Veterinary Services

• Seasonal rise in cases of Salmonella Dublin in cattle.
• Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) was most common cause of bovine respiratory disease
• 42 incidents of systemic pasteurellosis diagnosed in sheep across Scotland compared with 30 in 2005.

November saw the high mean temperatures continue to result in the warmest autumn on record. This November was the wettest ever recorded with the overall total rainfall being 155% of the average for 1961 to 1990. However some weather stations in western Scotland recorded well over double the average rainfall. These conditions continue to favour parasitic larval development and spread.

The State Veterinary Service lifted restrictions on the movement of poultry in East Lothian on the 18th November as no further outbreaks of Newcastle Disease (pigeon variant) were found in the proceeding 30 days.

SAC Veterinary Services co-hosted a very successful Scottish Animal Health and Welfare Conference in Pitlochry on 29 and 30 November. The conference attracted over 150 delegates. Four themes ran through presentations

• awareness of disease problems

• quantifying the cost, in both economic and welfare terms

• understanding the disease or condition

• using that understanding to develop effective controls.

Presentations made and abstracts of presentations and posters given are now available on the SAC website (www.sac.ac.uk/consultancy/veterinary/conference reports/sahw/).

SAC reminded farmers to treat cattle for liver fluke this autumn and winter.