Cross Counties Farm Vets

21/02/2025

🌡 Do you own a thermometer?

A thermometer is an extremely useful and inexpensive piece of equipment for livestock keepers. Re**al temperature is a useful indicator for determining health and can be an early warning sign of disease. Early detection and identification of sick animals can help to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, reduce treatment cost by improving response to treatment and minimise losses. Being able to assess an animal’s temperature can help in determining the need for treatment and veterinary intervention as well as monitoring response to treatment.

To obtain an accurate re**al temperature the tip of the thermometer should be held directly against the re**al wall, otherwise you may get a falsely low result or take the temperature of the faeces.

The normal parameters:
🐑 Ewes: 38.4-39.5°C, Lambs: 38.5-40°C
🐄 Cattle: 38.0-39.1°C
🐖 Pigs: 38.5-39°C
🐐 Goats: 39.0-39.5°C
🦙 Alpaca: 38.0-38.9°C

20/02/2025

More money for charity! 🥳

Through VetPartners charity match scheme, both RABI and brainstrust have received an extra donation of £366 each. This brings the total donated to each charity from our Christmas quiz to £1962. We look forward to the same success next year and couldn't do this without our wonderful clients!

19/02/2025

Reducing antibiotics 🐑

Overall antibiotic use is relatively low within the sheep sector but…

There is a very high usage around lambing time, particularly in preventative ways around neonatal lambs. Six years ago, SRUC Veterinary Services reviewed the antibiotic sensitivity results for E.coli from lambs less than 4 weeks of age. Incredibly, over half of the cases showed resistance to a common antibiotic used at lambing.

If we can try and be more selective with our antibiotic use, we are not only saving money but reducing resistance to the antibiotics that we use! Additionally, due to the Red Tractor updates, prophylactic use of antibiotics is now restricted, increasing the importance of preventative protocols.

If you want advice and tips on how to best manage antibiotic use at lambing, please speak to your vet for an individualised plan taking into account flock health and history.

18/02/2025

📌Bluetongue Update

Restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of bluetongue have been eased. Due to the drop in temperature and reduced midge activity, the UK's Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed the UK is now in the seasonally vector low period for bluetongue virus. This came into effect from 12 noon on the 21st of January. The government has confirmed that the RZ currently in place across affected regions along the east and south coast of England will remain.

You no longer require:
• post-movement testing for animals moved out of the zone - provided they have a valid negative pre-movement test result
• vector control including the use of insecticide
• animals originating from the restricted zone to be slaughtered at a designated slaughterhouse

You must still:
• have a licence to move animals or germinal product out of a restricted zone
• arrange for a pre-movement test via UK Farmcare for all animals moving out of the restricted zone unless they are moving direct to slaughter or via a dedicated slaughter market
• comply with any post-movement testing requirements set out in your licence or restriction notice if you moved animals out of the restricted zone on or before 20 January 2025
• apply for a licence to freeze germinal products within the restricted zone

However, there has been a confirmed case identified in Kent on the 7th of February 2025 following active surveillance, both BTV-3 an BTV-12 were found. This highlights the importance of remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicion of disease. As we enter spring, we anticipate cases of bluetongue to increase alongside increased midge activity, whilst we can’t predict the disease spread and severity, we encourage you to consider vaccination ahead of this higher risk period, particularly for your sheep. Based on information from the outbreaks experienced on the continent and on affected UK farms, of the sheep that develop clinical signs up to 70% of these do not survive. Vaccination has been shown in Germany to reduce the number of animals dying from disease; however it will not stop them developing disease. Please call the practice to discuss vaccinations options further.

17/02/2025

📌 CASE OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN GERMANY

FMD is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals. Cattle with FMD may develop sores and blisters, and have a fever, shivering, lameness and may produce less milk. Sheep and pigs rarely develop blisters, and lameness is the main sign of the disease. It causes significant economic losses, due to reduced production in the affected animals and export restrictions imposed on live animals and animal products such as meat and milk for affected countries. FMD does not pose a food safety risk and does not affect humans.
FMD was confirmed in a 14-head herd of water buffalo in the state of Brandenburg on 10 January 2025. The first outbreak in the country for nearly 40 years.

📌 WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE UK

The UK Government announced on Tuesday 14 January it was stepping up measures to prevent the spread of FMD:

The UK has suspended imports of the following commodities from FMD-susceptible animals from the whole territory of Germany:
• Live ungulates
• Ruminant and porcine germplasm
• Fresh meat of ungulates
• Meat products that have not been subject to at least heat treatment D1.
• Raw and pasteurised milk and milk products (including colostrum)

The UK Chief Veterinary Officer is urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant and to monitor for the clinical signs of FMD following the confirmed case of the disease in Germany. There are no cases in the UK currently.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a notifiable animal disease. If you suspect disease on your farm, you must report it immediately by calling the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301.

17/02/2025

🤔 Myth or Fact: Lungworm Edition

Lungworm doesn’t just affect youngstock, adult cattle can also be at risk if they aren't able to build up enough immunity through grazing.

We recommend speaking to your vet to assess your lungworm history and form a testing and vaccination plan if you haven’t done so already.

Winter is a great time to get your parasite control plan in check. Creating a list of "to-do" now will help you keep on top of parasite control through the busy Spring and Summer.

14/02/2025

Protecting your herd 🐂

Protect your herd from TB with the TB Five Point Plan.

The “restrict” element relates to restricting the contact between badgers and cattle. You can make a start on this by looking at:

🦡 Where badgers visit on your farm. Consider hiring a wildlife camera for a couple of nights.
🚧 Introducing barriers to prevent badgers accessing cattle areas, i.e. badger proof doors – they can get through very small gaps!
🐄 Limiting the access of cattle to known badger setts and latrines.

It’s often useful to have an outside perspective when looking at preventing contact and this is something which can be done within the TBAS funded vet visits.

Please get in touch if you’re interested in taking up one of these.

10/02/2025

Lungworm: Vaccination

It’s a no from us. ❌

Grazing season isn’t here yet, BUT now is the time to think about lungworm vaccinations. Since 2010, the prevalence of lungworm has spread further North from the South West, therefore it is increasingly important to recognise this as a major parasitic burden to control. Lungworm doesn’t just affect youngstock, adult cattle can also be at risk if they aren't able to build up enough immunity through grazing.

We recommend speaking to your vet to assess your lungworm history and form a testing and vaccination plan if you haven’t done so already.

Winter is a great time to get your parasite control plan in check. Creating a list of "to-do" now will help you keep on top of parasite control through the busy Spring and Summer.

04/02/2025

Quality Colostrum

Five reasons why 💛
We're getting behind the Colostrum ls Gold campaign - raising awareness and improving youngstock health through gold standard colostrum management!

Colostrum is vital to a newborn animal as it contains antibodies (AKA lmmunoglobulins or lgG) to provide immunity and it's also rich in essential nutrients to provide energy for growth.

You can view more information from AHDB here: https://ahdb.orq.uk/knowledge-library/colostrum-is-goldfeeding-colostrum-to-calves-lambs-and-piglets

27/01/2025

22/01/2025

Ewe vaccination 🐑

Key points to remember:
🐑 Vaccinating at this point in pregnancy ensures antibodies for these diseases are passed into the colostrum.

🐑 Ensuring adequate intakes of colostrum containing these antibodies within the first 8 hours of life and for the first few days helps control diseases such as lamb dysentery, pulpy kidney, tetanus and pasteurellosis. Large losses can be experienced when sheep are not correctly vaccinated.

🐑 Once sheep have received the primary course, they must have a booster annually. Why not vaccinate all stock at this time to make it easier to remember?

If starting a primary vaccination course (e.g. haven’t vaccinated before), please speak to your vet for appropriate timings.

21/01/2025

We had our first lambing of the year last week!

Make sure you are prepared for the busy season ahead and get in touch if you want to hear more about our lambing boxes! 🐑

20/01/2025

Today is , known as the saddest day of the year. Let’s make time to catch up with each other over a cup of tea and have a Brew Monday instead. ☕

Remember that these charities are here to help:
Farming Community Network - https://fcn.org.uk/
RABI - https://rabi.org.uk/

We are a voluntary organisation & charity that supports farmers and families within the farming community. Whether the issue is personal or business-related, FCN is here for you. We run a confidential, national helpline and e-helpline which is open every day of the year from 7am to 11pm and our volu...

17/01/2025

As part of the Sustainable Farming Initiative set out by Defra, you can now register online for an Animal Health and Welfare Review. This review isn’t to replace health planning but can instead be used to focus on a specific area on farm that will enhance animal health – speak to your vet to decide how to get the most out of the time.

In return for the funding, beef and dairy farms will need to BVD test and sheep farms will need to carry out FEC sampling via a lab.

Please speak to your vet in the first instance before you register as the review must have taken place within six months of registering – therefore depending on the discussion area, we need to ensure the timing is right.

Don’t let this review opportunity pass!

14/01/2025

Scour prevention 💩

Scour is the leading cause of losses in suckler calves under three weeks of age, but the costs extend past the mortality figure, with growth weights heavily affected.
Prevention is always the best course of action. This requires a combination of maximising calf immunity, whilst minimising the amount of bugs they’re exposed to in early life.

If you are noticing an issue in the herd, the first place to start is recording the number of cases and calf mortality. From here we can investigate potential causes and work to minimise future outbreaks.

08/01/2025

5 Q's of colostrum 🥛

Good colostrum management leads to happy, healthy calves and lambs - remembering these 5 Q’s can keep you on track.

03/01/2025

🐂 Out-wintering can be a successful system for adult beef cattle but it’s not a low management one. It needs proper planning and preparation with animal welfare being the key priority. Some areas to consider:

🛖Shelter – artificial or natural, there should be adequate shelter for adverse weather conditions and a dry place to lie down.

🫘Feeding site – this should be on high ground with good drainage, and accessible to farm vehicles.

🪱Fluke – extended grazing will increase the risk of liver fluke. Liaise and monitor with your vet for any clinical signs or necessary treatment.

⚖️BCS – monitor body condition closely as beef cattle coats can make it harder to notice a loss in condition.

If you are concerned about your cattle over the winter period, please speak to your vet or call the practice.