Cattle

Relevant Links

National Animal Disease Information Service

Sustainable Control of Parasites in sheep (SCOPS) and worming strategies designed to delay the onset of wormer resistance.

Intervet created the ResPig® Farm Audit and Economic Simulator tools as an aid for veterinarians to analyze PRDC related farm problems and make decisions on the control of swine respiratory disease. In addition to the online tools, this web site also contains information on PRDC and Intervet pig vaccines.

What's New?

Date	Description
21 Apr 2008	Butox SWISH study shows rapid kill of midges A study undertaken in Germany last summer has proven the efficacy of Butox SWISH at killing the midges responsible for carrying the bluetongue virus, when applied monthly to cattle. The study showed ...
8 Apr 2008	Trial shows Butox SWISH effective against bluetongue midge Treating cattle with Butox® SWISH this summer will give four weeks’ control of midges, the insects responsible for carrying the bluetongue virus (BTV-8), according to recent German trial results. “Butox ...
1 Apr 2008	Bluetongue vaccination guidelines VaccinationBovilis® BTV8 is licensed for use in cattle and sheep from the age of one month.Stock to be vaccinated must be healthy.The vaccine should not be used in conjunction with any other vaccine. ...
1 Apr 2008	Bluetongue vaccine licensed Intervet has announced today (Tuesday 1st April) that its bluetongue vaccine, Bovilis® BTV8 has been granted a license by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). The license sets out dose rates and ...
20 Mar 2008	Plan ahead for bluetongue vaccine availability Intervet is urging sheep farmers to plan routine sheep and lamb vaccination programmes as soon as possible due to speculation over when any one farmer will have access to the bluetongue vaccine, Bovilis ...
19 Mar 2008	Don’t get caught out spring calving herds told Block calving herds which examine cows post calving, to pick out potential cases of endometritis (whites) for early treatment, could benefit from more days in milk. One New Zealand (NZ) study, involving ...
19 Mar 2008	Farmers gather to hear latest on minimising endometritis Farmers now have the tools to look for dirty cows after calving, presenting only problem cows to the vet, which makes it more cost effective to search and treat for endometritis. Vets speaking at a farmer ...
19 Mar 2008	Combination Therapy Dealing with recurring cases of mastitis is not just a drain on finances – it’s frustrating and depressing for everyone involved. But using a combination of inj and tubes to treat some clinical cases ...
18 Mar 2008	Combination Therapy Education How many tubes does it take to clear up a case of mastitis? The answer usually lies on the side of the box of tubes. But for Kingston Maurward College’s herd, near Dorchester, it was an average 22 tubes ...
7 Mar 2008	Promote vaccination against lungworm As turnout approaches immunisation against pasture-borne parasites such as lungworm should be a priority to help protect the growth and yield potential of replacement heifers.Rearing replacement heifers ...
25 Feb 2008	Help handling BTV enquiries In a move aimed at providing vets with the information they need to handle enquiries about its Bluetongue vaccine, Bovilis BTV8, Intervet has produced a detailed presentation which is available for free ...
19 Feb 2008	Intervet delivers support for Bluetongue vaccination queries Intervet delivers support for Bluetongue vaccination queriesThe threat of Bluetongue and all that goes with that – from movement restrictions to vaccination strategy and from contingency plans for dealing ...
8 Feb 2008	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 whether Strep. uberis is the cause, as this notoriously hard-to-shift pathogen is accounting ...
6 Feb 2008	Diagnostic scheme provides points for discussion With the most recent DairyCheck and BeefCheck data showing yet another rise in the number of herds testing positive for BVD and IBR, it’s a timely reminder of the value of these Intervet-subsidised schemes. Even ...
6 Feb 2008	Subsidised screening service shows worrying results Recent data from DairyCheck and BeefCheck (Intervet’s subsidised bulk milk and blood testing service) shows yet another rise in the number of herds testing positive for BVD and IBR. Some 90% of tested ...
20 Nov 2007	Packing a punch against mastitis Intervet has announced an autumn offer on its recently launched Mastiplan LC mastitis tube. Any order of 10 x 20 tubes of Mastiplan LC will qualify for 1 x 20 tubes free of charge. Mastiplan LC is the ...
19 Nov 2007	BVD symposium report By Keith Cutler, Endell Veterinary Group, Salisbury, Wilts Vets often think they are doing well when they manage to persuade the majority of their clients to control BVD by vaccinating. However, Intervet’s ...
1 Nov 2007	Debate around the importance of pain and discomfort in cows with mastitis Debate around the importance of pain and discomfort in cows with mastitis has been a feature of vet and farmer discussions for some years now, but how much has this moved forward over recent years, and ...
1 Nov 2007	How significant is cow comfort when it comes to mastitis? How significant is cow comfort (or should it be discomfort?) when it comes to mastitis? Does a visible reduction in udder swelling make a difference? What is the link between clots in milk and obtaining ...
21 Sep 2007	Ongoing impact of challenging summer weather, and possible nutritional shortfalls Dietary-challenged high yielding cows can be given a bit of help to get back in-calf this autumn, using Receptal® to boost pregnancy rates by an average 10%. Many herd owners are facing a difficult ...
30 Aug 2007	Facts at your fingertips - a guide to promoting milk bacteriology testing by Andrew Biggs of The Vale Vet Group Bacteriology has moved on from testing the odd single sample simply to determine which antibiotic to use. More vets are realising the benefit of a total package for farmer clients, involving regular sampling ...
3 Aug 2007	Short dry periods – does the money stack up? This final supplement dedicated to investigating the effect and impact of short dry periods aims to answer one of the most important questions – what about the money? Vet Chris Watson of Wood Vet Group ...
2 Aug 2007	Working towards short dry periods Shortening the dry period to 40 days is one strategy being tried in a high yielding herd to reduce cow stress around calving. In addition, producers Peter and Mike Jones of Parc Gwyn Farm near Abergavenny ...
20 Jul 2007	Think like a pig farmer The key to successfully controlling BVD in a herd is to get rid of Persistently Infected (PI) animals, vaccinate, and, think like a pig farmer. The former removes the source of infection, vaccination ...
6 Jul 2007	Additional supplies of Huskvac announced Huskvac manufacturers, Intervet, is advising farmers that the product will be available for an extra month this year as a result of exceptional demand and the likely above average lungworm challenge this ...
3 Jul 2007	Different approach to dry cow management pays off for Hants farmer Cutting the dry period to just 35 days has simplified dry cow diets and reduced the incidence of milk fever from 8% to 0.5% for one 280-cow Hants herd. It has also put an extra 400 litres/cow into the ...
2 Jul 2007	Getting started in beef Rearing calves, fattening stores, or taking the plunge and breeding your own beef suckler herd – which route would you choose to produce your own Sunday joint and what’s involved? Before choosing a breed, ...
2 Jul 2007	Short and sweet. Short dry periods examined by Chris Watson, vet at the Wood Vet Group, Gloucester Consider this. Experience in the US and on some farms in the UK demonstrates significant benefits from shortening the dry period and dispels many of the pre-conceptions around reduced performance/yield ...
2 Jul 2007	Short dry cow periods promise benefits all round There is something rather challenging about questioning established principles, writes Intervet vet Rosemary Booth. That is exactly what is happening at present, led partly by work in the USA where the ...
2 Jul 2007	Two-pronged approach for effective fly control There are no flies on Richard Malpass – or his cows. Since splitting from a family partnership two years ago, he has set up a dairy farm on a two-million litre greenfield site where just two men will ...
7 Jun 2007	Choice of fly treatment could prevent bluetonge spread Routine use of long-lasting pour-on fly treatments to control midge populations could prevent the spread of bluetongue should it reach the UK this summer. According to Intervet’s large animal veterinary ...
22 May 2007	SWISH flies with Value Pack Intervet has announced that it will continue to offer its Butox SWISH Value Pack this season. Retained due to popular demand, the pack contains 4 x 2.5 litre bottles, a free applicator gun and two free ...
17 May 2007	Intervet stand scoops award at Bank Holiday show Intervet’s mobile product display scooped the Best Trade Stand shield at the Leicestershire Show over the May Bank Holiday weekend. Trade account manager, Nigel Richards, received the award on behalf ...
6 May 2007	Article 2 in the Future Herd Strategy series Exporters of pedigree cattle could be missing out on lucrative markets as more EU countries – particularly new member states – show an interest in eradicating IBR. British pedigree and commercial producers ...
6 May 2007	Problem solving pays off Leics producer Alan Smith is investing in his business this summer with a new 40-point rotary parlour and plans to go up to 400 cows. He is also protecting his investment in top Holstein genetics by vaccinating ...
3 May 2007	Pneumonia risk assessment for all Bovipast RSP stand visitors A new cattle pneumonia risk assessment tool is being launched to farmers at Beef Expo and will be available free of charge on the Bovilis® Bovipast RSP stand. Cattle vets will also be on-hand to work ...
30 Apr 2007	What does ADAM offer dairy herds Challenging the traditional on-farm approach to dry cow management, which is arguably the most important period in a cow's lactation cycle, Intervet has launched an innovative herd management strategy ...
4 Apr 2007	Cow health is a challenge Managing cow health is a challenge at the best of time, but the factors affecting it are exaggerated during the dry period as they approache calving. However, maintaining good health at this time is ...
4 Apr 2007	Welfare article for Cow Management supplement Start discussing shortening the dry period amongst any group of farmers or vets, and eyebrows will be raised, and some people will express concerns about the impact on cow well-being. But, if you look ...
2 Apr 2007	Ask the Vet Ask the vet (with Rosie Booth, as before) Q. When a vet talks about doing diagnostic work for an outbreak of pneumonia, what does that mean, and is it worth it? Certainly knowing what you are up against, ...
26 Mar 2007	Introduction for Future Herd Strategy articles Considering the subject of the ‘future herd’ got me thinking about what that really means, writes Ruth Vernon, large animal vet adviser at Intervet. Listen to some commentators and you could come away ...
26 Mar 2007	Planned breeding strategies – a realistic option? Falling herd fertility is one of the major challenges facing the UK dairy industry. As the driver of calf and therefore milk production, letting fertility get ‘out of control’ can, over a period of time, ...
26 Mar 2007	Shorter dry periods help team manage high yielding herd The 400-strong milking herd at the Heaselands Estate, Holmbush Farm near Haywards Health has been managed with strategic short dry cow management for the last 18 months. Averaging around 9,000 litres, ...
19 Feb 2007	Ask the Vet Ask the Vet Q: Last year, I purchased some replacement heifers from a number of different farms and, at the time, didn’t spend too much time thinking about herd bio-security. Is it too late to think ...
5 Feb 2007	Making the best of available resources has seen old pig buildings By Shirley MacmillanQuality food is the focus of Jim Sherrin’s calf rearing. But experience has also taught this Dorset-based producer that well-ventilated housing and treating calves at the first sign ...
5 Feb 2007	Revolution or evolution? Short dry cow periods for UK herds Revolution or evolution? Short dry cow periods for UK herdsDry 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 ...
5 Feb 2007	Short dry cow periods promise benefits all round There is something rather challenging about questioning established principles, writes farm vet Chris Watson.That is exactly what is happening at present, largely led by work in the USA where the questions ...
28 Nov 2006	Controlling IBR – the debate goes on IBR is a disease which has been increasingly discussed by vets and consultants in recent months. It is an important disease causing significant economic losses on farms where outbreaks occur. It is essential ...
2 Nov 2006	Ask the Vet - IBR Control 1. IBR control was mentioned by my vet when we prepared the herd health plan buthow much of an issue is it? How widespread is the disease, and what impact doesit have?With an estimated prevalence of around ...
12 Oct 2006	Lice reported as increasing problem by vets and farmers Farmers and vets are reporting that lice are becoming more problematic in cattle over the winter housing period. These findings come from a recent Intervet-sponsored discussion group on parasites, at ...
26 Sep 2006	Ask the Vet - Seasonal Fertility by Robert Ankcorn BVSc MRCVS of IntervetQ1. After reviewing our breeding policy with the vet, we have decided toinvestigate a planned breeding programme. What benefits should we see?It will come as no ...
26 Sep 2006	Ask the Vet - Seasonal Fertility by Robert Ankcorn BVSc MRCVS of IntervetQ1. After reviewing our breeding policy with the vet, we have decided toinvestigate a planned breeding programme. What benefits should we see?It will come as no ...
7 Jul 2006	Response to Rob Drysdale's Food for Thought column The points highlighted above are important considerations for today’s dairy farmer and perhaps even more so if you run a high yielding herd which is pushed for maximum efficiency, agrees Robert Ankcorn, ...
7 Jun 2006	World class speakers address mastitis meetings Delegates attending Intervet’s recent meetings “Changing dynamics of mastitis – effective detection and therapy” listened intently as speakers Dr Ruth Zadoks DVM PHD MSc from Cornell University and Andrew ...
6 Jun 2006	Bovilis® BVD 50-dose multi-pack launched Intervet’s Bovilis BVD vaccine is now available in a convenient 50-dose PET vial (100ml).This new, fully flexible pack is also fully compatible with Intervet’s Eco-Matic vaccinator gun, ensuring consistent, ...
9 Mar 2006	New dry cow antimicrobial launched There are approximately one million incidents of clinical mastitis every year which not only has a major effect on milk production, but also provides a big challenge to dairy farmers and vets as cows ...
27 Jan 2006	Limited man hours/cow plus poor national fertility addressed with Intercept launch Intervet is re-launching Intercept, its planned breeding strategy, in a response to demand from farmers and vets. With recent reports acknowledging the reduced amount of man hours per cow available ...