October Large Animal News

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Orange Veterinary Hospital
57 Molong Rd
Orange, NSW, 2800
orangevet@orangevet.com.au
Phone: 02 6361 8388

Feed analysis testing

OVH hosted a client information evening for our livestock producers in late August to assist them with decision making tools regarding drought feeding options.

A number of feed samples had been submitted for testing a few weeks prior and we were able to evaluate the results of these feed options across a range of feed types. Feed testing allows us to accurately calculate the value of a ration as feed types can vary greatly in their nutritional value.

Brett Littler, Central Tablelands LLS, fielded many questions from an engaged audience during his presentation. We were pleased so many clients were able to attend - we know how challenging the winter has been for our farmers and we hope they were able to integrate the knowledge gained into their decision making for feed requirements.

It is wonderful to see the pasture response to recent rains - we hope there is more on the way to grow lots more grass and deliver a promising start to 2019.

Vet Andrew Denman in his role as MC for our recent client information evening held in our spacious reception area.

Contents of this newsletter

01  Wolf teeth in horses

02  It’s time to vaccinate for pinkeye

03  Snap, crack, pop: Are your horse’s clicky joints something to be concerned about?

04  Barbervax: world's first vaccine for intestinal worms

05  African Swine Fever finds its way to China

06  Fly season – things to do to reduce the nuisance


	01 Wolf teeth in horses
	'Wolf teeth' are small, non-functional, peg-like teeth located just in front of the first cheek teeth. They are believed to be vestigial, meaning they are a remnant of evolution. Horses were once small, forest-dwelling browsers, and archaeological records indicate their teeth were once smaller and narrower, a little like a goat or a sheep. As horses have evolved into larger grazing animals the cheek teeth have become bigger, leaving less room in the mouth and the wolf teeth redundant. Many but not all horses will develop wolf teeth, with eruption usually occurring between 5 and 12 months of age. A horse may have anywhere between zero and four wolf teeth, but most commonly there are two, one either side of the upper jaw. Due to their location, wolf teeth are often removed to avoid interference with the bit. Extraction is usually a simple procedure that can be performed by a vet under sedation with local anaesthetic or coinciding with surgical procedures such as castration in colts. The tooth is loosened from the gum and socket with an elevator tool, leaving a small empty socket which usually heals after about a week. Aftercare is minimal, although the use of a bit should be avoided for a week or so afterwards. Wolf teeth vs canine teeth Wolf teeth are not to be confused with 'canine teeth', which are the much larger tusk-like teeth located along the bars between the cheek teeth and the incisors. While most male horses have canine teeth, they are usually absent or much less developed in female horses. Unlike wolf teeth, canine teeth don’t need to be removed.


	02 It’s time to vaccinate for pinkeye
	Some things should be stopped before they start, and pinkeye is definitely one of them. It’s nasty for your cattle, painful for your wallet and it can be a real pain to treat. In serious outbreaks, 80% of the mob can be affected. It can severely reduce the growth rates, especially of weaner cattle, with some losing up to 10% of their body weight when infected. A single preventative dose of Piliguard should be administered 3-6 weeks before the pinkeye season. In combination with: + Reducing the spread of the bacteria by controlling fly numbers. This is best done using pour-ons. + Prompt segregation of affected animals for treatment and isolation. + Avoiding unnecessary yardings during the dusty months. Piligard is an effective way of reducing the risk of pinkeye seriously taking hold in your cattle mob. Some producers strategically vaccinate the most susceptible animals only, this is the calves and weaners. This is one approach which has a lot of merits. Calves can be vaccinated from 1 week old on. In our banner photo this month vet Andrew treats a weaner for pinkeye. Don't wait for pinkeye to appear. Vaccinate early and give yourself one less thing to worry about this season.


	03 Snap, crack, pop: Are your horse’s clicky joints something to be concerned about?
	Clicky joints are a common cause of concern from horse owners. Loud cracks and pops can at times be heard from higher movement joints such as knees, fetlocks, hocks, stifles and hips. Some horses seem to be more prone to clicky joints, and noises can be more obvious at the walk or at the start of a warm-up. So, should you be worried? As a general rule, no. The clicking or popping sound is usually the result of the harmless rapid release of gas in the joint that occurs as the joint capsule stretches. This is essentially the same physiological process that allows you to “crack” your knuckles. Clicky joints are generally only a concern if they are associated with any of the following: + Lameness or abnormal gait + Joint swelling + Reduced range of joint motion It is important to consider the health of your horse’s joints, whether clicky or not. A degenerative joint disease (DJD, or arthritis) can be more common than many horse owners realise. Older horses, horses which have had a previous injury or those which have experienced a solid athletic career are at higher risk of DJD. A basic check-up by your vet, with a trot up and some flexion tests, is a great starting point for assessing the condition of your horse’s joints.


	04 Barbervax: world's first vaccine for intestinal worms
	Barber’s Pole worm is typically a disease found throughout the summer rainfall zones of Australia – Northern NSW and Queensland. However, there are pockets which occur all over Australia, and it is particularly problematic during summer rainfall periods. This lamb has 'bottlejaw' - a typical sign of Barbers Pole disease The need for frequent drenching to prevent significant burdens, and the subsequent production loss, anaemia and mortality that generally follows has led to significant drench resistance to all classes of drench and combinations excluding those introduced in the recent years. Strategies to reduce the impact of this specific worm have been sought for many years, but they have had limited impact. These include: + Rotational grazing and strategies to minimise worm burden on pasture at critical times. The uptake of this has been very limited. + Worm egg counts – while this works to maximise the impact of each drench, they have only partially reduced the frequency of anthelmintic use. + Genetic selection – again, this works but must be maintained well for many years to realise a decrease in anthelmintic use The alternative which is a vaccine against Barber’s Pole had been investigated for many years, and in 2014 the vaccine “Barbervax” was produced and released in Australia. The vaccine works by targeting the enzymes which the worms use to break down the blood meal they have just consumed from the sheep. This effectively starves the worms. The main benefits of the vaccine are: + Significantly reduces Barbers Pole disease + Suppresses worm egg production - cleans up your pasture + Long term solution - no vaccine resistance. + Less drenching needed, so onset of drench resistance is delayed. + Easy to use - one product type, same dose per shot for all sheep. + No withholding period or export slaughter interval. + Environmentally friendly - no chemicals. More information is available on the Barbarvax and Wormboss websites, or give us a call.


	05 African Swine Fever finds its way to China
	Asia is home to ~65% of the worlds pigs, with 50% of them in China. The recent introduction of African Swine Fever (ASF) may reduce pork production out of China by a staggering 30% (15% of the worlds pork production!). The recent introduction into China is the first occurrence of the disease in Asia outside of Russia. ASF is a viral disease of pigs and is exotic to Australia. It is highly infectious, causing fevers and often results in fatalities. Management of the disease is very challenging because it spreads easily and there is no treatment or vaccine available. The Chinese government is attempting to control and eradicate ASF, however the situation changes almost daily as outbreaks are being reported in widely geographically dispersed locations. Based on genetic similarities of the virus isolates, the disease is likely to have spread through the movement of people and/or uncooked pork products from Russia. This is a timely reminder of why our biosecurity systems and traceability are so important. We have written a lot about biosecurity programs on farm, and the importance of a well-designed program which is tailored to your farm. We assist producers to produce, review and maintain biosecurity plans and practices on a farm that minimise the risk of disease incursion on a farm and maximise the chance than any disease incursion will be identified and contained at the earliest possible point. In clinical practice we assist in the identification, diagnosis, and management of disease on a farm, including being vigilant to the potential for exotic disease. If an incursion makes it past the border, it is critical that it is identified at the earliest possible point.


	06 Fly season – things to do to reduce the nuisance
	As we head into spring, it is time to start cleaning up to help ease the fly burden this spring. A few things to know about flies: + Each female fly is capable of producing over 500 offspring during her lifetime + The cycle from egg to adult can be completed in as little as seven days Integrated pest management + “Normal” fly control is generally reactive to rapid, and often massive increases in fly numbers. At this point, insecticides are the only effective control option. + Integrated pest management (IPM) uses a range of methods to including design, sanitation, biological control and focused insecticide use. This results in more effective control of nuisance and biting flies, improving cattle welfare, improving worker morale and has the potential to increase production. Sanitation + Reducing fly breeding sites is a critical element of IPM programs. Flies look for moist manure, spilt feed and silage and mixtures of vegetation and effluent runoff. Sanitation needs to target these areas. + Control weeds and keep grass and vegetation short, particularly around pens, drains and sedimentation systems. Biological control + An additional strategy is to boost the natural populations of parasitic wasps Spalangia endius. These very small wasps (2-3mm long) lay their eggs only in the pupal stages of nuisance flies. The immature wasps then feed on the fly pupae, eventually killing it and emerging from the pupae as an adult wasp ready to go and infect the next pupae. + These wasps controlled 21-35% of nuisance flies on three monitored Australian feedlots. + More information on this is available here Image: A parasitic wasp laying its eggs in fly pupae - source: bugsforbugs


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Feed analysis testing

This lamb has 'bottlejaw' - a typical sign of Barbers Pole disease

Image: A parasitic wasp laying its eggs in fly pupae - source: bugsforbugs