cattle - preventative health care

Question 1

water space and requirements

Answer 1

10cm per cow

in calf - 50L/day
lactating - 68-155L/day

Question 2

selenium/vit e deficiency

Answer 2

 Stillbirth, weak calves
 Deficiency most common in young calves and grazing cows
 Poor growth, diarrhoea, sudden collapse at 2-3 days in calves
 Weakness, stiff gait
 Can effect cardiac muscle – sudden death

Question 3

calcium deficiency

Answer 3

milk fever

Question 4

magnesium deficieny

Answer 4

grass staggers

Question 5

vitamin A deficiency

Answer 5

 Decreased fertility
 Poor growth, decreased production, diarrhea, night blindness

Question 6

thiamine deficiency (B1)

Answer 6

 Brain
 Neuro signs – depression, tremors, staggering, blindness, head pressing
 Sudden diet change, high grain intake, high sulphur intake
 PM examination of brain - malacia

Question 7

trace element deficiencies

Answer 7

decreased production

Question 8

colostrum requirements

Answer 8

 4 litres within 12 hours, another 4 within 24
 Minimum 50g/L IgG
 Serum test calves to check transfer – 55g/L total solids

Question 9

calf weight at weaning

Answer 9

80kg

Question 10

vaccines - in pregnancy

Answer 10

pneumonia
scours
bluetongue

Question 11

vaccines - general

Answer 11

clostridia
BVD
lepto

Question 12

stall quantity

Answer 12

5% more stalls than cows

Question 13

stall features

Answer 13

lunge space
correct width and height
bedding
cleaning
drying agents

Question 14

shed stocking density

Answer 14

over 275kg - 2-2.5m^2 per animal
under 275kg - 1.2-1.5m^2 per animal

Question 15

roundworms

Answer 15

ostertagia - abomasum -passitic gastroenteritis - severe diarrhoea, slow growth, loss of condition

trichstrongylus

Question 16

endoparasites

Answer 16

roundworms
lungworm
liver fluke

Question 17

ectoparasites

Answer 17

lice
mites
ticks

Question 18

parasite prevention

Answer 18

 Bioactive forage
 Low stocking density for youngstock
 Mixed grazing with sheep/goats/horses (NB: doesn’t help for liver fluke)
 Rotational grazing
 Graze older immune adults on pasture following youngstock
 Ectoparasites – keep away from water, fans indoors/ventilation, insecticide impregnated ear tags

Question 19

anthelmintic groups

Answer 19

• White – benzimidazoles – roundworms and lungworms, some liver flukes and tapeworms – broadspectrum, lots of resistance
• Yellow – imidazothiazoles (eg. Levismisole) – roundworms and lungworms – some resistance
• clear – macrocyclic lactones (eg ivermectin) – roundworms, lungworms, some ectoparasites – resistance suspected

Question 20

disbudding

Answer 20

o Before 8 weeks
o Hot iron or caustic paste
o Reduce injury from fighting between animals, safety of human handlers
o Pain relief – cornual nerve block, NSAIDs

Question 21

castration - rubber ring

Answer 21

 less than 1 week old
 complications – not getting both testes, infection, abscess
 can be done by anyone

Question 22

castration - emasculator

Answer 22

 less than 2 months old
 trained users
 check both testes are present
 less risk of infection

Question 23

castration - surgical

Answer 23

 veterinarian only
 anaesthetic required
 any age
 most certain method but also most complications
 complications – infection, haemorrhage

Question 24

castration - pain relief

Answer 24

 local block – lidocaine into spermatic cord
 NSAIDs
 Xylazine – some pain relief and sedation (improved human safety)

Question 25

lameness scoring

Answer 25

 0 – even weight bearing, flat back, long strides  1 – uneven or shortened strides, affected leg not immediately identifiable  2 – uneven or obviously shortened strides, affected leg immediately identifiable  3 – slower than brisk human pace, lagging behind herd, limping, very lame

Question 26

dutch method trimming

Answer 26

 1 – * First claw – inner of hind, outer of fore * Should be min 8cm from bottom to top of claw * Remove excess sole * Avoid trimming back of claw – reduced heel heigh lifts toe off ground  2 – * Level opposing claw to match * Care not to remove white line  3 – * Dish out to give channel for muck to get out  4 – * Remove weight from affected claw – extra height on opposing claw through trimming or blocks * Address pathologies  5 – * Remove loose horn from heel

Question 27

heel horn erosion

Answer 27

o Slurry heel o also infectious – enzymes produced by bacteria erode heel o causes – existing foot damage, bad slurry management, long standing times

Question 28

sole ulcer

Answer 28

o Usually outer hind claw where sole and heel bulb meet o Causes – trauma, shallow foot angles, overtrimming, poor nutrition or stress in early life, genetic disposition o Prevention – proper trimming, foot bathing, even surfaces for standing, addressing lameness early o Infection possible complication

Question 29

sole haemorrhage

Answer 29

o Pressure on the corium (produces new horn tissue) o Discolouration of horn – like bruising o Causes – long standing times, uneven surfaces, low cow comfort scores, hoof overgrowth, repeated trauma, low BCS (reduced hoof padding)

Question 30

toe ulcer

Answer 30

o Usually outer hind claws o Open sore or wound o Caused by – pressure, trauma, thin sole horn, poor quality horn, laminitis o Infection possible complication

Question 31

white line disease

Answer 31

o Separation of wall from sole horn at white line o Usually outer hind claws o Causes – shearing forces (sharp corners), sole thinning, impact

Question 32

cow comfort scoring

Answer 32

 Cubicle comfort index – 85% cows in contact with a stall should be lying down  Stall standing index – proportion of cows in stalls that are standing should be less than 20%  Lying time – should spend a lot of time lying down  BCS  Lameness scoring  Hock and knee lesions  Udder hygiene  Ruminating  Breathing rate – panting could indicate pain or heat stress

Question 33

biosecurity

Answer 33

o Fomites – equipment, parlour, vehicles, bedding, floors o Visitor control o Ppe for handling o Parlour hygiene – teat dip, gloves, cleaning o Boot dips o Pest control o Closed herd o Isolation and quarantine o Vaccination o Regular monitoring for early detection o Feed and water cleanliness o Feed storage o Breeding for health and resistance

Question 34

heat detection methods

Answer 34

 Tail paint  Scratch pads – stuck on pads that change colour when mounted  Step counters  Teaser bull  Observation

Question 35

signs of oestrus

Answer 35

vaginal dischange, restlessness, mounting, sniffing other cows vaginas, resting chin on other cows, standing to be mounted

Question 36

AI

Answer 36

 Gene selection  Heat detection or manipulation  Storage – keep chilled and heat to 35c  Trans cervical  Semen analysis – gross and progressive motility, color, disease screening, genetic selection

Question 37

cow factors affecting fertility

Answer 37

 Age, nutrition, BCS, health, living conditions

Question 38

synchronisation

Answer 38

 Protocols– * Day 0 GnRH – CIDR – remove and Prostaglandin day 7 – heat detection * Day 0 GnRH – Prostaglandin day 7 – GnRH and AI day 10 * PG then heat detection  GnRH – triggers production of FSH and LH to grow ovum  Prostaglandin – triggers luteolysis – heat usually 2-4 days later  CIDR – progesterone  Progesterone – maintains pregnancy, maintains corpus luteum

Question 39

performance metrics

Answer 39

 Submission rate – % eligible cows that are inseminated in a given period - >70% (>90% block calving)  Pregnancy rate – % inseminated that become pregnant - >25%  Culling rate – aim for 25-30% per year  Age at exit (years or number or lactations) – 5-6 years  Calving interval – aim for 365 days  Age at first calving – 22-25 months

Question 40

fresh cow check

Answer 40

temp, smell, rumen fill, hydration, appetite, ketones, vaginal exam

Question 41

dry cow check

Answer 41

udders, BCS, health, pregnancy detection

Question 42

not seen bulling

Answer 42

signs of cycling, ultrasound for cystic ovaries and uterine infections, check not pregnant, failure of heat detection rather than lack of heat – prostaglandin to bring into heat

Question 43

metritis signs

Answer 43

reddish purulent smelly discharge, systemic illness, fever, inappetence, depression

Question 44

endometritis signs

Answer 44

white purulent discharge, usually not systemic (diagnose with vaginal exam and metricheck test or ultrasound)

Question 45

transport regs and considerations

Answer 45

 Animal Welfare in Transport  Need permit for over 8 hours  Certificate of competence needed to operate the vehicle  Journey logs kept  Cleaning and disinfection  Lighting  Loading  Stocking  Ventilation  Temperature

Question 46

calf transport regs

Answer 46

* Must have clean navel * Only over 10 days old for distances over 100km * Only over 10 days old for times over 8 hours * Bedding required if under 14 days old * Mother must come with if under 14 days

Question 47

shipping fever

Answer 47

- Bovine respiratory disease – pneumonia like signs - Signs – fever, watery nasal discharge, coughing, shallow breathing, depression, lethargy, inappetence - Can lead to long term lung scarring - Usually from stress during transport - Treatment – early abx treatment, NSAIDS

Question 48

lumpy jaw

Answer 48

- Actinomyces bovis - Commensal bacteria, accesses through lesions in the mouth - Signs – inflammation, necrosis, abscesses, pus, new bone formation – characteristic hard lumps - Treatment – early abx treatment (penicillin, streptomycin), surgical removal of bone growths - Usually just culling, prognosis poor

Question 49

wooden tongue

Answer 49

- Actinobacillus lignieresii – commensal, enters through lesions in mouth - Signs – hard swollen painful tongue, drooling, inability to eat or drink, protruding tongue - Treatment – iodine, abx, early detection or slaughter - Prevention – avoid stemmy hay feed, sufficient iodine in feed

Question 50

white muscle disease

Answer 50

- Vitamin E/selenium deficiency - Usually in calves – die within 2-3 days - Heart muscle degeneration, weakness, inability to nurse - Prevention – selenium supplementation 4 weeks before parturition