Veterinary Services

• Salmonellosis in cattle due to S. Dublin and S. Typhimurium and in pigs due to S. Typhimurium
• Outbreaks of parasitic pneumonia diagnosed in grazing cattle across Scotland
• Parasitic gastroenteritis in lambs seen in association with deficiencies of trace elements
• Viral insult suspected in outdoor sows affected by hindlimb paresis and paralysis
• Spironucleosis (hexamitiasis) and coccidiosis commonly diagnosed in game birds

Disease alerts

The following conditions featured in the SAC C VS report for November 2009. Given similar climatic and production conditions, they could also be important in November 2010.

• Salmonellosis in cattle due to S. Dublin and S. Typhimurium.
• Acute and chronic fasciolosis in sheep.
• Seasonal outbreaks of systemic pasteurellosis in sheep.
• Salmonellosis due to four different Salmonella serotypes in growing pigs.
• Vent pecking and cannibalism in free range poultry.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Low pressure weather systems dominated and as a result, the weather was changeable with plenty of cloud and showers, and more widespread rain at times. The mean temperature was below the 1971 to 2000 average. Rainfalls ranged from more than 30 per cent above average in the Northern Isles and the north-east, to 25 per cent below normal in the south and west.

The Scottish Government announced changes to bovine TB control protocols to reduce the costs of control to cattle keepers, without incurring additional risk of bovine TB spread.  Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) published details of the 159 suspected poisoning incidents investigated by the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS).  Pesticides were involved in almost half of the incidents, with 36 of these being categorised as the abuse of pesticides i.e. deliberate and illegal attempts to poison animals. SAC C VS carries out postmortem examinations in support of WIIS.  SAC C VS pathologists were also involved in the examination of seal carcases following the unusual deaths of 33 seals, washed up along the east coast of Scotland and England. This included seven incidents in St. Andrews Bay and the Firth of Forth.