Veterinary Services

OVERVIEW

• Ingestion of Pieris japonica leaves among garden waste caused the death of three Limousin heifers.
• An outbreak of toxoplasmosis in a hill flock of 400 resulted in either abortion or non-viable lambs at full term in 240 ewes.
• Apparent failure of wormer in a goat linked to the use of an unlicensed product
• Salmonella Pullorum isolated from chicks dying in a back-yard flock

General Introduction

In common with the rest of the UK, May was exceptionally wet in Scotland: the fourth wettest May since 1914. The higher than average temperatures created ideal conditions for parasite infestations in grazing animals.

The new Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment announced an investment of £1.59 billion for agriculture, forestry, environment and community projects in Scotland for the years 2007 to 2013. The investment will come in part from national modulation of the Single Farm Payment. The rates of voluntary modulation for Scotland were announced and will rise from five percent in 2007 to nine percent in 2010.

SAC launched its second Environment Focus Farm at Low Holehouse Farm, Ayrshire, where diffuse pollution in a practical dairy farming situation will be addressed. SAC also promoted the CLA Monitoring Scheme 2007 to sheep farmers and urged owners who wanted to present Caseous Lymphadenitis (CLA) monitored stock at sales this autumn to enrol now.