Production Disease

Lamb dysentery risk

We are now entering the period where lamb dysentery risk is highest in the main April lambing flock. Risk may be higher this year for some flocks depending on Clostridial vaccine availability.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
21/04/2023

Effect of calving difficulty on suckler cow performance

All farm animal vets are calving suckler cows at the moment, helping to reduce as much as possible the impacts of calving difficulty on herd performance.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
06/04/2023

Metabolic sampling ewes pre-lambing plus a quick fluke update

Spring is approaching and so is the ideal time for checking the nutritional status of ewes pre-lambing.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
10/02/2023

Ocular disease investigation in sheep

SRUC Veterinary Services usually receives more ocular swabs for the investigation of ovine eye disease around this time of year. When investigating outbreaks, it is important to consider the main pathogens likely to be involved and which tests would be the most useful.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
13/01/2023

Navel iodine supply

There is a risk of reduced availability/high cost of strong iodine for navel dressing this spring. Lower iodine concentrations are considered to be less effective in drying and disinfecting the navel.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
12/01/2023

PCR testing for respiratory disease in cattle

SRUC Veterinary Services in conjunction with colleagues at Moredun have developed and are now using an extended multiple PCR test for respiratory pathogens in cattle.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
14/12/2022

Systemic Pasteurellosis in lambs

Systemic Pasteurellosis is caused by the bacteria Bibersteinia trehalosi and is a common cause of death in weaned lambs between September and December.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
28/11/2022

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

Coccidiosis in cattle 2022

Diagnoses of coccidiosis in this year’s calves remains common this year and the risk remains high.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
08/07/2022

The impact of type 2 Ostertagiasis

Our Dumfries Disease Surveillance Centre has had a number of submissions, case reports and post mortems recently regarding scour in groups of older cattle that grazed last year. In these cases we have either suspected or confirmed type 2 Ostertagiasis.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
17/06/2022

Ataxic and weak lambs – is it swayback, white muscle disease or something else?

Given the time of year this has been a common question posed in recent weeks with some diagnostic options outlined in this article.…

SRUC Veterinary Services
19/05/2022

Update on Streptococcus dysgalactiae arthritis in lambs

Streptococcus dysgalactiae in the most common cause of joint ill in UK lambs and is also an issue in other countries. …

SRUC Veterinary Services
10/03/2022