LLM Farm Vets Newsletter April 2019

Newsletter

April 2019

In this edition...

• • • •

People’s Pages Dairy Talk - The Anatomy of a Brilliant Transition Ewes News - High Risk of Nematodirus VetTech Tails - Use Mobility Scoring to your Advantage www.lambertleonardmay.co.uk 1

Contents •

People’s Pages.........................................................................................4

•

Upcoming Events & Training Courses......................................................6

•

Dairy Talk - The Anatomy of a Brilliant Transition......................................8

•

Beef Bulletin - Shout about the Sire!.........................................................10

•

VetTech Tails - Use Mobility Scoring to your Advantage...........................12

•

Ewes News - High Risk of Nematodirus...................................................14

•

Caption Competition..................................................................................15

LLM Farm Vets Contacts Whitchurch...........01948 663000 Eccleshall.............01785 472211 Wrexham..............01978 280580 Pharmacy.............01948 302424 Accounts..............01948 663059 LLM Vet Team Den Leonard 07970 267494 Bill May 07968 318493 Simon King 07973 271754 Tom Wright 07590 183804 Dan Stevenson 07894 586233 Mike Christie 07775 561820 Sarah Gibbs 07711 593783 Hannah Batty 07841 919227 Rob Hall 07889 408092

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Raquel Teixeira 07889 599810 Peter Neilson 07889 595908

Lancashire Vets Ian Cure 07590 225284 Rob Howe 07590 225283 Matt Hylands 07584 684919 Alun Beckett 07850 326432 Roland Millar 07894 406225 Matt Haslam 07502 994708

Claire Whittle 07841 775695

Derbyshire Vets

Tom Jackson 07837 291097

Andrew Henderson 07841 675549

Tom Downes 07703 189224

Katie Fitzgerald 07765 644909

Lancashire...........01772 866014 Clitheroe...............01200 545456 Bakewell...............01629 691692

VetTech Team

TB Team

Natalie Parker 07841 775697

Janka Zaleska 07894 586231

Emily Hallett 07845 817070 Rachel Cooper 07834 547832 Bertie Martin 07711 593780 Steph Cowgill 07505 443231 Joe Wheeler 07849 835379

Alberto Alaman 07720 737872 Des Leonard 07811 342289 Cristina San-Agustin 07850 326433 Vinko Marjanovic 07849 835375

Jo Brown 07841 501655

Simion Tiberiu Piticariu 07720 740881

Vikki Stockdale 07730 765543

Emilio Martinez 07907 410983

UKET Team

Megan Thorpe 07714 770328

UKET Office 01948 663124 Spike Newman 07921 374036 Stan Matthews 07971 118909

Lilli Fox 07889 580432

Welcome to the April edition of your newsletter!

It’s a warm welcome to you all for our March newsletter from Bakewell and the wider LLM team. It’s great to have had a fairly decent spring this year. I’m hopeful this current spell of weather will continue well into the summer giving everyone a chance to recover after such a challenging last 12 months.

The last eight months in our Derbyshire practice have been busy to say the least for Katie and I. As a result in December we welcomed Gemma to the team as our office administrator and I’m sure many of you locally have spoken to her to book in calls, TB tests or order medicines.

I’m also glad to be able to say we’ve added to our team in the last 6 weeks with the addition of Lilli Fox as a TB tester. Lilli is local to the area being from Tideswell and an active member of Barlow Young Farmers. She is currently finalising her training under Katie’s supervision and should be on farm testing shortly; I’m sure you’ll all give her a very warm welcome as you meet her.

In addition, to her main role supporting us with the delivery of TB testing she will also be leading up our new veterinary technician service for Derbyshire. This will involve providing services such as disbudding, vaccination, transition check, body condition scoring, mobility scoring and fly control. If you’re interested in accessing or learning more about these services then please get in contact with the office.

This month we have a number of key messages. Katie Fitzgerald is looking at the transition period on dairy farms. This is such a critical area for successful milk production and it still remains a bottleneck on many farms.

Our transition check service has been a great support to many farms over the last few years.

Hannah Batty highlights an important Nematodirus risk in the UK and how to deal with it.

Nat Parker reviews mobility scoring; a pertinent area considering a recently published study by the University of Nottingham found an average prevalence of lameness of 30.1% on 58 farms based in the Midlands. This mirrors another study by the University of Liverpool. Frequent mobility scoring is a cornerstone of successful foot health management yet is infrequently utilised.

I hope you enjoy this edition and thanks again for all you support locally over the past few months.

Andrew

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People Pages INTRODUCING...

Jay Walker Jay is our new Field Support Manager, and joined LLM about 3 weeks ago!

Jay gives us her “Me, Myself and I”: “My background is further away from the farm world as you can get, but management I have done for some time.

My previous roles include Store Liaison Manager for over 300 Iceland stores in the North, HR & Training Manager for shopping centre/hotels and the Automobile Association.

Vikki Stockdale

I love all animals and when the opportunity came along to work along side the Vets, VetTechs and the TB team I couldn’t get here quick enough and really look forward to working with the team (and cows). My hobbies are interior design, dance and football (managing not playing, can you see the theme?)”

“I grew up near Ascot in Berkshire, but have been living and working in Cheshire for the past 12 years. I’ve always been pretty hands on with large animals. For nine years I worked closely with horses (coincidence growing up near Ascot?!) Following this I took the plunge and went to work in New Zealand. There, I lived on a Merino sheep / bull farm and calf rearing unit, gaining plenty of farming experience.

Vikki joins us as a VetTech at Whitchurch and no doubt you’ve already seen her on farm.

I carried on calf rearing and milking full time on cross breed dairy farms before moving back to the UK three years ago to continue milking for a 400+ herd. I’m excited to get stuck in at LLM and looking forward to widen my knowledge, especially in fertility.”

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Lilli Fox Lilli joins our Derbyshire team as an Approved TB tester but will also head up the VetTech service. Over to you Lilli: “I grew up on a beef and sheep farm in Derbyshire and was always cow mad from a young age and have never grown out of it!

Lucy Barton

I started an apprenticeship on a 1500 head pedigree Holstein dairy farm and soon found a passion for dairy, especially calf rearing and calf health!

While on my apprenticeship I was always hands on with the vets and learnt a lot. I loved every second of being there and only left as I wanted to see the way other herds worked.

Lucy joins our Lancashire support team, helping organise the practice (and vets) and is based primarily in the Preston practice:

I then became self employed and worked on a variety of dairy farms with all different breeds! I was drawn to this job as I wanted a challenge and to learn new things as I love to widen my knowledge and always up for a challenge. I also like to help farmers think of new ways to overcome issues they may have!”

I come from a farming background, been brought up on a working dairy farm where I still currently live with my parents and brothers in Barnacre.

“I grew up in Bury in a place called Heap Bridge. I moved to Garstang with my family coming up to 11 years ago this September.

I completed two years at Myerscough College and gained a Level 3 diploma in animal management.

I have previously worked in catering, the craft industry assisting in the making of leotard garments for gymnastics and the British Olympics, Sales and an Agricultural sundries store.

With coming from a farming background, I have always wanted to stay within my farming roots. So I felt extremely lucky when I was given the chance to work for LLM.”

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Upcoming Events Derbyshire

Flock Health Evening Meeting Wednesday 1st May 2019 7:30pm

We have our next flock health meeting following demand from our last lambing meeting. Peers Davies from Liverpool University will be joining us alongside Carrs Billington for a discussion on worming - strategy for control and prevention. Venue is to be confirmed shortly.

If you would like to come, please call Gemma in the practice on 01629 691692.

i

Just to confuse you all, we want to make sure that everyone's aware we have two anniversaries this year!

LLM Whitchurch are celebrating 20 years and LLM Lancs are celebrating 10 years - two different parties but a whole lot of fun! •

Lancs 10 year party - Saturday 6th July

•

Whitchurch 20 year party - Saturday 20th July

We don't want anyone to miss a do by having the wrong date in the diary #PartyPlanningCentral

Training Courses Training Course

Date

Time

Location

Artificial Insemination

15th - 17th May

10:30am 3:00pm

LLM Whitchurch, SY13 4AQ

Practical Foot Trimming

10th - 11th April

10:30am 3:00pm

Reaseheath College

Whitchurch - please call 01948 663000 to book onto the above courses 6

Classifieds For Sale

Simmental Bulls For Sale

15 calf hutches in very good condition. Collection from the Newport area. Please call 07740 512137 for more information.

BVD, IBR and Lepto Vaccinated and Johne’s accredited. Good temperament and easy calving.

For Sale 200 standard Moo Monitor collars with replaceable batteries. Will sell as a whole or will split.

Contact 07952 327565.

For Sale

Please call 07714 089001 or 07907 410983 Full or part time help wanted On 200+ dairy farm & followers, experience preferred. Duties include milking, feeding & general stock assistance.

North Shropshire - Whitchurch / Ellesmere.

Tel: 07812 373 482

2 x Pygmy goats, 4 years old, female, great pets and walking. Please call 07725 024359 for more information

Email: roger.edwards9@icloud.com

Big Bale Silage For Sale

Training not required but attention to detail is a must

DM 29.3%, D-value 67, Protein 17%.

Collection from Norbury, Whitchurch

Dairy Calf Rearer Wanted Friendly Family Run Farm, Lancashire

For more details contact Eileen: 07851781448

Contact 07815636958.

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Dairy Talk

Katie Fitzgerald gives us some key tips for building a great transition period...

MONITOR

WATER ACCESS

MAKE SURE THERE’S ENOUGH

SPACE

10m

At least

10cm per cow

2 Minimum lying area per cow

If the yard is used for calving, a minimum of 15m2 per cow is recommended

Clean water troughs improve intakes

MAINTAIN

MACRO MINERAL STATUS Various routes of supplementation exist for the provision of minerals in the dry cow diet: •

Boluses: these contain no micro mineral provision

•

Mineral licks: can be expensive per tonne and intakes are unpredictable within individuals/groups

•

Mineralised compound: these can be expensive though can represent a simple way to introduce supplementation consistently

•

Custom mineral: this would be an essential requirement in a PMR/TMR

•

Water / LMS: can present issues with variable intakes within groups

PROTECT THE LIVER !

Beware unnecessarily feeding saturated fats

For example, Pure C16s (e.g. Energiser RP10) and C16-C18 blends (e.g. Megalac)

X

Consider: •

Feeding propylene glycol or glycerol to minimise fat mobilisation in transition

•

Avoid multiple group changes around calving as it leads to reduction in dry matter intake

•

Upgrading the diet with protected choline, methionine & biotin to improve fat export, metabolism & glucose production

•

Aim for at least 3 weeks in the transition group where space allows

•

Using supportive tools for individual at risk animals

AVOID GROUP CHANGES

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The anat brilliant t

For example, Monensin boluses for cows BCS >= 3.5, lame, previous metabolic disease, heifers calving > 27 months

REGULATE CALCIUM

FEED ACCESS

Supplement Strategies: • Partial DCAB • Full DCAB - requires regular urine pH monitoring • Calcium Binders Consider targeted treatment of high risk cows (BCS >=4)

1m

Present fresh ration daily (twice daily if possible) and monitor refusal levels Consider: •

The use of a flexible barrier or offsetting the rail to improve reach.

•

Implementing a smooth surface to improve feed intake

•

Raising feed space by 15cm relative to the standing surface

Remember to monitor

!

Blood calcium levels are normally lowest 2 3 days post calving.

tomy of a transition

minimum per cow

RECORD & MONITOR

Record & review the incidence of metabolic disease events: • • • • •

Milk Fever < 5% Retained Fetal Membrane < 5% LDAs < 2% Metritis Endometritis

Use milk records to assess early lactation performance:

UPDATE THE RATION

Dry Matter Intake: 12 – 14 kg Energy requirements: • • • • • •

Far off 80 - 90 MJ Close up 110 - 120 MJ Starch 12 – 15% (if maize based) Crude Protein 13 – 15% Metabolisable Protein > 1200g (1500g preferably) Neutral Detergent Fibre ca. 50%

• • • •

14 day milk yield Peak milk yield DIM of peak Shape of lactation curve (Early peak & fall or failure to peak)

Utilise routine screening methods, including the VetTech Transition check service which monitors rumen fill, BCS and BHB’s

For more information and advice about improving your transition period, please speak to your vet.

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Beef Bulletin

Carcase trait EBVs will help commercial beef farmers boost profits A recent project, funded by AHDB and Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales, has developed new Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) that are linked to the traits commercial farmers get paid for, such as carcase quality and speed of finishing. The new carcase trait EBVs are: • • • • •

Carcase conformation Carcase weight Fat class Days to slaughter Average daily carcase gain

A bull’s EBVs give you a good idea of the genetic potential that will be passed on to his calves and should always be taken into consideration when purchasing stock bulls or choosing AI sires. Although terminal traits such as growth rate and muscle depth are a step in the right direction to producing profitable carcases, the new carcase trait EBVs are directly related to carcase performance.

The new EBVs are calculated using data from BCMS, abattoirs and breed societies, giving high accuracy figures for bulls that have had progeny slaughtered. For young bulls, EBVs can still be calculated using data from their relatives, such as their parents and grandparents. These figures will get more accurate when their own progeny reach slaughter age.

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The EBVs are not only an important step forward for suckler-bred animals, they are also highly relevant to beef on dairy sires.

Registering sire details on passports The abattoir data currently covers 40% of the national kill and more than two million carcase records for both purebred and crossbred animals have been used to develop these EBVs. However, there were a further two million abattoir records that could not be used to generate EBVs. This was because the sire details of the finished animal were not recorded when registering their calves. In order for a bull to have these EBVs available, their sire details must be registered with BCMS on the passports of their calves. Without this information, any data relating to the bull is meaningless.

You can help by making sure you register the sire. Keeping a list of ear tag numbers by the side of your computer will make it easier and quicker when registering calves. If using artificial insemination (AI), a simple way to keep track is to make sure all semen delivery cards are kept safe as these will have the sire ear tag number on them.

The new carcase trait EBVs for bulls that have them can be found at egenes. co.uk/carcassdata You can search by pedigree name or ear tag number.

Take our industry higher Shout about the sire These EBVs can only be generated if you record the ear tag number of the sire when registering a calf with BCMS

Did you know?

There are now carcase trait EBVs that will help you choose a bull based on the things you get paid for

The more sires that are registered, the more accurate the EBVs will be

But it’s not all about EBVs By naming the sire at calf registration, you will be

data to make decisions about your herd breeding strategy • Generating the industry to be more competitive in changing times • Elevating your livestock more attractive to potential buyers • Making • Creating consumer trust through traceability

SIRES OF DAIRY BRED CALVES

MATTER TOO!

of all prime beef in England is a product of the dairy herd

23% CURRENTLY, ONLY

OF SIRES ARE REGISTERED ON BCMS

Don’t know who the sire is? AHDB Beef & Lamb have tools to help you record breeding information more accurately, making it easier to record the sire when registering calves.

beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/returns

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tails Use a mobility score to your advantage Mobility scoring is a very effective way of assessing the lameness prevalence in your herd. When the information is used in conjunction with your foot trimmer and vet, it can be a successful way of reducing and controlling the causes of lameness on your farm.

All of the VetTechs are ROMS approved mobility scorers and we can also do BCS, cleanliness and hock assessments if needed by your milk buyer.

Ideally any score 3 and 2 cows will want immediate action. Sometimes this is difficult with work commitments on farm but the sooner intervention is taken the better.

0 - good mobility

It is also important to try and keep the cows due routine foot trimming on schedule as the more that are seen routinely should result in less lame cows.

We work to the AHDB guidelines for mobility scores which are:

1 - Walking unevenly NOT lame (this could be due to other issues such as breeding and having too much of a straight leg set, freshly calved with a large udder or a back problem) 2 - Shows lameness 3 - Severe lameness and this is preventing them from keeping pace with the rest of the herd.

Mobility scoring can be done every six weeks and a quarterly one with the full BCS for the milk buyers if needed on your contract.

The scoring can be done straight onto a tablet allowing the report to be generated that day. Alternatively, the scoring is down via our written report with the generated analysis sent out the next day. Both of these methods details the individual cow with her score and if lame, which foot is affected.

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An example of a farm that has really taken control of mobility and seen a reduction in lameness is Cox, Manor Farm. When they first started mobility scoring in 2013 they had 78% of their herd sound and 8.6% of the herd at score 3. They took a team approach to tackle the lame cows, picking up those scored at 2 and 3 as soon as possible and treating appropriately. Additionally, making sure their routine trims were kept on top of weekly was a high priority. This approach and process has ~ . Cox Farming Company resulted in an improvement to 95% of the herd sound and only 0.7% at score 3.

Report Date: 15/03/2019

Mobility Scoring Overview Report 91% of your herd are sound (scored 0 or 1)

As well as identifying foot trimming Most Recent Result requirements from the report, it is also important to think about the cause of Scoring Date Scorebe 1 lameness problemsScore and0 what could causing them.

This could be anything 06/03/2019 76.59% (373) 14.78% (72) from specific Rollinga six month 83% group that 11%has to navigate a tight corner, to uneven concrete.

Score 2 8.01% (39) 5%

Score 3 0.62% (3) 1%

Total Cows Scored 487

Vet Comments

Hopefully, by utilising the mobility report to look into these wider issues, a plan can be implemented to prevent issues in the future. Foot bathing is an area that needs to be done regularly and correctly. However, it is important that you know the amount of water your footbath holds so you can get the right percentage of solution. As with foot bathing, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to mobility score your dry cows.

Page 1 of 9

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Ewes News

High Risk for Nematodirus It’s that time of year again where Nematodirus rears its head, increasing the disease risk for young lambs out at pasture. We wanted to revisit the disease again, because the SCOPS forecast for March and April indicates a moderate to high risk for almost all areas of the UK (see the map below).

Nematodirus becomes a concern at this time of the year due to the increase in temperatures. The Nematode larvae are very resistant to temperature and can survive winter periods within the egg relatively easily. After a cold snap, once temperatures rise over 10ºC for several days, the larvae start to hatch.

We don’t normally see this so early on in Spring, especially across the whole of the UK, but the recent warm February weather has increased the risk of a mass hatch substantially.

With a severe larval challenge, up to 5% of lambs can die within a few days.

Sub-clinically, there will be a negative impact on growth rates meaning a substantial delay to market.

A key sign to look out for is profuse watery diarrhoea - keep and eye out for staining on the tail and congregation around water. The lambs might also appear dull and depressed, with reduced / no sucking. These symptoms are also similar to cocci, so please ask us if you have any concerns. Unfortunately for diagnosis, faecal worm egg counts aren’t helpful as the disease is caused by larvae before they start laying eggs.

We would recommend that you give us a call if you have any queries and develop a plan for prevention and treatment.

www.scops.org.uk 14

Caption Competition We welcomed back the caption competition last month and we had some cracking captions in! But our favourite was...

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You must be off your rocker lying there!â&#x20AC;?

Thank you to Neil McCallum for sending this one in through Facebook!

If you have an image that you think is made for a caption competition, send them in to lucy.evans@llmvets.co.uk

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Midlands Whitchurch Old Woodhouses, Broughall, Whitchurch, SY13 4AQ 01948 663000 Eccleshall Unit 19A Raleigh Hall Ind Est, Eccleshall, Staffordshire, ST21 6JL 01785 472211 North Wales Wrexham Unit 24, The Bridgeway Centre, Wrexham Ind Est, LL13 9QS 01978 280580 Lancashire Preston 136 Whittingham Lane, Broughton, Preston, PR3 5DD 01772 866014 Clitheroe Unit 2 Deanfield Court, Link 59 Business Park, Clitheroe, BB7 1QS 01200 545456 Derbyshire Bakewell Riverside Business Park, Buxton Road, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1GS 01629 691692

www.lambertleonardmay.co.uk info@llmvets.co.uk To unsubscribe from our newsletter, please email info@llmvets.co.uk