FARM FIRST NEWSLETTER OCTOBER
2012
Lungworm Risk
Remember that
we are now in the lungworm risk period and that cattle of all ages can be at
risk. The disease can be very severe, especially if mixed infections with BVD, IBR
or pasteurella occur. Young cattle in their first grazing season are most at
risk, as they have no immunity, and now they are likely to have no cover from
wormers given earlier in the year. Older cattle will have immunity if they were
exposed last year, but this cannot be guaranteed, so keep a close eye on them,
especially bought-in cattle which may not have come across the parasite
previously. Coughing is the most obvious early clinical sign, with cattle
developing pneumonia and often dying if untreated. Blood and faeces samples can
confirm the diagnosis, and all 3 classes of wormer can be used for treatment.
Please contact us if you need advice on diagnosing or treating the condition,
or for information on using vaccines to prevent it.
Gypsum linked to Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S;
slurry gas) poisoning in cattle
AHVLA have received reports of acute neurological
disease, including blindness, and deaths in cattle that are very likely to be
due to the inhalation of hydrogen sulphide gas from slurry. We would therefore
like to raise your awareness of risk factors which result in enhanced hydrogen
sulphide production and release.
Hydrogen sulphide is produced by the anaerobic
decomposition of sulphur-containing organic matter, which occurs in slurry
pits. The risk of hydrogen sulphide
poisoning is significantly increased
if the slurry is agitated, as this releases the gas and if gypsum (CaSO4) has
been used as a bedding material and added to the slurry.
Poisoning can affect both animals and people.
At low levels the gas is an irritant to eyes and the upper respiratory
tract but at higher levels the gas will cause pulmonary oedema, asphyxia and
death. Reports of some cows that have
been poisoned by hydrogen sulphide are of acute CCN-like nervous disease
followed rapidly by death. Some cows
which survived acute nervous signs have become permanently blind. Although H2S
is detectable at low levels from its odour of rotten eggs, this should not be
relied upon as a means of detecting the gas because gaseous release can occur
very rapidly. It should also be
remembered that the distribution of the gas within the air space will not be
uniform.
Gypsum recovered from plasterboard, and waste
plasterboard itself, has been used as a bedding material on some cattle farms.
The Environment Agency advises that the use of waste gypsum as a bedding
material is not allowed without a specific permit and that such permits are
very unlikely to be granted. http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Business/PS_039_Gypsum_in_animal_bedding_March_2012.pdf
Virgin gypsum has in the past been used as a desiccant on
a small number of farms. This would have been purchased and used in small
quantities as a light dusting not as bedding material. These smaller quantities are less likely to
enhance hydrogen sulphide generation in bedding systems or slurry systems. Backing
paper from plasterboard from which the gypsum has been removed can be used as
bedding in accordance with a waste exemption.
We would advise
you that the use of waste, recycled gypsum as a bedding material is not advisable and is not legal without
a permit.
New Fresh Cow Product Available
We now have in stock a new fresh cow supplement YMCP Fresh Cow ( £6.58/sachet
+ VAT) .Despite its name as well as being suitable for freshly calved cows, YMCP
Fresh Cow will also
benefit cows at all stages of lactation that are off feed, have subnormal rumen
function or are recovering from surgery.
A significant advantage of this product is palatability which has been
put to the test by an XLVets practice. The manufacturers Nutribio claim that at
least 8/10 cows will voluntarily drink YMCP
Fresh Cow shortly after calving – essential if it is to work as a routine
“preventative” product. The vets and their clients were particularly sceptical
about this but they report “we were bowled over when more than nine out of ten drank voluntarily. Key to this was making
sure that the fluid was presented to the cow as soon as possible after
calving.” Voluntary intake from
the bucket is best for fresh calved cows and pumping is probably best for sick
cows so that a good volume of fluid is administered concurrently.
Data from
studies done in the US suggest that dairy herds where all cows are routinely
given a single dose of YMCP Fresh Cow
at point of calving suffered:
·
Less
retained foetal membranes
·
Less
metritis
·
Less
displaced abomasums
·
Lower
culling rates.
·
Routine Visits
For our
clients who have regular routine visits please note that the visits are pre-booked
in on a four- week rolling rota, so that you can have the same 1 or 2 vets each
time. We are happy to be as flexible as we can to change days or weeks to fit
in with seasonal work/holidays, etc, but remember that your following visit
will be booked in according to the original rota as if no changes had been
made. If your routines are monthly or less frequent Tracy will usually ring you
a couple of days before to check. I hope
that this makes sense. If you have any queries about this please contact us at
the office.
Sheep Lameness Meeting
We are hoping
to hold an on-farm practical meeting on Managing Lameness in Sheep with vet
Kate Hovers. She ran an excellent meeting on one of our clients’ farms
recently, and we thought that more of you should have the chance to learn from
it, so we have asked her to repeat it. If you are interested, please ring the
office and we will contact you when we have a date and venue organised.
Visits to A and E
Farm First
Vets have been doing their utmost to keep staff at Nevill Hall A+E unit busy.
Recently Jane decided one night that the foreign body she had lodged in her
upper arm needed removing (apparently the penetration occurred after she fell
over walking up Mount Vesuvius!). Rob was the duty vet that night and had a
call to a bleeding calf. Whilst stitching the calf up, it decided to spoil
Rob’s natural good looks and kicked him in the jaw resulting in a cut chin. Not
being able to stop the bleeding also took himself off to Nevill Hall. He walks
in with a big blood stained pad of cotton wool held to his chin only to be
confronted by Jane with her swollen elbow. Anyway not one to waste time Rob
hastily conducted a practice meeting to while away the hours. We even thought
of ringing Natalie or Debbie to come and take some minutes, but didn’t think
they would be too impressed!