Acorns
Oak trees have had an excellent summer and are now producing heavy acorn drops. Some sheep and cows develop a taste for them, which can lead to serious illness and even kidney failure.
Signs to watch out for include a tucked-up appearance and scour. If caught early, affected individuals can recover well if removed from the acorn source promptly.
Bluetongue
There have been a couple of confirmed cases in the South Hams, including one of our farmers. While we’ve anticipated the risk throughout the summer, many questions remain about the level of threat and potential losses.
Fortunately, we haven’t seen large outbreaks so far, with typically only one or two animals affected per farm. However, there is concern that cattle fertility could be significantly compromised in unvaccinated herds.
The good news is that bluetongue vaccines are available and can provide valuable protection against the disease. Vaccinating now will not only reduce the risk of illness but also help safeguard fertility and productivity in your herd. PD testing towards the end of the year will also be especially valuable for cows in the early stages of pregnancy.
For up to date Bluetongue information and movement checker visit Ruminant Health & Welfare
Parasites
The early September wet weather has really set parasites in motion. Over the past weeks, we’ve seen very high worm egg counts in both ewes and lambs. In some cases, this has been confirmed as Haemonchus contortus (barber’s pole worm).
It’s important to remember that while whole-flock worming for “normal” gut worms is not usually needed at this time of year, some individuals may still benefit from treatment. Taking a worm egg count of leaner ewes can be very helpful.
Lambs in particular often struggle with worms through the autumn. Animal Health and Welfare Pathway funding provides an excellent opportunity to investigate these issues, and we are always happy to work with you to find practical solutions to these challenges.
We’ve also seen outbreaks of pneumonia in yearling cattle triggered by lungworm. Although there is a temptation to delay worming cattle until housing, it’s important to consider the effects of both lungworm and gutworm, which can significantly impact growth and health. Cattle may be more vulnerable this year, having had less summer exposure to worms during the dry weather, leaving their immune systems unprepared.
This serves as a timely reminder to ensure youngstock receive pneumonia vaccines before housing to provide maximum protection.
Key Takeaways for Autumn: