Veterinary Services

• Snow cover has an adverse effect on animal health

• Many more cases of bovine respiratory disease compared to 2009
• Review of clostridial diseases in sheep 2005 to 2010
• Mass mortality incident in greylag geese due to fowl cholera
• Rhododendron poisoning confirmed in sheep and yew tree poisoning in a horse

Disease alerts

The following conditions featured in the SAC C VS report for March 2010. Given similar climatic and production conditions, they could also be important in 2011.

• Seasonal increase in bovine coccidiosis starts in March.
• Poor colostrum intakes often a factor in neonatal deaths in calves.
•  Abortion in sheep due salmonellosis, listeriosis and tick borne fever.
• Chronic fasciolosis in sheep
• Pneumonia in pigs due to pandemic (H1N1) 2009 swine ‘flu virus.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

As with other parts of the UK, December was an exceptionally cold month in Scotland. Mean temperatures on the mainland were five degrees Celsius below the 1970 to 2000 average, making it the coldest December for over 100 years. Heavy snowfalls made the delivery of feed to outwintered animals difficult and several cattle shed roofs collapsed under the weight of snow. SAC C VS expected an adverse effect on animal health, particularly in relation to nutritional and metabolic problems.

The Scottish Government introduced new legislation on sheep scab to deal with this persistent problem. Any person who suspects that sheep in their possession or care have the infection is required to notify the local Divisional Veterinary Manager. Movement restrictions will then apply, until the sheep are either treated or slaughtered, or a veterinary surgeon provides a negative diagnosis.