| Northern Tablelands Local Land Services is encouraging livestock producers to maintain a strong disease prevention regime this winter through supplementary feed and vaccination, as the cold weather, feed gap and fresh green pick create a perfect storm for disease. |
| Local District Veterinarians have identified metabolic disease, pulpy kidney, botulism, Barber’s Pole Worm and Liver Fluke as potential livestock afflictions to watch out for before spring. Fresh green growth and a lack of substantial pasture bulk is a common cause of metabolic disease in pregnant and lactating livestock, when they need more energy and essential minerals. Insufficient dietary energy and low blood calcium or magnesium can result in “downer animals”, which require treatment urgently to minimise deaths. Green pick will remain a threat to pregnant and lactating livestock until it begins to mature and the moisture content drops, which may take some time as pasture growth slows during winter. These animals with high demand for good quality feed will still need to be supplemented with energy sources such as grain until pasture grows and matures. Anyone supplementing with grain, pulses or cotton seed should provide limestone at two per cent. Magnesium can also be added to the diet via a loose mix of Causmag, limestone and salt. Calcium levels in ewes or cows at the point of lambing or calving are also essential, as calcium is required for muscle contraction and low calcium levels can result in slow births and higher losses. District Veterinarian Dr Andrew Biddle said that if downer animals are occurring, it is important to determine the cause so that supplements can be provided to prevent further cases. “Producers should look at the energy being provided through their current feeding regime, check that the quality and quantity of feed is adequate, ensure all animals have access to the feed, and that calcium is being provided if feeding livestock grain,” he said. Pulpy kidney is a common condition that can cause rapid livestock death without warning and often occurs when short green growth is present in paddocks. Cattle and sheep love green growth, but the plant sugars can stimulate rapid growth of gut and intestinal microbes such as clostridial organisms, some of which cause pulpy kidney. Vaccinating livestock with a 5-in-1 booster for pregnant livestock, as well as weaners and steers, is a great preventative step producers can take. For breeders, 7-in-1 is a good option to provide protection against Leptospirosis, which can transmit to people. To be fully vaccinated animals need two vaccinations four to six weeks apart. A pulpy kidney booster is needed every three months and takes several days to stimulate immunity after giving the vaccine. “A common mistake we see locally is producers assuming that an annual booster will be sufficient. Unfortunately, this approach often results in unnecessary livestock losses,” Dr Biddle said. “Keeping vaccinations refrigerated, using an esky in the yards and discarding unused vaccine is also crucial, as heat and sunlight damage vaccine, and the most expensive vaccine is the one that doesn’t work.” Botulism is a risk to livestock consuming silage and is not covered by the standard 5-in-1 vaccination. Botulism can be caused by rodents or snakes getting bailed up in silage, and the botulinum toxin being produced in the decomposing animal. If silage is being mixed with other feed as part of a total mixed ration, this can impact many animals. To have adequate protection, animals should be vaccinated with a botulism specific vaccine in a two-shot program. For sheep producers, Barber’s Pole Worm is likely to become an issue in coming months, as worm larvae deposited on the ground last summer and autumn will use the current moisture and mild winter weather to re-infect sheep. Unlike other parasites, these worms do not cause diarrhoea or weight loss as initial indicators. Instead, Barber’s Pole Worm presents as weak sheep with pale gums and sudden death. Regular Worm Egg Counts to determine worm burden will help to avoid a crash. Ensure drenches used are effective and seek advice about taking an integrated approach to worm management on your property. Finally, liver fluke can cause reduced growth and ill thrift in cattle, but severe anaemia and death in sheep. Liver fluke is common in the Tablelands, but older livestock and livestock purchased from endemic areas can see this occurring on the slopes. Livestock are also more likely to ingest worm larvae during dry seasons when chasing feed on short pastures. For more information about preventing livestock disease this winter, landholders should contact their usual private veterinarian, livestock advisor or local District Veterinarian on 1300 795 299. More information can be found on the Local Land Services website at https://www.nsw.gov.au/regional-and-primary-industries/livestock/health-diseases#diseases Media Contact For more information, please contact Camilla Parry, Regional Communications Advisor, North West & Northern Tablelands, email camilla.parry@lls.nsw.gov.au or phone 0448 234 761. |
Media Release: Northern Tablelands Local Land Services
