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01772 861300
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01772 718774
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01772 681992

Author: Julie Nuttall

Tapeworm testing

The EquiSal Tapeworm Test works like a blood test but, instead, uses saliva that you collect yourself. The test is scientifically proven to diagnose tapeworm burdens with high accuracy – it tells you if your horse has a burden and whether you need to worm or not.

To test for tapeworm, all you need to do is collect saliva from your horse using a specially designed swab and return to the practice.

Tapeworm testing now forms part of our Annual Worming Programme, reducing the need for wormers, the use of which contributes to wormer resistance.

www.oakhill-vets.com/annual-worming-programme/

New Small Animal reception at Goosnargh

If you’ve visited our Goosnargh branch recently, you’ll have noticed a significant amount of building work happening.

Although the work is not quite complete, the latest developments include the addition of a new, dedicated small animal reception area which some of the team moved into this week, leaving the original reception area dedicated to large animal.

There are also two new small animal consultation rooms and a new dispensary!

Heat detection – is she or isn’t she?

Heat detection – is she or isn’t she?

It is well documented that modern day high yielding cows express heat with a lower intensity and duration. The reduced intensity of heat expression and subtle expression of secondary signs of heat may lead to uncertainty over an animal’s heat status, particularly if the cow has returned at an irregular interval.

Studies have shown that around 10% of cows are served when they have high progesterone (not truly in heat). Interservice interval data may give a clue as to whether heat detection is accurate on farm; high percentages at 25-35 days and particularly at 1-17 day intervals generally warrants further investigation to rule out heat detection inaccuracy on farm.

Insemination of cows that are not in heat will inevitably reduce the apparent conception rate on farm. Inaccurate heat detection is not only associated with a waste of semen but can lead to pregnancy loss in around 17% of inseminated pregnant animals. Approximately 6% of cows show overt signs of heat despite being pregnant. A quick way to confirm that a cow is not in heat is to use a milk progesterone test, cow side progesterone tests are available that can be used on farm for around £3/cow. High progesterone indicates that the cow is not in heat.

For further advice, please contact the Oakhill Farm Vet Team on 01772 861300

 

 

Come & see us at the Great Eccleston Show – 14th & 15th July!

Come and see us at the Great Eccleston Show on 14th & 15th July!

The Great Eccleston Show is a two day event showcasing every aspect of rural endeavour and this year our Small Animal Team will be there!

Why not come along to the Oakhill marquee – we’ll have lots of fun activities going on and some fantastic prizes to be won!

There’ll also be some great competitions in the main ring at the show, including heavy horse classes and Holstein classes, some of which are sponsored by Oakhill Equine Vets and Oakhill Farm Vets respectively.

To buy tickets to the show visit: http://www.greatecclestonshow.co.uk

Eye problems in horses

We are seeing an exceptionally large increase in the number of horses with eye problems. These problems are including eye ulcers, uveitis, trauma to the eye and conjunctivitis.

 

Causes

  • Some of these problems are related to flies, causing infection.
  • The bright sunlight that we are currently getting is causing the sensitive areas of the eye to become inflamed and painful in some horses
  • In many areas there is now little grass on some fields due to the lack of rain and therefore some horses are rooting in hedges, where they wouldn’t normally be and scratching their corneas

What to look for:

  • Discharge from eyes (can be watery or cheese like)
  • Red eyes or conjunctiva
  • Closed or partially closed eyes
  • Excessive blinking with the affected eye
  • Sensitive to bright light
  • Swollen eye lids
Uveitis

Photo of a horse with uveitis – Note the pupil which is shut due to the inflammation in the eye

Horse Eye Ulcer

Photo of a horse with an eye ulcer. The green area is where the ulcer has been stained by a vet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to help your horse

  • Turning your horse out in a full fly mask with UV protection is the best way to avoid eye problems.
  • Where possible, avoid turning your horse out in the bright sunlight, unless it has a mask on.
  • Avoid riding at the brightest, hottest part of the day
  • Observe your horse’s eyes daily

** IT IS VITAL THAT IF YOU NOTICE ANY OF THE ABOVE SIGNS, THAT YOU CALL A VET WITHIN 24-48 HOURS. EYE PROBLEMS CAN DETERIORATE RAPIDLY AND CAN LEAD TO YOUR HORSE REQUIRING AN EYE TO BE REMOVED IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES. HOWEVER, MOST EYES ARE SUCCESSFULLY TREATED IF PROMPT VETERINARY ATTENTION IS SOUGHT. **

Heat Stroke in Horses

Hot temperatures and high humidity can lead to heat stroke in horses.

Heat stroke is a condition that occurs when a horse is unable to lose body heat and its body temperature increases rapidly, which can lead to the respiratory, vascular, nervous and muscular systems to stop working as normal. Therefore, heat stroke must be treated promptly and properly.

Symptoms

Heat stroke may start as dehydration or heat exhaustion, with heat stroke rapidly following:

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  • Restlessness/Lethargy
  • Rapid pulse and breathing which may progress to a weak pulse
  • Heavy breathing
  • Increased sweating
  • Excessive salivation
  • Redness of the tongue and oral area
  • High body temperature
  • Erratic heart beat
  • Muscle spasms
  • Stumbling gait
  • Collapse

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Prevention

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  • Taking caution not to expose the horse to hot and humid conditions.
  • Ride in the morning or late evening, avoiding the hottest time of the day.
  • Provide plenty of water.
  • Provide shade/shelter.
  • Avoid travelling the horse in the heat, unless there is adequate ventilation.
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Causes

Exposure to a very hot or humid environment, combined with inadequate ventilation, can lead to heat stroke. Other common causes include:

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  • High level of physical stress
  • Excessive exercising
  • Increased weight (obesity)
  • Respiratory diseases

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Treatment

Time is of the essence when it comes to treating heat exhaustion.

If you suspect your horse is suffering from heat stroke, you must cool it down and ring your vet immediately who will advise you on what to do until they arrive.

Cold water should be applied to the skin, usually poured over the horse’s body. Also, fanning the horse and guiding it to a shady area will assist in cooling the animal.

Heat stroke indicates a severe loss of electrolytes, so intravenous electrolyte administration is often recommended as part of the treatment process for heat exhaustion.

 

Red Tractor Farms: Responsible use of antibiotics.

If you are farm assured with Red Tractor, certain antibiotic products such as kelacyl, cobactan, naxcel, baytril, cevaxcel, marbocyl, are now restricted. If you use these products you could receive a non-conformance at your next Red Tractor inspection. Therefore we now recommend only using this product if there is culture and sensitivity to prove that it’s the only product that works for the health condition.

As of the 1st June 2018 the use of Highest Priority Critically Important antibiotics must be a last resort and their use must be under the direction of a vet, backed up by sensitivity or diagnostic testing.

Please find below further information regarding recent Red Tractor changes…..

DAIRY FARMS

As a Red Tractor dairy farm, you are now required to undertake an annual review of antibiotics with your vet, but what does this involve?….

Medicine records must provide an annual collation of total antibiotic used for the unit

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  • Antibiotics collated by product name;
  • Collation either by your vet from prescription data or completed by farmer from medicine records;

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An annual review of antibiotics used must be undertaken by your vet

Your vet review will…

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  • Include review of medicines and antibiotic purchase and use, including antibiotic collation;
  • Includes discussion on the use of Highest Priority Critically Important Antibiotics (HP-CIAs)
  • Include review of any antibiotic failures;
  • Include recommendation for responsible reduction of antibiotic use where possible, in particular, in relation to HP-CIAs
  • Review overall use of dry cow therapy and protocols and where appropriate make recommendations for selective antibiotic use

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Review can form part of the Vet Health and Performance Review.

Highest Priority Critically Important Antibiotics must only be used as a last resort under veterinary direction

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  • HP-CIAs are defined by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and colistin
  • Use is supported by a vet report outlining one or more of the following:
    – Sensitivity testing
    – Diagnostic testing

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BEEF & LAMB FARMS

As a beef or lamb Red Tractor farm, it is now compulsory to have a written annual livestock health and performance review undertaken by your vet.

What does this involve? …

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  • Your vet attends your farm at least annually and sees livestock
  • Annual review to:
    – Identify key issues and make recommendations to improve identified issues
    – Review records and data, including medicine records and prescription data outlining total antibiotic used by product name, making recommendations to responsibly reduce antibiotic usage where appropriate without negatively impacting welfare
    – Review use of Highest Priority Critically Important Antibiotics (HP-CIAs) and make recommendations for responsible reduction
    – Review prophylactic treatment and make recommendations for alternative disease prevention strategies
    – Consider industry initiatives e.g. BVD Free England

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Highest Priority Critically Important Antibiotics must only be used as a last resort under veterinary direction

How you will be measured:

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  • HP-CIAs are defined by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and colistin
  • Use is supported by a vet report outlining one or more of the following:
    – Sensitivity testing
    – Diagnostic testing

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As always, if you have any questions our Oakhill Farm Team are happy to discuss: 01772 861300

 

 

 

Fertility in sheep

Fertility in sheep

For those early lambers!

Whether it’s to get the premium Easter prices, utilise the spring grass or produce good lambs for show time and sales, it can be advantageous to lamb early and here are a few options to advance your lambing:

 

Method

 Advanced

Synchronisation
Ram (vasectomised or not) No Can do depending on stage of cycle
Melatonin (manipulating light hours or implant Regulin) Yes No
Prostaglandin No Can do depending on stage of cycle
Progesterone (chronogest sponge or new for this year CIDR- ovis) Yes if used with PMSG (ECG) Yes

Abortion rate from your flock

As the lambing season for most has finished and the focus no doubt moves to growing lambs it is worth just taking 5 minutes to think back to lambing and your flock abortion rate.

Ideally you would want a target of below 2% of the flock either barren or had an abortion. Anything more than this could be due to infectious cause and should be investigated to prevent the same again in future years.

Abortions are costly – recent estimates suggest each case costs £85 per ewe

 

Infectious abortion is common in sheep and 70% of these abortions are associated with 3 infectious agents – Toxoplasmo, Chlamydophila/Enzootic abortion and Campylobacter. We have diagnosed all 3 agents in multiple abortion outbreaks this spring.

Vaccination is advised in flocks with a history of disease and also in those flocks buying in breeding females.

Subsidised lab testing is currently available to help us determine if your flock has been exposed to Toxoplasmo or Enzootic Abortion.

Please contact the practice to discuss the best option for you in terms of testing and vaccination.

For those who use Toxovax and Enzovax please remember to place your order in good time as these products are short dated and are put on a special order.

 

 

Blowfly strike treatment and prevention

Fly treatment

These warmer days, combined with the inevitable rain, provide the perfect habitat for Lucilla sericata more commonly known as the blowfly. We now recognise the blowfly season as being longer with strike seen as early as February and as late as November, so it’s important that our fly prevention adapts to the changing climate too.

94% of farmers admit to being caught out by flystrike

Most will know what a fly struck sheep looks like:

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  • Agitated, itchy, away from flock, smell, wool discoloured and eventually loose wool.
  • This progresses to anaemia, septicaemia & ammonia toxicity causing lethargy and then death.

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Early intervention is important not only to prevent deaths but also to reduce the general fly population.

To create a fly control programme it is important to understand what type of conditions these flies thrive in and also to use your knowledge from previous experiences on your own farm with your own sheep.

Blowflies need the following conditions to successfully complete their lifecycle:

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  • Soil temperature over 9°C
  • Long periods of rainfall (causes fleece to rot)
  • Low wind speeds (allows increased fly mobility)
  • High temperatures and humidity causes microclimate in fleece that is attractive to flies to lay eggs.
  • NADIS now has a blow fly alert web page which will use data from the Met Office to create a local risk for blow flies.

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In perfect conditions fly eggs hatch in 12 hours and once larvae start feeding they release a powerful odour which attracts more flies causing significant damage within 24 to 36 hours of the first egg being laid. This emphasises the need for daily flock checks.

Losses due to fly strike are seen as: death of individuals, reduced lamb growth rate, reduced productivity, down grade wool clip, cost and time of treatment. Elanco has calculated these costs as shown:

Blowfly losses chart

To prevent Blowfly Strike:

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  • Dagging and crutching (start in April and every 4-6 weeks)
  • Keeping breeds of sheep with more open, hairy or self shedding coatsearing (especially thick fleeced breeds)
  • Shearing (especially thick fleeced breeds)
  • Culling ewes with narrow breeches or deformities that result in soiling
  • Tail docking in lowland flocks
  • Reduce incidence of footrot
  • Eliminate scouring issues (for example keep coccidiosis, worm burden and nutrition under control)
  • Frequent flock inspections (at least daily)
  • Appropriate insectide use

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Insecticide use: We recommend starting treatment against flies now to reduce fly populations for the rest of summer. Keep an eye on the NADIS blow fly alert map and ensure your sheep are protected at the high risk times. There are various products you can use to prevent blow fly strike and these are listed in the table below:

Product Drug Length of action Meat withdrawal
Vetrazin Cyromazine (IGR) 10 weeks 28 days
Clik extra Dicyclanil (IGR) 19 weeks 40 days
Clik Dicyclanil (IGR) 16 weeks 40 days
Clik Zin Dicyclanil (IGR) 8 weeks 7 days
Dysect sheep Alpha cypermethrin 8-10 weeks 49 days
Ectofly/ Crovect Cis Cypermethrin 6-8 weeks 8 days
Fly and lice spot on/ Spotinor Deltamethrin 6 weeks 35 days
Paracide 62/ Osmonds
gold fleece dip		 Diazinon dip (Organophosphate)
Cypermethrin		 8-10 weeks 70 days/ 49days
respectively

* IGR products are NOT effective as treatments

To date there has been no resistance of blow flies to any insecticide formally reported.