FARM Sanatorium Road Cardiff CF11 8DG Webpage: MAY 2015 FARM NEWSLETTER

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1 OUR TEAM MARY WALTERS ( ) FARM Sanatorium Road Cardiff CF11 8DG Webpage: MAY 2015 FARM NEWSLETTER Welcome to our May Newsletter. Last month we were tentatively talking about turnout and now after a glorious April, we re talking about first cut! On 19 th May, we are going on our Sheep Farmer s trip see the information later in the newsletter. You are very welcome to join us, please let us know. Sadly, on 1 st May, Per Syrstad, left us (again!) He has not done farm work for the last few years but has been a familiar face for our farmers in the surgery and will be missed as a friend and a colleague. Last month we were supposed to have an evening meeting with Sara Pederson but due to technical failures, the meeting was postponed. The new date is Tuesday 2 nd June 7pm at the Surgery. The topic is infectious diseases the Big 4. Please come along, you ll definitely learn something for both beef & dairy clients. MORGAN RICHARDS GAVIN DRONEY IECHYD DA TB UPDATE Iechyd Da is our new Delivery Partner for TB Testing the extra layer between APHA and us. When APHA write to you to inform you of your next test, the letter now asks you to liaise with Iechyd Da. This is an error Please will you continue to phone the office and speak to Sian Lloyd. Following a meeting with Iechyd Da last month, we have decided to make a few changes. The most obvious change to you is that we will be scrubbing ON and OFF farm on all occasions. Please be patient! MARY WALTERS NSA WELSH SHEEP Tuesday 19 th May 2015 Park Vets & Maes Glas Vets are organising a trip to NSA Welsh Sheep on 19 th May 2015 at Glanmeheli & Drefor Farms in Kerry, near Newtown, Powys. The event will showcase some of the best Mid Wales has to offer, with views extending almost from Shrewsbury to Snowdon. Visitors will enjoy a farm tour taking in the two adjoining holdings, as well as the opportunity to update on the

2 ANDY WALES latest in the sheep industry at seminars and demonstrations, including health planning, sheep handling, shearing and cookery. Sheep dog trials will be among the attractions. Competitions will include the popular Welsh young Shepherd of the Year Competition, as well as Ready Steady Cook, wool on the hoof and Trade Stand competitions. There will also be a sale of ewe hogs. THOMAS SEARLE The bus will be leaving at 7:30 am, and will pick up along the way. On the journey home we will stop for a pub meal and hopefully be back in Cardiff around 8:30 pm. These trips have proven to be very popular in the past so if you wish to attend please call Emma at Park Vets on or Sharon at Maes Glas Vets on as soon as possible. DATES FOR THE DIARY 19 th May 2015 NSA Welsh Sheep 2015 Tuesday 2 nd June Beef Fertility 7pm at Surgery Worming strategies for Cattle When? What Product? Injection, Pour on or Bolus? How often? Will vaccination help? There is no one answer to the above questions that is suitable for all farms. The age of the cattle, whether they are housed or at grazing, the worm burdens on your pastures all need to be considered. Discussing a clear strategy with your vet or Suitable Qualified Person (SQP) can help maximise growth potential in your stock, reduce the build-up of resistance and may save you money by not using expensive anthelmintic treatment when they are not necessary. Here are a few factors to consider with respect to each group of parasites: Round worms (Nematodes) At the start of any grazing season, following winter housing, pasture will typically have small populations of infectious larval nematodes, depending on the weather over winter. Parasite populations generally increase from mid July for parasitic gastroenteritis. Weaned calves in their first grazing season are high risk, but beef suckler calves grazing with their dams are at low risk of parasitic gastroenteritis (PGE). Newly seeded fields or pastures not grazed by cattle in the last year are low risk for new infections of nematodes. Mixed or alternating grazing with different species e.g. sheep then cattle, help reduce the risk of new infections of host specific round worms. Early season administration of anthelmintics ensures that few gut worm eggs or lungworm larvae are deposited on pasture up to mid-july, by which time the majority of overwintered infective larvae will have died. This renders these pastures as relatively low-risk for the remainder of the year. These approaches are most appropriate for weaned calves in the first or second grazing season. An alternative approach is to not worm until mid July, at this point growth may be reduced but you are unlikely to see clinical ostertagiasis or fluke/husk problems. It is advisable

3 to treat all but the heaviest 10% of the group to avoid contamination of new pasture with only resistant worms. Some choose to monitor animals and only treat when clinical signs are noted. This is likely to affect growth and possibly have welfare implications. Lungworm numbers also begin to increase in numbers from July but there is far more variability, depending on year and farm etc. Vaccination of at-risk cattle against D. viviparus provides protection against clinical disease, but also limits the number of patent infections, which decreases the number of lungworm larvae on pasture and diminishes the subsequent risk of disease. It is advisable to allow some contact with lungworm before vaccination as this will help with immunity later on in life. Treatment at housing for round worms is beneficial as there should be very low chance of reinfection whilst housed. It can also prevent overwintering of ostertagia larvae and their subsequent re emergence in the spring causing type 2 ostertagiasis. External Parasites Housing provides to perfect opportunity for external parasites. There is increased stocking density for transfer from cow to cow. Also warm humid environment encourages breeding and increases the population size. Treatment can be at housing to reduce the initial mite and lice population. The macrocylic lactones are useful for this purpose as they treat endoparasites as well. Alternatively cattle can be monitored and only treated if signs of infection become apparent. There is a significant drop in ectoparasite population at turn out so treatment may not be required if signs are noted a few weeks prior to this. The different types of ectoparasiticides have different efficacy on the various species*. Fluke Infection levels in spring may be higher following a mild winter. Late summer is the time fluke populations start increasing. Unlike roundworms, resting ground from grazing by cattle does not reduce the chance of fluke infection in subsequent groups. If pasture is hospitable to the snail G.truncatula (wet, boggy land) and/or if the ground has had sheep grazing then there may be a high chance of fluke infection. Treatment of cattle that grazed the previous year with a flukicide at housing and/or over winter to ensure that no adult fluke survive means that no fluke eggs will be deposited on pasture in the spring, so snails cannot acquire new infections. On heavily infected farms, an additional flukicide treatment 2-3 months after turnout will help reduce the infectivity of snails and pastures throughout the year. Different flukicides vary on what stage of the lifecycle they treat*. Choose a product that will treat the correct lifecycle of fluke i.e. if dosing a few weeks into housing a product that only treats adult fluke may be enough. Whereas the mid season dose should cover all stages possible. Tapeworms (Moniezia spp) are the only tapeworms found in UK cattle as adult worms. Segments are shed in the faeces thirty days after infection in quite long chains. Immunity develops rapidly and, although diarrhoea and unthriftiness can be associated with tapeworm, generally clinical and economic losses are minimal. Tips to avoid resistance on your farm: Use products that are narrow spectrum i.e. only treating specific worms. Dose the majority of the group but avoid the best 10 % so they can be a reservoir of non-resistant worms when moved onto new pasture. Accurately calibrate dosing guns for drenching and pour on formulations. Faecal egg count reduction tests can be used to discover any resistance problems your farm may have. Quarantine and treat incoming stock to reduce the chance of importing resistant worms. *Please refer to Tom s table at the end of the newsletter for further information. In this table the withdrawal period gives an idea of the wormer persistence i.e. how long it is effective for. The Control of Worms Sustainably scheme (COWS) has a great website with more specific information regarding each parasite it can be found at the following site: Morgan Richards

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6 Information taken from Control of Worms Sustainably and accurate as of 2014, always check the product label for instructions on use and withhold periods. Thomas Searle

7 Ringworm Ringworm is a fungal infection that targets hairs and the upper layers of the skin. It is quite common to see ringworm in cattle at any age, but especially among young stock, in the first year of life. The lesions are generally easily recognised, being grey, hairless patches of skin with variable amounts of crusting. This crust may reveal raw, moist tissue when dislodged in severelyaffected areas. Typical lesions of 1 to 2 inches diameter may merge into large continuous areas in severe cases. The head is usually affected in calves, whereas leg and body lesions are more often seen on adults. It is possible to mistake the cauliflower-like skin growths of viral warts (papillomatosis) on the head and neck of calves for ringworm, but careful visual examination should clear things up. Ringworm is considered to be self-limiting, i.e. it spontaneously gets better, usually within 4 months. However, it is not necessarily a low-impact disease as it can sometimes be transmitted to humans, generating serious skin lesions, it affects the value of animals and their hides, and can sometimes affect individuals quite severely. Unfortunately, the fungal spores are highly resistant and long-lived in the environment and treatment options are limited, so management of the disease can be difficult and prevention is far preferable to cure. In the absence of ringworm in a herd, biosecurity has to be a cornerstone of a preventive strategy. The spores may be imported on bought-in animals, with or without visible lesions, as well as on equipment and clothing. The incubation period is up to 4 weeks, although most cases show sooner, so quarantining incoming stock for a suitable period should provide reasonable protection against ringworm (as well as some other infectious agents). Beyond that, prompt identification, isolation and treatment of early cases may prevent an outbreak. If the herd is free of disease but considered at-risk owing to incoming stock, etc., a vaccine is available (Bovilis Ringvac) that appears to provide lifelong cover after two doses. However, routine vaccination of stock with the disease can cause severe reactions, so care has to be exercised with its application. Where ringworm is already present, treatment can reduce the duration, and potentially the transmission, of the disease but the options are limited. Despite its name, wormers have no effect whatsoever on ringworm, and the only specific antifungal treatment licensed for cattle at present is enilconazole ( Imaverol ), which requires repeated applications to the skin at 3- to 4-day intervals. Reducing the stocking density of housed animals may counteract transmission, but thorough cleaning and disinfection of housing is required if an attempt is being made to eliminate the spores from affected buildings. Given the depth of cleaning and the nature of the disinfectants required to have a realistic chance of success, use of a specialist contractor may be the best option in this situation. ANDY WALES

8 Blowfly strike in sheep Blowflies are the most widespread external parasite affecting sheep in the UK, with surveys showing that every year 80% of flocks will have at least one case of strike. More likely to occur in warmer, humid weather, the blowfly season is starting earlier and lasting longer than before. If not properly controlled, it can result in serious welfare problems, reduced profitability and even fatalities. In the UK, blowfly strike is usually caused by the greenbottle fly (Lucilia sericata). The females are attracted by the odour of decomposing matter such as wounds, soiled fleece or dead animals. Each female lays up to 250 eggs which hatch after about 12 hours. 3 days later, the mature larvae drop off the sheep and pupate in the soil. Blowfly strikes usually occur in waves. The first fly lays her eggs and the odour from this strike attracts other flies. When the populations of larvae become overcrowded they will attack the living tissue of the sheep. Clinical signs Agitation and dejection: foot stamping, vigorous shaking, gnawing or rubbing of the tail and breech. Odour: as infestation develops a distinctive smell is noticeable. Wool becomes matted and discoloured. The smell of infestation attracts more flies, if left unchecked, further infestations of flies can result in a quick and agonising death. Wool is shed: if infestations remain untreated, the affected area increases from the centre, accompanied by constant discomfort. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential!! Classifications of strike Body Strike: Flies are attracted to sheep by the odours of excessive sweating and decaying organic matter in the fleece. Breech Strike: Flies are attracted to fleece contaminated with urine and/or faeces. Breech strike is most commonly associated with scouring. Wound Strike: flies can be attracted to open wounds; often on the feet. Prevention Pour-ons containing the insect growth regulators (IGRs), dicyclanil (CLiK and CliKZiN ). Prevention only! Won t kill maggots. Culling of breeding ewes and rams that are continually struck could be considered, as evidence shows that hereditary factors may exist. Complete shearing can temporarily reduce the risk of strike, but this risk rapidly increases as the fleece grows. Ewes can become flyblown even after shearing. Tail docking may also reduce the incidence of strike. Treatment of existing strike Cure and protection can be attained using a synthetic pyrethroid (SP) based pour-on containing cypermethrin. Spoton products containing the SP deltamethrin will kill maggots but will not protect against further attack. A diazinon based plunge dip also offers some level of protection. Gavin Droney

9 Coccidiosis in lambs Coccidiosis is a problem of intensively-reared lambs, occurring primarily indoors where stocking densities are high but may also occur in lambs at pasture, where there is heavy contamination around feed troughs in creep areas during humid weather. Coccidiosis is caused by protozoea (Eimeria ovinidalis or E. crandalis), which invade and destroy the lining of the intestinal tract, reducing the guts ability to absorb fluid, leading to diarrhoea. The ewe is the initial source of the infection but disease multiplies rapidly in lambs presenting a serious challenge to later-born lambs. In the UK, outbreaks are commonly seen in lambs aged four to eight weeks old (uncommon in lambs over three months old). In severe cases there is sudden onset, profuse, foetid diarrhoea containing mucus and flecks of fresh blood with staining around the tail. Straining resulting in partial prolapse of the rectum may occur. More usually however, lambs will present with chronic wasting and poor appetite. Clinical disease can be precipitated/exacerbated by a stressful event such as bad weather, weaning or a sudden change in diet. Generally, morbidity is high but mortality is low, even in severe cases but recovery is drawn out in all cases causing financial losses due to poor weight gains. Diagnosis Diagnosis is based on clinical signs plus the presence of large numbers (often > 100,000 oocysts/gram) of oocysts in faecal samples with either E. crandallis or E. ovinoidalis making up the majority. In severe cases, clinical signs may be seen before oocysts are passed in faeces. On post mortem exam of gut sections from dead lambs, large numbers of oocysts are found. Treatment Move animals from infected pastures/premises immediately. Decoquinate (Deccox sheep premix), Toltrazuril (Baycox) and Diclazuril (Vecoxan) and can be used for both treatment and prevention of coccidiosis. Antibiotics for 3-5 days +/- oral fluid therapy may be necessary in severely affected animals. Prevention/Control Control involves keeping faecal contamination of bedding/pasture around feed troughs Etc. to a minimum i.e. move feed hoppers regularly. On farms with a history of coccidiosis, lambs can be treated 1 week before the usual time of onset of the disease with diclazuril or toltrazuril. In situations where lambs are moved onto suspected heavily-contaminated fields, diclazuril or toltrazuril should be given 10 to 14 days later to enable some active immunity to develop. Gavin Droney

10 VALE OF GLAMORGAN SHOW 2015 WEDNESDAY 12 TH AUGUST, Fonmon Castle, vale of Glamorgan FREE ADS! Park Vets will now include a buying and selling section to our newsetter. Call Morgan on or your advert enquiries@park-vets.com Cheers Morgan! The Pit Pony Sanctuary need your help! Can you adopt a pony? If you have any space on your farm please contact Mr Peckham at Fforest Uchaf Farm, Pencoedcae, CF37 1PS Call ROYAL WELSH SHOW 20 TH 23 RD JULY 2015 Cothi Bridge Show Pontargothi, Camarthen Builth Wells. 30 th May 2015 Royal Welsh Spring Show Builth Wells 16 th May 2015

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