Veterinary Services

Investigations continue on cases of congenital blindness in calves

• IBR in cattle
• Mastitis due to Streptococcus uberis in dairy cows
• Clostridial disease in cattle
• Pine (cobalt deficiency) in lambs
• Meningitis due to Streptococcus suis in pigs
• Coccidiosis and gapeworms in red-legged partridges
• Salmonella Brandenburg in a household pet

The Scottish Executive announced that the European Commission has given temporary approval for the continuation of the UK system for sheep and goat identification. Keepers will be able to continue with the current system of single baseline, movement and replacement tags instead of applying double tags to all sheep and goats born after July 9, 2005. Double tags will only be required for export animals born after this date.

Scottish abattoir values for steers, heifers and young bulls in July were well below equivalent figures for 2004. New season lamb prices at Scottish auctions were slightly lower and ewe prices marginally higher than comparable 2004 values.

Settled weather prevailed throughout July giving dry weather, particularly in the south-west. A hot and sunny spell in the second week when the temperature reached 30°C at Glenlivet and Peebles was partly counter-balanced by cool and cloudy conditions in the last week.

The mean temperature for the month was 13.4°C, which is 0.9°C above the 1961-1990 average, in the above-average category. Total rainfall was 44.9 mm, which is 47% of the 1961-1990 average, in the well-below-average category, the driest July since 1955.