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Important update regarding emergency animal diseases
With the detection of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in Indonesia recently, it is important landholders be extra vigilant – understand what to look for, check your animals regularly and report any suspect cases.
Emergency animal diseases, particularly exotic diseases like Foot-and-Mouth and Lumpy Skin Disease can have a serious impact on livestock activity, trade and even human health. If you suspect or know of a notifiable animal disease, you have a legal obligation to report it immediately.
Fortunately, Australia currently has a disease-free status for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Lumpy Skin Disease. However we all need to play an active role in monitoring and reporting any suspect cases.
Your support is essential to protect NSW’s clean reputation and ensure ongoing market access. An early report can make the difference between something becoming establishing or being eradicated.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Lumpy Skin Disease are nationally notifiable diseases. It is critical that:
- all livestock owners know what these diseases look like
- you check your animals regularly
- you report any suspect signs immediately to your local district vet on 1300 295 299 or the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.
For further information and to sign up to updates for emergency animal diseases and other biosecurity issues, visit www.lls.nsw.gov.au/EAD.
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Did you miss the FMD and LSD industry webinar on Wednesday 20 July?
Click above to watch it to hear from federal Ag Minister Senator Murray Watt and four key experts on Australia's FMD and LSD response so far. Get their insights into what's happening in Indonesia and what would happen if these diseases arrived in Australia.
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LIVESTOCK REPORT
Issues to be aware of...
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Metabolic disorders
Our District Vets have been receiving an increased number of calls about down cows and sheep. Most of these are what we call metabolic disorders.
Low calcium and low magnesium are the common culprits.
Low calcium occurs due to the increased demand around birthing time, as calcium is removed from the blood to produce milk. Prevention is centred around providing calcium supplementation. The best way is a loose lick with lime and salt.
Low magnesium (Grass Tetany) generally occurs in cattle who have big calves at foot and the dam is grazing a grass dominant pasture, however all classes of stock can have low magnesium levels. Prevention is ensuring a mixed pasture with legumes, and supplementation. The best supplement is Causmag, which can be mixed in a 1:1:1 ration with lime and salt to encourage intake.
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The mineral composition of lush green pastures can increase the risk of grass tetany
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Woody tongue and lumpy jaw
Woody tongue and lumpy jaw are also current issues in the region. Both these diseases are caused by damage to the oral cavity, allowing bacteria to enter the body and cause disease. This is generally from hard, stalky feed.
Feeding “softer” feed reduces the risk of oral trauma and reduced risk of disease.
Treatment involved antibiotics, contact your vet for diagnosis and advice. The earlier treatment can start the better the prognosis.
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This ewe had advanced signs of phalaris staggers, including stumbling, 'knuckling', and hopping when attempting to walk
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LIVESTOCK ALERT
To look out for in the weeks ahead...
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Lame sheep - heavy ewes?
Wet weather and heavily pregnant ewes can cause significant lameness in a flock. This is often due to wet pastures causing damage to the skin between the toes, allowing infection to occur. This can spread into the deeper tissues causing significant pain and lameness, and predispose ewes to other diseases such as pregnancy toxemia or milk fever.
Prevention is better than cure and keeping ewes in good BCS 3.5-4/5 reduces the pressure on the feet. Avoid placing ewes in wet paddocks (where possible), this includes laneways and yards.
If wet feet are unavoidable, foot bathing in 10% zinc sulphate as they leave the yards can reduce the severity.
Early treatment with antibiotics and pain relief may help, however this needs to be balanced with the risk of mismothering and stress. Call your veterinarian for advice.
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Ewes with preg tox and milk fever can present with similar clinical signs, so getting a diagnosis is worthwhile
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Iodine deficiency
Iodine deficiency or goitre is common in years with lush pasture growth following heavy rainfall. This leads to reduced soil ingestion that is an important source of iodine in a ewe or does diet.
It can have fatal consequences for lambs and kids.
The most common sign is a large swelling in the neck, this is caused by enlarged thyroid glands. It can be prevented by drenching ewes with potassium iodide, pre-lambing. Contact your vet for more information.
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Swelling in the neck is the most obvious sign of iodine deficiency
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Rickets
Rickets is a condition where lambs have soft bones, leading to increased risk of fractures. Symptoms include lameness in lambs due to broken bones, bowed legs or knock knees, large lumps along the rib cage. It is common when grazing cereal crops in overcast weather. This causes a deficiency of calcium, phosphorus or vitamin D.
Prevention is better than cure and providing a lime, salt and causmag loose lick is the best option. Treating lambs with vitamin D at marking or weaning should also be considered. Contact your vet for further advice.
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Some of these lambs with rickets had fractured legs due to reduced bone strength
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Planning for pasture that grows in the summer heat haze
Phil Cranney - Senior Land Services Officer, Pastures
phil.cranney@lls.nsw.gov.au
0458 745 478
In the depths of winter, can you picture how extreme summer temperatures can fry any remaining green leaf on the temperate grasses and even cause leaves to fall off lucerne pastures?
If we are being honest, the answer would be, no.
Just finding enough daylight to complete the crucial tasks is usually front of mind and nothing else. The number of rain days compressed many farmers’ work schedules into the rare sunny hours. Forty hours of livestock, crop and pasture jobs does not fit into ten hours of daylight.
So why are we talking about tropical grasses in the depths of this wet winter? Because if you are thinking about planting tropical grasses, then this month would represent the bare minimum amount of planning and preparation you would need before planting in November.
If you're considering planting tropical grasses on your farm this year, please consider these six key prerequisites.
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Temperature impact on pasture growth
Clare Edwards - Senior Land Services Officer, Pastures
clare.edwards@lls.nsw.gov.au
0428 435 615
As winter progresses and we ask more of our pastures to supply feed quality and quantity, we should start thinking about how much growth will occur and whether it will match livestock needs.
Pasture growth depends on several factors, such as pasture species, soil fertility and management. Soil temperature and soil moisture also impacts on pasture growth.
Read about temperature requirements for different pasture species.
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SOIL HEALTH WORKSHOP - CUMNOCK
Over two sessions, learn how you can improve soil health, your farm's biggest asset. You will learn practical methods of field assessment and fundamental sampling techniques. If you have a farm of 10ha or more in the Central Tablelands Local Land Services region you will be eligible for two free soil tests. Day one date below, with day two taking place approx 4-6 weeks after.
Thursday 28 July 2022
CHILEAN NEEDLE GRASS INFO DAY – WOODSTOCK
Chilean Needle Grass is currently listed in the Central Tablelands Strategic Weed Management Plan 2017-22 as a Regional Priority Weed - Containment, and is also a Weed of National Significance. This invasive perennial grass has been present in the community for a long time, but recent favourable weather conditions are leading to extremely rapid establishment events. Information about other weeds like sticky nightshade will also be covered on the day.
Tuesday 9 August 2022
SOIL HEALTH AND PASTURE WORKSHOPS - BATHURST AND MUDGEE
Join us for a workshop on understanding soil and pasture health. Learn about soil fertility, testing, and impacts on pasture production and sustainability.
Friday 2 September 2022 - Bathurst
Monday 5 September 2022 - Mudgee
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Contact a district vet
Your District Veterinarian is a valuable resource for local and independent advice on biosecurity and animal health issues. They can investigate herd and flock problems to help maintain a productive and secure local livestock industry.
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Rhys Powell, Orange
0428 710 002
Nigel Gillan, Orange
0438 700 398
Lucienne Downs, Orange
0417 043 966
Bruce Watt, Bathurst
0428 935 559
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Jess Bourke, Mudgee
0417 803 685
Emilee Johnstone, Cowra
(Mon-Wed)
0419 334 077
Evie Duggan, Cowra
(Wed-Fri)
0427 147 939
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Contact the ag team
The agriculture advisory team supports you in managing your livestock and landscapes by providing support services, pasture and livestock advice and industry training to increase productivity and profitability.
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Phil Cranney, Orange
Pastures
0458 745 478
Clare Edwards, Mudgee
Pastures
0428 435 615
Casey Proctor, Cowra
Agricultural Systems
0429 110 072
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Brett Littler, Mudgee
Livestock
0427 007 398
Claudia Macleay, Bathurst
Livestock
0438 302 501
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Report any suspicion or outbreak of an emergency animal disease
Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline - 1800 675 888
Emergency animal diseases are likely to have severe consequences for livestock productivity, trade or possibly even human health. By remaining vigilant and acting quickly if you suspect an emergency animal disease, you may be able to prevent these consequences.
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If you know or suspect of a plant pest or disease, call the
Exotic Plant Pest Hotline - 1800 084 881
or use the online notification form
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If you've had a farm visit or over the phone consultation with one of our District Vets or Ag team members, we'd love to know how it went. By rating your interaction with us via a series of smiley faces and a short optional survey, your feedback tells us how we’re going and how we can improve our service delivery. Click here to rate us.
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