Disease and production problems in farm animals/population health in farmed animals Flashcards
Why is the traditional approach to vet work not ideal?
Cost:benefit ratio may not favour intervention (especially sheep)
Cost of disease replaced by cost of treatment
Focus on clinical disease rather than subclinical
Occurence of many diseases influenced by husbandry so there should be an integrated approach to disease control
What are the 7 steps of a herd/flock investigation?
Define the problem History Distance examination Clinical exam +/- PME Ancilliary aids/further diagnostic tests Analysis and decision making Reporting back and further monitoring
How should you refine the problem?
Determine if whole group affected or only certain individuals.
Is nutrition adequate?
What data should you use when defining the problem? 4
TRY AND PUT NUMBERS TO IT: Weights Slaughter records Scanning/PD results Calving/lambing data AGE/GROUPS AFFECTED NUMBER OF ANIMALS AFFECTED SEVERITY
What should be assessed in the history?
QUESTIONS NEED TO BE DEVISED TO OBTAIN SPECIFIC INFORMATION
General
Management - farming system and feed
Predisposing factors
Clinical signs and progression
Temporal and spatial problems
Medicines book
Repro data - rate, spread, times of calving/lambing and weaning
Previous TE problems and supplements used
Observations of clinical signs
What features can be assessed on a flock basis?
overall scour? nasal discharge? mucous membranes? BCS? weight?
How much can a VLA PME cost?
Sheep/goat/pig/deer £163.20
Calves up to 6 months £168.30
Cattle 6-12 months £275.95
Cattle over 12 months £328.05
When would you do a blood test?
When you have a high suscpicion of a diagnosis and you are wanting to confirm these (e.g. quantification or resistance). It is important to know what your next steps would be.
What should be involved in data analysis and decision making?
Abnormality present? what is it? Treatment possible or warranted? Short or long term prevention/reduction? What management changes to be made? Are these changes justified? Diseases - predisposing factors? Vaccine? Eradication? Parasitism - integrated management control? Trace element (TE) deficiencies
What should be considered in an environmental exam?
Pasture and feed availability across farm
What should be considered in a distance exam?
Variation in size and weight scouring lameness coughing pruritis
When should you perform a PME?
large numbers but low individual animal value
Chronic cases showing no improvement
Severely affected animal
Benefits of PME include what?
liver - TE analysis examine liver - fluke examine GIT - worms examine lungs - resp disease other PM signs
Which GI worms of sheep are visible by eye? 3
Tichostrongylus - but very small!!!!
Ostertagia
Haemonchus
When do you see lung consolidation?
chronic/atypical pneumonia - this condition can affect the growth of young sheep
