In recent years technology has provided us with additional tools in our preg testing kit and ultrasonography is now more common place in the cattle or sheep yards.

Vet Andrew Litchfield discusses the practical use of the ultrasound and things to consider when using trans-rectal ultrasonography for pregnancy diagnosis. 

"Trans-rectal ultrasound pregnancy testing of cows has gained popularity over the past 20 years, however it must be used with accurate manual rectal palpation to confirm empty or open cows (cows tested non-pregnant with ultrasound).

Trans-rectal ultrasound testing has some possible advantages over manual palpation. Firstly it is often less physically demanding on the vet. Secondly it often involves less manipulation of the reproductive tract and irritation the cow’s rectum.

The main disadvantage of trans-rectal ultrasound pregnancy testing is that all cows or heifers found not to be in calf must be checked manually. Gas or excessive faecal material, the position of the uterus in the abdomen, the age of the foetus and the skill of the operator can all contribute to increased numbers of false negatives (cows determined to be empty that are actually in calf).  Ironically cows that are well in calf are often the hardest to detect with rectal ultrasound but the easiest with manual palpation.

In summary the accuracy of ultrasound pregnancy testing is determined by the skill and experience of the operator and the ability of the operator to do accurate manual palpation of any cow or heifer found not to be in calf." 

Production animal welfare, especially in regards to painful routine husbandry procedures such as castration and dehorning, are becoming an increased public concern. In many countries, the routine practice of disbudding calves without pain relief is coming under a lot of scrutiny from both activists groups and, dare we say it, more rational folk as well.

If you read closely into the debate, most people accept that calves require disbudding to prevent horn growth. They understand that as the cows get older they use their horns as weapons in the battle for bovine social supremacy. What the public don’t accept is any level of management less intense than what would be applied at a human level. What does this mean for calf disbudding? Essentially, if humans were to grow horns which needed removal, we would be anaesthetised, provided with local anaesthetic and then pain relief post procedure.

So can this be done practically at an individual calf level? The answer is absolutely yes! It is actually reasonably quick and easy to sedate calves, provide them with local anaesthetic and long acting pain relief and then disbud them. This needs to be done under the supervision of a veterinarian.  

At the very least, all calves require long acting pain relief. If just reducing discomfort isn’t enough to get you over the line, studies have also found an association with NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) administration and productivity. These include a quicker return to rumination and increased hay and grain intake following disbudding. A 2015 study demonstrated that disbudding without pain relief was associated with decreased milk intake. Given this, the administration of an NSAID will pay for itself in productivity gains and there really is no a good excuse not to use pain relief anymore.

Infectious arthritis is a common disease of young lambs. Lambs suffering from the disease will be lame and reluctant to move often with more than one joint affected. The joints are often swollen, hot and painful to bend. It occurs most commonly in the knee, hock and carpus. In chronic cases the lambs appear to be thin and crippled, especially if more than one joint is involved.

Outbreaks of arthritis in lambs can be caused by a variety of bugs, but most commonly by Erysipelothrix, chlamydia, and a range of pyogenic bacteria. Most of these bacteria are normal environmental bacteria present on the skin, in faecal material and in the soil.

Arthritis in lambs most often results from a blood borne infection; in young lambs most commonly from navel ill or from infected marking or mulesing wounds. Shearing wounds are a risk, particularly if sheep are dipped off shears as Erysipelothrix is a common contaminant of dips. Thankfully, awareness of dipping hygiene and allowing sheep to recover from shearing wounds is making this a less common threat. Grass seeds can also cause wounds which allow the bacteria to enter.

Identification of the cause of the arthritis is critical in the treatment of the affected animals and the approach taken to treatment and prevention. A vaccine is available against Erysipelothrix infection and requires the ewe to be vaccinated to pass passive immunity to the lamb. 

If caught early some forms of infection will respond well to antibiotic treatment. Long standing cases will usually have irreversible damage already occurring in the joint.

Prevention is the best medicine and relies mainly on minimising bacterial infection of wounds. Here are some important tips for marking and mulesing:

• Always have a high standard of hygiene at marking and mulesing and avoid performing these procedures in wet conditions. 
• Wash your hands, wash your instruments and change your disinfectant regularly.
• Use a well-grassed, clean paddock and avoid holding lambs for a prolonged period time.
• Optimise wound healing. 
• Avoid dipping off shears.
• Avoid dipping during times of grass seed infestation.

It's basic, really!

By applying appropriate hygiene standards at marking, mulesing and dipping, the occurrence of bacterial arthritis in your lambs can be minimised. A vaccination programme may also be an effective and economic procedure.

Many horses and ponies can live into their thirties or beyond with the right care. Here are some of the key areas you will have to consider as your horse gets older.

Diet: Maintaining healthy body condition in older horses is very important and can be achieved by supplementing their diet with an energy-dense feed product. Older horses may not be able to consume as much as they once did or may have lost their ability to absorb all the nutrients from their diet so feeding them products rich in energy will help meet their requirements and maintain body condition. 

Dental health: Caring for an older horse involves maintaining their dental health and ability to eat. Older horses can lose teeth, develop sharp points and painful ulcers, all of which affect their ability to chew and digest food. Signs a horse may have a dental problem include weight loss, dropping feed and foul smelling breath. If you’re concerned about your horse's dental health call us to arrange a check up.

Arthritis: Older horses, just like older humans, can develop arthritis! Arthritis means painful joints, and horses that have had an athletic career can be at increased risk. Fortunately there are many treatments available to slow the progression of arthirits. Feed supplements, oral anti-inflammatory medication and regular intra-muscular injections can be extremely beneficial in keeping older animals moving comfortably. 

No foot no horse: The adage is still true for older horses! Keeping your older horse's feet in good condition will improve their longevity. Advanced foot problems can greatly affect your horse’s quality of life. Laminitis, white line disease (seedy toe) and hoof cracks are seen commonly in older horses.

End of life care: When the time comes to make the difficult decision to part with your aged equine friend our caring veterinarians are here to offer advice regarding pain management and euthanasia.

Annual veterinary health checks are recommended for all horses, and these become increasingly important as your horse ages. Our veterinarians can perform a thorough physical examination and blood tests to identify horses with liver, kidney, gastrointestinal or hormonal dysfunction, all of which are common in older horses.