Veterinary Services

• Acute fatal haemorrhage in an adult Holstein-Friesian dairy cow
• Polydactyly in beef suckler calves
• Pregnancy toxaemia and/or hypocalcaemia diagnosed in 16 ewe flocks
• Review of nematodirosis outbreaks in 2009 and 2010
• Pigeon paramyxovirus 1 infection confirmed in a flock of tumbler pigeons

Disease alerts

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

• Babesiosis and coccidiosis in grazing cattle
• Salmonellosis in calves and adult cattle
• Acute and chronic fasciolosis in sheep
• Meningitis due to Streptococcus suis serotype 2 in pigs less than 15 weeks old
• Coccidiosis in pheasant chicks

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

The weather was settled for most of the month. Snow appeared briefly in the middle of March but its effects were fairly short-lived. Mean temperatures, rainfall and sunshine hours were  normal for the time of year. 

Agreement to devolve the relevant elements of Defra's Animal Health and Welfare budget to the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government was announced on 14th March. The Scottish Government will be responsible for a budget of £21.03million to finance its policy responsibility to prevent and tackle animal diseases north of the border.

The launch of a new ‘Centre of Expertise’ was announced by Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment. It will advise the Scottish Government on reducing the likelihood and minimising the impact of livestock disease outbreaks. Experts from the SAC, the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Roslin Institute, the Moredun Institute and James Hutton Research Institute will combine to provide evidence-based advice to enable industry and policymakers to make the best decisions about anticipating, preventing and managing disease incursions.