Dairy & Beef

Winter housing can be an incredibly stressful time for livestock. Elevated cortisone levels in stressed animals can have numerous potential harmful effects on the animal’s immune system. Amongst the major disease problems in housed cattle are pneumonia and calf scour. Vet and veterinary pharmacologist Dr Tom Barragry offers some guidance.

Healthy cows are at the heart of a successful dairy farm, enabling more sustainable production and animal welfare. Early disease detection and precise monitoring are essential for animal health and farm management.

Another five cases have been confirmed in cattle within the Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) in Kent.

A dairy farm in Cheshire that was having trouble handling sand-laden slurry, has solved the problem with a new pump and help in the set-up of its reception pit.

Routine surveillance has identified two cases of bluetongue in cattle on a farm near Cantley, Broadland in Norfolk.

Following active surveillance within the temporary control zone (TCZ), two further cases of bluetongue have been identified taking the total number of UK cases to seven. Both cases are linked to a holding with previously confirmed cases of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3).

Farmers urged to be vigilant as further cases identified through additional surveillance.

Mary Hamnett and Gordon Oliver, who breed Aberdeen Angus cattle in the Pennines, have a simple, shared vision – to help farmers reduce feed and labour costs and produce quality beef from grass.

The Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) group has published its latest technical guide, which reflects significant changes in approaches.

Farmers in and around the Temporary Control Zone (TCZ), can now access and call a dedicated bluetongue hotline to get advice or ask questions linked to the current situation.

The first specific vaccine for protecting cattle against respiratory coronavirus will soon be available to UK farmers, and follows recent research suggesting BCoV plays a bigger role in BRD than previously accepted. Sarah Kidby reports.

After the first case of the new emerging bluetongue strain (BTV-3) was confirmed in England, a temporary control zone (TCZ) has been implemented. The Ruminant Health & Welfare group has put together some guidance.