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Author: Julie Nuttall

Dangers of over-rugging

Horses like humans have a temperature range with which they don’t have to expend energy to lose or gain body heat. This range is 5-25 degrees celsius. Horses have adapted to maintain their body temperature within this range and specifically when temperatures are below 5 degrees, these adaptations include:

 

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  • A thicker and longer winter coat.
  • Natural coat oils which repel water from the outer layers of the coat meaning the layers close to the body are dry and warm.
  • The digestive system generates heat as roughage is broken down.
  • Blood is diverted from extremities to preserve the temperature of central organs (hence sometimes horses have cold ears).
  • Muscles can erect hairs to trap air and provide insulation.
  • Gaining fat in the summer to provide winter insulation.

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When we feel cold horses might not due to the adaptations mentioned above. In addition, temperatures in the morning or evening (when we usually see to our horses and decide on their daily costume), are currently 7 degrees different to the midday temperature.

It is thought that the natural change in weight of a horse/pony in winter and summer allows for a resetting of hormone levels. They utilise fat reserves built up during the summer to maintain their body heat during the Winter. When horses do not follow this pattern, they are thought to then become more at risk of laminitis the following year and we are certainly seeing an increase in horses and ponies diagnosed with metabolic disorders such as EMS.

 

Over-rugging can not only lead to difficulty in managing the weight of your horse or pony with risks of metabolic disorders and laminitis but can also lead to the horse overheating. When horses over heat they divert blood to the skin surface so that they can lose body heat by sweating. A moist and warm environment can increase the risk of bacterial skin infections, rug rubs and can also lead to colic.

We can’t ignore that rugs are needed by elderly horses that are underweight and don’t have those body reserves to burn, finer horses and to an extent horses that are stabled, that aren’t creating as much body heat from moving. However, the decision to rug your horse should be made based on the body condition of the horse or pony in question. If your horse or pony is overweight then clipping and rugging in a lightweight to keep it water proof could be the aid to weight control. Also considering the daily temperature range would alleviate your horse over-heating in the middle of the day.

 

Temperature Stabled/Clipped Stabled/Unclipped Turned out/Unclipped Turned out/Clipped
15 degrees and warmer Zero fill Nothing Nothing Nothing
10-15 degrees Light weight (100g) or zero fill Nothing or zero fill Nothing Nothing or light weight (100g) or zero fill if wet and windy
5-10 degrees Medium weight (250g) Light weight (150g) Nothing or light weight (100g) Light weight (150g) plus neck cover
Zero to 4 degrees Heavy weight (300g) Medium weight (200g) Nothing or light/medium weight (150-250g) Medium weight (200g) with neck cover
-10 to zero degrees Heavy weight (300-400g) with neck cover Medium weight (200-300g) with linear Light or medium weight (150-300g) with neck cover Heavy weight (300-400g) with neck cover plus liner
-10 degrees or colder Heavy weight (300-500g) with neck cover plus liner Medium or heavy weight (300-400g) with neck cover Heavy weight (300-500g) plus neck cover Heavy weight (300-500g) plus liner and/or under blanket and hood.

 

Image source: Blue Cross

 

Coughing cattle

Lungworm larvae may survive drier periods of weather within faecal pats to be dispersed onto pasture en masse following periods of rainfall, such as those recently experienced.

Cases across the UK have been recently detected. In naïve animals such as unvaccinated calves in their first grazing season or bought-in dairy cattle on farms with a known history of disease could still be at risk.

Even vaccinated heifers may be at risk if they have not had adequate exposure during this dry summer. Lungworm can cause increased respiratory rates, loss of body condition and reduced milk yield.

Advised actions include:

Monitoring for signs of disease:

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  • Widespread coughing in the group, initially after exercise then at rest
  • Increased respiratory rate and difficulty breathing.
  • Rapid loss of weight and body condition.
  • Milk drop in lactating cattle
  • Death in heavy infections

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  • Where infection is suspected, treat animals with an anthelmintic and remove affected cattle to ‘safe’ pasture (e.g. aftermath) or house in a well ventilated building.

 

We recommend worming grazed heifers at this time of year to remove residual worm burdens. Eprizero has a 0 day milk withdrawal and is suitable for in calf heifers or heifers that are already in the milking herd.

WE HAVE A LIMITED STOCK OF 6L packs of EPRIZERO AVAILABLE AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE – please call the office on 01772 861300 for details.

If you would like any further information please ask one of the vets for advice.

Johne’s Deadline

The deadline for completion of phase 2 of the National Johne’s Management Plan will soon be here – 31st October 2018.

 

Any clients that have been asked by their dairy to comply will need to confirm that:

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  • both their herd status and risks have been assessed
  • necessary management information, equipment, husbandry and resources to implement the agreed control strategy have been put in place.

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Please let us know as soon as possible if this applies to you, so that we can carry out a Specific Johne’s risk assessment for your herd and formulate an up to date Johne’s Action Plan. On completion the NJMP declaration will need to be signed by the farmer and vet.

 

 

 

Filly runs into arena wall

*Warning – contains graphic images of injury*

A few weeks ago, Equine Vet, Hattie Barnes was called out to a 3 month old filly that had unfortunately run into an arena wall.

As you can see from the photograph, the wound was very large but thankfully superficial.
Hattie sutured the wounded and placed a drain to help remove fluid from the large dead space between skin and bone.

Wound after filly ran into wall

Wound prior to treatment

Sutured wound with drain

Wound after stitches removed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thankfully recovery was quick and the patient is back to normal foal life now!

BVD -STAMP IT OUT

A new initiative has been launched to help farmers in England tackle BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhoea).

It is currently estimated that BVD costs British farmers up to £60million/year, reducing productivity and profitability as a result of poor growth rates, poor health with increased pneumonia and diarrhoea, reduced fertility with higher rates of foetal death. Rigorous testing of the herd is vital to help eradicate the disease from the unit.

BVD FACT
The estimated cost of BVD is between £13 and £31 per cow in Great Britain.

The £5.7 million funding package from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) is managed by SAC consulting and is the largest BVD project launched in England. Farmers will be able to apply for free on farm health planning for BVD control. Keepers of breeding cattle will be eligible for the scheme, which will help to assess the BVD status of the herd and develop a control plan.

After attending the first meeting a one to one on farm visit will be undertaken to carry out a check test on the herd. If the results indicate active infection then a follow up visit will be arranged to develop a customised action plan which may include further testing (PI hunt). The overall aim will be to reduce, eliminate or prevent BVD within the herd.

Brexit – a ‘no deal’ scenario?

A scenario in which the UK leaves the EU without agreement (a ‘no deal’ scenario) remains unlikely, however, it’s important to prepare for all eventualities, including ‘no deal’, until we can be certain of the outcome of negotiations.

Below is some information about what is needed in a ‘no deal’ scenario, so informed plans and preparations can be made.

Before 29 March 2019 – ‘no deal’ in place….

  • To export animal products and live animals to countries outside the EU, exporters must apply for, and be issued with, an Export Health Certificate (EHC).
  • Different rules apply to trade between countries within the EU. Exporting live animals and some very specific animal products (such as germplasm) requires exporters to provide either an EHC or, more generally, an EU-specific version of an EHC known as an Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC). For all other animal products, no certification is required and no specific processes must be followed.
  • To obtain EHCs and ITAHCs, exporters contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), in Northern Ireland they contact the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs (DAERA), providing details of the consignment, its destination and travel arrangements, as well as their preferred Official Veterinarian or authorised signatory to certify their products. APHA or DAERA issues a paper EHC for the exporter to provide to the country of import.
  • There are additional requirement when transporting live vertebrate animals for commercial or economic activity. For all journeys, the transporter must hold a valid Transporter Authorisation and drivers and attendants must hold a Certificate of Competence. For journeys over eight hours within the EU, vehicles must also have a valid vehicle approval certificate. Transporter Authorisations, Certificates of Competence and Vehicle Approval Certificates must be issued by an EU country. For journeys over eight hours where farm livestock and unregistered horses will be transported, the transporter must also hold a Journey Log.

After March 2019 if there’s ‘no deal’….

  • EHCs would be required for exports of all animal products and live animals from the UK to the EU. Consignments would need to travel through a Border Inspection Post (BIP) within the EU. EHCs would need to be signed by an Official Veterinarian or authorised signatory following inspection of the consignment.
  • Requirements for trade to third countries outside the EU should not change. However changes would be required to the wording of the documentation, which would need to be agreed with the destination country, to reflect the fact the UK would no longer be a member of the EU.
  • The EU would require the UK to be a listed third country. In the unlikely event of a ‘no deal’ scenario, the UK would apply for this status but cannot be certain of the EU response or its timing.

Transporter Authorisation, Certificates of Competence, vehicle approval and Journey Logs

  • The EU would also no longer recognise transport authorisations, certificates of competence, or vehicle approval certificates issued by the UK.
  • UK transporters wishing to transport live animals in the EU would need to appoint a representative within an EU country and apply to their relevant government department to obtain a valid Transporter Authorisation, Certificate of Competence, Vehicle Approval Certificate and, where necessary, a Journey Log. Journey logs would need to be obtained from the EU country that is the initial point of entry into the EU for export. Exporters would need to present their transport documentation at a Border Inspection Post in the EU.
  • UK-issued transport documentation would remain valid for transport within the UK only.

For further information, please see the following useful links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exporting-animals-and-animal-products-if-theres-no-brexit-deal/exporting-animals-and-animal-products-if-theres-no-brexit-deal

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-governments-preparations-for-a-no-deal-scenario

Petplan Awards – Vote for us!

Petplan Veterinary Awards – Vote for us!

The Petplan Veterinary Awards recognise the fantastic work that goes on in veterinary practices across the UK. Petplan has worked closely with the veterinary profession for over 40 years and hosts these independent industry awards to recognise the hard work and dedication of veterinary staff caring for our pets.

Does our practice or someone in the team deserve to win a Veterinary Award?

To nominate Oakhill or a member of our team, please visit petplan.co.uk/vetawards

#PetplanVetAwards

Beef & Youngstock – Housing Considerations

We have experienced a drier summer than we are used to and this has posed different challenges. Worm burdens have been greatly reduced on pasture over the summer however if we get a heavy rainfall following this dry period there is likely to be mass emergence of worms onto pasture which may have severe consequences for our livestock if left untreated.

Exposure to lungworm may also have been reduced over the summer and so we would advise watching out for or listening to cattle to see if they are coughing over the next few months and treating if necessary. Lungworm can cause significant respiratory disease and death in cattle and should not be overlooked in any grazed stock. Where cattle have been grazed for extended periods the use of long acting anthelmintic bolus activity may have worn off and further treatment may be necessary.

Testing for Lungworm larvae can be done on a faecal sample however is slightly different to a normal worm egg count. If you would like to check grazed stock for Lungworm please submit a faecal sample stating that you require Lungworm testing.

Bringing in cattle from markets, other farms or common grazing can introduce new diseases to your own farm, including parasites such as liver fluke. Liver fluke is a common parasite that infects cattle, sheep and other domestic animals as well as wildlife such as deer and rabbits. Following several wet years monitoring, testing and treating for liver fluke early is also recommended during this year.

Resistance of liver fluke to treatments, in particular products containing triclabendazole (TCBZ), appears to be an increasing problem and one that needs managing on all livestock farms. It is important that care is taken to reduce selection pressure for resistance whenever possible by only using triclabendazole-containing products when no other options are suitable. Other medicines which contain the active ingredients, closantel, clorsulon, nitroxynil, oxyclozanide and albendazole are effective against adult flukes and some (nitroxynil and closantel) are effective against late immature stages between seven and eight weeks old.

If treating now or immediately on housing we would recommend using a Triclabendazole product but if cattle are housed for 7 weeks or more, one of the other products is often more suitable. Please speak to us about testing or when to treat.

Oakhill Farm Vets at Hodder Valley Show

Our Farm Team will be at this years Hodder Valley Show.
Why not come to our marquee and learn more about our farm services.

DUCKMIRE FARM, CHAPEL STREET, SLAIDBURN BB7 3ES
by Kind Permission of The Slaidburn Estate and Mr & Mrs T Robinson.

Now in its 74th year, the Hodder Valley Show prides itself on being a traditional agricultural and horticultural show, with something for everyone to enjoy. The Show is visited by upwards of 3,000 people experiencing a slice of rural life in our community.

Find out more about the show: http://www.hoddervalleyshow.co.uk

For ticket information: http://www.hoddervalleyshow.co.uk/index.php/buy-tickets

Equine Summer Social

Thursday 13th September 2018

7.00pm start
at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, Langley Lane, Goosnargh, PR3 2JQ

To book your place contact 01772 861300 or equine@oakhill-vets.com

Join the Oakhill Equine Team for an evening of fun, hospitality and education.

  • ‘Pre-Purchase Examination’ talk and demonstration
  • Tour of the Oakhill Equine Clinic, including our MRI system and surgical facilities
  • Dental demonstrations
  • Fun & Games

BBQ & DRINKS
FREE EVENT
To book your place contact 01772 861300 or equine@oakhill-vets.com