LIVESTOCK REPORT
Issues to be aware of...
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Rickets in lambs
Rickets is a complex disorder of growing bones that results in deformed bones which are often thin or soft and therefore susceptible to fractures.
The condition can occur due to inadequate (or imbalanced) intake of minerals like calcium and phosphorus, lack of vitamin D, or substances in some plants that block vitamin D uptake by the animal. These factors most commonly align in young sheep grazing cereal crops in late winter, and in recent weeks we’ve seen a few cases of this nature.
Producers often notice a problem after yarding lambs – usually it’s a handful that become lame, then lay down and don’t seem able to stand (despite looking otherwise bright and alert). Some may respond to treatment with subcutaneous calcium (e.g. ‘4-in-1’), but those with fractures remain down and don’t improve.
It’s important to address mineral requirements (and possibly vitamin D deficiency in some cases) and to minimise handling of affected mobs to prevent further injuries in the short term. Give us a call if you think you may have a case or rickets in sheep.
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Some of these lambs with rickets had fractured legs due to reduced bone strength
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Strawberry footrot
Despite the name, ‘strawberry footrot’ has nothing to do with the footrot you hear about more commonly (which is caused by the bacteria D.nodosus).
Strawberry footrot begins when the scabby mouth virus enters breaks in the skin around the feet. This can happen when sheep have been standing in wet conditions for a long time, leading to soft, macerated skin that is easily penetrated.
Like the more typical presentation of scabby mouth (with lesions around the lips), it’s younger sheep that are more susceptible – particularly if other stress factors are present. After the virus has caused an initial lesion, secondary bacterial infection (often with the same pathogen that causes ‘dermo’ or ‘lumpy wool’) can create a more severe dermatitis that can be quite painful.
Strawberry footrot lesions tend to occur above the coronary band, and they often have a crusty or weeping appearance. A vet should be contacted for diagnosis and treatment.
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Strawberry footrot lesions tend to be located above the coronary band
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Liver fluke
One case of liver fluke in alpacas was diagnosed in the past month. The affected alpacas were weak and had lost weight, and some deaths occurred.
In recent years we’ve monitored fluke exposure across our district, and have found a mixed distribution, with fluke quite common in the higher altitude, higher rainfall tablelands areas and less common on the slopes to the west and south of our region.
When left untreated, liver fluke may still only cause chronic production loss (rather than severe and obvious disease – though this can be seen too), so producers who are unsure of the fluke status of their flock or herd could gain useful management information from lab testing.
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LIVESTOCK ALERT
To look out for in the weeks ahead...
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Worms (including drench resistance) in sheep and goats
As we keep an eye on worm egg counts from the region, we’re seeing some significant worm burdens being detected, and also some cases of serious drench resistance.
The two most common ‘scour worms’ (small brown stomach worm and black scour worm) can continue their lifecycle at quite cold temperatures, so pasture contamination can build up even through winter (particularly at lower altitudes with milder temperatures).
Barber’s Pole Worm, on the other hand, needs daily maximum temperatures of >18C for significant numbers of eggs to begin hatching into infective larvae.
Most of our region is beginning to experience these temperatures now, and with plenty of soil moisture and regular rainfall, it’s looking like the perfect season for all the common worm species.
Barber’s Pole Worm does not tend to cause scouring, and illness can develop very rapidly, so it’s not uncommon for sheep producers to report illness (and even deaths) with very little warning.
An egg count on faecal samples is a good way to detect a problem early, and the only reliable way to check for drench resistance.
We recommend the Wormboss website as a great resource for everything related to worms, testing, drenching, and non-chemical control options – it’s well worth a look.
What about cattle? We generally find that a drench at weaning (plus a follow-up drench in some situations) is warranted and will lift production, but that drenching adult cattle is not required.
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Flystrike (and chemical resistance)
The same seasonal conditions that suit worms are unfortunately also perfect for flystrike.
Last year, in a similar season, we received lots of reports of body strike – often affecting a significant proportion of the flock. Lots of producers also told us that their preventative treatments seemed to fail well before the claimed protective period was up. This shortened protective period could be due to under-dosing or incorrect application, but most of the time it’s probably an indication of some level of chemical resistance.
Recent research found that, in maggot samples submitted from 42 NSW farms, 100% had some level of resistance to both dicyclanil (e.g. ‘CLiK’) and cyromazine (e.g. ‘Vetrazin’). This means sheep producers should be taking the time to look at non-chemical preventative options (e.g. the timing of shearing/crutching, reduction of wrinkle, correct tail docking length) to help strengthen their approach. It also means the protective period listed on the label shouldn’t be taken for granted – additional applications or alternate chemical groups may be required.
On the Flyboss website you’ll find extensive information on prevention and treatment, as well as tools to help predict flystrike risk periods.
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Bloat
As we mentioned in our last edition, the ‘Bloat Alert’ app is a great new resource that allows producers to be alerted to bloat cases in their district. It is currently only available for iPhone and can be downloaded at www.bit.ly/bloatalert or by searching the App Store.
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Get your ducks in a row for liming this spring and summer
Phil Cranney - Senior Land Services Officer, Pastures
phil.cranney@lls.nsw.gov.au
0458 745 478
There are two liming rate demonstration sites on the Central Tablelands. One at Lyndhurst and other at Toogong. Helen Burns and Jason Condon from NSW DPI set up these two sites to demonstrate the effect of different liming rates, surface applied vs incorporated on two very different soil types.
While it is early days for both sites since set up before a winter crop in 2020 and a new pasture planted this year, we hope to be able to compare legume nodulation across treatments this spring.
While we wait for some more conclusive results from these important demonstration sites that are yet to be fully funded, there are some compelling reasons for incorporating lime this year. Here is a list of the ducks that all seem to be lining up:
- Huey - the rainfall duck
- Dewey - the money matters duck
- Lewy - the labile soil carbon duck
Click to read about each of these ducks.
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Lime trial site in the Central Tablelands
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How diverse are the plants around your vegetable farm?
Karen OMalley - Senior Land Services Officer, Horticulture and Plant Biosecurity
karen.omalley@lls.nsw.gov.au
0428 103 665
The idea of planting flowering plants on the margin of crop areas has been around for decades and the benefits have been proven over and over. By providing shelter and food sources away from the ploughed disturbed crop areas, on-farm insectaries attract beneficial insects that attack crop pests. For example, ladybugs and lacewings feed on aphids in most field crops but if prey is scarce, they will wait and feed on pollen from flowering plants until they detect aphids arriving.
Crops, weeds, livestock, pollinators, natural enemies, soil fauna and a wealth of other organisms, large and small, contribute to biodiversity. The more diverse the plants, animals and soil-borne organisms that inhabit a farming system, the more diverse the community of pest-fighting beneficial organisms the farm can support.
Why do this?
Keeping a small population of beneficial insects thriving on your farm gives you the free benefit of using ecological resilience against seasonal variations and pest incursions. Having a succession of flowering plants nearby will keep a good population of local pollinators thriving through the seasons to help you exactly when you need it.
To read more including which flowering plants to use, this factsheet explains the basics “Boosting beneficials in your vegetable crop”
Or tune in to this pre-recorded webinar from VegNET Victoria to learn more about on-farm insectaries and how to get started, including the benefits of planting native vegetation. You can also access the presentation slides as well as other useful resources.
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Do you have an on-farm insectary to attract beneficial insects that attack crop pests?
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Updated Fertiliser for pastures 2021 booklet
Clare Edwards - Senior Land Services Officer, Pastures
clare.edwards@lls.nsw.gov.au
0428 435 615
Many of you will have attended a soil and pasture health workshop with us in the last six years. These workshops covered the interactions between soil and pasture health, the importance of groundcover, and soil organic carbon. Another element of these workshops examined soil testing and explained what the numbers mean in regard to your pastures.
In 2018, we wrote a summary paper which was based on the workshops that I had delivered. I delivered this paper to the National Soils Conference in Canberra (Edwards and Evans 2018). Key findings covered the 154 properties that attended these workshops up to that date.
Click to read my summary and to view the updated booklet.
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Many landholders have attended our soil and pasture health workshops over the years, and a summary paper of key findings from these workshops was delivered at the National Soils Conference
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CONFINEMENT FEEDING - WEBINAR
Tuesday 28 September
This two-part webinar is a comprehensive A-Z on confinement feeding presented by Brett Littler (Central Tablelands Local Land Services), Geoff Duddy (Sheep Solutions), and Jeff House (Jeff House Livestock). After the first webinar a link for the second session (Tuesday 5 October) will be emailed directly to partcipants.
RECENT ARRIVAL OF EXOTIC PESTS - WEBINAR
Thursday 30 September
Register to join an upcoming webinar to learn about managing Australia’s new exotic pests (psyllid, leafminer and fall armyworm) direct from the experts. AUSVEG’s Callum Fletcher – alongside Dr Siva Subramaniam and John Duff from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries – will talk about industry’s role in the exotic incursion of tomato potato psyllid, as well as the latest research on managing fall armyworm and serpentine leafminer in vegetable crops.
ARMYWORM IN AUSTRALIA AND FALL ARMYWORM IN 2021 - WEBINAR
Friday 8 October
Alongside Central West Local Land Services, we are hosting this webinar series with Dr Lizzy Lowe and Associate Professor Paul Umina from Cesar Australia to hear about the species of armyworm present in crops and pastures and their occurrence in south-eastern Australia. We will also cover the identification of Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and its history in Australia as well as sharing the latest modelling predictions for the spread and establishment of this pest. If you have any questions, contact Liz Davis on 0427 452 662.
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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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Kate Peffer, Molong
0409 496 908
Nigel Gillan, Cowra
0438 700 398
Bruce Watt, Bathurst
0428 935 559
Amy Masters, Orange
0428 710 002
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Lucienne Downs, Orange
0417 043 966
Jess Bourke, Mudgee
0417 803 685
Emilee Johnstone, Cowra
0419 334 077
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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
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Brett Littler, Mudgee
Livestock
0427 007 398
Karen O'Malley, Cowra
Horticulture
0428 103 665
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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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