Metabolic Disorders

Hypomagnesemia in housed cattle

Over the past few weeks since housing we have diagnosed and discussed several cases of hypomagnesemia in housed beef suckler cows. While usually associated with grazing, a diagnosis of low magnesium causing death or clinical signs should not be discounted in housed animals.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
20/12/2023

Acorn toxicity

Acorns and oak leaves contain phenols and tannins, such as gallic acid and pyrogallol, which when ingested in excess will bind and precipitate proteins leading to renal failure in cattle and sheep.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
26/10/2023

Acorn toxicity (2022)

Oak trees are reported to have produced many more acorns this year compared to 2021. These can be attractive to livestock after a period of feed restriction or following stormy weather when large numbers are blown from the trees.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
10/11/2022

Rickets in sheep

Cases of rickets are usually seen when sunlight levels are low and young hill sheep are grazed on good quality dairy grazing.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
17/03/2022

Copper toxicity risk from spreading distillery wash by-product on pasture

Over the last few years, there have been several cases of copper toxicity in sheep associated with spreading distillery by-product on pasture.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
14/01/2022