CATTLE HANDLING Flashcards
How many teeth does a cattle have and state their positions.
8 in total on the lower jaw - 6 incisors with 2 canine teeth on either side of the incisors
How long does it take from the time permanents eruption begins until the tooth has grown in complete?
5 months
What are the other factors that could influence on the age at which the teeth erupt?
Sex and breed
What is the main cow breed in Langhill?
Holstein Friesian
State the eruption order of permanent teeth in Holstein Frisian.
Central incisors: Eruption - 1 yr 9 m
In wear - 2 yrs
2nd incisors: Eruption - 2 yrs 3 m
In wear - 2 yrs 6 m
3rd incisors: Eruption - 2 yrs 9 m
In wear - 3 yrs
Canine teeth: Eruption - 3 yrs 3 m
In wear - 3 yrs 6 m
By law all calves must have an ear tag in each ear, both tags carry the same information, what are the information?
The herd number;
individual unique identification number;
country of origin
What is the one system to cover the UK that came into operation on the 28th Sept 1998 to track cattle?
The Cattle Tracing system
What are the 4 main elements of The Cattle Tracing System?
Tagging;
Farm records;
Passports;
The CTS;
What is the tagging requirement for dairy cattle?
Must have at least 1 tag fitted within 36 hours of birth;
the 2nd tag may be fitted within 20 days of birth;
all cattle must be tagged before they leave the holding of birth.
What are farm records used for?
Records of cattle births, imports, movements & deaths must be kept by farmers;
the register may be paper/computer based;
registers must be retained by farmers for 10 yrs & 3 yrs in any other case (e.g. markets)
What are passports used for?
All cattle born in or imported into Great Britain since 1 July 1996 must have a cattle passport;
applies whether the cattle are male, female, diary or beef and even if the animal is still on the holding on which it was born;
the passport must be remain with an animal throughout its life;
all applications for cattle passports must be made to the BCMS within 7 days of tagging
What is the CTS?
A computer-based system to register cattle in Great Britain and their movements from birth to death;
records the identification and death of cattle registered since July 1996, and the movement from birth to death of cattle issued with passports since 1998;
all cattle keepers involved when an animal with a new passport moves must tell BCMS - e.g. when there’s a private sale, the seller will need to tell BCMS about the movement “off” his holding, and the buyer will need to tell BCMS about the movement “on” to his holding
Castration: state the technique, person who may perform and anaesthetic requirement with respect to the age of animal up to 7 days.
Rubber ring or device to restrict flow of blood to scrotum;
Unqualified;
w/o anaesthetic
Castration: state the technique, person who may perform and anaesthetic requirement with respect to the age of animal up to 2 months.
Other than rubber ring methods;
Unqualified;
w/o anaesthetic
Castration: state the technique, person who may perform and anaesthetic requirement with respect to the age of animal 2 months or over.
Other than rubber ring methods;
Veterinary surgeon;
w/ anaesthetic
Dehorning: state the technique, person who may perform and anaesthetic requirement with respect to any age of animals.
No specific technique;
Unqualified;
w/ anaesthetic
Disbudding: state the technique, person who may perform and anaesthetic requirement with respect to up to 7 days of animals.
Chemical cauterisation;
Unqualified;
w/o anaesthetic
Disbudding: state the technique, person who may perform and anaesthetic requirement with respect to beyond 7 days of animal ( unspecified).
Other than chemical cauterisation;
Unqualified;
w/ anaesthetic
Removal of supernumerary teats: state the technique, person who may perform and anaesthetic requirement with respect to up to 3 months of animal.
No specific technique;
Unqualified;
See regulations
Removal of supernumerary teats: state the technique, person who may perform and anaesthetic requirement with respect to beyond 3 months of animal.
No specific technique;
Veterinary surgeon;
See regulations
State the signs of health of cattle.
Temperature: 38-39 degree celsius
Respiration: 12-25 breaths/min (varies with age)
Pulse: 50-60/min in adults
Where do you take the pulse of a cattle?
At angle of jaw;
inside the foreleg;
under tail
State the signs of heat (oestrus) in dairy cows.
Behaviour:
- standing to allow other bovines to mount;
- attempting to mount other bovines (from front);
- usually alert & restless;
- increased respiration rate;
- vocalising/calling (bulling)
Discharge:
- clear copious stringy mucus from vulva, often seen on tail/dries on the skin & hair of thighs;
- blood stained mucus (can be significant amount in some cows) seen 2 days post oestrus;
Other signs:
- Tail head may appear rubbed or licked; this is used as the basis of Kamar heat detectors
State the signs of approaching parturition.
Abdominal enlargement:
- Usually apparent from 3 months before calving but can be very subjective, especially in cows that have had several calves before. never use this solely as an indicator of pregnancy as a veterinary surgeon. From around 7 months onwards some stockmen are able to feel the calf by ballottement of the right flank;
Udder filling:
- Usually occur 1 month before calving
Udder and teats tense:
- Calving imminent
Relaxation of ligaments:
- ‘Springing’ usually occurs when calving imminent but in older cows may occur earlier
Mucus from vulva:
- Usually calving imminent but may occur from 2 weeks pre-calving
