Veterinary Services

• Increase in the number of confirmed cases of Malignant Catarrhal Fever in beef suckler herds in northern Scotland.
• Lungworm infection common in cattle herds across Scotland.
• Typical seasonal increase in diagnoses of parasitic gastro-enteritis in sheep.
• An unusual outbreak of nematodiriasis in May-born lambs in southern Scotland.
• Trichomoniasis was the commonest diagnosis in garden birds in August, repeating a trend observed in 2006.

General Introduction

While this was the coldest August in Scotland since 1994, the mean temperature was still just above the 1961-1990 average. Rainfall was 125 per cent of the long-term average and sunshine was below average.

As a consequence of the Foot and Mouth outbreak in Surrey, all eight Disease Surveillance Centres closed for the submission of carcases for necropsy between 3rd and 22nd August. Clinical material was received throughout this period. The SAC provided farmers with a reminder on contingency planning in the event of an outbreak of a notifiable disease and advice on quarantine and biosecurity arrangements to prevent the introduction of disease when animal movements restarted. The Scottish Government announced extra funding to encourage more Scots to eat lamb. The £100,000 provided, matched the amount pledged by Quality Meat Scotland for its autumn campaign.