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28 May 2009
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Flies here to stay - or are they?
Biting and nuisance flies present an annual problem to livestock farmers. In some years fly populations will be greater than in others, and this can be related to a whole range of variables. Weather conditions ...
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28 May 2009
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Protect new season lambs
With new season lambs recently topping 230p/kg in the live auction ring you can ill afford to lose any to preventable diseases. It’s important to remember that the colostrum lambs receive from the ewe ...
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28 May 2009
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Scours at grass could be Crypto
Together with rotavirus, cryptosporidia is one of the most common causes of calf scour in UK dairy and suckler herds. But scours caused by cryptosporidia are not always confined to housed calves. Calves ...
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28 May 2009
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Subsidised abortion testing service
If you’ve experienced more than 3% of ewes aborting this lambing season it’s well worth taking advantage of the Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health subsidised blood testing service that detects exposure ...
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21 Apr 2009
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Clostridial diseases in cattle
The wide range of clostridial diseases are as much of a threat to cattle as they are to sheep and are probably the cause of a large proportion of the unexplained sudden livestock deaths that most farmers ...
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21 Apr 2009
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Effective control of IBR
Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) is caused by a virus that continues to be widespread in UK cattle herds. Recent bulk milk and blood screening of a nationwide sample of herds revealed 72% testing ...
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21 Apr 2009
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Get the most out of your fly control treatment
With April temperatures already touching 20ºC in many parts of the country, now's the time to start to think flies and, more importantly, how best to control them to prevent them having an impact on the ...
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21 Apr 2009
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Three steps to reduce threat of summer mastitis
Summer mastitis is caused when the sheep head fly (Hydrotaea irritans) irritates teats which then leads to bacteria such as Streptococcus dysgalactiae invading the udder, followed by Arcanobacterium pyogenes*. ...
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23 Mar 2009
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Get ready for warmer temperatures
Mid-February’s spring flush, with temperatures ranging from 90C to 110C for a whole week in southern England, may have been welcome, but it was also worrying. It only takes a few days of temperatures ...
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23 Mar 2009
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Minimising the impact of uterine infections
She may look healthy and be cycling normally, but on average a cow with endometritis takes 32 days longer to get pregnant. There are 11 more days until her first service, and she needs 1.92 services per ...
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23 Mar 2009
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Stem lamb losses for future profitability
Reports in the press last year suggested farmers in the UK were losing around one in every six lambs in the critical period leading up to and immediately after birth*. Roughly speaking, this equates ...
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27 Feb 2009
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Plan now to optimise sheep health this spring
Protecting sheep flocks against clostridial disease and pasteurella takes on a new dimension this spring. Producers have to factor in bluetongue vaccinations and boosters – and timing will be everything. To ...
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27 Feb 2009
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Protect high value heifers from Letospirosis well before turnout
Now’s the time to make sure high value dairy heifers are fully protected against bovine leptospirosis, well in advance of the peak disease transmission period at turnout. To read full newsletter, click ...
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27 Feb 2009
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Worrying levels of stock test positive for BVD
With more herds sending stock off farm to maximise the milking herd’s potential at home, there is a greater risk of dry cows and heifers returning with BVD. To red full newsletter, click the download ...
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27 Feb 2009
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Plan to reduce fertitity problmes
Planning any pregnancies? Have a word with the vet on the next visit. High yielding and large herds, or those calving all year round (when there are few sexually active cows in a group) can struggle to ...
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21 Jan 2009
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E. coli mastitis rates hit a winter high
Death and taxes are not the only dead certs in life: although preventative management is preferred, there will always be a need for effective treatment for E. coli mastitis. To read full newsletter, ...
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21 Jan 2009
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Know what you are up against - winning the battle aganist calf scour
Everyone has calves that scour from time to time. Sometimes it is bad throughout a batch of calves, sometimes just the odd one; predicting it is impossible, but producers whose calves regularly get scours ...
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21 Jan 2009
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Salmonella cases on the rise
After four years of steady decline, Salmonella dublin has been increasingly found in cattle with cases of systemic disease or abortion by SAC Veterinary Services. According to a recent report in the Vet ...
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21 Jan 2009
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Orf vaccination can boost lamb return
For flocks struggling with an orf problem, strategic vaccination of newborn lambs this spring can easily make the difference between profit and loss. Vaccination provides the best route to effective disease ...
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16 Oct 2008
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Act now to avoid losses later
Diagnosing the exact cause of pneumonia is rarely simple, but always important. Knowing what you are up against is the key to working out the best preventative programme. To read full newsletter, click ...
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16 Oct 2008
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Fertility talks at Cogent farmer meetings
Farmers attending the four Dairy Works meetings in October and November, which are sponsored by Cogent, will hear a very practical talk from vet Ruth Vernon from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health ...
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16 Oct 2008
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Stamp on strep. uberis mastitis problems
Strep. uberis is recognised by many as the problem bug on the dairy farm. Intervet's Cobactan® diagnostic scheme - a subsidised milk testing programme examining samples from farms all over Britain - shows ...
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16 Oct 2008
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Survey shows need for abortion vaccinations
Latest results from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health's annual FlockCheck survey revealed that almost two-thirds of flocks tested positive for toxoplasmosis. Yet a survey of farmers this summer showed ...
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31 Jul 2008
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Assisting pregnancy rates pays off
As replacement heifer values continue to climb, the most expensive fertility treatment is culling. Instead, herd owners can afford a more cost-effective solution - using their vet to detect and treat ...
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31 Jul 2008
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Be vigilant for eary signs
As we head into August and September, all livestock producers should be aware that this is the time when bluetongue disease may show itself in unvaccinated stock. Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health ...
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31 Jul 2008
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Most dairy units have more than one mastitis bug
Over 80% of dairy units are wrestling with more than one mastitis organism on the farm. New 2007/2008 VLA Farmfile data - which allows analysis of the different mastitis bacteria present in each herd, ...
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31 Jul 2008
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On-going midge control essential in the fight against bluetongue
A warm, but damp British summer makes ideal breeding conditions for the Culicoides midge - that which is responsible for spreading the devastating bluetongue (BTV) virus. It only takes one midge bite ...
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30 Jun 2008
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Cephaguard LC will soon be called Cobactan MC
As a result of the recent amalgamation of Intervet and Schering-Plough to form Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, the new company has announced that Cephaguard LC will change its name to Cobactan ...
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30 Jun 2008
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Focusing on fertility can improve milk yields and reduce costs
Dairy farmers pushing for increased milk yields should pay close attention to fertility levels and calving intervals. Increased herd sizes and a shortage of farm labour are resulting in a decline in ...
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30 Jun 2008
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Millions of lambs lost every year...
A report in a veterinary trade journal earlier this year estimated that the UK sheep flock is losing around one in six of its lamb crop in the period leading up to, and immediately after birth. This ...
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30 Jun 2008
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Phew what a scorcher!
A summer heat wave may still be just around the corner, but heat stress has become a year round problem for high yielding dairy cows housed full-time. Stocking density, poor ventilation and new buildings ...
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30 May 2008
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Bovilis® Huskvac - Last batch announcement for 2008 season
Lungworm, or husk, is something to be mindful of as cattle go out to pasture, but don't overlook your adult animals and only check first season grazers. Recent seasons show that around three quarters ...
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30 May 2008
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Jump start recovery from disease
We all know when we feel under the weather with a cold or fever, taking anti-inflammatories such as paracetamol or aspirin can soon make us feel better. The same applies with livestock. Anti-inflammatory ...
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30 May 2008
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Plan lamb vaccination timings now
The makers of the bluetongue vaccine Bovilis® BTV8, Intervet, is urging sheep farmers to plan routine sheep and lamb vaccination programmes as to ensure lambs receive their bluetongue vaccine as soon ...
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30 May 2008
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Pregnancy rates increased by up to 30% - read on for more...
Statistics show that 25% of dairy cow pregnancies result in early embryonic death (embryo dying within the first three weeks), and 7% result in what is termed 'foetal loss' - an unsuccessful pregnancy ...
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30 Apr 2008
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Break free from the pain of footrot
Footrot is the most common cause of lameness amongst sheep and is one of the most important health and welfare issues facing British sheep farmers. The disease, which can result in reduced mobility, ...
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30 Apr 2008
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Check your Flocks
Finding out the cause of this year's lambing losses and taking action now will help to reduce losses next year. Intervet's annual subsidised blood testing service FlockCheck was recently launched for ...
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30 Apr 2008
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Early use pays later dividends
The early bird may get the worm, but the early farmer gets a smaller fly population and less hassle at milking. It only takes a few days of summer sunshine for the fly population to explode: at 24oC ...
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30 Apr 2008
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Plan now for effective bluetongue vaccination strategies
Bluetongue disease is the hot topic amongst all livestock producers, as we head towards warmer days. EU and Defra guidelines stipulate that only livestock in a designated Protection Zone (PZ) can be ...
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31 Mar 2008
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An itchy problem...
Scratching an itch may take just a few seconds, but when it's a continual irritation, time spent rubbing irritated skin can soon add up to a lot of time away from the feed fence. The upshot is less time ...
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31 Mar 2008
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Are you simply the best?
If you believe you could be the most promisiing dairy farmer for the future, why not consider entering a Farmers Guardian/Dairy Farmer competition, which could see you winning a top prize of £1,500 and ...
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31 Mar 2008
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Perennial problem
Orf is a common viral condition that causes significant welfare and economic problems in UK sheep flocks. Orf can affect sheep of all ages, sexes and breeds. Animals can also carry the disease without ...
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31 Mar 2008
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Sustaining profitable production in the modern dairy cow
There's plenty of incentive for modern dairy cows to produce increasingly high yields, particularly with milk prices currently looking more favourable than they have for many years. But what does this ...
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29 Feb 2008
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Protecting heifers before turnout
Now's the time to make sure your high value dairy heifers are fully protected against bovine leptospirosis. Turnout often heralds the mixing of cattle for the first time and the disease spreads easily ...
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29 Feb 2008
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Salmonella-caused scours need not be a problem
Scours are one of the main health problems for young calves, and statistics show that salmonella remains a significant cause of this nasty condition. Some producers overlook the fact that vaccinating ...
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29 Feb 2008
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Test upgrade offers chance to identify Persistently Infected animals
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is a notoriously difficult disease to control. While eradication is regularly discussed in the media, this is not a viable route for most UK producers due to cattle population ...
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29 Feb 2008
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Use the pre-midge season wisely to minimise the bluetongue threat
The threat of Bluetongue and all that goes with that - from movement restrictions to vaccination strategy and from contingency plans for dealing with sick animals to how midges spread the virus - is at ...
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31 Jan 2008
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Getting to grips with flock performance
Do you really know how your flock is performing? Does productivity (lambing percentage. growth rate, barrenness, abortions, etc) fluctuate between years? Do you think that there is room for improving ...
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31 Jan 2008
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Milk testing scheme shows main mastitis bacteria
Herds struggling with persistent high cell counts and repeat cases of mastitis should test milk samples to see which pathogen is the cause. Bacteria such as Strep. uberis is a notoriously hard-to-shift ...
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31 Jan 2008
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Preparing for turnout
With turnout in some parts of the country looking promising for this month, it is worth taking a few moments to consider the options for protecting cattle against lungworm. Where there is a known problem ...
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31 Jan 2008
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Small parasite, big problem
The costs of a scour problem can add up significantly and aren't just associated with the sick calf. The effect of gut damage on the calf often results in a reduced growth rate also. To read full newsletter, ...
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23 Dec 2007
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Intervene now to stem lamb losses
Scanning results which shows more single lambs or barren ewes than expected are worrying because no-one can afford to have a low lambing percentage or bear the cost of carrying barren ewes in the flock.To ...
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23 Dec 2007
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Plan pneumonia booster timings ahead of stress periods
Now is the time to discuss with the practice when to give vaccinated calves their booster dose of Bovilis® Bovipast RSP. This pneumonia vaccine uniquely protects against both viral and bacterial causes ...
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23 Dec 2007
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Protect lambs with Heptavac-P Plus booster for ewes
Giving ewes their pasteurella and clostridial booster of Heptavac-P® Plus 4-6 weeks before lambing not only continues their protection against these killer bacteria, but also ensures that lambs are protected ...
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23 Dec 2007
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Rain, rain go away, the lungworm larvae came out to play
Britain's wettest summer on record has also been a bumper year for the lungworm parasite, Dictyocaulus viviparus. Latest NADIS data shows a significant increase in outbreaks reported for October - 25% ...
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30 Nov 2007
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BVD - don't overlook heifers
BVD is a disease classified as 'endemic' in the UK dairy herd, with experts estimating that in excess of 90% of cattle have been exposed to the virus. The losses are signifiant, although they can be ...
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30 Nov 2007
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Calf scour worries as winter progresses
Laboratory statistics now show that Cryptosporidium parvum is the number one diagnosed cause of calf scours (VIDA data, 2006) and, given that it is a zoonotic disease (which means it can be passed to ...
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30 Nov 2007
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Don't work in the dark - get a diagnosis
The definition of an endemic disease is one that affects a significant proportion of the population, frequently subclinically, causing hard-to-measure losses that can go unnoticed in herds or flocks. ...
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30 Nov 2007
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E.coli mastitis a threat as cows are housed for winter
Although NADIS (national veterinary surveillance service) reports fewer cases of toxic mastitis at the moment compared with previous years, the risk period for E.coli mastitis is here. Between October ...
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31 Oct 2007
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IBR - The hidden threat
Tempting though it is to cut back on head IBR vaccinations and save cash, it can turn out to be false economy. Once infected with IBR, animals are carriers for life and it only takes a stressful situation ...
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31 Oct 2007
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National survey reveals widespread nature of BVD virus
Infertility, abortion, respiratory disease and diarrhoea have led 243 herds to send bulk milk samples for BVD testing under Intervet's subsidised DairyCheck programme. Some 73% of the herds showed current ...
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31 Oct 2007
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Plan now for healthier lambs in the spring
Your annual pre-lambing pasteurella and clostridial disease booster might provide you with more benefits than you imagine. In addition to the ongoing protection it gives to pregnant ewes against a broad ...
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31 Oct 2007
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Salmonella threat in young calves
Calf scours is a numbers game - about 89% of dairy units had incidents last year and on 63% the conditon was fatal. Worryingly, in 80% of those events the farmers didn't seek veterinary advice - a decision ...
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30 Sep 2007
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Help control midges that spread bluetongue with Butox® SWISH
With the first case of bluetongue now confirmed in the UK, it is important to choose a fly control product that is effective against the virus-carrying midges. Intervet's large animal veterinary manager, ...
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30 Sep 2007
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New milking cow mastitis tube launched
September saw the launch of Intervet's Mastiplan® LC, a brand new lactating cow mastitis tube with a unique antibiotic component combined with an anti-inflammatory agent, from Intervet, a company already experts ...
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30 Sep 2007
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Reduce the threat of pneumonia
Pneumonia is a disease that vets usually refer to as 'multi-factorial'. This simply means that there is no one factor behind it - sometimes it is related to mixing of animals, other times poor housing ...
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30 Sep 2007
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Stamp on Strep. uberis mastitis problems
Strep. uberis is fast becoming the problem bug on the dairy farm. Recent results from Intervet's Cephaguard® diagnostic scheme - a subsidised milk testing programme examining samples from farms all over ...
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31 Aug 2007
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Ask the Experts
Farmers are being invited to attend an ‘Ask the Experts’ panel at the Dairy Event on 19th and 20th September at Stoneleigh Park near Coventry by Cephaguard® DC manufacturers, Intervet, Farmers Weekly ...
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31 Aug 2007
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IBR incidence levels – a concern for all
Once infected with IBR, animals are carriers for life – and recent research has shown that the extent of the damage is far reaching.To read full newsletter, click the download below
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31 Aug 2007
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Plan now for spring calving success
First lactation heifers and high yielding cows can be given a bit of help to get back in calf this autumn by using GnRH. It’s effective when used at insemination, particularly on farms where conception ...
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31 Aug 2007
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Vaccinate in-calf animals for added protection
Respiratory disease is widely recognised as a problem in calves and younger animals but an increasing number of vet practices throughout the country are reporting cases in adult animals around calving. ...
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31 Jul 2007
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BVD could be costing you as much as mastitis
People are a major source of spreading BVD among dairy herds and the average economic losses associated with infection are often the same as for mastitis. To read full newsletter, click the download ...
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31 Jul 2007
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Could we be heading for a fly explosion?
With the past two months seeing unseasonably high rainfall across the whole of the country and below average temperatures, farmers have seen a generally lower fly challenge relative to previous years. ...
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31 Jul 2007
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Protect your whole flock against pasteurella and clostridial diseases this autumn with Heptavac-P Plus®
The importance of vaccinating your replacements at this time of year for protection against pasteurella and clostridial diseases cannot be over emphasised. All new replacement ewe lambs introduced into ...
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31 Jul 2007
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Summer cell count anomaly
Rising summer cell counts are usually linked to cows camping out under trees to escape the heat, but this year it’s more likely that cows are trying to shelter from heavy downpours!To read full newsletter, ...
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29 Jun 2007
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Farmer survey shows magnitude of lamb loss in UK flocks
Intervet has just released its Toxowise results showing that farmers across the UK are losing up to nine per cent of their lambs as a result of diseases picked up before and during pregnancy. This represents ...
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29 Jun 2007
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Plan now to protect calves and youngstock
A paper published earlier this year reported that Mannheimia haemolytica (formerly known as Pasteurella) was found in 90% of lung samples taken from calves suffering from pneumonia. But what does this ...
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29 Jun 2007
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Sheep disease management post-lambing
With lambing all but over and the new crop of lambs growing steadily, providing your flock with continued protection against diseases should still be a priority.To read full newsletter, click the download ...
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29 Jun 2007
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Why do we manage dry cows as we do, as we always have, and will that remain the same in the future?
If research and farm experience indicates a potential performance and economic benefit of shorter dry periods, would you ignore that? An increasing number of farmers are taking an interest in shorter ...
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31 May 2007
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Help control midges that spread bluetongue with Butox SWISH
With the threat of bluetongue reaching the UK this summer, choosing the correct fly control product could be a critical decision. Intervet’s large animal veterinary manager, Alasdair King, says that ...
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31 May 2007
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The At-Risk approach - a way for farmers and vets to work together
Recently reported statistics show that cows ‘not in calf’ or ‘repeat breeders’ now account for a quarter of all culled cows. Managing cows in order to get them back in calf seems a constant challenge. ...
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31 May 2007
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The simple life?
Dry cow management is a notoriously under-researched subject area. The majority of farms manage their dry cows the same now as they did 10 or even 20 years ago. Admittedly, advances have been made in ...
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31 May 2007
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Understanding toxoplasmosis
There are two main causes of abortion in ewes – toxoplasmosis and enzootic abortion (EAE). Annual surveys (FlockCheck and EweCheck) carried out by Intervet have been used to calculate the number of ewes ...
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30 Apr 2007
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Choose the right product for fly control this season
With the unseasonably warm weather experienced earlier this month, some farmers may have already seen populations of biting and nuisance flies in herds of dairy and beef cattle they’d normally associate ...
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30 Apr 2007
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Don't overlook health management of replacements
IBR (Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis) is commonly regarded as an endemic disease in the UK cattle population, although incidence levels and outbreaks are affected by geography and herd management. ...
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30 Apr 2007
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Intervet launches toxoplasmosis awareness campaign
Findings from Intervet’s annual FlockCheck surveys have prompted the company to launch Toxowise - a national toxoplasmosis awareness campaign. Toxowise starts in May and aims to highlight to the prevalence ...
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30 Apr 2007
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Mastitis in the dry period
Dry cow management is notoriously under-researched and, frequently a neglected part of herd management. For example, what happens in the dry period to make the cow so susceptible to mastitis at this ...
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30 Mar 2007
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Cryptoquick test for calf scours
One of the more poorly understood causes of calf scours is Cryptosporidium parvum. The parasite that causes this disease thrives in damp bedding and in calf houses that are not cleaned regularly with ...
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30 Mar 2007
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Information is power
Knowing which diseases are likely to be a problem in your sheep before they occur will put you one step closer to ensuring you don't encounter any unwanted and avoidable losses - particularly at this ...
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30 Mar 2007
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New approach to dry cow management
A revision to the datasheet for Cephaguard® DC, which was launched in March 2005, has been announced by manufacturers Intervet which could lead to increased flexibility and choice when it comes to planning ...
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30 Mar 2007
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Order vaccine now for coming season
Bovilis® Huskvac orders should be placed now to guarantee sufficient time between dosing and turnout, when cattle can be exposed to lungworm larvae. This year's mild winter could mean higher the average ...
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28 Feb 2007
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Get your lambs off to a flying start
Ranked as one of the most important activities at lambing time is providing your new crop of lambs with adequate disease protection as soon as they are born. Getting colostrum into them immediately, ...
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28 Feb 2007
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Prepare now to avoid husk this season
As we approach spring following one of the mildest winters on record, it is important to remember the threat posed by lungworm which thrives in above average temperatures and wet conditions.Historically, ...
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28 Feb 2007
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Watch now for signs of pneumonia and plan to prevent outbreaks in 2007
As winter draws on and the Met Office forecasts more cold and wet weather during March, pneumonia outbreaks will doubtless continue to occur (see attached NADIS graph). The impact of an outbreak can ...
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31 Jan 2007
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Act now to prevent lungworm problems later this season
Reports in the vet press have highlighted an above average incidence rate of husk (lungworm) outbreaks and infection in the last few months, possibly due to the relatively warm and wet weather during ...
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31 Jan 2007
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Difficult to diagnose scour problem
Cryptosporidium is the second most commonly diagnosed cause of calf scour. Symptoms include watery diarrhoea, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal discomfort, abdominal tension, nausea and a mild fever. ...
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31 Jan 2007
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Dry cow therapy planning pays off with better success rates
For some people, dry cow management and therapy is the same now as it was five, or even 10 years ago. The reasons for drying cows off remain the same, as do the challenges that the cow faces at this ...
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31 Jan 2007
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Toxoplasmosis facts
Toxoplasmosis is not restricted to your sheep. The disease is zoonotic, which means it can be passed to humans. In humans it can cause acute, life-threatening illness, and infection of a pregnant woman ...
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31 Dec 2006
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Colostrum key to lambing success
With the lambing period just around the corner, there are a number of measures to put in place now to ensure its success and to ensure the longer term health and vitality of your new arrivals. Of the ...
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31 Dec 2006
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New diagnostic service from Intervet pinpoints lambing losses
From January 2007, sheep farmers will be able to benefit from a new diagnostic service from Intervet. Barren EweCheck is designed to help farmers determine the cause or causes of barrenness and reduce ...
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