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March Newsletter

March 2013

TB - Action Time!
between the 2 populations is possible to a situation. We have always tried to present degree but very difficult and very costly as balanced arguments so that you can clearly badgers access cattle grazing at will and see what the options are as the science and facts appear. The time has come to perhaps farms do achieve some control like this but We have at present 2 connected infection the risk is always there, and likely to get cycles, one in the cattle population and a reservoir of infection in the wildlife – controlling TB are therefore complex but the aim must involve: -  Controlling the disease in cattle Cattle – a programme for developing a
the various stages in its development have available at the moment is the 100 year old BCG vaccine and the development of tests This may all sound feasible but what does and field applications to make sure we can this mean in practice. Firstly for the cattle test cattle without confusing vaccine from 1. Eradicate the disease in cattle. We have not
be
the tools to do this, but this will only available till 2023at the earliest.
work long-term if reinfection from the wildlife cycle can be stopped Badgers – again the only vaccine candidate
available is the BCG vaccine and this is only licensed for injection only at present. The costs of doing this are horrendous – the vaccinate 1400 badgers in the designated control area at a cost of £662 per badger for only the first year. Even if this gets more efficient in subsequent years the prospects Options for the wildlife infection cycle: - for vaccination over a useful period of say because we have no method of eradicating the disease in animals we disease has allowed it to spread further into 2. Vaccinate badgers to reduce the level of previously clean areas and as a consequence infection in this population. This would option available to us today other than a cull of whole badger populations in certain  The horse passport must be presented key areas of the country where the risk is high. So let’s get down to it or this disease will go absolutely nowhere for the next 20  Only enough drugs to treat a specific animal for a specific treatment period will be dispensed. The reports of this disease this year show it problems in sheep and a significant health Dry Weather and Spring?
and production problem in cattle. In the last A few reminders if the weather is going to newsletter we outlined the change in policy change we may get cattle out to grass and licenses for use in cattle potentially
producing milk without full withdrawal
Lungworm – Huskvac with 2 doses at 4
weeks apart. Calculate the expected turnout  Triclabendazole – “Fasinex 240”. It is date and the first dose should be 6 weeks before this. Always put vaccinated cattle out onto routine calf permanent pastures to try and make sure vaccination is boosted by  Albendazole – Albex, Albenil. At the Leptospirosis – This disease spreads best in
the spring with wet spring grazing. Boost Blackleg – This disease is getting more
effective against adult fluke so at certain times of the year it will only be partially in housed cattle, possibly because of soil contamination in the feed. The vaccine is We are looking at the cost of products and very effective and as we have said before what we are going to stock for dairy cows. specific withdrawal period at some time but until then we cannot use this product for dry Training Courses
DIY AI course – We are aiming to run a
Phenylbutazone – “Bute”
becoming proficient and fully licensed for DIY artificial insemination techniques. The horse meat we need to remind horse clients that they cannot use this product on horses unless their passport has been annotated Lameness Course – Session 2 the practical
that the animal is prohibited from going
on-farm trimming skill will be on 25th and into the food chain. To be sure that this is session 1 will be invited to attend one of this drug is prescribed at the surgery: -  these but there could be places for others without being directly authorised by a veterinary surgeon Phone Large Animal Desk – 01452 543999
Text - 07836 317319

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