the treatment of foul in the foot in cattle, but we have used it to treat metritis and it is likely that it would be effective in other situations where Excenel/Readycef would be the drug of choice. There are two advantages in using this drug, the first being that one single injection in the back of the ear gives 7 days of antibiotic treatment. This prolonged period of antibiotic cover improves the chances of a treatment success. It also removes the need to handle/inject the cow daily, saving time and labour costs. The other main benefit is the cost of the drug itself, as a single shot of Naxcel for a 700kg cow costs £26.05 + VAT, which compares to £32.60 +VAT for a 5d course of Readycef. It is important the Naxcel is administered correctly in the back of the ear, and for this the cow needs to be restrained in a crush or in stanchions with a halter. For more information on this useful drug, and how to perform the injections, please speak to Rob, Andrew or Jane.
Email Addresses/ Mobile Telephone Numbers
The newsletters will now be added to the website each month, and in the future we would like to E-mail them to those clients who would prefer to receive them electronically. This would mean that you would receive one every month, even if you did not have a bill to pay that month. To enable us to do this, and so that we can keep you up to date with any special offers or free sampling schemes we are currently trying to collect as many E-mail addresses and mobile telephone numbers as possible. If you would like us to contact you by these methods, please can you return the slip enclosed with your bill, or give the details to the office staff.
Farm First Vets Monthly Accident Report!
You may have noticed Jane driving the little white van in the past few weeks. That’s because she reversed into a gate and smashed her boot door at Dave and Mandy Jones farm. Jane swears the gate wasn’t there when she got into the car! Bev and Lewis Baker got a shock when Andrew managed to drive his van into some freshly laid concrete on their farm. No damage this time but permanent tyre marks in the concrete! Rob is warning all clients that if they call a FF vet onto the farm, they should ensure that all children are safely inside, all livestock is cleared from roadways and any hazards are well marked with flashing orange lights.