These antibody levels are not displayed on the label so you have no idea whether you are buying a quality product or a v
Maximizing efficiency within farming systems is always vital. Suckler herds are no exception: fertility management is one of the biggest drivers of sustainability. Improving efficiency in suckler fertility involves, at its very backbone, two key objectives: maintaining a strict 365-day calving interval and striving for conception rates of 60%. The bull - paramount in the planning, management and success of fertility on farm - is often overlooked. Studies show more than a fifth of UK bulls are subfertile. Whilst completely infertile bulls are rare, these subfertile bulls can be catastrophic to the coming calving period. Bulls should be able to impregnate 70% of cows in the first three weeks of breeding, as we are aim for 65% of cows to calve within these first three weeks of the calving period. By nine weeks 93% of cows should be pregnant. A subfertile bull would take much longer to achieve such figures, resulting in a protracted calving period and cows left open. It costs between £450 and £800 to house and feed a beef cow from breeding to calving, so it is a huge, and bitterly disappointing drain on resources to find barren cows due to a poorly performing bull. All working bulls should undergo a Breeding Suitability Exam (BSE) every year by a vet – not just at buying in or in young, unproven bulls. Bulls are thoroughly examined for any issues which may hinder their ability to serve. eg foot problems, teeth malformations - which would drop feed intake - or problems affecting eyesight. If the BSE is carried out six to eight weeks before breeding, it allows time for any issues, such as lameness, to be treated and corrected. The examination then looks at the reproductive system – aiming for a scrotal circumference of at least 34cm in any bull over two years old. This measurement is directly linked with fertility of his progeny: his daughters will be more likely to meet puberty earlier if this standard is met. A semen sample is examined to analyse sperm morphology and motility. Finally, the bull is watched during a service to ensure he is up to the job! Mature bulls can cover up to 50 cows each year, so it really does pay to ensure he can perform to his potential every season. Knowledge is power, and ensuring the bull has a full “MOT” every year gives you the opportunity to counteract any brewing issues, long before you see cows returning.
Mycoplasma is a bacteria which is mainly spread by direct contact from animal to animal. It can cause a wide range of clinical signs at varying severity. The commonest picture we see is pneumonia in calves. It may be found when we do a serology screen on youngstock to find what bugs are present. Occasionally mycoplasma will cause problems in adult cows too. This can be in the form of respiratory disease, lameness (swollen joints often on front legs), mastitis or a mix of all three. These signs can be very severe and unfortunately often do not respond to antibiotics. An autogenous vaccine can be produced once an isolate from the outbreak has been cultured but this does take a few months to produce.
Join Penbode vets past and present to welcome Andrew Cobner on 8 May for Stage 2 of his Lands End to John O’Groats bike ride to mark 50 years of the BCVA and to raise funds for agricultural charity Send a Cow. Meanwhile, Stratton based farm vet Vicki Shepherd is in training for the Blenheim Palace Triathlon in June. Please donate at http://bit.ly/vickicow
A recent review by the World Health Organisation (WHO), indicated a significant link between antimicrobial resistance in human medicine and resistance on farms. As a result, a list of Critically Important Antibiotics (CIA) has been developed. As medical practitioners we need to strive to reduce the use of drugs on this list, and so preserve them for use in human medicine for generations to come. The way we prescribe antimicrobials here at Penbode will be changing, and some of these CIA drugs will not be available for use on farm.
Improving calf development, 15 March
The Bradworthy Inn saw a very lively and engaging evening with a couple of dozen farmers learning about how the XL Vets National Calf Tracker Scheme can help them with their calf development. We were due to finish at 9pm but the audience were so intrigued we didn’t leave until gone 10pm!
“All your dairy herd needs”, 29 March
Over 30 guests heard Penbode Farm Vets discuss how innovative new veterinary techniques can help deliver herd goals and increased productivity.
For example, fluoroquinolones (such as Marbocyl, Baytril etc.) should only be used as a last resort in a sick animal. Please discuss this with your vet if you have any queries about antimicrobial selection.
It is vital for calf health that they receive adequate colostrum within six hours of birth, ideally sourced from their own mother, taking Johne’s risk into consideration. However, sometimes it is not possible or practical to obtain this quickly so a commercial colostrum product is a good alternative. Some brands are simply high energy nutritional supplements with little or no antibodies. Most calves need around 100g antibodies to have a healthy start, but a lot of these supplements only contain around 15g per recommended dose, which would leave the calf very susceptible to disease. These antibody levels are not displayed on the label so you have no idea whether you are buying a quality product or a very expensive mixture of egg and oil. We now stock Quick Start Colostrum which contains 105g antibodies per dose, making it one of the highest on the market. It is £35 per sachet, but contains six times the antibody levels of other well- known brands so is much better value for money.
(Price valid for cash or DD payment only).
Call your local Penbode Farm Vets branch or visit www.penbodevets.co.uk to find out more. Find us on Facebook @penbodefarmvets
