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Animal Health Topics February 2010 -
- Hygiene at calving
- Post-mortems
- Lice Control
- Condition Scoring
- Lepto
- Scanning
- Rotavirus
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Treat the calf's navel |
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A simple piece of advice that does not cost anything but yet is still not carried out as routine on many farms. Antibotic aerosol sprays or iodine sprays can be used. The best way, however, to ensure the navel is completely covered is to use an iodine dip.
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Investigate the dead |
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Remember dead calves can talk and when a calf dies of pneumonia or scour you should take the carcase to your regional veterinary laboratory as soon as possible. The sooner an animal is submitted the sooner you will get your diagnosis and be able to take action and prevent further fatalities. Don’t wait till you have three or four dead calves before going to the lab.
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Lice |
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It is becoming increasingly common on many farms for cattle to start showing signs of being infected with lice towards the end of housing period. It is important that these animals are treated immediately. However, watch out for withdrawal dates on cattle that are coming close to finishing.
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Condition Score |
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Keep an eye on the body condition score (BCS) of both the autumn and spring calving cows. Both groups of cows at this stage should be around 2.5 to 3. The BCS of first calved heifers should also be monitored closely. Trying to keep them at 2.5 will normally require additional concentrate feeding even on good quality silage. |
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Vaccinating the main herd for Lepto |
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Cows should be vaccinated for Lepto one month before going to grass. In year one the vaccination programme is a two shot programme with the second shot administered four weeks after the initial shot. A booster shot is then required each year thereafter. |
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Take the guess work out of calving |
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An ideal time to scan the autumn calving herd. Scanning is most accurate when carried out six to twelve weeks after conception. It provides essential management information for as little as €2-€3 per cow. It also allows you to quickly identify any fertility problems. |
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Rotavirus |
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Rotavirus is one of the main killers of young calves. However, it is a disease that can be controlled by adopting good hygiene standards in the calving pens. Never skimp on straw. |
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