Veterinary Services

• Abomasal damage in young cattle due to ostertagiasis

• Parasitic gastroenteritis in young sheep due to Nematodirus, Teladorsagia and Chabertia
• Increase in prevalence of Johne’s disease in sheep
• Streptococcus suis serotype 2 associated with a range of clinical signs in pigs
• Respiratory cryptosporidiosis confirmed in wild red grouse

Disease alerts

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

• Outbreaks of bovine respiratory disease due to IBR, Mannheimia haemolytica and Mycoplasma bovis.
• Hypomagnesaemia in suckled calves
• Type 2 ostertagiosis in yearling cattle
• Metabolic and toxic conditions associated with difficulties in feeding sheep during severe weather conditions
• Starvation and salmonellosis in wild birds

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

October was generally drier, sunnier and slightly warmer than average. Much of the rainfall occurred in the latter part of the month but the total was only 86 per cent of the thirty year average. Northern and western parts of Scotland were particularly sunny, with up to a 26 per cent increase in sunshine hours being recorded, compared to average. In spite of the slightly high mean temperature, a few early-season frosts were experienced.

SAC announced that it will lead a research initiative focussed on Johne’s disease in cattle. The aim of the industry-wide effort is to develop the best and most cost-effective approach to controlling the bacterium which causes the infection, Mycobacterium avium, subsp. Paratuberculosis.