ROADSHOWS Copper Requirements Increase During Winter and Spring We Are About to Embark on Our Roadshow Tour Again
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May 2017 Copper in Cattle “Fog Fever” - Cow Deaths From a mob of in-calf heifers grazing regrowth rape, 3 heifers were noticed with an unusual grunting cough. Twenty four hours later, two of these heifers died. Post-Mortem of these affected heifers showed unusual infl ammation in the lungs. This was confi rmed by the lab to be “Acute Bovine Pulmonary Emphysema and Odema” or “Fog Fever” for short. The third heifer was treated symptomatically but died 36 hours later. Fog Fever is a James Herriot era name and the disease probably has nothing to do with fog and more to do with the fact the disease is more commonly seen in the autumn. A rapid Ewes News change in feed (also a risk factor for Vitamin B1 Defi ciency) causes a particular gut bacteria to convert L-Tryptophan, a naturally occurring amino acid, to a toxic Comment compound. The toxin rapidly impairs lung function resulting in death. No treatment Congratulations to Simon and Kirstin Englebrecht for winning the Otago is available but identifying the condition Ballance Farm Environment award. To hear about how this effi cient, high and removing affected animals from the performing system operates come to the fi eld day they will host at their 800 paddock will prevent any new cases. Stoneburn Rd property near Dunback on May 19. Schist country cattle seem to have high Michael Lilley BVSc requirements for copper supplementation Veterinary Centre Ranfurly Veterinary Centre – Copper is an essential trace element required for many functions directly related to the productivity of your stock. Annual BoosterVac By the Big Blue Cross Simon and Kirstin Englebrecht There are several reasons why animals become defi cient in copper over winter and spring. These include: Light cattle being chronically under-fed. Copper absorption and availability are hindered by soil BoosterVac and plant factors (molybdenum sulphur & iron content). Anitbody Levels SHEEP & BEEF Animals may undergo gut lining changes caused by Sensitiser Vac parasitism. Many crops that are fed in the winter, such as kale, are low in copper. ROADSHOWS Copper requirements increase during winter and spring We are about to embark on our roadshow tour again. This year’s programme is packed with local research, most of which is being presented by our own team at the upcoming National Veterinary Sheep and Beef Conference. It due to the demands of pregnancy and lactation. is exciting for our area to be leading the way nationally in the sheep and beef cattle fi eld. We will be bringing this Testing Animals for Copper Campyvax – have you information to your area as per the following schedule. There are details to confi rm but mark the dates for your To determine reserve levels consider liver sampling of 4-6 area in your diary. We look forward to catching up soon animals from adult stock. Biopsies can easily be taken on given your hogget’s farm, or Optigrows can be requested when culls are sent to the works. their second shot? Tuesday 6th June Evening North Otago Copper Options - The time to build your stock’s copper If you have not given your Campyvax4 booster injection Thursday 8th June Afternoon Omarama 6th June -15th June Thursday 8th June Evening Kurow reserves is now. to your hoggets yet, it isn’t too late. Because Campyvax4 Committed to delivering you Tuesday 13 June Afternoon Middlemarch By supplementing copper now, your stock will be able to draw is an inactivated vaccine, it is safe to give early on in Tuesday 13 June Evening Palmerston down on liver reserves during the approaching defi cient the mating period. Most abortions will occur in the information that will help your last trimester of pregnancy so there is still signifi cant Wednesday 14 June Late Afternoon Ranfurly period. R1 calves going onto winter crops are routinely business Thursday 15 June Evening Waimate treated with copper now, so too are adult beef cows when benefi t from giving the booster vaccination now. they get their selenium top-up. Individuals who have only had a sensitiser vaccination Supplementing your stock via injectable copper (e.g. will have signifi cantly lower antibody levels and a much Coppermax) is convenient for bigger, adult stock) or copper slower immune response to infection than animals that Veterinary Centre Oamaru Ph 03-434 5666 bullets which last the longest and are good for younger stock. have received the booster vaccination. This is shown in Veterinary Centre Waimate Ph 03-689 7213 the graph above, as is the signifi cant Veterinary Centre Palmerston Ph 03-465 1291 increase in antibody levels following Optigrow an annual booster to last years Veterinary Centre Glenavy Ph 03-689 8118 Just call the Veterinary Centre when maiden ewes. Veterinary Centre Kurow Ph 03-436 0567 you have stock going to the works and Lauren Strange BVSc Veterinary Centre Omarama Ph 03-438 9868 we’ll take care of trace element testing (Veterinary Centre Waimate) Veterinary Centre Ranfurly Ph 03-444 1020 Sheep Production & Profitability Dave Robertson BVSc, BSc Beef Production Dave Robertson BVSc, BSc Autumn worm and feet challenge for sheep Update on Pregnancy Rates and Cow Condition Because of the warmer, moist conditions There has been a general lift in cow condition and through April larval challenge has been in-calf rates this year. This year we have drilled high. Lamb drench interval needs to into this relationship further with the development remain at 28 days. Use the most effective of a data entry program for beef cows during Dave Robertson pregnancy testing. We are picking up trends with BVSc, BSc drench available. Using a novel active such as Startect or Zolvix once in late Autumn is cow condition (even in a good year) and when beef gaining momentum. cows get in-calf. There is merit in using long acting drenches to grass Examples of our herd data captured at preg Stoneburn Hereford Beef Cows wintered hoggets/fi ne wool lambs in these conditions. testing: 2 tooth ewe faecal egg counts that have come through the Herd A: (Andy Denham, Stoneburn) - achieved clinic have generally been high and has warranted pre-tup Herd A. Ave BCS by Herd A % a top in-calf rate with 70% in the 1st cycle this drenching this year. It would be prudent monitoring FEC at Pregnancy Test Result year and 3% dry. The BCS average was 6.2 and Preg Status optimised. mid pregnancy stage. Preventative work in footrot over the past 18 8 Feet and footrot spread has been rampant this Autumn months has paid off now conditions are wetter 7 1st Cycle 70% Herd B achieved a reasonable result but with a S few less in 1st cycle and more dries and later where fl ocks have come through spring with more than 5% 6 BC 5 2nd Cycle 20% calvers. This herd had a more distinct trend with infection - this can double every 2-4 weeks. Those farms attempting to make “clean mobs” because of the rampant 4 cow condition with dries having a BCS 0.4 less that put in the effort during last year’s dry periods have spread. The Micotil treatment system has been working well 3 3rd Cycle 6% than the fi rst cycle cows. Herd C has a history of Average 2 reaped the benefi ts this year but vigilance is still required. to salvage ewes and break the cycle of infection. Footvax 1 Dry 3% late calvers, refl ected in only 41% in calf in the 1st It has not been a good autumn for inspecting feet and maybe a tool more farms employ this winter/spring. 0 cycle. It also appears from the graph that BCS has 1st 2nd 3rd Late Dry infl uenced the dry rate. Cycle Cycle Cycle You can see the revenue differential of $13K per Pregnancy Result Ewe Hogget Mating 100 cows between a tight calving spread and a Ewe hogget mating has had a resurgence this year with a cobalt. These can go in at any stage, depending on when wide spread with 4% more dries. Herd B. Ave BCS by Herd B % number of farmers mating their hoggets for the fi rst time or your greatest worm challenge is likely to be. 6 to 8 weeks Pregnancy Test Result Theoretical Revenue from Calves ($/100 calves*) haven’t done it for a few years. Points to consider: pre-lamb is standard. Preg Status Herd A $106,000 Growth targets. You’re better to mate to a minimum 6.2 1st Cycle 67% Herd B $100,000 weight (e.g. 42kg for Romneys). Hoggets need to grow 6 S 2nd Cycle 14% Herd C $93,000 at ~100g/day through early pregnancy. This is not always BC 5.8 HOW TO GET MORE 1ST SERVICE easy with permanent pastures. So if your mating weight Fodder Beet Basics 5.6 This May there will be many farmers pointing stock at 3rd Cycle 8% CONCEPTIONS? is 45kg at May 1 then by June 30 Hoggets should be 50kg. fodder beets for the fi rst time. Before you do make sure 5.4 Average Focus on cow condition at key points of the year. This is important because for the later stage of pregnancy you’ve ticked off the basics: 5.2 Late 3% e.g pre-winter, pre-calving, pre-mating. and early lactation the foetus/lamb takes priority. Measure the crop. If you are out by one meter a day 5 Dry 8% Use PD data to cull lates or run them separate to Don’t leave the ram out too long.