News from UQ Vets Dayboro For the love of Bovine – Part 5
In this issue, the last in our recent bovine series, we will look at vaccinations and parasite control. This is an area which has a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of your stock and something over which we have control. By vaccinating your cattle and taking steps to control parasites you can eliminate many of the common diseases and conditions which we see often.
There are 3 vaccinations considered essential in this district:
7 in 1 – covers Leptospirosis and the major Clostridial diseases, including black leg and tetanus. All are potentially fatal to your cattle. Leptospirosis is a zoonosis (meaning it can be passed to humans) and is widespread across Australia.
BEF (3 Day) – This is a virus which is spread by midges and causes high temperatures and painful joints. Treatment involves treating the symptoms as there is no treatment for the virus. We see an increase in cases as the weather warms up and these pests become more prevalent. Well conditioned cattle are usually worst affected and some do die.
Tick Fever – This disease is caused by an organism which is spread by the cattle tick and is not the same as tick paralysis. It causes anaemia as a result of damage to the red blood cells. Cattle can die very quickly once affected. One vaccination gives lifelong immunity.
One important disease which we cannot vaccinate our cattle for is Q Fever. This is also a zoonosis and it is highly recommended that anyone in close contact with cattle be tested and vaccinated to reduce the risk of infection.
There are a number of parasites, both internal (worms) and external that can cause problems for cattle.
Flies – In high numbers, are not only an irritation (resulting in reduced feed intake & production loss) but are also vectors for disease. They carry and help spread disease such as Pink Eye which is a serious condition and can lead to permanent blindness. Fly numbers can be reduced through improved hygiene (removing waste & manure), pour-on treatments and ear tags.
Ticks – both the cattle tick and the paralysis tick can cause problems in cattle. As discussed in the previous section, the cattle tick is responsible for Tick Fever. Calves and smaller, weaker animals can be severely affected by the paralysis tick. As in companion animals this is a very serious condition and is often fatal. Ticks in general also cause irritation and damage to the hide. For the little guys we recommend the use of a tick collar, however this is “off label” as there are no studies to support their efficacy in production animals. Check your cattle for ticks regularly and use a pour-on or spray to reduce tick numbers. Where possible treat cattle for ticks before moving them onto your property.
Worms – Intestinal worms can be a big problem, particularly for young animals. Preventative treatment includes not over stocking your paddock, ensuring animals are well nourished and treating calves before turning out into fresh paddocks. We recommend dosing young animals at 3 and 4 months and having a faecal egg count performed on any animals which you are concerned may be showing signs of ill thrift. At the clinic we can examine the manure and diagnose the presence and extent of any worm infestation and advise you on the necessity of worming and the product of choice. Treatments available include oral drenches, pour-ons and injections.
On a Different note, we are pleased to invite you to our next free seminar, “Talk is Sheep”, talking about all things sheep, goats and alpacas. Once again this will be held in the main hall at the Dayboro State School on Tuesday 17th November. Registration is at 6pm for a 6:30 start. Light refreshments will be available. Our colic seminar was very popular and we expect this to be just as informative. Our presenter is Dr Brandon Fraser, Large Animal Medical Specialist at UQ Gatton. This seminar is aimed at all those who have, or are planning to acquire, sheep goats or alpacas.
For more information you can go to our website www.dayborovet.com.au or call the clinic on 34251544. Our staff are happy to help with all enquiries.
Brought to you by the team at UQ Vets Dayboro
Dayboro Vet’s recommended Vaccination and Worming Program.
UQ Vets Dayboro,
125 McKenzie Street, Dayboro.
Phone 3425 1544 ALL HOURS
www.dayborovet.com.au *
