nfv newsletter nov 2016upload2.evocdn.co.uk/.../asset_file/2_0_nfv-newsletter … · ·...
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nantwich farm vets
November 2016
Helping you to analyse your vet&med costs
We now have a program called VetImpress which we can use to generate reports. Some of you will recognise it as the program that produces a mobility scoring report but this program has a lot more potential. It can also be used to breakdown your vet spend into different categories e.g. antibiotics/youngstock/vaccines and this can be used to benchmark your farm against others. The program also has a mobile friendly app which can be used for medicine records, AI dates, fertility info and will automatically pull in your cow details from BCMS and milk records. Please contact Liz if you would like more info.
Don’t forget about mycotoxins! With some very dry maize silage out there this year please don’t risk your cows health…if you have to feed something that is heating or has visible moulds make sure you are adding a mycotoxin binder to the ration.
Dates for your diary
9th December 7.30pm
Farm client Christmas party
Worleston village hall
Crewe Road End Nantwich Cheshire CW5 5SF
24hr phone line: 01270 610349
www.nantwichvetgroup.co.uk
We are planning on holding another Dairyland foot trimming course in the near future. Please speak to Steve if you are interested.
9th-‐10th November
Soil health conference
Tarporley. Contact Anne Stones 01270 780990
Date TBC Lucerne club meeting
www.nantwichvetgroup.co.uk November 2016
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We have now hit peak liver fluke season and, having experienced one of the mildest winters on record across the UK, followed by a very wet summer, most farms in the west of the country are likely to have a very high level of liver fluke this year. This is because this type of weather provides ideal conditions for the mud snails that are an essential host during part of the fluke’s lifecycle. Two main forms of the disease are generally seen: ACUTE fluke is characterised by the effects of immature flukes migrating through the liver tissue, which often results in sudden death. This disease typically affects sheep Sept. – Nov. The immature flukes can also cause rapid condition loss and anaemia. Acute fluke is much less commonly seen in cattle, probably due to their relatively large livers. Diagnosis of acute fluke is difficult, as the immature stages do not produce eggs, and so will not be picked up on a faecal sample. Post mortem remains the gold standard for testing -‐ a full PM
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can be done at the VLA lab, though a quick ‘on farm’ PM by one of the practice vets may often confirm the diagnosis. CHRONIC fluke leads to poor body condition and a failure to thrive. This is typically seen Jan-‐April. and is due to ADULT flukes in the livers bile ducts. This disease is commonly seen in both sheep and cattle. Chronic fluke can be diagnosed on post mortem but also on faecal samples. According to the latest research over 50% of herds tested for evidence of fluke infection in the CW, ST, SY and CH postcode areas have tested positive. But how do you know if your herd is one of them? There are several ways including muck samples, blood tests and a bulk milk test which can help you to decide whether treatment is necessary or not.
Please DO NOT treat without knowing whether you need to or not! Not only is it a waste of money but it can lead to more resistance developing.
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There is now a growing body of research to show that we have resistance to triclabendazoles (Fasinex, Endofluke) in some areas of the country. Triclabendazoles are very important for those sheep farmers who particularly have trouble with the acute form of the disease because those products kill all stages of fluke including the very immature flukes.
To safeguard these products for years to come just like with wormers you should rotate different flukicides and if possible only use a product which only does adult fluke in the late winter.
Most importantly please ask us for advice on the different fluke products we are always wiling to help!
Liver fluke ALERT! Stay on your guard for this killer parasite this autumn
www.nantwichvetgroup.co.uk November 2016
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In the first week of life a calf is likely to spend extra energy trying to keep warm below an air temperature of 15oC. The actual lower critical temperature for a calf will depend on any factor that influences the energy dynamics of its system. The requirement for additional energy management in a calf shed/hutch varies according to the individual calf, the weather, the quality of the calf environment and the items detailed below:
• Genetics Some breeds, such as Jersey’s will feel cold before other breeds because they are born with little fat or hair cover to provide insulation
• Nutrition Quality, quantity and timing of Colostrum is key, along with energy density and milk powder dilution.
• Air Speed Less than 1m/s is ideal as anything over this can create drafts which lower the calf’s temperature.
• Health If a sick calf isn’t drinking and moving around she won’t be generating her own body heat,
• Bedding Dry bedding is essential. Damp bedding will rapidly extract energy from calves, lower core temperatures.
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Calf Jacket Protocol
• Make sure you have a thermometer in the calf shed and record the air temperature
• Agree starting and finishing protocol with staff, e.g. 3 consecutive night-‐time Min temps below 10oC
• Ensure calves are dried off before using jacket
• Jackets must be made of a breathable material
• Jackets should be on every calf from birth to around 4 weeks of age
• Remove jacket in morning, not afternoon
• Remove dirt and wash jacket @ 40-‐50oC
• To preserve body heat and prevent jackets from becoming damp make sure the calf can ‘nest’ in plenty of clean dry bedding
It’s time to get your coat on
Despite the unseasonably warm weather it’s time to prepare for the winter ahead
www.nantwichvetgroup.co.uk November 2016
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The Universities of Nottingham, Liverpool and Surrey are undertaking a survey of badger carcasses for evidence of TB, funded by Defra. It aims to determine the level of TB in badgers in the 'edge counties. It follows on from the survey of road killed badgers in Cheshire in 2014, which found around 20% of road-‐killed badgers were infected with TB, with 10% of those infected having developed signs of disease. These results have been invaluable demonstrating that TB is in the Cheshire Badger population.
They need our help to collect more badgers. The survey uses fresh, found-‐dead badgers which are collected and submitted for a post-‐mortem examinations by one of the three universities. The northern edge counties, being surveyed are Cheshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.
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For safety reasons and to ensure that carcasses are collected in a way useful to the project, carcasses have to be collected according to an approved protocol and accompanied by a completed submission form. Collection kits (containing, instructions, bags, gloves and submission forms) are being made available through the local NFU and other stakeholders. A network of local collection centres is being developed where carcasses can be dropped off and picked up by the university teams, but it may also be possible to pick up carcasses from farms in the short term. For more information go to www.nottingham.ac.uk/vet/badgerTB or by emailing sv-‐[email protected]
Vets Mobile Numbers
Dave Shaw 07836335185
Rob George 07773384450
John Manson 07813690860
John Yarwood 07814879109
Colin Baxter 07860605079
Stuart Russell 07770448179
Peter Duncalfe 07717780604
Laura Donovan 07800647608
Steven Crowe 07891843694
Liz Davies 07767447281
Mike Wilkinson 07866257014
Jake Lawson 07866257014
Amy Cox 07966833870
James Patterson 07774795700
Vet Technician
Jess Tonks 07921855043
“@NantwichFarmVet”
Cheshire Roadkill Badger Surveys