IN BRIEF
Frozen milk can be used to help combat mastitis
By Jessica Buss
FREEZING a small sample of milk from each mastitis case before treatment could help improve mastitis control and ensure the correct antibiotics are used to treat cases on farm.
In a letter to Vet Record, Apr 24, Andrew Bradley of Bristol University vet school and Somerset vet Martin Green of the Orchard Vet Group urge more samples to be taken routinely on farms.
When confronted with a problem cow or herd, often there are only farm records and no bacteriological information to help diagnose the bacteria responsible.
But this could be overcome by taking a sample of all clincal cases before treatment and deep freezing them for later testing, allowing a quick response to an outbreak of mastitis.
It would help vets ensure the correct antibiotics are used for treating milking cows and preventing mastitis through dry cow therapy and management, addressing concerns over prescribing antibiotics responsibly.
Freezing samples would also allow a bacteriological test where antibiotic treatment for a mastitis case has failed to cure it, adds Mr Green. Once antibiotic is used bacteria cannot be grown for identification in the lab.
"A standard sterile milk test pot from a vet lab is adequate for keeping a sample. But ensure the teat is dipped and cleaned before taking a sample," he says.
"Pre-dip the teat and allow to dry for 30 seconds, then dry wipe it and swab the teat end with surgical spirit. Take 10 strips of milk before swabbing the teat again and then fill the pot." This ensures samples are not contaminated.
Place the pot in a freezer, but ensure it is kept in a separate compartment to any food or a separate box, he adds.
When deciding to test samples, some bacteria will be lost, but not enough to influence the results. But aim to deliver samples to the lab on the day they are removed from the freezer. He advises giving them to your vet to deliver them to the lab.
This is an inexpensive method of collecting samples, using low cost plastic pots. Collecting samples will also help improve the herdspersons awareness of mastitis control, he adds. *
MASTITISCONTROL
• Sample each case.
• Freeze in sterile pot.
• Clean teat before milking.
Anti-Glassers vaccine
PIG producers have a new weapon in the fight against Glassers disease – a vaccine that protects throughout the finishing stage.
Fort Dodge Animal Health claims its new product is the first vaccine to provide cover against most of the Haemophilis parasuis infections which cause Glassers disease which is difficult to diagnose and can knock herd performance. Clinical signs include pneumonia, pleurisy, meningitis, and sometimes sudden death.
Speaking at a meeting to launch the vaccine in Bury St Edmunds, Stan Done of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, said high health status pig herds were most at risk, and therefore most likely to benefit from the vaccine.
"Recent trends in pig production have led to large populations of isolated high health status herds which may be free of * parasuis. Subsequent exposure either in the nursery, finishing unit or after introduction of infected breeding stock, may result in systemic disease without an obvious cause."
The new vaccine, Suvaxym M Lyon Parasuis, is supplied in combination with the companys existing vaccine against Mycoplasma induced respiratory disease, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Both are in the same 50-dose pack. Piglets injected at one week, followed with a booster at weaning two to three weeks later, will be protected against both diseases throughout the finishing period, says the company. *
No chance of vampires here….ADAS Terrington trials suggest that adding garlic to lactating sow diets flavours their milk, sensitising piglets and encouraging them to eat similarly flavoured solid feed. Adding garlic to rations can help reduce fly concerns in pig housing, says pig creep feed manufacturer Tuck Box.
Sheep blood testing offer
FREE blood tests to identify the two major causes of sheep abortion are available to UK sheep producers until the end of July.
"Any flock with an abortion level of 2% or more will usually be suffering from infectious disease," says Ian Mawhinney of Intervet.
"The best starting point for effective control of abortion is accurate diagnosis. Were therefore encouraging anyone who doesnt vaccinate against enzootic abortion or toxoplasmosis to submit blood samples from six to eight aborted or barren ewes for analysis.
"This will enable us to pinpoint whether enzootic abortion or toxoplasmosis was the cause of loss this year, creating an opportunity to protect ewes prior to the start of their next breeding cycle."
The service is available to producers with over 250 breeding ewes. Further details are available from vets. *
Cost of bovine leptospirosis
BOVINE leptospirosis is costing milk producers at least £100 a cow due to its impact on herd fertility.
Work at Liverpool University shows that sub-clinically infected herds could experience a depression in conception rates of between 10% and 30%.
These herds may have a calving interval 15 days too long, costing £2.26 a day in lost milk production. A 100-cow herd is also likely to be culling eight cows too many, each costing £583 while AI costs will also increase, according to Reading University researcher Dick Esslemont.
The disease can now be detected more easily and cheaply through bulk milk testing. As part of its Bovine Leptospirosis Information and Screening Service (BLiSS), Schering Animal Health is offering farmers free bulk milk testing kits. These are available from veterinary practices. *
IN BRIEF
• FEED advisers can now obtain a BASIS certificate in grassland management. The course aims to provide advisers with unbiased agronomic and technical knowledge specific to grassland weeds, pests and diseases. Developed by Dow AgroSciences and Dalgety, it should help improve grassland profitability.
• A SCRAPIE testing service is now available to Welsh flockmasters.
For the first time in Wales, the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research at Aberystwyth will carry out scrapie testing. Producers wishing to blood test stock can have samples sent by their vet to VLA centres at Aberystwyth, Carmarthen or Shrewsbury. Samples are then forwarded to IGERs testing lab.
• SILAGE fermentation can be improved by using liquid inoculants for high dry matter silages, according to new research from the US. Additive manufacturer Ecosyl says that for bales, or crops ensiled at 40% dry matter or more, a liquid inoculant will give a better result. *