MATTERS. Inside this issue: Parasites in Cattle. Sheep Flock Health

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1 VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE Livestock Inside this issue: Parasites in Cattle We discuss the important factors to consider when deciding a parasite control programme for your farm Sheep Flock Health Autumn is a critical time for sheep farmers, we look at how decisions made now will affect next year s lamb crop MATTERS VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 1

2 EXCELLENCE IN PRACTICE XLVets - We Excel The members of XLVets have worked hard to create what they see as a model of how practices can work together, sharing the latest ideas and passing on savings and joint expertise to clients. Invest in Health Don t Pay For Disease The group comprises of a number of the foremost farm practices in Ireland. With many years of combined experience, it is able to give expert advice on all areas of farm livestock, health and production. XLVets member practices are dedicated to providing a high quality, cost effective service to their clients, to support long-term growth and future prosperity within the Irish livestock industry. Mulcair Clinics Cappamore, Co.Limerick Telephone: O Connor Julian Vets Cashel, Co.Tipperary ipperary Telephone: Adare Surgery Old Church Hospital Killeagh, Co.Cork Telephone: Ballyshannon, Co.Donegal Telephone: Glenina Clinic Ormonde Kilmacthomas, Co.Waterford Telephone: Galway, Co.Galway Telephone: All Creatures Clinic Donal Lynch Gortlandroe Clinic Roscommon Town, Co.Roscommon Telephone: Tullamore, Co.Offaly Telephone: Nenagh, Co.Tipperary Telephone: Avondale Clinics Geraghty & Neary Kilcoyne Clinic Adare, Co.Limerick Telephone: Kilkenny, Co.Kilkenny Telephone: Riverview Group Bandon, Co.Cork Telephone: Sliabh Luachra Centre Mountbellew, Co Galway Telephone: Tubbercurry, Co.Sligo Telephone: Rathmore, Co.Kerry Telephone: Castle Clinic Glasslyn Clinic Killenaule Vets Bandon, Co Cork Telephone: Thurles, Co.Tipperary Telephone: Southview Hospital Church St, Castleisland, Co. Kerry Telephone: Clerkin Vets Glen Clinics Longford Animal Health Centre Cootehill, Co.Cavan Telephone: Tipperary Town, Co.Tipperary Telephone: Shroid, Co.Longford Telephone: Arklow, Co.Wicklow Telephone: Comeragh Glenbower Group Clonmel, Co.Tipperary Telephone: The Hospital Gorey, Co.Wexford Telephone: WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...

3 CCONTENTS ONTENTS VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 VOLUME 4 EDITION 2 XLVets is a novel and exciting initiative conceived from within the veterinary XLVets is a novel and exciting initiative profession. all independently owned, conceived We fromare within the veterinary profession. progressive practices located We are allveterinary independently owned, progressive throughout Ireland committed to working veterinary practices located throughout Ireland together fortothe benefit of ourfor clients. committed working together the benefit of our clients. XLVets Ireland Member Practices XLVets Ireland Member Practices Adare Surgery Curraghbeg, Adare, Surgery Co.Limerick Adare Station Road, Adare, Co.Limerick All Creatures Clinic Lanesboro Street, Roscommon Town, All Creatures Clinic Co.Roscommon Lanesboro Street, Roscommon Town, Co.Roscommon Avondale Clinics Ferrybank, Co.Wicklow AvondaleArklow, Clinics Castle Ferrybank, Arklow,Clinic Co.Wicklow Church Street, Castleisland, Co. Kerry Clerkin Vets Clerkin VetsStreet, Cootehill, Co.Cavan 90 Bridge 90 Bridge Street, Cootehill, Co.Cavan Comeragh Comeragh Main Street, Kilmacthomas, Co.Waterford Main Street, Kilmacthomas, Co.Waterford Donal Lynch Donal Lynch Killurin Cross, Killeagh,Tullamore TullamoreCo.Offaly Co.Offaly Killurin Cross, Killeagh, Geraghty&&Neary Neary Geraghty College Road, Mountbellew, Galway College Road, Mountbellew, CoCo Galway Glasslyn Clinic Clinic Glasslyn Glasslyn Road, Bandon, Cork Glasslyn Road, Bandon, CoCo Cork Glen Glen Clinics Clinics Blind y BlindStreet, Street,Tipperary TipperaryTown, Town,Co.Tipperary Co.Tipperar Co.Tipperary Glenbower Glenbower Group Group Clashdermot ClashdermotEast, East,Killeagh, Killeagh,Co.Cork Co.Cork Glenina Glenina Clinic Clinic 11 Glenina Heights, Galway, Co.Galway Glenina Heights, Galway, Co.Galway Gortlandroe Clinic StGortlandroe Conlon s Road, Nenagh,Clinic Co.Tipperary St Conlon s Road, Nenagh, Co.Tipperary Kilcoyne KilcoyneRoad, Mountain Tubbercurry, Co Sligo Mountain Road, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo Killenaule Vets KillenauleThurles, Vets Co.Tipperary Killenaule, Killenaule,Animal Thurles,Health Co.Tipperary Longford Centre Cooleeney, Shroid, Co Longford Longford Animal Health Centre Cooleeney, Shroid, Clinics Co Longford Mulcair Dromsally, Cappamore, Co.Limerick Mulcair Clinics Dromsally,Julian Cappamore, O Connor Vets Co.Limerick Cahir Road, Cashel, Co.Tipperary O Connor Julian Vets Old 67Church Main Street, Cashel,Hospital Co.Tipperary The Mall, Ballyshannon, Co.Donegal Old Church Hospital Ormonde The Mall, Ballyshannon, Co.Donegal 14 Barrack Street, Kilkenny, Co.Kilkenny Ormonde Riverview Group 14 Barrack Street, Kilkenny, Co.Kilkenny Distillery Road, Bandon, Co.Cork Riverview Group Sliabh Luachra Centre Distillery Road, Bandon, Co.Cork West End, Rathmore, Co.Kerry Sliabh Luachra Centre Southview Hospital West End, Rathmore, Co.Kerry Irishtown, Clonmel, Co.Tipperary Southview Hospital The Hospital Irishtown, Clonmel, Co.Tipperary Arklow Road, Gorey, Co.Wexford The Hospital Arklow Road, Gorey, Co.Wexford 04 Equine Reproduction: 03 Clinic celebrates 03 Glasslyn 100 years of service: Donal Lynch discusses getting a mare Kevin Sullivan, Glasslyn O Sullivan, in foal and theglasslyn different ways of Clinic gives us usthe brief insightcalendar. intothis this gives aa brief insight into influencing breeding practice s history. history. 04 controls andvvaccination: 04 IBR 06 Lameness Mastitis: 12 Sheep 11 Calf 11 rearingreproduction: to beef: Geraghty, Neary Conor Geraghty, Geraghty Neary Padraig DugganGeraghty discusses&&the main challenges of explains the challenges ofanimal animalhealth health factors the which affect sheep beef. inreproductive calf rearing to beef. performance. 13 Beef herd health planning: 13 Avondale Heffernan, Avondale 14 Tommy XLVets Skillnet Flock Health discusses Clinics discusseshow howthe thebasis basisofofany anyherd herd Event: Tommy Heffernan, Avondale Avondale Willie Buckley talks about the different health plan is is prevention preventionrather rathertan tancure. cure. Clinics looks looksat at the thecontrol controland andvaccination vaccination ways in which we can prevent We look the first of our sheep flock of the the IBR IBR disease. disease. 16 problems around lambing 16 Common lameness and why he thinks that events with over 250 farmers in time: 05 Why 05 do cows not new get pregnant?: lameness is the mastitis. attendance. Conor Kilcoyne, Kilcoyne,Kilcoyne Kilcoyne Surgeons describesthe thecommon commonproblems problems Surgeons describes Zobel,Old OldChurch Church Robert Zobel, that can be encountered duringthe the encountered during Hospital describes describesthe theissues issuesassociated associated 08 with Sheep Flock Health: 15 lambing It s Competition Time: season. season. subfertility. subfertility. Conor Geraghty looks at how We XLVets are giving one lucky readeryour the How training can benefit benefit your Health and safety at calving time: decisions made now will affect next chance to win an XLVets calf jacket. farming business: Harold Ferguson, Longford Animal Health Animal Health year sferguson, lamb croplongford and provides tips to Denise Duggan, Duggan, XLVets XLVetsTraining TrainingManager Manager Centre examines the potential risks and examines the potential risks and help sheep farmers become profitable. provides provides aa brief brief overview overviewofofxlvets XLVetsSkillnet Skillnet dangers at calving calving time. time. and the benefits benefits to to farmers. farmers Dry cow management: 10 Parasites in Cattle: Parasite control: Kieran O Mahony, Glen Glen Clinic Clinic Kieran O Mahoney talks about the Donal Lynch, DonalLynch Lynch Lynch, Donal describes describes the the three threeperiods periodsofofthe thedrying drying factors toto consider when deciding athe explains how howparasite parasitecontrol controlbecomes becomes off off process process avoid avoid problems problems during duringthe dosing programme for your herd. topical as we enter enter the thehousing housingperiod. period. lactation season. Prac basedtical, farm train del improivered by veing, ve y ts t and bouur livestooc k perfor siness mance... LVets: Contact X05 and xlvets.ie office@ XLVet Ireland Ltd Registered Office at: at:: XLVet Ireland Ltd Registered Office at Dromsally, Cappamore Dromsally County Limerick Tel: Cappamore Training is a vital part of the jigsaw that makes up modern farm business success. But finding the training that s right for you needn t be a puzzle. XLVet Ireland Tel: No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. XLVet Ireland XLVets courses are aredesigned designedtoto XLVets FarmSkills courses put thefarmer farmerfirst; first; finding put the finding outout whatwhat you you know now and and what what you d like like to know to to improve yourbusiness. business. improve your County Limerick No part of this publication may be reproduced Disclaimer: without prior permission of the publisher. XLVets does not necessarily share the views of Disclaimer:No responsibility can be accepted contributors. does not necessarily share the views of forxlvets opinions expressed by contributors, or claims contributors. No responsibility can be accepted made by advertisers within this publication. for opinions expressed by contributors, or claims made by advertisers within this publication. VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 Courses are available availableacross acrossireland Ireland and and areare open to toeveryone. everyone.topics Topicscatered catered include forfor include cattle lameness, lameness,mastitis mastitis and andcell cellcount, coun t, calf calf rearing andfertility fertility management. rearing and management. XLVets Skillnet is funded by member companies and the Training Networks Programme, an initiative of XLVets Skillnets Ltd. funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Education and Skills. 3

4 EQUINE REPRODUCTION DONAL LYNCH, MVB, CERT DHH In this article we will discuss equine reproduction. A topic explored at a recent XLVets Skillnet training event for vets. Getting the Mare in Foal Surgeon Donal Lynch XLVets Practice Donal Lynch Vets, Killurin, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Scanning can identify pregnancy as early as 12 days At a recent training day for vets organised by XLVets Ireland the area of mare reproduction was explored. Getting a calf from every cow every year is a key driver of profitability on any dairy or suckler farm but in the equine situation we are trying to get the best proven mares to have a foal. Mares are not selected for fertility as is the case in cattle. Mares are naturally programmed to go in foal as the days are getting longer and the weather is getting better. A foal will be carried by the mare for an average of 330 days. This is nature s way of ensuring that the foal enters the world at the best time. So we naturally expect foals to be born in the late spring and early summer when the weather is good and there is loads of grass available for the mare. However, the thoroughbred industry wants foals born as early as possible in the year as this provides an advantage in future racing careers. A thorough bred horse is considered 1-year-old when the calendar year changes, thus a foal born in July is consider the same age as 1 born in January for racing terms. There are several ways we can influence the breeding calendar. Because a mare is a long day breeder if we add artificial light at the either end of the day we can fool the mare into cycling and thus increase the possibility of going in foal. There are also some programmes that can influence the start of the breeding season and in recent years we have seen some new technology contributing to this such as light sources on head collars. It is important to remember that the key considerations in getting your mare in foal include having her in good condition, well minded and addressing any issues she may have that could interfere with breeding. Conformational problems are common and can sometimes be improved by minor surgical procedures. Identifying when a mare is ready to be bred is difficult, traditionally the advice would have been to breed every 2nd day until she Vet Joe Dooley identifying a pregnant mare 4 WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...

5 EQUINE REPRODUCTION goes out of season, nowadays we want to minimise the use of popular stallions, facilitate artificial insemination and reduce time wasted travelling with mares. We identify the most appropriate time to breed by ultrasound scanning. Identifying when a mare is in season can also be done by ultrasound scanning by your vet but is commonly done by teasing her with a stallion. If the mare is receptive to the stallion that implies that she is in season and should be scanned to determine the most appropriate time for breeding. Semen can be delivered to the mare in a number of ways: Natural Service Chilled Artificial Semen Frozen Semen Natural service is the only allowed method in the thoroughbred industry but both chilled and frozen semen are widely used in the sport horse industry. The advantages of artificial semen are more mares can be covered by one stallion, the semen can travel to the mare for example by courier and frozen semen can be stored for a long time before it is used, thus stallions can be available even after they have died. Embryo transfer is now also a possibility. Disease control is of particular concern and the ITBA have a code of conduct covering many of the infectious diseases such as CEM, EVA and EIA. One should consult with their vet as to the requirements for their mare as the standards vary from breed to breed. Spread of such infectious disease can have disastrous consequences on individual studs and also on the national equine industry. Preparing to scan a mare Health and safety is a big concern as we work at the business end of the mare. There are safety concerns around teasing and covering mares with stallions and scanning and treating mares with reproductive problems. It is generally accepted that the best place to perform any reproductive work on a mare is in a stocks. This will reduce the risk of injury to the operator associated with kicks. A kick from the hind leg of a mare can cause very serious injury. The design of a stocks is important and consultation with your vet will facilitate a good working facility. Chilled semen Use of a stock to scan a mare VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 5

6 LAMENESS v MASTITIS WILLIE BUCKLEY, MVB, CERT DHH In our practice, we get a lot of queries from our clients about lame cows. In fact lameness is now taking over from mastitis as the most common complaint that our clients ask advice for. Lameness is the new Mastitis Surgeon Willie Buckley XLVets Practice Riverview Clinic, Bandon, Carrigaline, Ballincollig, Kinsale I have started using the analogy that Lameness is the new Mastitis to get across my lameness message. As many of our clients are acutely aware of what they need to do, to fight and win the battle with mastitis, the same approach can be used to deal with lameness. Once one understands the significant costs of lameness, you then need to identify its causes and subsequently move to assess possible solutions, on a farm by farm basis. With any herd health challenge you have to first of all identify the enemy. With mastitis, the enemy can be broken down to either contagious or environmental in origin. In lameness you also need to identify the type of lameness i.e. whether it is infectious or non infectious. One then drills down further and target where you need to spend time and effort to bring about the best return. Cows have four quarters that produce milk. They are basically independent of each other but can cross-infect each other. Lameness is different if a cow gets a lame leg it affects the other three legs as more weight must then be taken by those legs. There is a direct knock on effect. The longer a problem exists the worse it gets for all four feet. One has to also consider the pain the cow is suffering. As Temple Grandin, a world renowned animal behaviourist has explained, cows are prey animals, a prey animal must not show pain if possible. If they show pain i.e. they end up at the back of the moving herd. This marks them out to be an easier kill by the predator. We have all seen cows that one day don t seem to be lame and the next day, are very lame. This is where the cow can no longer hide the pain and let s herself be seen as lame. My approach to lameness is now to deal with it just as I deal with mastitis. Monitor for lameness in the same way as you watch out for increased SCC in individual cows. Then identify the cause of the lameness and invest both time and money in a solution. If you treat a cow early for mastitis your cure rates are very good. By the same token, if you spot your lame cow early and treat her you can prevent her from becoming a chronic case. She ends up costing time and becomes a source of continuing economic loss to your farm. The pictures in this article are ones that we have taken ourselves or ones that farmers have sent into us for a diagnosis. Some lesions in spite of early treatment still go wrong. There are many farmers who after going through a crisis with maybe 10% lame cows, have now decided to tackle problems earlier. They are looking at their cows that are showing mild lameness and lifting their feet early and they are getting a valuable return for their early intervention. We work together on farm and through constant communication to deal with the issues that arise. The target is to have no more than 1 cow lame in 50 at any one time. This is been achieved by many farmers. 6 WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...

7 LAMENESS v MASTITIS I believe that losses due to lameness far outweigh the cost of mastitis in most of our herds. The figure of 1550 to rear a replacement cow is now widely accepted. A better way to understand this cost is that it is 2/3rd s of the way through a cows 2nd lactation, before she starts to make a profit for our clients. Anything that upsets her along the way such as mastitis or lameness affects this break-even point. Add to this the current price of milk and that point is pushed out much further into the following lactation. VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 With mastitis you have to look at the root causes of infection, the same is through for lameness. If you are just going to try and pare and inject your way out of trouble you will go the same way as people who try to inject their way out of mastitis. You have to prevent your way out of both. now becoming a bigger problem in some farms and planned hoof management in these farms is now not an option, but a prerequisite. With lameness you have to look at many things such as housing, walkways, breeding, feeding and preventative hoof trimming/ foot-bathing. I believe one of them most under-rated causes of lameness in a herd is the quality of cow comfort over the winter housing period. I have seen many a time where a lameness problem in a herd has been sorted, when cows have moved into a new shed, where they have enough cubicle space (105 cubicles for 100 cows), with appropriate mats and cow friendly design. I have seen other cases where lameness and mastitis problems have disappeared, when road tunnels have been commissioned and cows are allowed out to pasture and are not spending long waiting times in parlour yards and are left to walk in and out at their own pace. Excessive walking distances are Farmer Goals Everything these days has to be defined by goals. With lameness, one could divide them up as: Economic Goals Welfare Goals Each farmer needs to decide what time and effort they are going to put into lameness prevention, then use economics to decide where the best payback is and above all if you watch out for cow welfare, the cow will look after you. There is no immediate solution to feet problems in cows. Like mastitis it takes continuous effort and monitoring to understand the enemy on your farm, but SCC has been successfully tackled in many farms and so can lameness. 7

8 FLOCK HEALTH CONOR GERAGHTY, MVB, CERT DHH XLVets held a two day training event for vets with experts in flock health in June. XLVets practices aim to deliver cutting edge flock health services to clients with a view to helping sheep farmers become more profitable. Flock Health Planning in Autumn Surgeon Conor Geraghty XLVets Practice Geraghty & Neary Vets Mountbellew, Ballinasloe Co. Galway Autumn is a critical time on sheep farms as the decisions made now will affect next year s lamb crop and indeed how many of that potential crop will reach point of sale. Lamb Thrive The supply of grass available next spring is determined by the closing date of paddocks this autumn having large numbers of unfinished lambs in autumn will certainly affect this date. Figure 4: Lambs showing signs of Illthrist Are your lambs thriving? Are you weighing a representative sample to assess if thrive is >150g/day? Poor lamb thrive can be caused by: Inadequate nutrition not enough grass or poor quality grass. Parasite infestation intestinal nematodes will affect growth rates and can even cause death. Mineral deficiencies such as cobalt deficiency. Figure 1: Pasture larvel levels through the grazing season Pasture Larval Levels Lamb FEC Ewe FEC J F M A M J J A S O N D Grazing management Swards should be grazed when the grass is 10cm (as tall as a can of coke) and lambs moved on to the next paddock when the grass is 4cm (as tall as a golf ball). Grazing grass taller than 10cm will mean reduced digestibility. Grazing to 4cm increases the digestibility of the grass in the next grazing. Grazing lower than 4cm reduces performance and it also results in more parasite larvae being ingested by the lambs, increasing their burden of parasites. Pasture contamination is highest at this time of year as shown in figure 1 above. Parasite control Faecal egg counts (FEC) should be carried out in groups of 10 lambs amounting to 10% of the lamb flock to determine if parasite levels are such that dosing is required. FEC>300epg means that thrive is likely to be affected. FEC>1000epg are not uncommon at this time of year. When dosing lambs it is important to calibrate your dosing gun by squirting a dose into a syringe to check that the measurement is correct. Weigh the heaviest lambs in the group. Are they fit for slaughter? If the answer is yes then do not dose these lambs draft them. The 8 WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...

9 FLOCK HEALTH remaining lambs should then be dosed with an appropriate wormer and returned to the same field for 48 hours after dosing. This minimises the build-up of resistant worms in the fields through the concept of inrefugia. What wormers are available Choosing an appropriate wormer Anthelmintic resistance is a real issue on many sheep farms. It is important to know if certain groups of wormers are ineffective on your farm due to resistance. There are five groups of wormers available for sheep see figure 2 to the right. Results from the STAP programme indicated that over 50% of worming treatments performed in Ireland do not work which not alone represents a huge waste of time, money and labour, but also means that lamb thrive did not improve as a result of the worming treatment. The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) can be used to assess if anthelmintic resistance is an issue with any particular class of wormer on your farm. Figure 2: The five classes of Anthelmintics Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test Take fresh faecal samples from 10 lambs showing signs of worms Mark the lambs Dose with anthelmintic Resample the lambs that you have marked 10 days later (7 days if levamisole was used) Compare the results 95% reduction in FEC indicates no resistance to that wormer The three commonly used classes of wormer should be tested Results should be discussed with your vet to develop a strategy for dealing with resistance Best Practice in Parasite Control It is important to use the SCOPS principles to reduce the development of anthelmintic resistance on your farm: Don t under dose Don t over use anthelmintics Use refugia Use targeted treatments based on FECs Use Quarantine treatments Integrate strategic use of newer anthelmintics into the plan Figure 3: The effects of Anthelmintic resistance on sheep performance Cobalt deficiency Cobalt deficiency affects lamb thrive and can result in extra unfinished lambs on the farm in autumn. Lambs with cobalt deficiency may have crusty ears and growth rates will be low see figure 4. Definitive diagnosis is difficult as Irish laboratories require a liver sample to test. Blood can be sent to the UK for testing. Cobalt can be supplemented via drenches or via bolus. Maximising the Scanning Percentage As sheep farmers prepare for the breeding season the focus is on maximising the number of lambs in the ewe flock at scanning. Subsequently the focus will be on getting as many of these pregnancies as possible into actual lambs sold next year. This process starts now. The principal reasons for disappointing scanning percentages are Ewe breed and age o Some breeds are more prolific o Ewe lambs and hoggets are less prolific Nutrition & BCS o Aim for BCS o Ewes should be flushed for 3 weeks pre tupping Stress o Poor weather, rough terrain and handling in the first month will reduce scanning rates Low serum protein caused by either o Liver fluke o Sheep scab Toxoplasmosis o Are replacements vaccinated? Ram issues o Infertile rams o Sub-fertile rams o Lameness/illness o Too many ewes Mineral deficiency o Iodine and selenium are the most important o Cobalt and copper deficiency indirectly affect scanning percentages All of these situations are preventable with proper planning. Talk to your vet today regarding vaccination of replacements, parasite control and mineral supplementation in ewes pre tupping and fertility testing your rams in advance of the breeding season. Making informed planned decisions now will maximise the number of lambs born next spring and increase the grass supply available to them. Advice is available from your local XLVet practice. VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 9

10 CATTLE PARASITES KIERAN O MAHONY, MVB As a vet in practice I often get asked about dosing cattle. The question is often what to use, or when to use it. The answer I give will vary from year to year and from animal type to animal type. Parasites in cattle. What treatment will I use? Surgeon Kieran O Mahony XLVets Practice Glen Vet Clinic, Tipperary Town. Weather type and time of year are two important factors to consider when deciding on a parasite control programme, as is the age of the animal. Although the parasites will largely be similar, control in a juvenile bovine versus that in an adult will differ significantly, and that s even before factors such as witholding periods in dairy and finishing cattle are taken into consideration. Factors to consider: 1. Time of Year 2. The Weather 3. Age of Animal Lungworm clot in trachea 4. Clinical Signs 1. Time of Year: Across all ages of cattle the end of the year usually means housing and it is at this time that thoughts concentrate on control of the major parasites; Worms, Fluke and Lice. Parasite control can be divided by season: Spring: Treat yearlings after housing for Type II Ostertagia and Fluke Dairy Cow showing signs of lung worm 10 Summer: Treat calves/weanlings regularly for intestinal worms*. Fluke dosing is not necessary in Spring-born calves. Treat adult dairy cows for Lungworm. Depending on rainfall levels during the previous Autumn and Winter a further Liver Fluke or Rumen Fluke treatment may be needed in mature cattle. WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...

11 CATTLE PARASITES Autumn: Similar to Summer but the timing of dosing should be watched carefully to coincide with and ensure effective dosing at housing. Winter: This is when very effective parasite control can be achieved. It can also be targeted to different animal age groups and can be selective. At our practice we vary our parasite control advice based on prevailing weather during the previous months. For example, if we have had a wet summer we will specifically target Fluke. Lice control is always necessary during Winter housing. Before embarking on any control programme, we advise dung and milk sampling to establish levels of Fluke and Worms. We use these results to help us choose the treatment, if any, that is required. *There is always a debate on what is the best product to use in calves, and whether alternating between oral and parenteral (pour ons/injections) is the best approach. The most important point is that the product is used at the correct dose rate, and the correct dosing interval is observed. Some white drenches will target parasites that are not treated by pour-ons and injections such as Tapeworms and Giardia. White drenches may also help with the development of natural immunity in the animal. is always a good idea to talk to your vet before embarking on any parasite control programme. As professionals on the ground, we are in a unique position to recognise trends in your particular area. 3. Age of Animal It is not uncommon for me to see products used that are inappropriate for animals of a particular age. For example, using Fluke treatments in young calves is totally unnecessary. Again, your vet can advise you on the best way to treat each animal age group. 2. The Weather Wet summers mean more Lungworm. Wet Autumns mean more Fluke. In general it 4. Clinical Signs If your animals are coughing they may have Lungworm and this should always be ruled out immediately. Fluke should always be considered in adult cattle that are scouring, irrespective of the time of year. Scratching cattle can have Lice, Mange, Mites or Ticks. Be sure that you are using the correct product in these cases. In summary, it is important to remember that parasite control is not a one size fits all affair. Targeted treatment can save money and time, and your cattle will be healthier as a result. Concentrate on winter dosing which is specific to your individual groups of cattle. Talk to your vet, who is uniquely positioned to give you the most accurate advice. VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 11

12 SHEEP REPRODUCTION PADRAIG DUGGAN, MVB, CERT DHH In this article we discuss the main factors which affect sheep reproductive performance. Sheep Reproductive Performance Surgeon Padraig Duggan XLVets Practice Killenuale Vets, Killenuale, Co Tipperary While it may be a wide-ranging and blunt definition, the only true indicator of productive performance (and profitability) in a flock of ewes is the number of lambs reared per 100 ewes put to the ram. The figure of flock output holds true regardless of breed, season or location, and is dependent on (a) the number of ewes joined to the ram that actually produce lambs, (b) litter size, and (c) lamb survival. Problem The cause of poor reproductive performance can often be difficult to diagnose in a flock. This is usually complicated by the problem being presented at lambing time while the actual cause may have existed over five months earlier. Further Poor Reproductive Performance Common Causes difficulty lies in the fact that the problem is seldom a single disease, but one which is multifactorial and hard to definitively identify. The main factors involved in poor reproductive performance are tabulated below; Anoestrus no visible heats Low ovulation rate in ewes Poor conception rate Embryonic loss Foetal loss/abortion Losses at lambing Season breed variation Nutrition Lactation ewes should be weaned for at least 5 weeks prior to mating Pregnancy ewe may already be pregnant Season Nutrition Breed Male infertility Abnormality of female tract Male:female ratio Nutrition Social effects / Stress e.g. dipping Genetic Nutrition very high, very low Stress Infection all infectious causes of abortion Nutrition sudden change Stress Placental insufficiency Management Dystocia Maternal factors Environmental factors Infection 12 WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...

13 SHEEP REPRODUCTION The considerations which affect reproductive performance and flock productivity vary greatly depending on the time of year. There are however factors which we can directly influence at this time of year: Nutrition Of the factors that influence production in a flock, nutrition is the most significant, not only in its direct effect on output, but also its influence on the reproduction and disease. The most reliable indicator of nutritional status of a flock is body condition score (BCS). Having ewes and rams in good body condition at joining is vital. The target for ewes at joining is 3.5 to 4.0, which has a positive effect on litter size. It should be noted that adult sheep should be maintained at a BCS of 2.5 to 4.0 throughout as much of the year s production cycle as possible. Rams equally should have a BCS of 3.5 to 4.0 at start of mating as they can often lose a BCS of 0.5 per week during this period. It is important to remember overfat rams will often have reduced libido. Ewes We have already mentioned having ewes at an optimum body condition score. Prior to breeding ewes should be assessed physically for evidence of mastitis, teeth problems, recurring lameness and general health. To avoid trouble later in the production cycle, problem ewes should be culled. Good records coupled with ewe identification also allows the removal from the flock of ewes with a history of dystocia, blind teats, poor maternal traits, poor milk yield, etc.. Rams Routine examination of the ram prior to the breeding season is a well recognised procedure, yet is only carried out on a minority of individual animals, and then only in cases of suspect fertility. An examination of the ram should include a check on general health and conformation, and examination of the genitalia for evidence of visible or palpable lesions and ideally semen collection for evaluation. Sperm maturation takes 6-8 weeks to complete, therefore any illness or stress can be followed by infertility becoming apparent several weeks later. No ram should be considered infertile on the basis of a single unsatisfactory semen examination. Also of importance here is the ram:ewe ratio, the prudent use of ram lambs, and the preference for the use of mature rams with groups of ewe lambs. The use of the ram effect to induce ewes to start cycling (provide they are close to their normal breeding season) should also be noted. Abortion While there are many causes of abortion, both infectious and non-infectious, by far the most economically significant and most common are Toxoplasmosis and Enzootic (Chlamydophila) Abortion. Vaccines are available for both of these diseases and suitable protocols should be discussed with your vet. VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 13

14 XLVets Skillnet EVENT Successful Flock Health Event in Ballinasloe Over 250 farmers turned out at the farm of John Daly at Lissard near Ballinasloe, Co. Galway at XLVets Skillnets first DAFM approved knowledge transfer sheep event on the 31st August. The event looked at a range of opportunities for improving flock health including criteria for better breeding management, lameness prevention, parasite control, limiting clostridial disease risk and reducing abortions in ewes. The event was delivered by local veterinary surgeon Conor Geraghty who identified the objective of the event as being to highlight the significant profit opportunities available to sheep farmers through adopting preventative strategies to flock health management through the application of systematic practices. The huge turnout certainly suggests that it is a theme that resonates strongly with local farmers. Commenting after the event, the event host John Daly stated having so many people turn out for this event proves that there is a huge appetite amongst farmers for high quality, relevant and practical information on flock management. net Other vets speaking at the event included John Gilmore from Emlagh, Co. Roscommon and Sharon Magnier of MSD, Agvet. As John Gilmore noted the importance of the sheep sector to the rural economy must not be underestimated. The Knowledge Transfer initiative puts a structure in place where farmers can access the best and most up-to-date flock management science. Training Leaflet 12/5/16 19:41 Page 1 It s a great opportunity for all About XLVets Skillnet XLVets Skillnet is funded by member companies and the Training Networks Programme, an initiative of Skillnets funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Education and Skills. For more information on additional Sheep Flock Health events and other upcoming events, go to our website Committed to achieving a better future for veterinary and farming in Ireland 2016 Winner of the Best 14 WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...

15 COMPETITION Welcome to the XLVets Readers Competition... YOUR CHANCE TO WIN... We have an XLVets Calf Jacket to give away to the first correct entry drawn at random after the competition closes. competitionenter VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 To enter, simply answer the three questions below and complete your details on the entry form. All the answers can be found in the articles in this issue of the magazine. Details of where to send your entry can be found below. TODAY GOOD LUCK... A winner will be chosen from all the correct entries received before the closing date, Friday 7th October The winner will be revealed in the next issue of XLVets Ireland Livestock Matters.? one... When is a thorough bred horse considered to be 1-year-old? My Details Name Address? two... According to our article What is the cost to rear a replacement cow? Daytime Telephone Number XLVets Practice Name Calf Jacket Size (please circle) L XL I do not wish to receive further information from XLVets I would like to receive further information from XLVets by Send your completed entry to: Farm Competition No.5 XLVets Ireland, Dromsally, Cappamore, Co.Limerick? three... The editor s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. What four factors should be considered when deciding a cattle parasite control programme? Post, or your entry to office@xlvets.ie or text your answer, followed by your name to Benefits of calf jackets: Maintains the calves body heat Prevent illness Protect from sudden drops in temperature Easy to fit available in Large and X Large Long adjustable straps Water Resistant and insulated for extra comfort Breathable material Machine washable (30 ) Ask your local XLVets practice for further details about our calf jackets VOLUME 4 EDITION 5 15

16 Committed to achieving a better future for veterinary and farming in Ireland 2016 Winner of the Best Learning & Development Organisation (Networks and Groups) 16 WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...