Management of Disease - Farm

Question 1

Why is a clinical exam and good diagnostics important in farm animal practice?

Answer 1

Allows the correct diagnosis and therefore the most accurate prognosis can be given and the most effective treatment to be used
Provides information to allow an informed decision to be made
Allows he formulation of preventative strategies

Question 2

What should be taken into account when gathering a clinical history?

Answer 2

what is the animal used for
that stage of production is it in
what is the age of the animal
what is the herd health history on the farm
what is the hygiene like
what is the temperature and ventilation like
what is the food like
how are the other cows looking
what is the stocking density
what are the clinical signs seen, how long have they been going on for, is it a problem with one animal or a number of animals

Question 3

Describe how you would carry out a clinical exam

Answer 3

1. examine from a distance - look at body condition, look at the animal’s demeanour - is it behaving normally? Take a resp rate, assess it’s mobility
2. once suitably restrained examine up close. With cows begin at the back and look for symmetry of the pelvis and if female check the udder - check the temperature, consistency, check for pain. If taking a milk sample ensure to discard the first bit of milk as this will be contaminated, for a sterile sample catch the milk after the initial fluid has been released. Look at the colour and consistency of the milk.
3. Go round to the left side, listen to heart and lungs, check rumen sounds - should be 2 primary contractions, 1 secondary contraction followed by an eructation every 2 minutes. You can feel this if you place your hand in the sub-lumbar fossa, you can also score the rumen fill our of 5 at this point.
   flick along the animals side, if you hear a ping it indicates a displaced abomasum
4. go around to the right side and again listen to the heart, lungs and gut, abomasum can also be displaced to the right note that ping may not be heard in fat animals.
5. go to the front of the animal, look for nasal or ocular discharge, look for any problems in the mouth - capillary refill, mucous membranes, ulceration
6. always do the vaginal/ rectal exam last - look for any discharge, check faecal consistency, check for tone and any distension of organs

Question 4

How many litres of fluid can be pumped into an adult cow via oro-gastric tube?

Answer 4

up to 30 litres

Question 5

which horn is the calf likely to be in?

Answer 5

the horn where the CL cn be found on the ovary

60% of calves are in the right horn

Question 6

How can you sex calves in utero and from what age can they be sexed

Answer 6

from day 56 the genital tubercle can be seen
in males it sits behind the umbilicus
in females it sits between the hind legs and tail

from day 70-120 the testes and teats can be used for sexing

Question 7

How does an ultrasound work and how does the frequency affect the image

Answer 7

ultrasound measures voltage created by the vibrations of the ultrasound waves that are reflected by the tissue
by increasing the frequency you get better resolution but less penetration so decreasing the frequency does the opposite
the denser the tissue, the greater area it has for the waves to hit and reflect so the whiter it appears on the image

Question 8

From what day can you diagnose a pregnancy in a cow

Answer 8

from 18 days but from day 30 is more common - less chance or resorption

Question 9

By what day should fotal membranes be adhered to the uterine wall

Answer 9

from day 40, if the foetal fluid is cloudy or the membranes aren’t attached it indicates foetal death or poor health

Question 10

From what day can the umbilical pulse be seen

Answer 10

day 110

Question 11

from what day can foetal bone deposition be seen

Answer 11

day 57

Question 12

What is a castrated bull and ram called

Answer 12

steer

wether

Question 13

when would a ram become fertile

when would a bull become fertile

Answer 13

4-6 months for a ram

7 months for a bull

Question 14

Reasons for castration

Answer 14

makes animals safer to handle, reduces aggression
prevents accidental / unwanted pregnancies
possibly better carcass quality - increased fat, taint avoided

Question 15

Reasons against castration

Answer 15

welfare - pain, stress
reduced growth rates and growth set back
arguably no difference in carcass quality

Question 16

when is anaesthesia required for castration?

Answer 16

over 2 months in cattle, 3 months in lambs

Question 17

what is the anaesthetic protocol for castration

Answer 17

procaine plus adrenaline - lisenced in cattle - 10-15 min onset
inject into spermatic cord, scrotum and testes

epidural can bee used for larger animals

Question 18

when should rubber rings be applied

Answer 18

48-72 hours after birth

Question 19

Reasons for dehorning

Answer 19

safety for workers

reduces injury to other animals

Question 20

where should anaesthesia be injected for de-horning

Answer 20

aim for the cornual branch of the facial nerve and give 3-10 ml of anaesthetic

Question 21

what is a good sedative for de-horning

Answer 21

xylazine

Question 22

What are the stages of labour and how long should they last

Answer 22

1st stage - dilation of the cervix - 3-6 hours
2nd stage - expulsion of the foetus - can take severa hours
3rd stage - expulsion of the placenta - up to 12hours post delivery

Question 23

When to intervene

Answer 23

if no progress has been made within an hour of the water bag showing
if there is bleeding from the vulva
if there has been no progression from 1st to 2nd stage of labour after 6 hours

Question 24

Causes of dystocia

Answer 24

malpresentation
foeto-maternal oversize
congenital abnormality
primary inertia

Question 25

How should calving ropes be placed

Answer 25

a double loop above the fetlock and below the fetlock

Question 26

What are risk factors for uterine torsions

Answer 26

``` occurs at the onset of parturition most commonly poor rumen fill space in the abdomen hilly land standing up and lying down ```

Question 27

indications for a caesarian

Answer 27

``` Foetal oversize/foeto-maternal disproportion Irreducible uterine torsion Insufficient cervical dilatation Dead/empyhsematous calf Constricted vagina and vestibulum Abnormal calf Foetal malpresentaion Double muscled breeds, Embryo transfer calves - elective ```

Question 28

Factors affecting neonatal calf diarrhoea

Answer 28

``` hygiene stocking density colostrum intake - IgG and IgA nutrition ventilation temperature stress ```

Question 29

How much colostrum should a calf be given

Answer 29

3.5-4 litres in the first 6 hours, repeat within the next 12 hours continue feeding colostrum for the next 4-7 days

Question 30

What vaccines are available to the mother to aid calf health

Answer 30

ETEC, rotavirus, coronavirus | given 30 days before calvinf

Question 31

describe coccidiosis with regards to calf scour

Answer 31

usually seen in older calves - 21 days plus see tenesmus, dark scour sometimes with blood but usually bright in themselves often associated with poor hygiene

Question 32

Describe necrotic enteritis in calves

Answer 32

affects calves at 2-6 months unknown aetiology usually fatal see pyrexia, pale mucous membranes, necrotic lesions in GIT, leucopenia and thrombocytopaenia

Question 33

Describe malabsorptive and hypersecretory diarrhoea and their pathogenic causes

Answer 33

hypersecretory diarrhoea is when enterotoxins stimulate hypersecretion of water and nutrients into the gut lumen. Diarrhoea occurs due to overwhelming the system and to flush out the enterotoxins. E.coli (ETEC) and cholera causes it. malabsorptive diarrhoea is due to villus damage which reduces absorption from the gut lumen which changes the osmotic gradient so more water moves into the gut lumen. rotavirus, coronavirus, crypto cause it

Question 34

At what age should a heiffer be first served and have her first calf

Answer 34

13-14 months at first service to calf at 24 months

Question 35

what puts constraints on calf growth

Answer 35

illness lack of colostrum inadequate nutrition - milk and solids inadequate environment - poo hygiene, temp, ventilation, stocking density

Question 36

when should a calf be weaned

Answer 36

ideally not until 12 weeks but many weaned at 8-9

Question 37

What are the 3 most common neonatal diseases in ruminants

Answer 37

diarrhoea navel ill septicaemia

Question 38

Things to look for when examining a neonate

Answer 38

``` demeanor suck reflex temp resp and heart rate faeces navel hydration status any CNS signs abdominal distention abdominal sounds ```

Question 39

risk factors for navel ill

Answer 39

hygiene at calving patent navel colostrum intake

Question 40

what is the outcome if the urachus, umbilical artery or vein is affected in navel ill

Answer 40

remove the infected urachus and umbilical artery | if vein is infected there's poor prognosis

Question 41

treatment of joint ill

Answer 41

long course antibiotics joint lavage arthrotomy and joint flush antibiotic impregnated beads in joint

Question 42

what is the definition of bacteraemia and septicaemia

Answer 42

bacteraemia = bacteria in the blood often secondary | septicaemia is when bacteria are multiplying in the blood, fatal

Question 43

At what age is septicaemia most commonly seen

Answer 43

between 1-5 days old

Question 44

Clinical signs of septicaemia

Answer 44

``` collapsed meningitis shocked (endotoxaemia) Very congested conjunctiva Petechiae DIC CNS signs sometimes diarrhoea is not a sign but septicaemia may occur at same time as diarrhoea ```

Question 45

Which is the only diarrhoea pathogen which also invades to cause septicaemia

Answer 45

salmonella

Question 46

What pathogen causes calf diptheria

Answer 46

fusiformis necrophorum causes oral lesion, sore mouth with foul smelling odour treat with penicillin

Question 47

What are the reasons for metabolic acidosis

Answer 47

loss of bicarbonate addition of acid neutrilisation of bicarbonate dilution of bicarbonate

Question 48

what problems does dystokia cause the calf

Answer 48

hypoxia due to reduced oxygen delivery metabolic acidosis due to lactic acid production respiratory acidosis due to poor lung function oedema, bruising and fractures all results in weakness and inability to or inadequacy of colostrum intake and a weakened immune system

Question 49

how long should it take a calf to get into sternal recumbency after birth

Answer 49

less than 5 minutes

Question 50

what does colostrum contain?

Answer 50

immunogloblins IgG,A and M | protein, fat, vitamins, growth factors

Question 51

Why do calves rarely get enough colostrum

Answer 51

heifers have poorer colostrum and less of it bad calvings result in weak calves genetics: loss of mothering ability, large teats, poor colostrum quality

Question 52

what factors affect colostrum quality

Answer 52

``` mastitis pre-milking length of dry period genetics parity breed pre-partum nutrition ```

Question 53

consequences of diarrhoea in calves

Answer 53

dehydration leading to pre-renal failure and shock metabolic acidosis - loss of bicarbonate into the gut, lactic acid build up from tissues and colonic fermentation hyperkalaemia secondary to acidosis due to intracellular uptake of H+ in exchange for K+ hypoglyaemia due to starvation