Veterinary Services

• Salmonella Dublin in cattle  – geographic distribution in Scotland
• Chronic fasciolosis in sheep and cattle
• Severe scour problem in calves
• Pneumonia due to RSV in cattle
• Bovine abortion due to Bacillus licheniformis
• Listerial encephalitis in sheep
• Salmonellosis in garden birds

The Scottish Executive announced the Land Management Contracts Menu Scheme. Measures outlined in the scheme  include the five year plan to raise standards in animal health and welfare.

The Executive also announced  a zero tolerance approach to overdue tests for bovine tuberculosis. All herds with outstanding tests will be placed under immediate movement restrictions to help protect Scotland's national herd from the disease.

Scottish abattoir values for steers, heifers and young bulls in February were well ahead of equivalent figures for 2004 while sheep prices at Scottish auctions for hoggs and ewes were  well below 2004 values.

As recorded and described in the January report a 45% reduction in Salmonella Dublin outbreaks in cattle has been recorded since a peak in 2002. Figures 1, 2  and 3  show the distribution of Salmonella Dublin outbreaks across Scotland for  2000, 2002 and 2004 (click on PDF link in right hand column). The majority of the outbreaks were found in the south-west of Scotland with a higher incidence in Ayrshire and Wigtownshire (served by the Ayr Centre) compared to Dumfriesshire and  Kirkcudbrightshire (served by Dumfries Centre) in 2002 and 2004 relative to 2000. A relative increase in the number of diagnoses made by the Edinburgh Centre was recorded.  The majority of these outbreaks have been noted in Lanarkshire particularly in 2004. This change in distribution of outbreaks with time may be a result of the infection of naïve populations of animals in new areas.  The possibility of local spread by vectors rather than carrier animals cannot be ruled and the pattern of outbreaks in the Stranraer area would be consistent with this.  Previous epidemiological studies carried out by SAC have shown clustering of outbreaks reflecting the density of the cattle population (especially dairy) and no association with rivers or other geographical features.