Our Team Walters (0771 5447730) (Days in work: Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri) Sanatorium Road Cardiff CF11 8DG 029 2038 2211 www.park-vets.com APRIL 2014 FARM NEWSLETTER Changes at Park Vets After 37 years at Park Vets, Allen Brown retired from the Practice on 31 st March 2014. It's the end of an era and we are all very sad to see him go Alex Kempson (Days in work: Mon, Tues, Wed & Thurs) Allen can now concentrate on his equine interests, and takes the equine business with him. Morgan Richards (Days in work: Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri) Gavin Droney (Days in work: Mon, Wed, Thurs & Fri) Andy Wales (Days in work : Wed, Thurs & Fri) DATES FOR THE DIARY Tuesday 29 th April 2014 7.30 pm @ Surgery Ketosis around Calving in Dairy Cows Sponsored by Elanco **** This starts a new era at PVG we can now concentrate on our main interests Farm Animals and Small Animals. We are all very excited with this change and the Farm Animal Team have great plans to expand and provide new services Contrary to any rumours started by unscrupulous competitors, PVG is dedicated to continuing to provide our excellent service long term. Sheep Club In April, we are starting a new sheep farmers club FOC. The club will be run for a year and involve a max of 8 farms. The purpose of the club is to solve problems and we are looking for interested farmers with a problem (or two) to solve. I.e fluke issues, lameness, abortion, lambing losses the list goes on. We will meet 6-8 times over 12 months & discuss the issues and try to resolve them. Some of the meetings could take place on the farm where good practice is being used, or the surgery or possibly at an event. If you are interested, or want any further information, please give a ring.
2 Spring Time Challenges at Turnout Spring time brings those of us in the Livestock business much needed respite with regards to weather, pasture access and feeding options. Despite these benefits, the season is not without its challenges and places different requirements on us all, namely that of parasite control at turnout. Whether its new lambs, spring beef calves or dairy cattle, this challenge is one which is must be met if we are to maximise productivity and ensure a good standard of welfare for our flocks and herds. The never-ending arms race between parasites and the chemicals we use to control them mean that appropriate and correct use of wormers has never been more important. To ensure we use our wormers and worm control strategies effectively, we must be aware of the degree of challenge our livestock will face. In Spring calving herds pasture risk can be split according to the previous season's grazing strategies: High risk pasture is that which has been previously grazed by first year calves. Medium risk pasture is that which has been grazed by adult and second year animals and low risk pasture is that which has been used for forage or crops in the previous year's grazing season. Adult cows in Spring calving herds may have developed an immunity to many parasite species but that does not exclude the possibility of sub-clinical effects, particularly on high-producing animals. Close monitoring and appropriate treatment is required to avoid inuring such losses. Calves turned out in spring may experience infections from overwintered worms and larvae on pasture. Turning these animals out onto low risk pasture, minimising contamination and employing timed treatment with appropriate wormers are all vital to maximise productivity. Spring calves that share grazing with adult cattle and older calves are exposed to high parasite burdens from mid- July onwards. Monitoring these burdens with faecal egg counts (FEC) and treating animals where appropriate, moving to low risk pasture in mid-july and strategic use of vaccines e.g. Lungworm vaccine are all considerations that should be acknowledged at this time of year. We are all familiar with the different classes of wormers yet with the ever increasing threat of anthelmintic resistance, their correct and appropriate use has never been more important. Group 1 Benzimidazoles (White Drenches) The white drenches are a large chemical family used to treat nematode and trematode (Fluke) infections and are categorised by a broad spectrum of activity, activity against egg stages and a wide safety margin. The most common wwormers in this class include Fenbendazole, Albendazole and Triclabendazole. These chemicals require a prolonged contact time in order to be effective, meaning that repeat dosing at a 12 hour interval or withholding feed prior to dosing are two methods of improving their efficacy. Owing to the way in which they are metabolised by the liver in different species, White drenches are more effective in sheep as opposed to cattle. The emergence of resistnt worm strains, particularly in sheep, has seen usage of this class of wormers reduce in recent years. 2 Group 2 - Imidazothiazoles (Yellow Drenches)
The most commonly used anthelmintic in this class is Levimazole, a drug with activity against adult and many larval stages of roundworms, but not for arrested larvae, eggs or fluke. In sheep and cattle, pour-on, injectable and oral preparations are available with the latter two modes of application being the most common and equivocal in efficacy. Levimazole paralyses the nervous system of the worms thus its peak concentration in the blood is more important than the duration. Ensuring accurate dosing and following manufactures guidelines is therefore imperative for the effective use of these drugs. Group 3 Macrocyclic Lactones (Clear Drenches) The clear drenches include Ivermectin, Doramectin and Eprinomectin and are a potent class of chemicals with a broad spectrum of activity at low doses. They are effective against a huge range of parasites and are available in oral, pour-on and injectable formulations, with the oral and injectable forms providing more reliable parasite control. Their persistence and potency means that these chemicals are very useful on situation where prolonged efficacy is required e.g. where re-infection is a risk and constant parasite challenge occurs. Due to their high potency and elimination through milk, the clear drenches re not recommended for use in animals producing milk for human consumption, with the exception of Eprinomectin and Moxidectin pour-ons. Group 4 Monipantel (Orange Drench) This relatively new class of anthelmintic boasts a 99% efficacy against adult and immature stages of roundworms. Currently licensed for use in sheep and lambs, the emergence of this drug has been a vital in the fight against anthelmintic resistance. Salicylanilides and Substituted Phenols Thee most commonly used drugs in this class in Closantel and Nitroxynil, the active ingredients in in the products as Flukiver and Trodax respectively. They are used extensively against liver fluke and Haemonchus in both cattle and sheep and mainly exhibit efficacy against adult worms and fluke. To discuss the appropriate and correct use or wormers or to place orders for any products that contain chemicals from the classes listed above, please contact and of the farm team at the Park Veterinary Group. START FROM SCRATCH WITH ORF For flocks with a history of orf problems, vaccination of new-born lambs can easily make the difference between profit and loss. Characterised by scabby lesions around the nostrils and mouth, orf is a viral condition that can affect lambs and sheep of all ages, sexes and breeds. Alex Orf is highly contagious which means that it can rapidly infect the whole flock. It is a painful condition in lambs which causes a reluctance to suckle and a reduced suckling in lambs and an increased risk of mastitis in ewes are costly consequences Studies in County Durham by Fiona Lovatt from Castle Veterinary Surgeons last season suggest orf can have a 3
measurable effect on both weights and condition of those lambs affected with the disease when compared to their unaffected contemporaries. This latest study reminds us of the prolonged impact that an outbreak of orf has on a flock, particularly on lamb welfare. Managing an outbreak of orf in an unvaccinated flock means coping with both ewes with mastitis and miserable-looking lambs that may be reluctant to suck as the disease spreads rapidly through the flock. Since orf is a virus, treatment regimes generally deliver poor results and antibiotics are only effective at treating secondary infections that develop in the site of ulcers For flocks struggling with an orf problem, strategic vaccination with ScabivaxTM Forte could make the difference between profit and loss. Scabivax Forte is a live vaccine for use on farms where orf has been diagnosed. Young lambs can be vaccinated at any time from birth. It is important to scratch the lambs between the top of the foreleg and the chest wall with the scratch applicator and not to apply the vaccine elsewhere. Seven to 10 days after vaccination, it s also important to check lambs for scabs at the vaccination site. A row of scabs along the scratched area of skin indicates vaccination has been successful. If you have never experienced orf you should try and maintain your disease-free status by carefully selecting replacements from known disease-free premises. On the other hand, even if you ve only seen the odd case of orf in your flock in previous years, vaccination of newborn lambs this spring could easily make the difference between profit and loss. Quite apart from the obvious animal welfare issue and zoonotic threat, the knock-on financial effects of orf in a crop of new-born lambs means a vaccination programme with Scabivax Forte is easily justified. Scabivax Forte can be purchased from Park Vets 28.00 + vat for 50 doses, the scabivax applicator is 13.27 + vat Latest on TB in South Wales Late Test Penalties The Minister has introduced penalties of one per cent of the Common Agricultural Payments for farmers who are between one day and three months late for their TB test. This penalty is in addition to cattle keepers who are currently penalised three per cent of their CAP when found at cross compliance inspection to be between three and 12 months late for their TB test. This increases to 5 per cent of their payment if they are over 12 months late. Remember it is a busy time for all of us so get your TB testing booked early to avoid penalties. Sole Occupancy Authorities (SOAs) Cattle moving within SOAs will not be exempt from pre-movement testing from 30 September 2014. 4
The European Commission requested this change as part of the UK s ongoing TB Eradication Plan. Adhering to the new rules enables Wales to receive its share of the 31 million provisionally awarded to the UK to help it tackle the disease. Such changes mean that cattle keepers need to consider the implications of moving animals to summer grazing because they are likely to need to have a pre-movement test before they can return to the main holding in the autumn. Consultation on TB Compensation The minister is keen to hear views on these proposals and encourage anybody with an interest to respond to the consultation. The consultation on TB Compensation will run until the 22 April 2014. You can find the document on the following website: http://www.bva.co.uk/public/documents/welsh-govt-tb-compensation-consultation.pdf Morgan 5