Sheep scab is an allergic dermatitis which is caused by the mite Psoroptes ovis. It is a highly contagious condition as the mites live and feed on the skin and so they are easily spread onto in contact sheep.
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they need to eat meat to survive. Their diet should be high in protein and low in carbohydrates. A balanced diet will provide your cat with all the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
Roundworms in cattle can reduce growth rates by up to 30% (1) so it is important not to delay the mid-season pour-on dose as this potentially leads to a loss of production as the worm burden could start to impact on growth rates. It can be hard to notice the economic impact of worms unless regular weighing is taking place as reduction in growth rates will take place before any more obvious clinical signs are seen.
Rabbits are inquisitive, affectionate, and active animals who love to play and forage. These fluffy friends come in all shapes and sizes and all with their personalities, making an exciting and enjoyable experience for both of you. But we need to make sure that their needs are put first, and we provide all the necessary elements of a rabbit’s lifestyle to keep them healthy and happy.
Pneumonia is a common major issue, which is estimated to cost the UK cattle industry over £50 million each year. Early identification, treatment and prevention protocols are essential for the animal’s growth performance and of course your pocket!
Wynnstay has a strong team of RAMAs, fully trained and legally qualified to advise, prescribe and supply certain veterinary medicines. In this issue of Farm Focus, we meet Tony Morris, Animal Health Sales Specialist in Worcester and surrounding counties. Tony tells us how getting fully involved in customers’ farms is key to understanding their needs.
AMTRA-qualified RAMAs support farmers by offering advice and prescribing preventative medications and treatments, including for sustainable worm control.
In the first episode of the new season of the Wynnstay Agri-Hub Podcast, I was joined by Sarah Brooks, who facilitates AMTRA training and supports our team of 200 qualified RAMAs, and Chris from the Cardigan store. Together, we delved into how farmers can get the right advice on medicines, and the support we can offer and highlighted some seasonal challenges.
In order to increase performance in any flock, it is important to consider regular body condition scoring (BCS) in order to identify any drastic changes in ewe condition not noticeable through observation alone. Through this you can ensure that ewes are on target for the system and the time of year, and in turn will result in improved fertility, increased lamb performance and reduced incidence of metabolic diseases.
The target condition score will vary depending on the farm type, breed, and time of year and ewe prolificacy.
Rigorous and sustained adoption by farmers of an established disease management protocol is what’s needed to reduce the incidence of sheep lameness on many UK farms.
Managing the shedding of eggs from ewes in spring can be one way of minimising the worm larvae uptake by lambs later in the grazing season and thus reduce the need for subsequent treatments.
The rationale behind treating ewes is that it reduces the number of worm eggs a ewe puts onto pasture when her immune system relaxes around lambing – a term known as the spring rise.
