SHEEP Lameness Explained Dr Giovanni Capuzzello DVM MRCVS

CVP Farm Newsletter Long Stratton 01508

January 2020 www.chapelfieldvets.co.uk

Sheeplamenessrepresentsamajorwelfareconcernandcauseslargeeconomiclosses.Forexample,Footroothasbeenes;matedtocosttothesheepindustry£24millionannually.

Clinicalsigns

Asaclinicalpointofviewpersistentlamenesscanleadtoreducedweightgain,metabolicdiseaseinpregnantewes,reducedbirthweightoflambs,mis-motheringandpoorcolostrumproduc9onbyewes.

Themostcommoncauses….

Scaldisthemostcommoncauseoflamenessinlambsandoccursmostcommonlywhenunderfootcondi9onsarewet,o<eninlatespring.Theskinbetweentheclawsisredandswollenandcoveredbyathinlayerofwhitedischarge.

Footrotisanextremelypainfuldiseaseandaffectedanimalscanloseweightrapidly.Thereisswellingandmoisteningoftheskinbetweentheclawswithinfec9onspreadingtoseparatethehorn9ssueofthesoleandextendupthewallinneglectedcases.Thereisacharacteris9c,foul-smellingdischarge.

CODD.Thesheepshowseverelamenesstypicallyaffec9ngoneclawofonefootwithreluctancetobearweight.Ini9allysmallulcersdevelopatthecoronaryband(thejunc9onofthehoofwallandhairedskinofthepastern)whichcanbecomesoseverethatthewholehoofcapsuledetaches.

Toegranulomasarepainful,redswellingsfromthegrowing9ssuecausedbyover-trimmingorchronicirrita9onfromuntreatedlesionsorchemicalirrita9on.

Somesugges;onstotreatthem….

1- Yardthesheep

2- Separateallthoseshowingsignsoflameness

3- Iden9fythelesion

4- Treatasappropriate

5- Markthesheepandrecordeartag

6- Repeata<er14daysandaddanothermarkif lamenesspersists

7- Cullanysheepthatbecomelameforathird9me

Moreinforma9oncanbefoundonnadis.org.uk/

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directly by e-mail, please send an e-mail message to this effect to: tiff@chapelfieldvets.co.uk

Dr Christos Kartsalkas DVM MRCVS

Optimising Dry matter intake to reduce the risk of metabolic disorders in Transition period. DrymaSerintake(DMI)isthefirstlimi9ngfactorinmostdairyra9onsandthe“Keyfactor”toincreasingenergyandnutrientsintake.

Dairymanagerscaneithertryto1)IncreaseDMIor2)Increaseenergyconcentra9onperunitofdrymaSerconsumed.

Thelimita9onwithincreasingenergycontentinra9onisthatcowsrequireaminimumlevelofforage(physicalfibre)andminimumleveloffibre(chemicalfibre)tomaintainrumenhealthandmaintainrumenmicrobialfermenta9on.Excessgrainmustbeavoidedtopreventacidosis,andalsoexcessivelevelsoffatandoilswhichcancompromiserumenfunc9on.

Some factors to consider that affect the DMI: • DMIislargelybasedonBWoftheanimalandthelevelofmilkproduc9on.Milkproduc9onis

moreimportantthanBWindeterminingtheDMI.Ensurehighyieldersarege\ngahigherfeedofferinginearlylacta9on.

• DMIisgenerallylowerinearlylacta9on,withfirstlacta9oncowssignificantlylowerthan

maturecows.The9metoreachpeakDMIcantake5-10weekslongerthanthe9metoreachpeakmilkyield.The9meofthisDMI“lag”dependsonthetransi9ondiets(Shi<ingdrycowstohighcowra9on).

• Bodycondi9onscoringisessen9altoop9misingDMIinthetransi9onperiod.Severalstudiesillustratecowsthataretoothinatcalving(BCS<2.5),orovercondi9oned(>3.25)willhavereducedDMIinearlylacta9on.EnsurethatBCSisperformedseveral9mesayear,especiallyatthedryperiod.Cowsideallyshouldcalvedownat2.75-3,andnotlose>0.5BCSa<ercalving.

• Foragequalitymustbehighandbehighlydiges9ble.Lowerforagequalityo<enreducesDMIfromgreaterfillingandlessreadilyavailableenergy.

• Finally,ifcowsarerestrictedorremovedfromfeedorwaterformorethan4hoursaday,DMIcanbelimitedasthecowsaresimplyunabletoconsumeenoughintheirremainingfeedandwaterneedsinthe9meavailable.Feedandwatermustthereforebeinfrontofthecowsformorethan20hourseachdaywithsufficientfeedingspace(approx.60cmpercow). Con9nued….

CVP Farm Newsletter January 2020

www.chapelfieldvets.co.uk

Here are some points to be aware of and discuss with the farm nutritionist, or with a vet from CVP:

• Foragequalityshouldexceed2.51MJofNEI/poundofDM(1.32McalNEL/kg)

• Ra9onADFshouldrangefrom19-21%

• Ra9onNDFshouldrangeform28-33%

• AdjustForageNDFintaketo0.9%ofcowsBW

• NFCshouldrangefrom33-38%oftotalDM

• Preventcowsformsepara9ngandselec9ngoutpreferredfeedingredients.

• ConsiderfeedingTMRwith2-4%weighbackofuneatenfeed

• Totalra9onDMshouldrangefrom40-55%

• LimitFatandoilinthera9onoffreshcows

• Feed transi9on ra9on 21 days before calving to gradually allow the rumen to adapt to higherenergyfeeds.Inthefirst7-21daysoflacta9ontheycanbeonafreshcowra9onofconcentrateandenoughlongfibreandforagetomaintainrumenstability.

• Increasefeedingfrequencyiffeedingmoreo<enresults inDMIincreasingby2ormorepounds(>0.9Kg)percowperday.

CVP Farm Newsletter January 2020

MILKSURE - ARE YOU STILL MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS? There is a requirement for "top up", meaning that to be re-accredited for the year, the vet needs to re-evaluate the medicine use and risk assessment, and the farmers/farm workers need to complete an online assessment. The initial accreditation lasts for one year from the date of initial certificate of completion. So essentially, Dairy farmers need to be aware that there is an annual requirement by both vet and farmer to stay accredited, and this means a specific visit/meeting, or as an adjunct time allotment at a routine for this to be done.

Dr Olivia Turley’s Challenge…..

TEST YOUR CATTLE KNOWLEDGE AND/OR LEARN SOMETHING NEW! CAN YOU ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW? (answers at the bottom of page) Test Your Milk Parlour Testing Knowledge!

1. Lag;mereferstothe;mebetweenforestripping/manualcontactwiththeteatandaHachingtothemilkingcluster.Whatisaconsequenceofnotallowingappropriatelag;me? a) Thecowwillbetoostressedatfirstarrivingintheparlourtoletmilkdown b) ItmakesliSletonodifference;shewillstarttomilknormallywhenevertheclusterisaSached c) ShelikelywillgothroughbiphasicmilkingpaSern(le\ngdownmilkatfirst,thenstoppingforup to2minutes,thencommencingagain) d) Shewillbemoreatriskofdevelopingmas99s

2. Whatistheop;mallag;meforop;malletdownandefficiencyatmilking? a) 30seconds b) 90-120seconds c) 60seconds d) Asquicklyaspossible

3. ThedynamicparlourtestshouldbeperformedimmediatelyaOerasta;ctest,ataminimumonceayear.Thedynamictestcandetectfaultsthatastatustestcannot.

a) Vacuumlevelsintheairlineb) Overmilkingc) Overallvacuumreserved) Vacuumleakage

4. TrueorFalse?Thevacuumgaugereadingisareliableindicatoroftheteatendvacuumandwhatthe cowisexperiencing?

a) Trueb) False

Answers:1. C.,2.B.,3.B.,4.B.

Lag9meisessen9alasthisisthe9meneededforoxytocin,themilkletdownhormone,tobereleasedANDreachtheuddertohavefulleffect(90-120seconds).Imagineacowmilksfor5minutesintotal,butshemaybemilkingthefirstandlasttwominutesresul9nginsubop9malproduc9on(biphasicmilking).Dynamictes9ngrequiresthatallthemachinetestsbeperformedDURINGac9vemilking.Dynamictes9ngonthemilkingparlourhighlightsfaultsinmilkingsuchasovermilking,teatendvacuum,andlinerslippagetonameafew.Thesearenotdetectedinasta9ctest.Forexample,agaugereadingof40KPadoesnotmeanthatistheteatvacuummeasure.EverymilkingparlourhasafallinKPabetweenthegaugeandtheteatend.Whenpressuresaretoohightherewillbeteatdamageanderosion,andifthepressuresaretoolowthemilkingwilltakelongerandincreaseliner

CVP Farm Newsletter January 2020

Clinic Contact Details Telephone: 01508 530686, Fax: 01508 532411, E-mail:longstratton@chapelfieldvets.co.uk

Chapelfield Veterinary Partnership, Wellesley Road, Tharston Industrial Estate, Long Stratton NR15 2PD