Cattle

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. 

ResPig® Farm Audit and Economic Simulator tools is 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 I/SPAH pig vaccines.

DateDescription
21 July 2009Additional supplies of lungworm vaccine due to extra demandIntervet/Schering-Plough, manufacturers of Bovilis® Huskvac has announced that, due to continued demand, a further batch of vaccine with an expiry date of 8th September 2009 has been supplied into the ...
21 July 2009Protect your finishing lambsFinished lamb prices may well have come off the earlier summer highs, but you can still ill afford to lose growing lambs at grass at this time of year – just before it’s time to cash in your investment. Clostridial ...
21 July 2009Be extra alert for flies after recent hot spellFollowing the recent hot spell and subsequent period of wetter weather, populations of biting and nuisance flies on farms could be about to explode. Farmers should remain vigilant for any sudden increases ...
21 July 2009Heifer vaccination timing criticalBVD is now widely regarded as endemic in the UK national dairy herd and, although we don’t seem to be moving towards a countrywide eradication policy, controlling this nasty disease on a farm-by-farm ...
26 June 2009Good time to start footrot controlThe drier summer months provide the perfect opportunity to start a flock lameness control programme. Lameness is a big issue for many flocks, but it is a problem you don’t have to live with. Provided ...
26 June 2009Bluetongue vaccination reminderGood things come in small packages, including the essential protection against the bluetongue virus, Bovilis® BTV8. This is the only licensed bluetongue vaccine available in 20ml bottles, suitable for ...
26 June 2009Two pronged approach to mastitis treatmentCows may now be at grass, but detecting a case of mastitis early enough to treat it effectively remains a priority. Mastitis isn’t just an udder problem with signs of hot, hard, swollen quarters – cows ...
26 June 2009Getting cows back in calf simply and quicklyGetting cows back in-calf on time is important for year-round calving herds wanting to deliver a level milk profile, but delaying service because cows are high yielding can work out to be a false economy. Extending ...
28 May 2009Flies 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 ...
28 May 2009Scours at grass could be CryptoTogether 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 ...
28 May 2009Protect new season lambsWith 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 ...
28 May 2009Subsidised abortion testing serviceIf 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 ...
21 April 2009Effective control of IBRInfectious 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 ...
21 April 2009Three steps to reduce threat of summer mastitisSummer 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*. ...
21 April 2009Get the most out of your fly control treatmentWith 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 ...
21 April 2009Clostridial diseases in cattleThe 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 ...
23 March 2009Get ready for warmer temperaturesMid-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 ...
23 March 2009Stem lamb losses for future profitabilityReports 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 ...
23 March 2009Minimising the impact of uterine infectionsShe 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 ...
27 February 2009Plan to reduce fertitity problmesPlanning 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 ...
27 February 2009Plan now to optimise sheep health this springProtecting 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 ...
27 February 2009Worrying levels of stock test positive for BVDWith 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 ...
27 February 2009Protect high value heifers from Letospirosis well before turnoutNow’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 ...
21 January 2009E. coli mastitis rates hit a winter highDeath 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, ...
21 January 2009Know what you are up against - winning the battle aganist calf scourEveryone 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 ...
21 January 2009Orf vaccination can boost lamb returnFor 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 ...
21 January 2009Salmonella cases on the riseAfter 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 ...
16 October 2008Survey shows need for abortion vaccinationsLatest 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 ...
16 October 2008Stamp on strep. uberis mastitis problemsStrep. 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 ...
16 October 2008Fertility talks at Cogent farmer meetingsFarmers 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 ...
16 October 2008Act now to avoid losses laterDiagnosing 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 ...
31 July 2008On-going midge control essential in the fight against bluetongueA 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 ...
31 July 2008Most dairy units have more than one mastitis bugOver 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, ...
31 July 2008Be vigilant for eary signsAs 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 ...
31 July 2008Assisting pregnancy rates pays offAs 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 ...
30 June 2008Phew 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 ...
30 June 2008Millions 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 ...
30 June 2008Focusing on fertility can improve milk yields and reduce costsDairy 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 ...
30 June 2008Cephaguard LC will soon be called Cobactan MCAs 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 ...
30 May 2008Pregnancy 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 ...
30 May 2008Plan lamb vaccination timings nowThe 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 ...
30 May 2008Jump start recovery from diseaseWe 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 ...
30 May 2008Bovilis® Huskvac - Last batch announcement for 2008 seasonLungworm, 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 ...
30 April 2008Plan now for effective bluetongue vaccination strategiesBluetongue 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 ...
30 April 2008Early use pays later dividendsThe 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 ...
30 April 2008Check your FlocksFinding 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 ...
30 April 2008Break free from the pain of footrotFootrot 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, ...
31 March 2008Sustaining profitable production in the modern dairy cowThere'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 ...
31 March 2008Perennial problemOrf 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 ...
31 March 2008Are 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 ...
31 March 2008An 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 ...
29 February 2008Use the pre-midge season wisely to minimise the bluetongue threatThe 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 ...
29 February 2008Test upgrade offers chance to identify Persistently Infected animalsBovine 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 ...
29 February 2008Salmonella-caused scours need not be a problemScours 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 ...
29 February 2008Protecting heifers before turnoutNow'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 ...
31 January 2008Small parasite, big problemThe 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, ...
31 January 2008Preparing for turnoutWith 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 ...
31 January 2008Milk testing scheme shows main mastitis bacteriaHerds 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 ...
31 January 2008Getting to grips with flock performanceDo 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 ...
23 December 2007Rain, 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% ...
23 December 2007Protect 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 ...
23 December 2007Plan 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 ...
23 December 2007Intervene 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 ...
30 November 2007E.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 ...
30 November 2007Don't work in the dark - get a diagnosisThe 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.  ...
30 November 2007Calf scour worries as winter progressesLaboratory 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 ...
30 November 2007BVD - don't overlook heifersBVD 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 ...
31 October 2007Salmonella threat in young calvesCalf 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 ...
31 October 2007National survey reveals widespread nature of BVD virusInfertility, 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 ...
31 October 2007IBR - The hidden threatTempting 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 ...
31 October 2007Plan now for healthier lambs in the springYour 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 ...
30 September 2007Reduce the threat of pneumoniaPneumonia 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 ...
30 September 2007New milking cow mastitis tube launchedSeptember 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 ...
30 September 2007Help control midges that spread bluetongue with Butox® SWISHWith 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, ...
30 September 2007Stamp on Strep. uberis mastitis problemsStrep. 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 ...
31 August 2007Ask the ExpertsFarmers 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 ...
31 August 2007IBR incidence levels – a concern for allOnce 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
31 August 2007Plan now for spring calving successFirst 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 ...
31 August 2007Vaccinate in-calf animals for added protectionRespiratory 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.  ...
31 July 2007Protect 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 ...
31 July 2007Could 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. ...
31 July 2007BVD could be costing you as much as mastitisPeople 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 ...
31 July 2007Summer cell count anomalyRising 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, ...
29 June 2007Sheep disease management post-lambingWith 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 ...
29 June 2007Why 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 ...
29 June 2007Plan now to protect calves and youngstockA 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 ...
29 June 2007Farmer survey shows magnitude of lamb loss in UK flocksIntervet 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 ...
31 May 2007Help control midges that spread bluetongue with Butox SWISHWith 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 ...
31 May 2007The At-Risk approach - a way for farmers and vets to work togetherRecently 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.  ...
31 May 2007The 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 ...
31 May 2007Understanding toxoplasmosisThere 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 ...
30 April 2007Don't overlook health management of replacementsIBR (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.  ...
30 April 2007Intervet launches toxoplasmosis awareness campaignFindings 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 ...
30 April 2007Choose the right product for fly control this seasonWith 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 ...
30 April 2007Mastitis in the dry periodDry 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 ...
30 March 2007Information is powerKnowing 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 ...
30 March 2007Cryptoquick 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 ...
30 March 2007Order vaccine now for coming seasonBovilis® 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 ...
30 March 2007New approach to dry cow managementA 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 ...
28 February 2007Watch now for signs of pneumonia and plan to prevent outbreaks in 2007As 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 ...