Vets offer planning service
23 July 1999
Vets offer planning service
VET and medicine bills have forced many producers to re-think animal health policy, and in many cases that has meant fewer vet call outs and a cut-back on medicine use.
This change, brought on by tough times in the industry, means vets spend less time on producers farms. But cutting vet input may have an adverse affect on next years profitability, says Lark-mead Vet Groups sheep specialist Chris Trower.
But Bob White, a sheep and cattle producer from Oxon, is using his vet more because he is embarking on a formal health plan drawn up by Mr Trower.
Health plans normally consist of three vet visits a year. They involve discussion to see whether management or treatment can be improved to boost flock performance, normally from reviewing lambing results, tupping results and pregnancy nutrition.
Future flock policy is also examined to avoid health problems arising and practical jobs, such as blood testing ewes or taking faecal egg samples, are completed to build up flock health information.
The stimulus for Mr White to produce a health plan was increasing public access at his farm, making it necessary to lift whole flock health status.
Following Mr Trowers first health plan visit last month, farmers weekly went along to the second visit. Mr White keeps 935 Mule ewes and 200 ewe lambs, plus a 70-head beef finishing unit on 104ha (257 acres) of permanent pasture and 18ha (44 acres) of maize.
The flock is split into 100 early lambing ewes, a main March lambing flock and April-lambing ewe lambs. They are tupped by Suffolk, Charollais and Texel rams.
Lameness was dealt with on Mr Trowers first visit and a foot-rot elimination programme was established as one of the main flock objectives. "If elimination is not achieved, the programme will bring it under control. I like using long-acting antibiotics to control foot-rot, which is not very politically correct," says Mr Trower.
But antibiotics are an effective way to treat foot-rot and there are no problems with withdrawal periods, unless you are about to slaughter stock, he says.
During the visit a whole flock appraisal is given and details are required on all treatments from dipping to vaccinations. Manage-ment advice may also be given.
All lambs are sold finished at the end of the year, but Mr White is considering finishing them indoors to relieve grazing pressure.
While agreeing with the plan, Mr Trower can see some drawbacks. "You wouldnt want lambs to come in full of worms, so its important to dose them with ivermectin before housing."
Mr Whites worm programme is unconventional. He worms ewes at turnout and then both ewes and lambs six weeks later with ivermectin. Then he worms lambs every three weeks with a levasimole-type wormer.
"I am a frequent wormer because lambs have shinnier coats and look better after being wormed." All his grass is permanent pasture and with little clean grazing, worming is a key management area.
Mr Trower advises taking dung samples for faecal egg counts to check the worming policys efficacy.
He has also been reviewing last years lambing. Ewe lambs had poor results, with only 80% lambing compared with normal levels of 90-95%.
"There could have been a number of reasons for this," says Mr Trower. "They were tupped on red clover which may contain oestrogen and mess up fertility levels.
"Toxoplasmosis is another prime candidate for causing abortion, particularly in ewe lambs, which would not have come across the agent before their first pregnancy."
Blood-testing the flock will help to see whether they have high levels of the abortion agent present. Then they can assess whether a toxoplasmosis vaccination programme should re-start this year.
Rams could be tired out after serving the rest of the flock before the ewe lambs, so Mr Trower organised a pre-tupping visit to check they are functioning properly.
He also advises ensuring a thorough quarantine period for all bought-in stock. When buying rams Mr White should be wary of Caseous Lymphadentitis and border disease. A quarantine period should also help prevent scab entering the flock.
After each visit, a report is sent to Mr White detailing the main flock health objectives. This time the report will concentrate on faecal egg count results and worming policy, blood test results and future abortion vaccination policy. *
Cutting call-out fees is false economy
Cutting vets fees is one way of reducing costs, but sheep vet specialist Chris Trower questions the validity of this method.
"It may be a false economy, although as a vet, I would say that. Producers see vet and medicine costs as an area where they can wield the axe."
This year he has made fewer call out visits, which he says reflects the state of the industry. But Mr Trower has 10 clients who make formal health plans each year.
"These tend to be large estates, which make more use of vet advice, institutes or forward-thinking producers."
Health plan visits are charged in the same way as a call out. But they may take longer and involve an hours chat as well as some animal examinations. "Far-sighted producers are not concerned about this, but many may not see it like this," he admits.
"Health plans tend to run from year to year, but the main benefit is normally seen in the first year when you can demonstrate a cost saving by stopping the use of unnecessary medication."
Recognising that farm assurance schemes may increase the demand for formal health plans, Mr Trower says it would give vets a chance to demonstrate they can help.
Normally, health plans take the form of three visits a year. "Visits are pre-tupping, one mid-pregnancy – dealing with mineral deficiency, feeding and management – and at lambing."
This lambing visit concentrates on medicine use. "We must check that medicines are being recorded and disposed of correctly," he says.