Veterinary Services

• Neonatal goitre in cattle and sheep
• Continuing outbreaks of nematodirosis as the cause of lamb deaths
• Caseous lymphadenitis confirmed in shearling rams
• Deaths due to pleuropneumonia in finishing pigs
• Review of trichomonosis cases in wild birds 2005 to 2008

Disease alerts:

The following diseases were highlighted in the SAC VS report for September 2007. Given similar climatic and management conditions, they could be important this year.
• Outbreaks of lungworm in cattle and parasitic gastro-enteritis (PGE) in sheep associated with high rainfall.
• Skin conditions such as dermatophilosis in cattle also related to wet conditions.
• Louping ill cases in sheep following seasonal tick activity.
• Multifactorial causes of ill thrift in lambs due to PGE and trace element deficiencies.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

The weather in June was  changeable. Rainfall was above average at 110.1 mm; 128 per cent of the 30-year historical average. Sunshine was 96 per cent of the same average. The mean temperature was 0.1 degree Celsius above average but this figure hid wide fluctuations in both maximum and minimum values across the country.

The Scottish Government announced new controls over the movement of animals from a bluetongue Restricted Zone into Scotland. Veterinary certification of vaccinated animals will now be required. Twelve million doses of bluetongue vaccine for Scottish livestock were secured during the month. These will be used in a compulsory vaccination campaign later in the year. 
The review of Scotland’s response to the 2007 outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Surrey was published. The author found that the outbreak was handled well and that the Scottish Government’s actions were in the best interests of the Scottish livestock industry.