Cattle

Help COWS understand lungworm better

We have had several anecdotal and confirmed cases of lungworm in cattle already, starting in mid-June. The peak of cases tends to occur in September, and we think this year will be no exception.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
28/08/2024

Sustainable Farming Initiative - Roundworms

As part of the second year of Scottish Government’s ‘Preparing for Sustainable Farming’ initiative, farmers can claim £250 for undertaking up to two animal health interventions in 2024. Two important interventions which will receive funding (and could be claimed for separately on mixed units) are the control of roundworms in sheep and cattle.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
22/08/2024

Haemonchus diagnosed in multiple submissions this week

We have had several submissions of lambs this week. In four of the five submissions, there have been significant numbers of Haemonchus worms visible in the abomasal washes, associated with worm egg counts of 13,650-64,800 strongyle eggs.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
16/08/2024

Babesia on the March?

Like last summer, we are seeing a slight increase in case numbers of Babesiosis in cattle..…

SRUC Veterinary Services
13/08/2024

June cases

Another month has ended and we still seem to be having a very Scottish summer. The balance of submissions and diagnoses has taken its usual seasonal shift away from abortion and towards parasitic disease. Nematodirosis and Coccidiosis were diagnosed across all the hubs and central laboratory in June.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
19/07/2024

Look out for lead

May to August are the peak months for seeing lead poisoning cases with 74% of our diagnoses made during the summer months after turn out, with younger animals more susceptible.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
30/05/2024

BSE Disease confirmed in Ayrshire

A case of classical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed on a farm in Ayrshire.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
10/05/2024

First grazing dairy heifers, watch out for post turn out scours

If turn out transition to grass works well and parasite challenge is well managed then scour and growth rate checks should not occur, but when they do, make sure that you investigate.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
01/05/2024

March case highlights

March showed the usual seasonal increase in submissions to both the central laboratory in Edinburgh and to the PM room at Thurso. As lambing and calving continues at pace there are understandably queries about Schmallenberg virus (SBV) presentations, sampling and incidence.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
25/04/2024

Parasite risks this spring

The weather conditions this spring could increase the risk of coccidiosis with some very high oocyst counts already recorded in earlier born lambs and suckled calves.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
19/04/2024

Keep a watch out for Salmonella Dublin in beef suckler herds

Although only ten per cent of our diagnoses of Salmonella Dublin come from beef herds, on farms which experience an outbreak, it can have a significant impact on health and mortality rates during a calving season.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
17/04/2024

Managing nutrition for cows after turn out

Spring is proving challenging for spring calving and lambing so far with the long-range weather forecast looking tricky. Keeping cows and calves at foot inside for longer periods brings challenges with hygiene and disease build up which will need to be very carefully managed.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
15/04/2024