Poor thrift in farm animals

Question 1

What do target growth weights vary with?

Answer 1

species, breed, age, feeding system and farm management

Question 2

Is poor thrift in young animals common?

Answer 2

Yes - effect is very costly!

Question 3

Why are thin animals a problem?

Answer 3

ECONOMIC - mating (increased anoestrous length, decreased conception rate, decreased ovulation rate), early pregnancy (decreased placental development), late pregnancy (increased risk of metabolic disease), lactation (decreased milk production), welfare

Question 4

How should you assess poor thrift in adults?

Answer 4

BCS = best option (cattle, sheep, goats and alpaca have 1-5 scale; horses (cattle) have 1-9 scale)
Weight = less good option!

Question 5

How should you approach a weight loss or failure to gain weight problem?

Answer 5

Appetite normal????
YES –> is nutrition adequate - Yes or No?
NO –> won’t eat or can’t eat?

Question 6

Causes of normal appetite, adequate nutrition but weight loss?

Answer 6

Maldigestion or malabsorption
e.g. parasitism (nematodes, liver fluke, coccidiosis), Johnes
tumours - intestinal
Chronic disease - e.g. chronic pneumonia

USUALLY ONLY ONE OR TWO ANIMALS AFFECTED

Question 7

Causes of normal appetite, inadequate nutrition but weight loss?

Answer 7

Underfeeding (quality or quantity) OR
Trace element (TE) deficiency

ANY AGE GROUP, USUALLY ALL OR MOST OF GROUP AFFECTED

Question 8

Causes of abnormal appetite, won’t eat but weight loss?

Answer 8

Parasitism (appetite change not normally obvious to farmers)

Question 9

Causes of abnormal appetite, can’t eat but weight loss?

Answer 9

Dental disease (e.g. missing incisor teeth = broken mouth) or lameness (Severe)