Veterinary Services

Salmonella Dublin in cattle  – reduction  continues during 2004

• Impaction of forestomachs in beef cows
• Chronic fasciolosis in beef cows
• Suspected botulism in a goat
• Sleeper syndrome in a beef heifer
• Septicaemia and meningoencephalitis due to Listeria monocytogenes in sheep
• Caseous cellulitis in caged layers
• Suspected poisoning of an otter
  

Figure 1 (click on PDF link in right hand column) shows the number of outbreaks by year as a percentage of the diagnosable submissions.  This measure takes into account the fluctuations in submission numbers and shows a 45% decrease in Salmonella Dublin incidence since a peak in 2002. The exact reasons for this are unclear, however this data so far is similar to the pattern seen for previous Salmonella serotypes, which have shown an increased incidence over four years and a decline of similar duration.

Figure  2 (click on PDF link in right hand column) shows the monthly distribution of Salmonella Dublin diagnoses.  For 2002 and 2003 a marked peak in the number of diagnoses in the late autumn and early winter months was noted.  This was not evident in 2004 which had a more even distribution of cases throughout the year.  This may reflect the lower number of cases seen in 2004.  Traditionally the peak has been associated with housing stress and stress associated with an increased number of calvings and abortions seen at that time. The Scottish Executive announced measures to reduce the incidence of Salmonella in domestic fowl. The new regulations allow the Executive to take samples from all laying flocks of domestic fowl and oblige producers to co-operate with the surveys and provide information and documentation.

This will enable the evaluation of relevant trends, sources and occurrences of the disease which the European Union will then use to set EU-wide targets for Salmonella reduction.

The Executive also announced plans to improve the long-term position of scrapie-resistance in Scottish sheep flocks under the National Scrapie Plan. Genotype testing of breeding rams will become compulsory for all purebred flocks and any other flocks producing and selling homebred rams for breeding. Allied to this will be a voluntary ewe-testing scheme. Scottish abattoir values for steers, heifers and young bulls were slightly up on equivalent figures for 2004 while sheep prices at Scottish auctions for hoggs and ewes were well below 2004 values.