Border Vets Livestock Services - Longtown

13/06/2024

11/06/2024

Reasons for Vaccinations and Routine Treatments
- Reduction in antimicrobial usage
- Easier to schedule and organise labour
- Prevents decrease in live weight gains of reduced milk production
- Reduces the risk of diseases spreading throughout the herd
- Prevents deaths and ensures a healthy herd
- Less stress on the animals since moving as a group
- Managed and planned costs which can be taken into account when planning cash flow.
Parasite control by routine treatments not only reduces the damage to parts of the animal, e.g. liver fluke but less build-up of parasite on the pasture.

Fewer injections with antibiotics equate to a lower risk of muscle damage, less risk of antibiotics entering the food chain and healthier livestock means more of the carcass can be used.

Vaccinations and routine treatments should be tailored to the farm and the herd. Regular discussions with your vet, to make sure you are getting the right treatments and the right vaccinations at the right time, is vital.

Two of the major causes of losses in beef suckler farming are calf scour and pneumonia. While indoors, the risk of disease is increased because the animals in the herd are in close contact with each other.

Controlling the cattle housing to reduce the risk of these and other diseases is a priority. Many of the vaccination schedules or routine treatments are carried out prior to, or at, housing, while others are carried out at turnout.

07/06/2024

Protecting each new-born calf from infectious diseases, ensuring they are healthy and productive in the long term, is a priority for every dairy farmer.

Current research shows that 26 - 50% of new-born calves don’t get enough colostrum, putting them at a much higher risk of disease or early death.

Calf scour and pneumonia pose real threats as soon as the calf is born, but good colostrum management can help give it the right start and protect it into the future.

Antibodies that the dam has built up in her immune system can’t pass through the placenta to her calf. But she can pass enough antibodies through her colostrum to her new-born. Not only will this help improve the calf’s immune system, it will help ensure its future health and growth.

Guidelines suggest that each calf needs 3 - 4 litres, or 10% of their bodyweight, of colostrum should be given at birth with a follow feed of a similar size within the first 12 hours. It can get this by suckling or via a stomach tube.

Speed is of the essence though. The calf’s ability to absorb the good stuff from the colostrum decreases rapidly after birth. Within 6 hours, it can only absorb 66% of the antibodies and within 24 hours, this reduces to zero.

During peak calving times or an outbreak of calf scour, how can you make sure your new-born calves are getting the best protection?

Making sure your calves get the best start in life is as simple as talking to your vet.

24/05/2024

ENDEMIC DISEASE – ADDITIONAL FUNDING

This week, Defra announced additional funding to help tackle endemic diseases in addition to the current funding offered by the Annual Welfare Review. This will include
• £215 for cattle with no BVD
• £837 for beef cattle where BVD is present in the herd
• £1,714 for dairy cattle where BVD is present in the herd
• £639 for sheep
• £923 for pigs
To access the additional funding, you first need to have an Annual Health and Welfare Review. Find out more here https://buff.ly/4dGotVj

24/05/2024

Opening Hours this Bank Holiday

Thursday 23rd May 2024 - 8:30-6pm
Friday 24th May 2024 - 8:30-6pm
Saturday 25th May 2024 - 8:30-12noon
Out of Hours from 12noon
Sunday 26th May 2024 - Out of Hours
Monday 27th May 2024 - BANK HOLIDAY Out of Hours
Tuesday 28th May 2024 - Open as Normal from 8:30am

Out of Hours is available on phoning the practice on 01228 792999 and you will be transferred to our own Out of Hours Vet.

14/05/2024

KETOSIS CONTINUED:

Hidden ketosis reduces milk yield by 358 kg in cows and 500 kg in heifers over a 305 day lactation, leading to significant losses.

Are you having recurrent problems in your herd such as retained placenta, metritis
and mastitis? It could be due to subclinical . Targeted prevention can reduce ketosis by up to 74% and reduce your use of antibiotics by 25%

Cows are most vulnerable to around calving time, as this is when feed intake declines just when demand for energy is highest. Speak with your vet to reduce the risk of this negative energy balance causing problems after calving

‘SOFT’ cows are at greater risk of . Identify these animals and treat with a bolus to help them maintain a healthy
🐮 Sick
🐮 Old
🐮 Fat
🐮 Twins

13/05/2024

Border Vets are very proud sponsors of Longtown Young Farmers

Especially on them receiving 2nd Place Club this weekend at the Northern District Field Day!!
Congratulations 🎉🥳

09/05/2024

Shelly Hoof
Causes:

Although the exact cause isn’t known, suggestions are that it can be associated with:

Trauma from stony, rough or wet ground
An imbalance in nutrition
Some breeds are more susceptible than others
Signs:

Horn separates from the wall forming an air pocket which can become filled with dirt and stones etc. It can progress into White Line disease
In many cases, sheep will show no signs of lameness which emphasises the importance of checking your flock

Treatment:

Carefully trim the horn, removing the loose part and treat with antibiotic spray if there is any infection
If there is no infection, it may be sensible to fill the air pocket with hoof putty

06/05/2024

What consequences do you think has on your herd? It causes
🐄 Reduced fertility
🐄 Reduced milk yield
🐄 Reduced cow health

The average cost is £220 per cow. This includes lost production, the impact from poor fertility and the cost of managing associated disease.

The fertility of your dairy cows can have a big impact on the success of your farm. Cows with subclinical are 50% less likely to get pregnant on first AI. off your farm and improve fertility rates in your herd

03/05/2024

FOOT ROT :
This is an extremely painful disease caused by, Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum. It is highly contagious and sheep with Footrot are very lame, struggling to bear weight on the affected limbs.

Sheep that are affected in both front legs will walk and graze on their knees, causing further issues with their legs.

The interdigital skin is moist and swells with the infection spreading to the horn and deeper tissues, sometimes spreading along the sole and up the wall of the hoof. There is also a foul-smelling, oozing discharge. In extreme cases it can cause the horn to separate and may result in the loss of the hoof.

Footrot is common in warm (10°c or over), damp conditions, peaking between April to June and August to October.

Because of the highly contagious nature of Footrot, it should be considered a whole flock problem.

TREATMENT:

Talk to your vet for advice but treatment may include:

Separation of affected sheep for treatment
Topical antibiotic spray
In severe cases, antibiotic injections
Foot bathing
Selective culling of any sheep that don’t improve with treatment
Vaccination programme for future control
The bacteria that causes this disease can only survive in the environment for up to 12 days under perfect conditions so, rotational grazing and making sure the affected animals are isolated can help with control.

Ring the practice to discuss the possible preventative treatment of foot rot using the FOOTVAX Programme.

(Picture from MSD)

30/04/2024

Lets talk about LAMENESS

Over the next few weeks; we will go over causes of lameness and how to treat and prevent future problems.

25/04/2024

PARASITOLOGY IN HOUSE TESTING:

We have the ability to process various parasite samples in-house, to enable rapid and timely diagnosis of fluke, roundworms, lungworms, lice and scab. We have both automated and manual diagnostic equipment.

Parasitic Gastro-enteritis is the cause of the greatest economic losses to the sheep industry in the UK. We can advise process samples to advise on optimal dosing times and identify issues of wormer resistance in worm populations on farms.

Phone the Practice to discuss further; Results within hours.

(Picture from: Indicial Bioscience)

22/04/2024

HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF PELVIC SCORING YOUR SOON TO BE INCALF HEIFERS:

Pelvic area in heifers is a good indicator of calving ease and it can help you make decisions on which animals to breed from. It is best to check heifers before being put to the bull or started on a synchronisation programme to assess their pelvic size and identify any reproductive abnormalities.

The procedure is quick and simple to carry out in a standing animal. A device called a Rice Pelvimeter is inserted rectally to take vertical and horizontal measurements of the pelvis, these measurements are then used to calculate pelvic area. At the same time, we can scan the reproductive tract to check for free-martinism and other abnormalities.

(Picture from: G Shepherd Animal Health)

19/04/2024

JOIN OUR FLOCK HEALTH CLUB TODAY:

Our Flock Health Club includes the following:

A flock health plan (suitable for Red Tractor/FABL)​
2 sheep meetings per year​
4 free worm egg counts and 50% off additional tests & advice on worming​
One free post-mortem per year​
10% off vasectomies and tup fertility testing​
1 free visit per year (not including vet time) for flock health related work such as blood sampling for MV health scheme/metabolic profiling​

Cost - £15 per month

16/04/2024

Please do not forget to mark any barren or aborted ewes for post lambing blood testing using the subsidised toxoplasma and chlamydia blood testing.

Up to 8 ewes can be tested at once; please call the practice to arrange a visit or a time slot to bring them to the practice for testing.

11/04/2024

Nematodirus is a very significant parasitic worm to be found in 6 to 12 week old lambs. It is most prevalent in late spring/early summer.

If you are concerned about an ill thriving, scouring and weight loss in any lambs throughout this lambing season.
Please drop off a 5g sample of faeces from the affected lamb/lambs and we will happily test the sample in house.

To keep most up to date with the parasite forecast this year; please contact the surgery with your mobile number and/or email address on 01228792999 to be added to the NADIS Parasite Alerts system.

08/04/2024

Check out our Top Tips for Purchasing New Animals

- Know the Health Status of the new animals
- Know what your buying
- All New Animals must be placed in Quarantine
- All New Animals should be vet checked
- If buying cattle; be aware of TB Status/Area coming from.
- If buying cattle; be aware of BVD Free Scotland

05/04/2024

Schmallenberg Virus in Calves and Lambs is caused by infected midges. There currently is not any vaccines available for the current outbreak of this disease in the UK.

Any lambs or calves showing signs of fused, inflexible joints which are born alive or dead might be Schmallenberg. They primarily cause a very difficult lambing or calving due to the severe joint abnormalities.

Free Testing is being carried out by APHA.

Please bring the lambs/calves with their placenta where possible to the surgery as soon as you can following birth.

02/04/2024

Do not forget about our Blue Tongue Meeting tomorrow night Wednesday 3rd April 2024 at The Auctioneer, Rosehill 7pm.

Let us know if you can attend by calling the practice on 01228792999.

Thankyou

31/03/2024

Happy Easter Everyone!!

28/03/2024

CALLING ALL DAIRY FARMERS!

Please support this cow mobility survey of dairy cows in the UK with a chance to win one of the 40 prizes provided by CEVA, Herd Vision, IVC Farm Vets, Zinpro and Neogen.

Draw will take place in May and Prize Winners will be announced in Cow Management Magazine.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/stride_survey?fbclid=IwAR3q_iz-fv24EhCHpQTq7OLnt0Ohx9o7ydVYkqOsiBYTRKrQbeNinmiA1qo

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26/03/2024

Do not forget Blue Tongue Meeting is tonight at 7pm C&D Auction Mart.

Tea and Coffee Provided

25/03/2024

Do not forget Blue Tongue Meeting is tomorrow at 7pm C&D Auction Mart.

Tea and Coffee Provided