Poor Thrift in FAs Flashcards
Young, Adult, Group and Subgroup (44 cards)
1
Q
What is “poor thrift” and why is it a problem?
A
- applicable to cows and horses even though we mainly discuss sheep
- If they fail to achieve a certain body weight by a certain age –> farmers will suggest that they are sufferring from poor thrift (young animals)
- If the weight loss is too much - same description (adult animals)
2
Q
Definition of Poor Thrift in Young Animals
A
- need to know target growth rates - only on the basis of target growth rates will we be able to decide the presence of poor thrift
- different species and breeds will have different growth rates
- younger animals will grow at a faster rate (on a milk diet) rather than older (pasture/silage diet)
- are we feeding on concentrates? or on pasture? - will affect growth rate
- stressful env’t? (overstocking, etc.)
- If you think there is a presence of poor thrift, remember to take in these factors
3
Q
Poor Thrift in Young Animals
A
- Many farmers in the UK do not know what their growth rates are
- If the farm is only able to sell 70% of the lambs to the abbatoir rather than normal 90% in September, they will then notice
- Investigation becomes critical
- this is a common issue, every farm will have at least a few suffering from poor thrift, usually a large group suffering
4
Q
Effects of Slow Lamb Growth Rates
A
- Effects on feed consumption essentialy
- same slaughter weight (same 18kg gain)
- the one with a slower growth rate will require more food in the long run
- faster GR will require about half the feed obver a life time! - need to make the farmers aware of this problem!
- we can save a lot of money if we help them prevent this problem
5
Q
Large Groups and Poor Thrift in young Animals
A
- If the lambs are not growing properly
- these problems are common, expensive when occurring and most likely affecting a bunch all at the same time
- easy enough fix
6
Q
Why are thin adult animals a problem?
A
- It is normal for them to be a bit thin when lactating - but if it continues, is an issue
- mating: want one calf/ cow/ year - weight can affect this
- echo
- Not only are the economics disturbed but also the welfare of the animals - if there are quite a few, there is an increased concern
7
Q
Assessing Poor Thrift
A
- echo
- BCS becomes useful
- pregnancy cycle is important to take in as the growth of the calf can be misleading
- know the ideal normally and at different stages of reproduction cycle
8
Q
BCS
A
- must be able to feel them to know
9
Q
Causes of Poor Thrift: Whole Group
A
- causes for whole group are different ot htose that will apply to a subgroup
- maldigestion or malabsorption will most likely be parasites
- won’t eat: usually parasites- nematodes
10
Q
Normal Appetite and Inadequate Nutrition
A
- affecting the whole group
- ex: feeding straw mainly while they are lactating –> suffering from quality
- copper, selenium, vitamin E
- trace elements in an animal depend on the soil and the plants!
11
Q
+/- Normal appetite, adequate nutrition
A
12
Q
Abnormal Appetite - won’t eat
A
- nematodes in intestinal tract
- It may not be possible for the farmer to know the appetite of his flock: there is no need to know
- We will not be able to determine for SURE
13
Q
Summary of whole group showing poor thrift
(3)
A
*
14
Q
Normal Appetite, Adequate Nutrition
A
- If a sub-group is suffering
- Chronic enteritis in cows and sheep from Johnes - cobblestone gut
- only few animals willl be affected
- chronic pneumonia that can be contracted in the digestive tract
15
Q
Normal appetite- can’t eat
A
- dental disease: sheep that are old and have rotten mouth, lost teeth
- or overgrowth of teeth!: common in sheep and horses
- but remember a few animals not all –> this can be an issue leading to poor thrift
- echo
16
Q
Poor thrift in grazing animals
A
- parasitism is massively common in farm stock
- Every farm will at some point through the year underfeed their stock
- echo
17
Q
Step 1a: Define the Problem
A
- Get weight records if applicable or at least the slaghter records
18
Q
Step 1b: Refine the Problem
A
- dairy: you need to know whether they are being underfed or not –> you can tell from the milk yield (is it low, there may be negative E balance) or you can find out when they are served and concieve (too long–> negative E balance)
- BCS yourself -echo
- finishing time to slaughter also gives a good indication
- It is really difficult to get accurate info!
19
Q
Step 2: History
A
- Designing the Q’s is critical
- need to make sure you are applying the righ tones to each situation
- group, subgroup, individual?
- echo
- can figure out at what stage of the reporcution cycle there is a problem
20
Q
Step 3: Env’t Examination
A
- Examine the pasture and other feeding sources
- quality?
21
Q
Step 4a: Distance Examination
A
- pruritis: skin disease?
22
Q
Step 4b: Individual animal examination
A
- full exam: stethoscope, etc. - may only be able to take on a low number of animals at that rate compared to doing loads of basic exams
- depends on size of issue
23
Q
Step 4c: +/- PME
A
- Only euthanise ones that are not of high value for PME if it will benefit the sake of the whole flock/herd
- Need to take in cost of PME as well in terms of benefit
24
Q
Benefits of PM
A
- TE: trace element
25
GI Worms that will be visible to the eye
(be on watch for!)
(3)
* Can actually see these during a PME
26
27
Ancillary aids/further diagnostic tests
* fecals: can sample for deficiencies and fecal egg counts?
* need to consider how many samples you are taking in terms of diagnostic tests
28
Step 6: Data Analysis and decision making
* Never make a decision based on lab diagnostic tests
* need to incorporate everything
* a low FEC may be the result of deworming right before sampling- need to connect history to samples
29
Step 7: Report writing and further monitoring
* need to write a report if the whole group is suffering
* or in case of infectious diseases (Johnes or contagious masitits even if it is only a few animals or is an ongoing problem )
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Summary
31
Examination of Group Animals
32
"Distance Examination"
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35
36
* Group of 8 alpacas – 7 white and 1 brown
* Outdoors grazing on leafy green grass with low stocking density
* All alpacas appear alert
* The alpacas have been shorn – their fleece is shorter than normal
* The brown alpaca was scratching its belly
* The second to last alpaca in the video has obvious and extensive skin lesions on the dorsum and flanks. During the 13 seconds it was filmed, it scratched its front leg once and its belly once
* 2 alpacas (the first and seventh in the video) have an area of clipped fleece on the neck in the location of the jugular vein
37
* Ewes of mixed breeds – mainly Texel x and Mule
* Grazing outdoors with moderate stocking density
* The ewes are being fed grass which looks to be of relatively low quality – short grass with a lot of dead matter
* All the ewes look alert and many are chewing their cud
* The ewes have multiple coloured marks on them. The marks on the neck are bright and obviously made with spray marker. The marks on the rump are from a crayon from a ram harness so obviously these ewes have been mounted by a ram wearing a harness. All the ewes in the video have crayon marks on the rump so mating must have been occurring over at least a 15-17 day time period to allow all the ewes to exhibit oestrus
* A Texel ram wearing a harness is clearly visible. At the end of the video there is a brief shot of a Suffolk also wearing a ram harness
* There is clearly a lameness problem in the flock. The first ewe in the picture (red neck, blue rump) has non-weightbearing lameness in the front left leg – at the beginning of the video it is obvious that she is holding this leg up, and when she walks (at 23 seconds) she is clearly lame. A second ewe (blue neck, red and black rump) limps into the video after 24 seconds have elapsed and then stands without bearing weight on her front left leg
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**What you could/should have observed:**
* Group of Holstein Friesian and Holstein x heifers
* Grazing outdoors in a large field, low stocking density
* Grazing lush green leafy pasture which looks to be of high quality
* All but 1 heifer are out in the field grazing grass and appear bright and alert
* The heifer at the beginning of the video is standing in the corner, away from the rest of the group. She has her head up and appears alert
40
You have identified that 1 heifer is by itself in the corner while the remainder of the herd are out grazing. What would you do next?
41
* Group of 4 Welsh Mountain x rams
* Housed inside on straw bedding, moderate stocking density
* Hay available in hay rack
* All rams appear bright and alert
* There is a large size variation – 2 of the rams would weigh about 90kg and the other 2 would only weight about 60kg.
* Body condition scoring of sheep requires palpation of the lumbar area. However, these rams have short fleece and it can be observed that the first ram in the group when they are walking away is in poorer body condition than the others.
* The skin and fleece of the rams looks satisfactory although the ram closest to the fence at the back of the group has some wool derangement on his dorsum
* The ram at the back of the group as they are walking away (time point 18-20 sec) has an abnormality below his left eye. This looks like a swelling
42
Selecting animals on which to undertake a full physical examination
* The approach to full physical examination of a farm animal has already been taught.
* Clearly, selecting animals on which to undertake full physical examinations will vary depending on the situation. It must be recognised that a full physical examination of an animal takes a moderate amount of time – if there are 500 animals in the group then undertaking a full physical examination of 10% of them is not feasible!
* In the case of a disease or production problem affecting the entire group, examine a selection of the worst affected +/- some of the not so badly affected animals
* Where a single or small number of animals are seen to be abnormal (e.g. the sick ram in Video 1), examine those animals
* Examining a ‘random selection’ of animals is rarely rewarding but it might be justified in some situations
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