Animal health and nutrition – cattle
Healthy animals are more productive and use resources more efficiently, which means higher profit. (Of course, you also have an obligation under animal welfare to ensure your animals are healthy.)
Your primary skill with regard to animal health is knowing how to condition-score an animal. Understanding potential parasites and diseases of the area and how to protect against them – in short, what your animals need in order to remain healthy. |
Major diseases affecting cattle production in the Derwent Valley
Many different diseases and conditions affect cattle in the Derwent Valley. Here is some information on the main ones, with links to comprehensive and reliable information on them.
On this page (click to jump to section):
Abortion
Brown stomach worm
Bull failure
Calf deaths
Cancer eye
Chorioptic mange
Cooperia worms
Difficult birth (dystocia)
Downer cows
Grass tetany
Fluke
Pink eye
Respiratory disease
Pestivirus
Bovine Johne's Disease (BJD)
On this page (click to jump to section):
Abortion
Brown stomach worm
Bull failure
Calf deaths
Cancer eye
Chorioptic mange
Cooperia worms
Difficult birth (dystocia)
Downer cows
Grass tetany
Fluke
Pink eye
Respiratory disease
Pestivirus
Bovine Johne's Disease (BJD)
Abortion
Vibrio (Campylobacter) has been detected in a number of herds in the Derwent Valley, but Listeria, Salmonella, Pestivirus, Neospora, Leptospirosis and mouldy hay abortions can also occur.
Diagnosis: Sending the aborted foetuses along with the placenta and a blood sample from the cow to the Animal Health Laboratory in Launceston gives you the best chance of a diagnosis. Your vet can also post mortem the foetus and send samples to the lab. Vaginal mucous can be collected from empty cows to check for Vibrio.
Treatment: Once you see a cow aborting it is unlikely any treatment will work. Stop feeding any mouldy hay or silage to the mob until you have a diagnosis.
Prevention: Vaccinate bulls against Vibrio. Vaccinate heifers and cows against pestivirus. Don’t feed mouldy hay or poorly cured silage to cows in late pregnancy. Practice good biosecurity.
More information on pestivirus (MLA)
Vibrio (PDF)
Diagnosis: Sending the aborted foetuses along with the placenta and a blood sample from the cow to the Animal Health Laboratory in Launceston gives you the best chance of a diagnosis. Your vet can also post mortem the foetus and send samples to the lab. Vaginal mucous can be collected from empty cows to check for Vibrio.
Treatment: Once you see a cow aborting it is unlikely any treatment will work. Stop feeding any mouldy hay or silage to the mob until you have a diagnosis.
Prevention: Vaccinate bulls against Vibrio. Vaccinate heifers and cows against pestivirus. Don’t feed mouldy hay or poorly cured silage to cows in late pregnancy. Practice good biosecurity.
More information on pestivirus (MLA)
Vibrio (PDF)
Brown stomach worm
Brown stomach worm is a major problem and the type 2 disease is often the problem.
Diagnosis: Type 1 disease is usually seen in calves and weaners, with scouring, poor growth, and deaths if untreated. Type 2 disease is usually seen in 18 months to adult cattle as ill-thrift that later develops into diarrhoea and cattle can die if untreated. Faecal egg counts or total worm counts (from 4th stomach at post mortem) and blood samples for pepsinogen testing clinch the diagnosis. At post mortem look for ‘Morocco leather’ pattern on the inside lining of the 4th stomach.
Treatment: Brown stomach worm can be resistant to some of the ML drenches. Use one of the newer drench families or oral drench with a benzimidazole (white drench).
Prevention: Check that your current drenching program is killing the brown stomach worm. Usually a long-acting ML drench (assuming no drench resistance) in June for weaner cattle is required to prevent type 2 disease next year.
More information on brown stomach worm (Wormboss website)
Diagnosis: Type 1 disease is usually seen in calves and weaners, with scouring, poor growth, and deaths if untreated. Type 2 disease is usually seen in 18 months to adult cattle as ill-thrift that later develops into diarrhoea and cattle can die if untreated. Faecal egg counts or total worm counts (from 4th stomach at post mortem) and blood samples for pepsinogen testing clinch the diagnosis. At post mortem look for ‘Morocco leather’ pattern on the inside lining of the 4th stomach.
Treatment: Brown stomach worm can be resistant to some of the ML drenches. Use one of the newer drench families or oral drench with a benzimidazole (white drench).
Prevention: Check that your current drenching program is killing the brown stomach worm. Usually a long-acting ML drench (assuming no drench resistance) in June for weaner cattle is required to prevent type 2 disease next year.
More information on brown stomach worm (Wormboss website)
Bull failure
Sub-solar abscess draining out at coronary band
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Prolapsed sheath, not badly damaged yet
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Bull failure is due to leg injuries, sheath damage or sub-fertility.
Diagnosis: Many conditions are obvious. Observe bulls mating to detect penile diversions. Some foot and leg conditions can be hard to diagnose.
Treatment: Various depending on the condition.
Prevention: Keep a young healthy bull team, keep bulls in good condition but not over-fat. Rotate bulls every three weeks if single-sire mating.
More information on bull failure (PDF)
Diagnosis: Many conditions are obvious. Observe bulls mating to detect penile diversions. Some foot and leg conditions can be hard to diagnose.
Treatment: Various depending on the condition.
Prevention: Keep a young healthy bull team, keep bulls in good condition but not over-fat. Rotate bulls every three weeks if single-sire mating.
More information on bull failure (PDF)
Calf deaths
Calf deaths – especially due to neonatal infections, particularly in the dairy industry.
Diagnosis: If scouring, take faeces for a worm egg count and pathogen testing at a laboratory to find out what parthogen is involved and what treatments should work best. A vet can often diagnose whether plant or lead poisoning or Clostridial disease could be involved. A post mortem is valuable if a fresh body is found.
Treatment: As appropriate for the diagnosis.
Prevention: Make sure the calf gets enough colostrum soon after birth. There are vaccines against some of the common pathogens that cause scours. Check paddock for poisonous plants, old batteries, vaccinate with 5-in1.
More information on calf rearing (Dairy Australia website)
Diagnosis: If scouring, take faeces for a worm egg count and pathogen testing at a laboratory to find out what parthogen is involved and what treatments should work best. A vet can often diagnose whether plant or lead poisoning or Clostridial disease could be involved. A post mortem is valuable if a fresh body is found.
Treatment: As appropriate for the diagnosis.
Prevention: Make sure the calf gets enough colostrum soon after birth. There are vaccines against some of the common pathogens that cause scours. Check paddock for poisonous plants, old batteries, vaccinate with 5-in1.
More information on calf rearing (Dairy Australia website)
Cancer eye
Act now ...
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... rather than at this stage.
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Cancer eye – mainly in Hereford and Friesian cattle.
Diagnosis: any growth or ulceration of third eyelid, eyelid or eyeball.
Treatment: A vet can often remove early cancers while still saving the eye. Medium-sized lesions can be removed with the eye. Cows with advanced lesions must be destroyed on-farm. The cow must be able to close her eyelid over the cancer to be fit to load. Abattoirs may condemn animals with eye cancer.
Prevention: Breed Herefords and Friesians with dark pigmentation around the eyes. Early removal of cancers.
More information on cancer eye (PDF)
Diagnosis: any growth or ulceration of third eyelid, eyelid or eyeball.
Treatment: A vet can often remove early cancers while still saving the eye. Medium-sized lesions can be removed with the eye. Cows with advanced lesions must be destroyed on-farm. The cow must be able to close her eyelid over the cancer to be fit to load. Abattoirs may condemn animals with eye cancer.
Prevention: Breed Herefords and Friesians with dark pigmentation around the eyes. Early removal of cancers.
More information on cancer eye (PDF)
Chorioptic mange
Chorioptic mange is very common in late winter but may not cause much production loss apart from downgrading hides at slaughter.
Diagnosis: visual appearance or by skin scraping from edge of the bare area.
Treatment: Most of the ML drenches have a label claim about controlling chorioptic mange. A repeat treatment after 20 days can be required to kill young mites hatching from eggs if a short-acting product is used. Cattle should be moved to a fresh paddock after treatment as the mites can live for many weeks off the host.
Prevention: Good nutrition can help prevent infestations getting out of control.
More information on chorioptic mange (Liceboss website)
Diagnosis: visual appearance or by skin scraping from edge of the bare area.
Treatment: Most of the ML drenches have a label claim about controlling chorioptic mange. A repeat treatment after 20 days can be required to kill young mites hatching from eggs if a short-acting product is used. Cattle should be moved to a fresh paddock after treatment as the mites can live for many weeks off the host.
Prevention: Good nutrition can help prevent infestations getting out of control.
More information on chorioptic mange (Liceboss website)
Cooperia worms
Cooperia worms cause scouring and slowed growth rates even in 15 month old cattle. Resistance to macrocyclic lactone (ML) drenches has been detected in cattle in Tasmania, forcing a move to oral white BZ drenches on affected farms.
Diagnosis: A sample of manure must be sent to the laboratory and a larval identification carried out.
A worm egg count 11 days after a drench will tell whether resistance is present.
Treatment: If no drench resistance is present, use a drench as per label recommendations. If ML drench resistance is present, oral white drench or other combinations must be used.
Prevention: Rotation of drench families, making sure you don’t under-dose, good nutrition, alternate grazing with other species such as sheep, and minimising the number of drenches given per year will all help reduce development of resistance.
More information on intestinal worms (Wormboss website)
Diagnosis: A sample of manure must be sent to the laboratory and a larval identification carried out.
A worm egg count 11 days after a drench will tell whether resistance is present.
Treatment: If no drench resistance is present, use a drench as per label recommendations. If ML drench resistance is present, oral white drench or other combinations must be used.
Prevention: Rotation of drench families, making sure you don’t under-dose, good nutrition, alternate grazing with other species such as sheep, and minimising the number of drenches given per year will all help reduce development of resistance.
More information on intestinal worms (Wormboss website)
Difficult birth (dystocia)
Diagnosis: When a cow or heifer is in labour for more than one hour and nothing is showing. Once feet or head can be seen progress should be observed within 15 minutes.
Treatment: If the head and two front legs are accessible, progressive pressure can be applied to the front legs with a calf puller, pulleys or strong individuals. If no progress can be made with reasonable pressure, or if there is an abnormal presentation, for example the head is turned back, then a veterinarian should attend.
Prevention: Mate heifers at correct body weight for that breed and grow them out properly but allow only moderate daily gain in the last three months of pregnancy so that the calf does not get too big. Try to calve adult cows down in condition score 3 and don’t over-feed in last three months.
More information on dystocia (Vic government website)
Treatment: If the head and two front legs are accessible, progressive pressure can be applied to the front legs with a calf puller, pulleys or strong individuals. If no progress can be made with reasonable pressure, or if there is an abnormal presentation, for example the head is turned back, then a veterinarian should attend.
Prevention: Mate heifers at correct body weight for that breed and grow them out properly but allow only moderate daily gain in the last three months of pregnancy so that the calf does not get too big. Try to calve adult cows down in condition score 3 and don’t over-feed in last three months.
More information on dystocia (Vic government website)
Downer cows
Downer cows are common in both beef and dairy areas.
Diagnosis: The cow is unable to stand by herself. Can be due to milk fever, grass tetany (or a combination), calving paralysis, back or leg injury etc. – a vet may be able to pin-point the cause.
Treatment: Treat the underlying cause – two bags of warmed calcium injection under the skin and massage in well is a good start. A vet may inject antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Get the cow onto a soft bed of 500 mm of sawdust or straw with barriers to stop her crawling off. Turn her every 6 hours to stop muscle damage in the underside hind leg. Lift her onto her feet twice a day and support her there for a while. Protect her from the elements and provide adequate feed and water.
Prevention: Don’t calve cows down too fat. Add causmag to hay to prevent grass tetany. Inspect cows twice a day during calving.
More information on downer cows (Dairy Australia website)
Diagnosis: The cow is unable to stand by herself. Can be due to milk fever, grass tetany (or a combination), calving paralysis, back or leg injury etc. – a vet may be able to pin-point the cause.
Treatment: Treat the underlying cause – two bags of warmed calcium injection under the skin and massage in well is a good start. A vet may inject antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Get the cow onto a soft bed of 500 mm of sawdust or straw with barriers to stop her crawling off. Turn her every 6 hours to stop muscle damage in the underside hind leg. Lift her onto her feet twice a day and support her there for a while. Protect her from the elements and provide adequate feed and water.
Prevention: Don’t calve cows down too fat. Add causmag to hay to prevent grass tetany. Inspect cows twice a day during calving.
More information on downer cows (Dairy Australia website)
Grass tetany
Grass tetany is more common if cows are over-conditioned or very thin at calving time.
Diagnosis: Cows in the last week before calving and up to four weeks after calving. Usually become hyper-excitable before going down. May just be found dead. A blood sample from a live cow or fluid from the eye at post mortem can show low magnesium levels.
Treatment: Inject two bags of warmed calcium/magnesium solution under the skin and massage in well.
Prevention: Feed Causmag on hay in the last week before calving starts and during calving especially if potash and nitrogen fertilisers have been used on grass dominant pastures. Don’t let cows get overfat – calve cows down in condition score 3.
More information on grass tetany (WA government website)
Diagnosis: Cows in the last week before calving and up to four weeks after calving. Usually become hyper-excitable before going down. May just be found dead. A blood sample from a live cow or fluid from the eye at post mortem can show low magnesium levels.
Treatment: Inject two bags of warmed calcium/magnesium solution under the skin and massage in well.
Prevention: Feed Causmag on hay in the last week before calving starts and during calving especially if potash and nitrogen fertilisers have been used on grass dominant pastures. Don’t let cows get overfat – calve cows down in condition score 3.
More information on grass tetany (WA government website)
Fluke
Bottle jaw – a common sign of fluke
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Liver flukes found in a liver
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Fluke is very common in the Derwent Valley and central highlands.
Diagnosis: Low growth rates, poor condition, bottle jaw can be seen in cattle. Deaths are rare. Fluke eggs can be usually identified in a manure sample – a different test to roundworm eggs so ask for the Fluketest as well as the roundworm egg count. Adult flukes can be seen at post mortem if you cut across the bile ducts in the liver and squeeze. Some abattoirs give feedback. Blood and milk tests also available.
Treatment: A number of flukicides are available but some resistance is strongly suspected to triclabendazole in the Derwent Valley so best to do a post-treatment check every few years to ensure it is working if you use triclabendazole.
Prevention: Fence off areas where water stands or moves slowly and pipe water to troughs – not always possible. A winter/early spring treatment to kill adult fluke in all sheep and cattle on the property can help break the life cycle.
More information on liver fluke (PDF)
Diagnosis: Low growth rates, poor condition, bottle jaw can be seen in cattle. Deaths are rare. Fluke eggs can be usually identified in a manure sample – a different test to roundworm eggs so ask for the Fluketest as well as the roundworm egg count. Adult flukes can be seen at post mortem if you cut across the bile ducts in the liver and squeeze. Some abattoirs give feedback. Blood and milk tests also available.
Treatment: A number of flukicides are available but some resistance is strongly suspected to triclabendazole in the Derwent Valley so best to do a post-treatment check every few years to ensure it is working if you use triclabendazole.
Prevention: Fence off areas where water stands or moves slowly and pipe water to troughs – not always possible. A winter/early spring treatment to kill adult fluke in all sheep and cattle on the property can help break the life cycle.
More information on liver fluke (PDF)
Pink eye
Ulceration and rupture of the eye can result if pink eye is not treated early
Pink eye seems to be more common now than in the past.
Diagnosis: On visual appearance – discharge down cheek(s), cloudy or ulcerated cornea.
Treatment: Start treatment early. Separate affected cattle, use eye creams, antibiotic injection into eyelids, eye patches or vet can stitch eyelids. If not treated early, the eye can rupture.
Prevention: There is a vaccine available that covers most of the strains of pink eye bacteria that occur in Tasmania.
More information on pink eye (PDF)
Diagnosis: On visual appearance – discharge down cheek(s), cloudy or ulcerated cornea.
Treatment: Start treatment early. Separate affected cattle, use eye creams, antibiotic injection into eyelids, eye patches or vet can stitch eyelids. If not treated early, the eye can rupture.
Prevention: There is a vaccine available that covers most of the strains of pink eye bacteria that occur in Tasmania.
More information on pink eye (PDF)
Respiratory disease
Respiratory disease occurs especially in young cattle after transport.
Diagnosis: Nasal discharge, difficulty breathing, depressed, deaths.
Treatment: Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories under veterinary supervision.
Prevention: There are vaccines against some but not all the viruses and bacteria that can be involved. Try to reduce stress on young cattle that are transported long distances, and especially if mixed with, or exposed to, a lot of other cattle.
More information on respiratory disease (MLA website)
Diagnosis: Nasal discharge, difficulty breathing, depressed, deaths.
Treatment: Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories under veterinary supervision.
Prevention: There are vaccines against some but not all the viruses and bacteria that can be involved. Try to reduce stress on young cattle that are transported long distances, and especially if mixed with, or exposed to, a lot of other cattle.
More information on respiratory disease (MLA website)
Pestivirus
Persistently infected (PI) weaner
Diagnosis: Pestivirus can cause early (not usually noticed) or late abortion, and also persistently infected (PI) calves that never do well and usually die by 18 months of age. Blood, skin biopsy and even hair samples can be used to diagnose PI cattle, and blood testing can be used to show whether pestivirus has infected cattle in the past.
Treatment: This is a viral disease and there is no treatment.
Prevention: There is a vaccine that helps prevent abortions. Good biosecurity can keep pestivirus out.
More information on pestivirus (PDF)
Ask to see a cattle health declaration to ensure you know the status of cattle (including bulls) that you buy.
Treatment: This is a viral disease and there is no treatment.
Prevention: There is a vaccine that helps prevent abortions. Good biosecurity can keep pestivirus out.
More information on pestivirus (PDF)
Ask to see a cattle health declaration to ensure you know the status of cattle (including bulls) that you buy.
Bovine Johne's Disease (BJD)
BJD is not common in the Derwent Valley, but you should know about it and try to keep it out.
Diagnosis: Suspected when a cow over two years old scours and loses weight but doesn’t respond to drench or other treatments, and eventually dies. Blood, manure and tissue samples collected at post mortem can help diagnose the disease.
Treatment: There is no effective treatment.
Prevention: Use a cattle health declaration to ensure you know the status of cattle (including bulls) that you are thinking of buying.
More information on BJD (Vic government website)
Diagnosis: Suspected when a cow over two years old scours and loses weight but doesn’t respond to drench or other treatments, and eventually dies. Blood, manure and tissue samples collected at post mortem can help diagnose the disease.
Treatment: There is no effective treatment.
Prevention: Use a cattle health declaration to ensure you know the status of cattle (including bulls) that you are thinking of buying.
More information on BJD (Vic government website)
