We all know there's little to no rest for our farmers, that being said, we hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and have an enjoyable and, dare we say relaxing, Boxing Day!
Merry Christmas from all of us, to all of you!
Calf diarrhoea is a greater problem in housed cattle compared to those being born outside.
Vaccination against some of the major causes of scour can be given in the period prior to calving, which causes the dam to produce antibodies. These antibodies, provided in the colostrum, help protect the calf from developing disease. The timing of vaccination of the dam will depend on when cows or heifers will be expected to calve and the type of vaccine being used. It is good practice to have the herd pregnancy diagnosed.
For the scour vaccine to be effective the calf needs to absorb sufficient antibodies from the colostrum. The general guide is that the calf should receive 10% of bodyweight as colostrum within six hours of birth. In subsequent days, although the antibodies are not being absorbed, there is still some protection to the gut against pathogens such as E.coli K99, Rotavirus and Coronavirus.
Speak to us to know more about calf scour and vaccinating against it.
There are many different bacteria and viruses which can cause calf pneumonia. For the spring calving suckler herd, the greatest risk of pneumonia is post weaning and at housing. The timing of weaning and housing is affected by the age of the calf and body condition score of the cow.
Calving early in the spring allows calves to be weaned and vaccinated in advance of housing. All vaccines need a period of time between administering the product and antibodies developing.
Other factors to consider are whether the vaccine requires one or two doses before full immunity is provided. The number of vaccines required can depend on the age of the calves being vaccinated.
If you would like more information on calf pneumonia or vaccinatons, call the practice or speak with your vet.
What should do if you suspect OPA in your flock?
If you have animals that you suspect are suffering from OPA, you should isolate them from the flock and contact us immediately. We would always recommend a post mortem examination of the lungs in order to confirm the diagnosis. OPA doesn’t seem to be picky when it comes to breeds. There is no strong evidence that any breed is more, or less, susceptible.
OPA is commonly introduced into new flocks through the purchase of apparently healthy animals that are carrying the virus. Tests to detect OPA in sheep, before they develop clinical signs of OPA, are a focus of ongoing research. Ultrasound scanning can identify early OPA in sheep before any signs of disease begin to show and whilst the animal is still of some cull value.
Unfortunately, ultrasound doesn’t give a definitive negative result for individual animals. Although OPA was first described almost 200 years ago, methods for controlling the disease are limited. In recent years, great progress has been made in understanding how the virus triggers the growth of the cancer in the lung and research is advancing in the area of early detection.
If you have any questions or have concerns that you may have OPA in your flock, give us a call.
You'll hear us say it time and time again: prevention is better than cure!
To finish our series of information on IBR, we highlight the importance of vaccinating, regularly testing animals for disease and a quick reminder that quarantining new animals is extremely important! Give us a call today if you would like more information or if you suspect your herd may be vulnerable to IBR.
Next in our series of information about IBR is treatment, and whilst there is no specific treatment, there are many ways in which your vet can help. Of course if you have any concerns or would like any further information on IBR, please call the practice!
We started talking about Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis last week, but do you know the symptoms of this disease?
If you're concerned about your cattle at all, don't hesitate to contact your vet. 🐄🐮
IBR - Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis.
Keep an eye out for more information on this disease, but for now, here's a quick introduction.
If you'd like more information on IBR, speak to your vet who will be more than happy to help!
