Cattle SPRING EDITION 2023 Quarterly Creating a Winning Trimming Team The essential read for BCVA members IN MEMORY Tribute to Carl Padgett CATTLE CASE Perineal Urethrostomy NUFFIELD SCHOLARS Neil Eastham
Contents 3 4 6 10 12 16 19 23 26 27 BCVA News Useful information from the profession In Memory John Blackwell honours Carl Padgett Cattle Case Perineal Urethrostomy Congress is coming Preview of the place, people and programme Nuffiield Scholar Series Neil Eastham on Fertility Foot Focus Priory Vets on the benefit of trimmers Animal Health and Welfare Pathway An update from Sarah Tomlinson CATTLE QUARTERLY Cattle Quarterly is published by the British Cattle Veterinary Association, The Glenmore Centre, 17 Jessop Ct, Quedgeley, Gloucester GL2 2AP. This magazine is a member-only benefit. Parties interested in receiving Cattle Quarterly should email [email protected]. Tel: 01452 725735 Email: [email protected] Web: www.bcva.org.uk EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR – Alice Miller MANAGING EDITOR – Kay Colquhoun PRODUCTION EDITOR – Aimee Hyett MEMBERSHIP & CPD - Elsbeth Matthews OFFICE MANAGEMENT - Dee Little PRODUCTION BCVA Headquarters, The Glenmore Centre PRINTER – Taylor Brothers Bristol Ltd No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Views expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Editor or the British Cattle Veterinary Association. BCVA is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its publications wherever possible and Cattle Quarterly is printed on paper made from sustainable resources and can be recycled. When you have finished with this edition please recycle it. Members can access the online archive of Cattle Quarterly at www.bcva.org.uk. FROM THE EDITOR Medicines Mel McPherson on calf respiratory vaccination Red Tractor Rachel Hayton on Calf Euthanasia CPD Diary What’s on 2 CATTLE QUARTERLY Editorial Some personal news first, since the last edition of Cattle Quarterly there has been an addition to our family, with the very early arrival of my daughter, Elsbeth, in February. I know that pregnancy can come with some apprehension around what lies ahead in our line of work – and having a family whilst staying engaged with your job in such a busy profession is a challenge. As such, before we get into this issue of Cattle Quarterly, I’d like to remind you about the Family Life content in the Off Farm area of the BCVA website. There are really useful links, CattleCasts, and some great articles about the experience of balancing being a farm vet and a parent. This includes some information for employers too. Many in our profession will have been deeply saddened by the recent death of BCVA and BVA Past President, Carl Padgett. We thank John Blackwell, a peer and close friend, for his lovely tribute to our much-loved colleague in these pages. His memories of ‘Padge’ will no doubt spark recollection of many more amongst our membership. Our case study this edition is by Dr Claire Neillans of Black Sheep Farm Health. She shares with us a case of perineal urethrostomy surgery in an 18-month-old bull that was presented with a wart on his distal penis. We return to our Nuffield Scholarship series in this issue, with a Q&A with Neil Eastham of Bishopton Vet Group in Ripon. He tells us about his 2018 research which aimed to provide an evidence-based approach on how to cost effectively introduce female genomic testing at the individual farm level. We look at engaging clients about calf respiratory vaccines with Mel McPherson on pages 8-10. Mel is a farm vet working with the Endell Veterinary Group, an Ambassador for Farm Vet Champions, and Quality Improvement Lead for the CVS Farm Division. She tells us about her involvement with the campaign to increase awareness of calf respiratory disease on farm, with a focus on vaccination and an aim to reduce reliance on antibiotics. Our Red Tractor feature is also calf related – looking at the issues around euthanasia within the assurance scheme. Our Foot Focus feature in this issue looks at the experience of Priory Vets. George Jones tells us about working with trimmers Sulwyn Jenkins and Andrew Tyler, to explain how bringing in highly qualified trimmers as an integral part of the practice team has helped to expand their lameness services. As always, I am keen to hear from members with ideas for topics, features, author suggestions – and in particular case studies. With best wishes Alice [email protected].
Losing a Leader and Friend The passing of BCVA Past President, Carl Padgett, has been a huge loss to our profession. As well as being in practice for many years, and then at the Veterinary Defence Society, he was a cherished friend to so many, a supportive colleague, and an invaluable leader. His commitment to supporting his profession was unwavering, and the tributes that have appeared demonstrate how many farm vets he inspired. After receiving an outpouring of condolences and fond memories from across the profession, we are curating a permanent memorial for ‘Padge’, which we will share with his family. This will go into production this summer, so if you would like to send us your stories about your relationship or experiences, please send them to [email protected] by 26 June. We know his loss will be keenly felt and would like to honour his memory. A full tribute can be found on the following pages. Silver Anniversary for HQ Manager On April 1st 1998 Dee Little took on the role of supporting the board and providing a service to any BCVA member who needed advice. Dee was on hand to help our profession brace itself during the devastating outbreak of foot and mouth – and she’s been here for all the profession’s highs and lows for 25 years. “There really isn’t a way to simply define Dee’s role” says President, Colin Mason, “she manages membership, oversees Congress, helps organise CPD, handles our finances, is PA to the Board, and performs an invaluable HR function for the three staff that now complete our HQ team in Gloucester. Dee is a passionate advocate for farm animal vets and takes care of the association’s volunteers like they are her adopted family. Her bond to BCVA is unquestionable and 25 years’ worth of Board members have come to find her support invaluable.” Action Johne’s Role Goes to AHDB AHDB has been asked by DairyUK to be more involved in the Action Group and become the Delivery Team for the initiative, with effect from April 2023. This invloves AHDB administering the Action Johne’s website, and the transfer of management of The National Action Group on Johne’s from RAFT Solutions to AHDB is now complete. The contact email address for the scheme remains the same ([email protected]). The telephone number has changed and is now 024 7601 6237. BCVA continue to administer the register of BAJVAs and the way your personal data are used will not change. The names of BAJVAs continue to be displayed on the map on the Action Johne’s website. If you have any queries regarding this change, please do get in touch with AHDB. Board Nominations Every year our members have a say in who takes the lead in their association. We are run by members for members – farm vets working to represent and serve the interests of their colleagues. In July it will be time for you to nominate for the positions available for the 2023-2024 cohort. Only MRCVS qualify for a Board position, and you can nominate yourself – the process is simple and doesn’t take very long. Deadline is 14 August. It really doesn’t matter how long you have been qualified, what part of the profession you work in – you have something to offer. It is important that we have a diverse team from all backgrounds. This isn’t just for practitioners either – we are keen to welcome nominations from vets working in industry, government, and education. Anyone considering a position on BCVA Board can get in touch prior to the nominations period to ask questions and find out more about the process. Email [email protected]. Catch-up on CattleCasts CattleCasts are perfect, quickfire CPD podcasts you can listen to in between farm visits or when catching up with admin in the office or at home. Recent episodes include an interview with recent Board members (great if you want to find out about working with us), an interview with George Brownlee, CEO of Farm Vet Systems Ltd and VetIMPRESS, and Renzo Di Florio, a farm vet now working with Ceva, telling us about the diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment of Q Fever. You’ll find the archive in the Resources section of the website, and you can also listen on your usual podcast platforms. CATTLE QUARTERLY 3 ASSOCIATION NEWS
IN MEMORY 4 CATTLE QUARTERLY In Memory of Carl Padgett, 1965-2023 Former BCVA and BVA President, John Blackwell, offers a moving tribute to our much-loved Past President, Carl ‘Padge’ Padgett, who passed away in March Carl Padgett, Ruth Vernon and myself where elected onto BCVA council just prior to World Buiatrics hosted by BCVA in Edinburgh in 1996 and remained firm friends from then on. A Glasgow graduate (1989) ‘Padge’, as he was universally and affectionately known, was in practice in his hometown of Lancaster, and he was a cattleman through and through. BCVA Better Off for Padge Back in the day, BCVA was quite different to what is in place today, with a small council and a smaller executive. We met in a tiny office in Frampton, and Padge would often attend on his motorbike, having thundered down the motorways to the idyllic cricket green setting in rural Gloucestershire. Padge became BVA rep whilst on council and then Honorary Secretary between 2000 and 2006, which of course took in the 2001 FMD outbreak, during which he met with senior Defra policy makers and helped the profession to navigate through one of the most difficult challenges of, certainly, our generation. During this time, he also took an active role in TB policy on behalf of BCVA and served on the TB advisory group. Having completed his term as BVA rep, Padge joined the Officer team, and became President of the Association in 2007/2008. I followed him into that role, taking over in a joint conference with our Irish colleagues, in what was a memorable Congress in Killarney. To be fair, Congress was always memorable with Padge in attendance, and he didn’t miss many. A Congress Companion You were always in the very best company with Padge, and as anyone who has been to BCVA Congress will know, most of the networking and fellowship that binds delegates together takes place after the lectures, usually with some refreshment in hand. These ‘meetings’ often continued well into the small hours, covering veterinary topics of the day and life in general. Padge always had a view on whatever you asked him, always considered and evidenced and it was always a joy to be in his company. In his various BCVA roles, he communicated the views of the association with clarity, but would also listen and respect the disparate views from others that can exist in challenging areas of policy. I recall sitting at a BCVA lecture with Padge on the stage as part of a panel discussion. When he got up to speak the lady next to me turned and said (not in any way disparagingly) “He’s a big fella”, to which I replied “Yes, he’s my daughter’s Godfather ... do you think she’ll ever come to any harm!”, the lady turned a rapid shade of pink and said “No!”. An Invaluable Contribution Padge was especially keen to support new graduates within the profession who face many different challenges to those we faced when we graduated. He was a regular at the SPVS Lancaster conference. Padge became BVA president in 2011/12 and also served as Chair of the Animal Welfare Foundation the aims and objectives of which he was a passionate advocate. When he left clinical practice in 2013 he became a claims consultant for the VDS, ideally placed given his respect within the veterinary and wider industry to provide wise counsel and emotional support to those facing a complaint or challenge regarding their professional work. A Life Well Lived Padge was a large part of the veterinary family, but also a devoted family man to his wife Julie and daughter Rose, spending time with their horses and building up a small flock of sheep, as well as indulging in his passion for motorbikes. We once rode in together to a BCVA Congress at Harper Adams, not too far for me from my Shropshire home, as I had only recently passed my bike test. He came down from Lancaster and after a quick cuppa we set off. Soon after we turned off one road to another I noticed Padge had taken his right hand off the throttle and was opening and closing his fingers quickly. Then I noticed my right indicator was on and I hadn’t cancelled it. That typified the man, just looking in the rear-view mirror and looking out for everyone else! Many people will be proud to have called Padge their friend, none so more than me. He was a big guy, with a big heart who contributed a great deal, giving of his time, energy and sharp mind to the veterinary profession. We will miss him.
CATTLE QUARTERLY 5 IN MEMORY BCVA’s 50th anniversary celebration in Southport in 2017. Carl and Julie pictured with Julie Blackwell, Lynne Brooks, John Blackwell and Graham Brooks. Carl and Keith Cutler meeting Princess Anne at our 2009 Southport Congress. With wife Julie and baby Rose at Congress at Southport in 2011, during his time as BVA President. With fellow ex-president, Ruth Vernon, in Amsterdam in 2003. Carl was always the person to gravitate to at a veterinary conference. ‘Padge’, as Carl was affectionately known, graduated from Glasgow in 1989 and went on to become a key figure in the veterinary profession, including his presidency of BCVA 2007-2008 and of BVA 2011-2012.
CATTLE CASE 6 CATTLE QUARTERLY Perineal Urethrostomy Surgery Dr Claire Neillans of Black Sheep Farm Health shares with us a case of perineal urethrostomy surgery in an 18-month-old bull that was presented with a wart on his distal penis An eighteen-month-old pedigree Aberdeen Angus bull was presented with a wart on his distal penis after serving a group of cows. The wart was ligated with non-absorbable suture material. Two days following this procedure, the bull was bright and otherwise normal but had developed a swelling around the prepuce. He was still able to urinate. At this time antibiotics and NSAIDs were given, namely a course of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid and meloxicam respectively. Two days after this, the swelling had worsened extending from the brisket cranially, back to the scrotum caudally (see Figure 1) and had become hard. At this time, the bull was still able to urinate and was well in himself. The swelling was attributed to urine collecting around the prepuce, likely due to a breakdown or compromise in prepucial lining integrity. After discussion with the owner, the decision was made to undertake surgery to correct the problem by preventing further urine build up. Surgery could also eventually provide a cull value too, considering the loss of his original value as a breeding bull. A perineal urethrostomy was undertaken. Surgery Various sources were consulted prior to the surgery. The procedure undertaken was a modified version of surgery described in Noordsy’s Food Animal Surgery, as a “high Perineal Urethrostomy”1 . The higher approach was chosen for two reasons. Firstly, due to the ease of access to the required location. And, secondly because of the reduced risk of urine scald, due to the urine stream being directed caudally rather than down between the animal’s legs. The surgical procedure is outlined to the right as shown in Figure 2. • Surgery was completed with the bull standing, in a squeeze crush. A sacro-coccygeal epidural was performed, using procaine and adrenaline local anaesthetic. • Prior to surgery the rectum was emptied and packed with cotton wool to prevent faecal contamination of the site. A tail bandage was placed, and the tail tied out of the way. • The area from under the anus, down to the top of the scrotum was clipped and surgically prepared with chlorohexidine and surgical spirit. The penis could be easily palpated under the skin. • A longitudinal incision was made below the rectum, where the penis could be easily palpated. The subcutaneous tissue was blunt dissected down to the level of the penis. • The tissue around the penis was then blunt dissected to allow transection and exteriorisation of the penis. A ligature was first passed around the penis to secure the proximal portion and ensure any bleeding could be controlled. • The penis was transected as distally as possible within the incision. Some techniques describe removal of the amputated penis. In this case, the amputated penis was left in place to reduce the risk of contamination of the surgical site from the distal penile wart breakdown. Figure 1 - swelling prior to surgery Figure 2a - preperation of the surgical site
CATTLE QUARTERLY 7 CATTLE CASE Figure 2b - making the skin incision Figure 2c - blunt dissection around the penis Figure 2d - ligature placed around the penis Figure 2e - the penis ready for transection at the most distal point • On loosening the proximal ligature no major blood vessels were identified that could be ligated. But there was some bleeding from the corpus cavernosum penis which proved difficult to address. Adrenaline and pressure were applied to the bleeding tissue however this only slightly reduced the blood flow. Ames (2014) suggested this bleeding should be controlled by placing a mattress suture through the skin and penis below the urethra1 . However, an appropriately sized catheter would have been required to identify the urethra to allow this. Figure 2f - the penis transected and held out of the incision for suturing Figure 2g - suturing of the subcutaneous tissue Figure 2i - the site after closure of the skin Figure 2h - the site after closure of the subcutaneous tissue • The penile stump was held by an assistant out of the incision and the subcutaneous tissue was closed around this with 8 metric catgut. The skin was then closed using simple interrupted sutures with 8 metric nylon. • The area was sprayed with oxytetracycline spray and covered in Vaseline to prevent urine scald.
8 CATTLE QUARTERLY CATTLE CASE After Care Surgical Outcomes Following the surgery, the bull remained on amoxicillin and clavulanic acid and meloxicam for a week. He was then given a one off, long-acting antibiotic injection of tulathromycin to allow for further treatment with reduced handling, whilst also ensuring a short withdrawal period. The wound around the surgical site healed well. The sutures were removed 14 days after the procedure. A good flow of urine was maintained, with Figure 3 showing urination the day after surgery. Urine scald around the wound was a prior concern, however the angle of urination meant this was not an issue. There was minimal bleeding seen from the corpus cavernosum penis in the two days following the surgery, but this was not at a level to be of concern. Bleeding did occasionally reoccur in the 2 weeks following surgery, associated with a knock during handling. Wound Breakdown Four days post-surgery the ventral abdomenal swelling had reduced, but there was scabbing of the skin caudal to the prepuce. Ten days post-surgery a tear was present in the swollen ventral abdomen (Figure 4) and after this the swelling rapidly reduced, thought to be due to the drainage of urine and fluid from the site. The whole ventrum area sloughed off two weeks postsurgery. The bull was treated with long-acting procaine benzylpenicillin every 3 days, for 3 treatments in total. After a week, the remaining dead tissue was trimmed away to expose a healthy granulation tissue bed. After this the wound started to heal. The site was cleaned regularly, and progress check visits took place. Figures 5, 6 and 7 show the wound healing process. One of the discussions we had prior to surgery was with regards to trying to drain the swelling by cutting the skin around the prepuce. Having seen the beneficial effect of the tearing skin, this would be considered in future cases. Epidural Complications Four days after the surgery the bull was noted to be ataxic on his hind legs with a lack of proprioception. On examination he had no perceivable tail tone but had an anal reflex. This ataxia was thought to be due to infection or fibrosis around the epidural site and at ten days post-surgery this had improved. Underlying Factors Coinciding with this case other cattle in the same cohort on the farm were investigated for poor growth rates. Blood sampling of these animals found very low selenium (GSH-Px average of 7.15u/ml, with reference range of >30u/ml) and low iodine (pooled Figure 3 - urine stream the day post surgery Figure 4 - 10 days post-surgery Figure 5a - 17 days post-surgery Figure 5b - 17 days post-surgery Figure 6 - wound at 25 days post-surgery Figure 7 - wound approximately 40 days post-surgery
References 1 Ames, N.K. (2014) Noordsy’s food animal surgery, Fifth edn, Wiley, Chichester, West Sussex. The author would like to acknowledge the efforts of the farm team involved in this case, without their patience and persistence we would not have been able to see this case through to completion. See Your Case Here The aim of Cattle Cases is to present clinical scenarios which are encountered in farm practice, and we especially welcome submissions from our members, especially those working in farm practice. You might take a problem orientated approach to a challenging diagnosis, present a treatment or surgical dilemma, or focus on one aspect of a complicated case. If you have a case that you think will make a good article then please email [email protected] for the guidelines. Disclaimer BCVA is printing this case study in Cattle Quarterly with the author to demonstrate an example of a particular case or cases as seen in practice. It is not a statement of BCVA policy or guidance on diagnosis or treatment. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by BCVA. Readers are advised to follow the principles of evidence based veterinary medicine and use their clinical judgement on how best to manage cases under their care. CATTLE QUARTERLY 9 CATTLE CASE plasma inorganic iodine of 18ug/l, with reference range of 60- 300ug/l). Based on these results the bull was given a selenium and vitamin E injection as well as topical iodine, poured on his back, one week post-surgery. At this time a blood sample was taken from the bull for GSH-Px, which showed low selenium status too (9.7u/ml, with a reference of >30u/ml). This additional supplementation seemed to be the turning point in this case. In hindsight a poor selenium status and accompanying poor immunity was possibly a contributing factor to the complications experienced with the ligation of the wart and with the epidural. Outcome Three months post-surgery, the bull was slaughtered. The wound prior to slaughter is shown in Figure 8. All withdrawal periods were adhered to. At the point of slaughter, the urine stream had reduced. This is believed to be due to stenosis of the created urethral opening with blocking becoming a concern. This is a well-documented complication and severely shortens lifespan post-surgery. This should be a consideration in future operations should the planned time to slaughter be prolonged. There are many references that refer to cutting into the urethra to spatulate the ends to reduce the risk of blocking which would be undertaken in future surgeries to reduce this risk. Figure 8 - wound just prior to slaughter at 3 months post operation
10 CATTLE QUARTERLY CONGRESS Congress Keynotes Not one, but two keynote speakers will feature at BCVA Congress in Telford, 19-21 October We are delighted to announce that Dr Alex Bach is a keynote speaker at BCVA Congress in Telford this October. Anyone who has had the pleasure of hearing Alex Bach share his expertise will know he places vets at the centre of any strategy for a healthy, high welfare and profitable dairy herd. The working title for his talk on Thursday 19th October is Heifer rearing: paving the road for a healthy, productive, and profitable life. Alex will also be leading a limited space workshop. Alex Bach has been conducting research in ruminant nutrition and management for more than 20 years. He studies the physiology and metabolism of ruminants with especial emphasis on the impact of nutrition and management during early development on future metabolic function. He has received several awards in recognition of his research activities, has spoken at more than 130 international events, is author or co-author of more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, more than 100 extension articles, and more than 20 books (or book chapters). He has served as a scientific expert in several committees of the European Food Safety Authority and the European Research Council. NOT ONE, BUT TWO KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Delegates at this year’s Congress will be treated to more international expertise, with a second keynote speaker, Terri Ollivett, veterinary epidemiologist at the University of Wisconsin. We’ll feature more about Terri’s talk in the next edition of Cattle Quarterly. Both keynote speakers are expecting to also present workshops. The great thing about BCVA Congress is that it evolves every year and is influenced entirely by the farm vets who create it. Congress Chair, Nicky Bowden and President Colin Mason are bringing a focus on high quality, wide ranging CPD with a significant practical element. The programme is being finalised and members are set to get priority notice of the launch version by early June.
A HEALTHY HERD STARTS WITH CALF CARE SOLUTIONS DIAGNOSE PREVENT SUPPORT Ask your Territory Manager about Calf Care Solutions from Virbac Bovigen® Scour Protects against rotavirus, coronavirus and E. coli F5 (K99). Multimin® Boosts trace minerals during high demand periods, to help improve calf immunity and reduce instances of diarrhoea and pneumonia.1 Speed® V-Diar 4 Simple, rapid and accurate identifi cation of the main causes of neonatal calf scours. Enerlyte® Plus Containing probiotics, lactose, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, this palatable formula stabilises the water and electrolyte balance to support the physiological digestion. Kriptazen® Provides e ective control against cryptosporidiosis. 1. Teixeira AGV et al. (2014) Effect of an injectable trace mineral supplement containing selenium, copper, zinc and manganese on immunity, health and growth of dairy calves. J. Dairy Sci. 97:4216-4226. Kriptazen 0.5 mg/ml oral solution for calves contains halofuginone. Bovigen Scour emulsion for injection for cattle contains inactivated antigens: Bovine rotavirus strain TM-91, serotype G6P1, Bovine coronavirus strain C-197, Escherichia coli strain EC/17 (F5 / K99 antigens). Multimin solution for injection for cattle contains, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium. Enerlyte Plus COMPOSITION: Lactose, sodium bicarbonate, whey powder, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, rice our, carob powder. ADDITIVES per kg: Nutritional Additives (Vitamin and similar additives) - 3a700 Vitamin E 250 UI (Compounds of trace elements) - 3b8.11 Selenomethionine 1.2 mg (1 sachet provides 0.12mg Se). Zootechnical Additives: (Gut ora stabilisers / microorganism) - 4b E1705 / E1705 Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 5x1010 CFU. ANALYTICAL CONSTITUENTS Crude protein 5.4%, Crude bre 0.7% (remove cellulose), Crude oils and fats 0.5%, Crude ash 19%, Total Sugars 73.84%, Sodium 4.82%, Lysine 0.09%, Methionine 0.02%, Potassium 1.6%, Sodium chloride 6.9%, Bicarbonates 9.7%, Citrates 7.7%. Further information is available from the product SPCs or from: Virbac Ltd. Woolpit Business Park, Windmill Avenue, Woolpit, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP30 9UP. Tel: +44 (0) 1359 243243 UK: E: [email protected] W: https://uk.virbac.com IE: E: [email protected] W: www.virbac.ie Kriptazen and Multimin, UK: POM-V IE: POM Bovigen Scour, UK: POM-VPS IE: POM Enerlyte Plus, EU PARNUT regulation (EUCR No. 2020/354) Feedstuff for Particular Nutritional Purposes. Intended purpose no. 55 ‘Stabilisation of water and electrolyte balance to support the physiological digestion’. Use medicines responsibly. www.noah.co.uk/responsible www.apha.ie VIR 5820.3 CCS A4 Ad MAR'22 AW.indd 1 09/03/2022 16:30
CALF HEALTH 12 CATTLE QUARTERLY CVS Farm has a ‘Quality Improvement’ team which reviews what is being done in practice and looks at ways that clinical improvements can be made. In line with the Farm Vet Champions ethos, this includes monitoring and reviewing antibiotic use. The RUMA Targets Task Force identified calf pneumonia as a key disease area in which antibiotic use could be decreased, so in the autumn of 2022, we launched a ‘Calf Respiratory Campaign’ which aimed to increase uptake of preventative measures for calf respiratory disease, including vaccination, therefore increasing calf health and welfare and decreasing the reliance on antibiotics. This was done by encouraging diagnostic testing using nasopharyngeal swabs in outbreaks of calf pneumonia to find out which pathogens were involved, to provide a discussion point between vet and farmer, and if appropriate allow a targeted vaccination programme to be initiated. Supporting Vets The campaign supported the team’s farm vets via several means; a webinar about calf respiratory disease was organised, newsletter and social media posts were distributed, and vets were given information on case selection and how to take a nasopharyngeal swab. The laboratory test for eight respiratory pathogens (PI3, RSV, IBR, BCoV, Mycoplasma bovis, Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Histophilus somni) was recommended for which swabs from up to three calves could be pooled to increase the chance of detecting pathogens. Testing and Selection There was some discussion about which sampling method should be recommended – nasopharyngeal swabs, bronchoalveolar lavage or tracheal washes. Evidence shows that commensal contamination can occur in all three of these methods but the latter two methods require extra skill, equipment and time (and therefore cost to the farmer), which may have been prohibitive for some. Therefore, it was decided that the use of guarded (to decrease the contamination from the nasal passages) nasopharyngeal swabs would be advocated for this campaign. Although serology testing plays a very important role in determining pathogens that animals have been exposed to, especially in closed herds, results can be misinterpreted in the presence of maternal antibodies, and in farms that buy in, paired serology would be required to demonstrate active infection which would require a second vet visit which, again, may have been prohibitive. Case selection was also important. Ideally samples would be taken from pyrexic calves that were not yet showing clinical signs of disease but could include calves that had been unwell for less than two days, and without a purulent nasal discharge and had not received any treatment for pneumonia in the previous four weeks. Mel McPherson is a farm vet working with the Endell Veterinary Group, and an Ambassador for Farm Vet Champions. She tells us about her involvement with the campaign to increase awareness of calf respiratory disease on farm, with a focus on vaccination and an aim to reduce antibiotic use Engaging Clients with Calf Respiratory Vaccines
CALF HEALTH Results From the start of the campaign in September 2022 to the time of writing this article in February 2023, the 15 CVS farm practices had run over 100 laboratory tests, compared with just 15 tests in the 12 months leading up to the start of the campaign. RSV was found in 39% of samples, PI3 in 21% of samples and BoHV (IBR) in just 7% of samples for which we have results so far (89). Mycoplasma bovis was identified in 46% of cases. The commensal/secondary invaders Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica were present in 93% and 71% of swabs, with Histophilus somni in 53% of the samples. Bovine Coronavirus was found in 46% of cases but its clinical significance is questionable. Reports from case vets confirm that identifying viruses (RSV and PI3) on the samples did, in some cases, lead to the CATTLE QUARTERLY 13 farmer agreeing to start vaccinating calves, usually an intranasal vaccine due to its quicker speed of onset. There is a vaccination for Mycoplasma bovis available in the United States that can be accessed in the UK via a Special Import Certificate and would be useful for the farm that isolated M.bovis, particularly as antibiotics often do not work well in these cases. All results provided an opportunity for follow up discussion after the initial visit, where response to treatment and the initiation of other control measures such as ventilation and depth of bedding could be discussed, as well as purchasing behaviours to decrease the risk of mixing groups from different farms. Vets that I have spoken to agree that performing diagnostic testing gave them an opening to discuss the different pathogens that cause pneumonia and opportunity to do more on farms where previously they were just requested to advise on treatment of clinical cases.
CALF HEALTH Farm Vet Champions Farm Vet Champions was launched in May 2021 and has become a major collaborative project, spearheaded by Fiona Lovatt who is passionate about empowering our profession with the tools required to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). BCVA has supported the initiative with cattle related content for the resources available within the impressive RCVS Knowledge platform, as well as providing sessions at Congress. Farm Vet Champions can be accessed on the RCVS Knowledge Learn platform. The learning modules cover: • technical species-specific modules • vet-farmer communication skills and behaviour change principles • the legal use of veterinary medicines, policies, and One Health aspects of antibiotic prescribing and stewardship. You can access the platform and choose which modules are relevant to your area of work. With over 20 hours of free ondemand CPD, these materials will be invaluable to all farm-associated veterinary professionals as well as their wider practice teams. Once signed up to Farm Vet Champions, you can start setting and tracking your own SMART goals via the SMART goal dashboard. This free, online tool is designed to help you formulate personal and team goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound, with a focus and priority to Plan, Prevent and Protect our herds and flocks from disease threats. For more information or if you have any questions visit the RCVS Knowledge website or email [email protected]. 14 CATTLE QUARTERLY
Available 24/7, 365 Confi dential, non-judgmental listening service Contact via phone* or email For mental health and wellbeing Team of experienced professionals Referrals made through Vetlife Helpline Emergency fi nancial assistance and monthly grants Professional benefi ts advice Access to free CPD 0303 040 2551 Vetlife 24/7 Helpline Vetlifecharity @VetlifeUK @VetlifeUK Find out more about the independent and confi dential help that Vetlife provides to everyone in the veterinary community at www.vetlife.org.uk Anonymous email via website www.vetlife.org.uk Vetlife is a working name of the Veterinary Benevolent Fund which is a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee, Company Registration Number 153010 (England and Wales) Charity Registration Number 224776. * Normal landline rate applies.
Breeding a Better Herd In a return to our occasional series that explores the work of Nuffield scholars, we talk to Neil Eastham of Bishopton Vet Group in Ripon, about his 2018 research which aimed to provide an evidence-based approach on how to cost effectively introduce female genomic testing at the individual farm level. Q: You grew up on a Lancashire dairy farm, and graduated from Liverpool, where you returned for your Diploma in Bovine Reproduction – so you have that combined farmer and vet perspective on fertility. In what way did this background inform your interest in genetics? A: I’ve always had an interest in breeding and genetics. This stems back to my upbringing on a dairy farm in Preston where my family currently milk 420 pedigree Holstein dairy cows. In my early years this interest was focused on the desire to compete at the very top level in the showring. Since graduating as a vet my outlook has changed. I now find myself striving to understand more about the influence that breeding and genetics has on health, productivity and profitability. I am still heavily involved in influencing the breeding decisions made on the farm back home as well as delivering advanced breeding techniques such as embryo transfer. I’m fortunate that the farm was an early adopter of genomic testing, with all females born since 2015 having been genomic tested. Q: Your research set out to explore how UK dairy farmers can benefit from the use of genomics. How did your interest in this area develop and how did you refine what aspects of it you were going to devote your study to? A: After graduating and working in practice it became really apparent early on in my career that good genetics are fundamental when considering the profitability of any dairy enterprise. As vets we spend a huge amount of time focusing on management and I think at times we forget the role that genetics plays in determining the building blocks that directly influence a number of key areas of performance including production, milk quality, health, fertility and feed efficiency. Of course, genetics alone is not the whole answer: to complement excellent breeding it is essential good herd management is practised. This is why I have always believed genetics should be viewed as an important herd health topic. Armed with on-farm data and a clear understanding of the herd health challenges that can at least in part be improved through breeding I believe the vet is well placed to advise on breeding and genetics. Determining when an investment in genomic testing is the next logical step for a dairy that’s already engaged in the field of breeding and genetics was a fundamental objective of my study. NUFFIELD SCHOLARS 16 CATTLE QUARTERLY
Q: Tell us about the process of becoming a Nuffield Scholar. A: My motivation to apply for a Nuffield scholarship was down to the freedom and opportunities it would give me to research a subject I felt passionately about. At the time of my application, I was uninspired by other CPD opportunities and was encouraged to apply by other vets and farmers that had completed Nuffield scholarships. The application process was straight forward, culminating in an interview with a panel of individuals from a diverse range of agricultural backgrounds. Shortly after, I was fortunate to be offered a scholarship, teamed up with a sponsor and given access to the vast network of scholars that had gone before. Little did I know at the time just how important this network would be in helping me to realise the aspirations of my study. Q: The scholarship allowed you to visit Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium and Italy, USA, and Canada. Can you tell us what you learned from those countries that you wouldn’t have seen in the UK – the pros and cons of the systems in those countries? A: I specifically chose to visit countries where the uptake of genomic testing had been higher than here in the UK. I quickly learnt that although systems within and between countries varied massively, those farms that were realising the greatest return from an investment in genomics had certain things in common. Having a clear set of breeding objectives was deemed crucial. This helped to determine the selection criteria and pinpoint the traits used to rank heifers once genomic results were received. Breeding strategies were tailored to the individual farm and executed with absolute precision. Ruthless decision-making was a repeating theme. These farms were both financially and emotionally invested and had complete confidence in the technology. Q: What developments in genomic testing do you think we’ll see, and what importance do you attach to those developments in terms of meeting the consumer demands of the future? A: The rate of genetic gain in the genomic era has more than doubled. Despite this we are still very much in the early stages of adopting this technology. Now, with genomics, a small, deeply phenotyped population can be used to predict phenotypes for whole populations. In the future new novel traits relating to health, reproduction, efficiency and environmental impact will be developed. These will help farmers to meet the growing demands of the consumer. Q: What impact do you think genomics will have on farm practice – what’s the role of the private farm vet here? A: As vets I believe it is imperative that we have an understanding of the genetic potential of the herds that we are working with. Tools such as the AHDB herd genetic report can help us to do this. This is vital when looking to set realistic targets and recognise when failures to harness genetic potential are occurring. Perhaps an investment in female genomic testing is not the next logical step for a farm if management factors are restricting the ability of high genetic merit animals to out compete their lower genetic merit counterparts. Farmers should look to capitalise on the superior genetic merit of genomic bulls versus their older daughter-proven counterparts. If female genomic testing is practised, the motivation to test for most should be to find the bottom end. There must be scope to deselect these animals if a ROI in genomic testing is to be realised. NUFFIELD SCHOLARS CATTLE QUARTERLY 17
Nuffield Scholarships Nuffield Farming Scholarships can benefit careers, industry and business, as well as advancing personal development. Each year 20 individuals get the opportunity to research topics of interest in either farming, food, horticulture, forestry or any other countryside and ancillary industry. For more information visit www.nuffieldscholar.org. Q: In terms of setting the pace and the priority given to genetics – do you think there is enough teaching on breeding and genetics at an undergraduate level? A: I believe more teaching on breeding and genetics should be offered to vets at an undergraduate and postgraduate level. I don’t come across many students (even the farm keen ones) that have an interest in this field, as far as I can tell this is largely down to a lack of teaching time on this subject. Q: Can you summarise some of the key messages from your study that you would like farm vets to understand? What have you taken back to the family farm and practice? A: • Genetic improvement on UK dairy farms is worth the effort: More farmers need to understand and appreciate the value that genetic improvement represents. Farmers and their advisors should be encouraged to access herd genetic data to review genetic strengths and weaknesses. • Clear breeding objectives are crucial: Every dairy farm should have a set of breeding objectives to reflect their current and future needs. • Faster progress can be realised with genomics: Genomic testing is changing the way dairy producers make management, selection and breeding decisions. Early on, the major focus of genomic testing was to identify high quality young bulls early. However, the same power of prediction can now be used for female youngstock. • Different breeding strategies should be used to drive value from genomic testing: The adage that data is only as good as what you do with it is wholly relevant to female genomic test results. • There is a role for the vet: With an understanding of the statistical nature of breeding and the science behind genomics, vets are well placed to provide advice in a field where independence is a rarity. • The power of data shouldn’t be underestimated: Since the advent of genomic testing the focus for many has been the genotype. Focus is now shifting back to the phenotype as we increasingly realise that existing and new data sources from the farm combined, represent great potential for our clients to realise further genetic improvement. NUFFIELD SCHOLARS 18 CATTLE QUARTERLY
We hear a lot about the incidence and financial impact of lameness – that the average cost is said to be £15k annually on UK farms, and that at any one time a quarter of UK dairy cows may be lame. We also know that ninety percent of lameness in dairy cows starts from conditions of the feet which can be improved with early detection and timely trimming. Until recently, however, little focus has been placed on the relationship between vets, their farmer clients and hoof trimmers – or how building these bonds can help develop a more robust strategy for hoof health in the national herd. This is why BCVA and our colleagues at Cattle Hoof Care Standards Board (CHCSB) sought to develop the Lantraapproved CPD that brings together vets, trimmers, and farmers, and also why Priory Vets has developed a strategic approach to its lameness services, which brings together the expertise of its in-house farm vets and trimmers. We talk to the team about their approach and what they have learned … Q: Tell us about how the practice identified the opportunity to improve and develop the lameness services on offer to your clients. A: We have always typically been called out to farms to see the odd lame cow that the farmer or their trimmer were struggling to treat. When we arrived on farm we were often faced with having to treat cows with poor handling facilities and as a last resort (too little too late), resulting in a poor prognosis for the cow. Vets were therefore usually reluctant to see lame cows. Sometimes farmers would seek advice within the context of their herd health review or a herd-wide lameness flare-up, but this might only involve the trimmer or the vets separately and we didn’t always have the opportunity to follow up. We didn’t really have a direct relationship with local trimmers, mainly because they wouldn’t be on farm at the same time and everyone is very busy. As vets we were hesitant to ever question the trimmers’ technique as they do this work day-in-day-out, unlike vets, and we didn’t want to offend them. When I was TB testing herds, I would see lame cows and ask the famers about the issue. They would explain their difficulties getting hold of a trimmer regularly enough, particularly on small farms and beef herds. FOOT FOCUS Priory Vets is well-established mixed practice that has been serving the farming community of West Wales for 85 years. Vet, George Jones, tells us about working with trimmers Sulwyn Jenkins and Andrew Tyler, to explain how bringing in highly qualified trimmers as an integral part of the practice team has helped to expand their lameness services A Winning Trimming Team CATTLE QUARTERLY 19
ANNUAL REPORT FOOT FOCUS 20 CATTLE QUARTERLY I signed up for the Mobility Mentor training so that we could offer funded lameness workups to our Herd Advance farms. This sparked conversations with farmers about the lack of availability of highly qualified trimmers and got me really interested in working out how we could come up with a new model to tackle lameness as a whole on the farm. I knew involving trimmers would be key and felt that the exisiting demand among our clients would warrant employing our own in-house full-time trimmer. I was really keen that our trimmer would be highly qualified and would be able to integrate into our practice team. So, we approached Sulwyn, a Welsh-speaker who was experienced with stock and part of the local farming community. We paid for his time to shadow two very experienced foot trimmers and to attend an in-house foot trimming course for newly graduated vets. He then did the Cattle Hoof Care Level 4 course and continued to shadow Andrew for the next few months until our new mobile foot trimming crush and pickup were ready. Shortly afterwards, Andrew approached me saying he could see the benefit of trimmers being integrated into the veterinary team, and he was excited by the prospect of closer collaboration. He then also joined us, and as a result we now employ both Sulwyn and Andrew full-time. Q: Can you talk about the relationships between the vets, vet techs and the trimmers and what you’ve been able to offer your clients because of the extended team? A: Having trimmers in the practice has meant that we are talking a lot more about lameness on a day-to-day basis. With the addition of three vet techs who are mobility scoring, this has enabled us to identify lame cows sooner, provide a trim list to farmers and to monitor progress. The trimmers will often work together on large numbers of cows or more challenging beef herds, which is good for morale, efficient for the farmer and means the cow spends less time in the crush. We are also able to work together on surgical cases such as radical claw resections or digit amputations. Q: Can you tell us about your participation in the BCVA/ CHCSB Lantra CPD? A: As well as having trimmers we felt that it was important for farmers to have the knowledge and confidence to pick up a lame cow’s foot and treat it appropriately. Most farmers will have done some form of training, but this was often a long time ago and was not standardised. We also had a few farmers who, when asked about foot trimming experience in their herd health plans, would say they have 20+ years of experience, but they felt a practical refresher or top-up course with up-to-date best practice would be very beneficial for them. We have run the one-day course on two separate occasions, and I feel it ticked the boxes for lots of busy farmers as it was a good balance between theory and practical. We also felt that offering the training would complement our new package of hoof care services. Through the Herd Advance scheme, a healthy feet programme was offered to seven of our clients which included a quarterly whole herd mobility score, lesion identification and a workable action plan for improving lameness. Having in house trimmers has been a huge advantage as we were able to offer trimming as part of the action plan and confidently identify the main lesions seen on the farm.
FOOT FOCUS Q: If a practice was considering reviewing their approach to working alongside trimmers what advice would you give them? A: Working closely with trimmers as a team approach is a must if we want to get on top of lameness. I feel the vets, trimmers and vet-techs gain a huge amount from discussing the causes of lameness, instead of constantly trimming cows without putting measures in place to prevent lameness in the first place. Offering this package of services as a practice has been well received by farmers and we’ve had good take-up. It may not necessarily be the case that you need to bring trimmers in-house as we have done and I’m sure it may be possible to build and maintain very good effective working relationships with local independent trimmers. One of our initial motivations was to add capacity to the lack of trimmer availability locally but by employing our trimmers directly we have built a very cohesive team based on understanding and respect which is beneficial for all involved. Vets and trimmers discuss techniques and lesion identification together as equals which enables them to openly discuss the farm as a holistic whole. A regular independent mobility score to monitor success is a good way for the vets, trimmers, and farmers to see progress. Q: Is it inevitable that lameness will continue at its current levels or are you hopeful that we can work together to make significant improvements – what can our long-term ambitions be? A: Working closely with trimmers and being more involved in lameness as vets has certainly been beneficial for our practice and our work. I have also found that making best use of vet techs for regular data collection makes a big difference in enabling us to quickly identify issues and will also hopefully soon provide the evidence to evaluate any significant improvement of our practice approach. Initiatives such as the Healthy Feet programme and the LANTRA/BCVA courses to upskill farmers and vets will raise awareness and hopefully motivate change. Offering a free-ofcharge whole-herd mobility score (e.g. at a TB test) is a great first step to start discussion around lameness. Easily accessible digital foot trimming records are really useful for us and using standardised lesion names helps avoid confusion. A good goal would be for all farmers to have the knowledge and means to treat cows quickly and effectively, and specifically to know the level of lameness on their farm and to be able to benchmark against what the best farms are achieving so that they can set targets to also reach a good standard. CATTLE QUARTERLY 21
About our contributors George Jones MVDr MRCVS, Clinical Director George is a Clinical Director of Priory Vets and has worked as a farm vet at the practice since September 2012. Originally from Newport Pembrokeshire, he qualified from Brno, Czech Republic. He enjoys managing the team and supporting clients and in his spare time he enjoys running, climbing and mountain biking. Sulwyn Jenkins, Hoof Trimmer Sulwyn was born on a Ceredigion dairy, beef and sheep farm and is highly experienced carpenter and stockman as well as a Level 4 accredited cattle hoof trimmer. He has worked for many years as a shepherd for a large flock, and has for the last 15 years bred his own flock of pedigree New Zealand Primera ewes. Foot trimming was his first foray into the world of an employee, after completing his own self build project and needing to fit work around a small family. He attended the level 4 CHCSB course in March 2021 and worked alongside Andrew for a few months gaining experience before venturing independently on farm. He is approaching the end of his first year as a fully audited CHCSB foot trimmer. Andrew Tyler, Hoof Trimmer Andrew is a Level 4 accredited cattle hoof trimmer and a fully audited member of the Cattle Hoof Care Standards Board. He is also an instructor for Level 4 CHCSB/RAU (Royal Agricultural University) course, and also on the assessor’s panel. He is married with two adult children has been an independent foot trimmer since 1991, and as a family they ran their own small farm in Maesymeillion for 25 years. First becoming aware of lameness while working on farms in the late eighties prompted him to go to Oenkirk Freisland to learn the “5 step Dutch method” gaining the Dutch Diploma in 1992 and later the Dutch instructor’s Diploma. Keen to take advantage of CPD throughout the years Andrew also became a Mobility Mentor, and was one of the founding members of the CHCSB. He says “I am enthusiastic about the possibilities for Vet led teams having a positive impact on mobility within the national herd. The considered approach and investment that the Priory team have made in Sulwyn’s training and development really impressed me. I am happy to have had the opportunity to join the team.” BCVA/CHCSB Lantra-approved CPD There are two Lantra-approved courses; First Aid for Feet and Intermediate Hoof Trimming. First Aid for Feet is aimed at beginners and will be delivered over at least 1 day, focusing on cadaver limb trimming and blocking. Intermediate Hoof Trimming will be aimed at the more experienced on-farm trimmers and will be delivered over at least 3 days to develop the theory and practice of the Five Step Method. Both courses will conclude with a formal assessment of competency, knowledge and understanding. Those that achieve the required level of competency will be issued with a Lantra Accredited Certificate of Competency. The courses will be delivered by a BCVA Accredited Foot Health Trainer in conjunction with a CHCSB Accredited Instructor. You can find out more about these courses and our Mobility Mentoring training in the CPD section at www.bcva.org.uk. FOOT FOCUS 22 CATTLE QUARTERLY
AHWP CATTLE QUARTERLY 23 Talking to Clients about the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway The AHWP has been a long time in the planning, with a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ liaison between Defra, industry and the veterinary profession. The grants are now available and there’s been much talk about what the ‘vet visit’ means. BCVA Board member, Sarah Tomlinson, offers us a farm vet’s view on what this means for farm vets – and how to communicate the opportunities to clients What is the AHWP? Let’s remind ourselves of what the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway is. The AHWP is part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) for England, and it can be as a stand-alone application or can sit alongside the Environmental Land Management Standards (ELMS). The first step of the pathway includes a veterinary visit (review) where your client can discuss any topic they feel would be beneficial to the business. Part of the visit must include testing for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) for cattle. The aim of the vet visit and any outcomes is to reduce endemic disease, improve welfare, increase productivity and to ensure vet meds are being used to get maximum efficacy and reduce antimicrobial resistance. The vet review is not an audit and should not be used to replace a farm assurance visit. This is an opportunity for the vet and the farmer to ‘think outside the box’ – something that elevates the health and welfare of the herd. Who is eligible for a vet review? To apply for funding for the vet review the farm must have more than 11 dairy or beef cattle. If there’s 21+ sheep or 51+ pigs too then it is also possible to apply for a pathway visit to cover those species. (There is different mandatory testing for those animals, which is why the funding amounts are different). The animals must be registered in England, with a Single Business Identifier (SBI) linked to a County Parish Holding (CPH) number. Eligibility for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) also needs to be met. Even if your client is receiving a lump sum to retire from farming they can still apply for a review. The AHWP is for all farmers, whether already pro-active or with some known improvements to be made – you can tell your client that this is the opportunity for free time with their vet to have conversations about things like the value of colostrum or looking at the health and welfare benefits of investing in new technology. Funding available • £372 for Dairy • £522 for Beef • £436 for Sheep • £684 for Pigs
AHWP 24 CATTLE QUARTERLY Why apply? The funding is Government money that is being made available post the EU exit and leaving the Common Agricultural Policy. This money is being used to deliver something that the industry has co-designed. If farmers do not apply for this money The Treasury could think the agricultural sector doesn’t want it or need it – with the possibility there will be less money made available for any future schemes. The Pathway visits are available for the next three years, and then will be reviewed. If successful, then the scheme will continue to be funded and hopefully evolve through more co-design. This is an opportunity to access more funding through payments for results and the small and large grant schemes which could be related to what ideas you discover through conversations between vet and client. This is an opportunity to do something different on farm – to elevate what the farm is already doing – we could call it levelling up. How does it work? You need to apply online and will need your Rural Payments Agency (RPA) customer reference number (CRN), your SBI of the business registering for the review and the business email linked to the SBI. You can get help to find out these details by calling the RPA on 03000 300 301 (Mon-Fri 8.30am- 5pm) or email [email protected]. What you have to do BVD screening is a must to participate in the funded visit. Dairy farms can do a bulk milk screen for either BVD antibody (to identify the herds immune response to the virus) or a PCR test to identify the virus itself on farm. Dairy farms can also carry out a youngstock antibody screen (but will still receive the same level of funding despite the testing costing more to carry out). For a youngstock screen you need 5-10 animals in each epidemiological group. These need to be 9-18 months old and home reared and not vaccinated for BVD. What else you can do This is the most positive element of the pathway visit – the possibilities are endless. Here are some ideas of what can happen on the vet visit. Biosecurity review – we all think we understand biosecurity but does everyone in the team? The vet visit could be used to review the farm’s purchasing risk, what risks are present when cattle are grazing, or review any shared equipment that’s across the farm, say between adults and youngstock but also contractors. Calf health and welfare – this is often a “while you are here” chat after a fertility routine, instead you could carry out a calf health review and make sure all procedures are based on up-todate science and evidence. What about teaching your client more about calf behaviour and how enrichment can improve outcomes. Medicines - we are making great strides in reducing antimicrobial use on farm, but until now the cattle sector hasn’t had national data to prove this. AHDB’s Medicine Hub is something the farmer needs to register and allow vets to upload the sales data. This is vital for us to prove to our sector, the public and the countries we trade with that we are continuing to reduce antimicrobial use. Knowledge development – a proper review of production data, genomic data, contract requirements, to build a greater understanding of what the farm is trying to achieve and where best veterinary knowledge and experience could help. Worming – you could discuss youngstock worming and grazing strategies, many wormers are sold through non-vet merchants, yet vets can advise on what products should be used and when or even introduce faecal egg counting to reduce the amount of wormers used. Next steps to think about beyond the pathway The aim of the pathway is to reduce endemic disease, improve welfare, increase productivity and to ensure veterinary medicines are being used to get maximum efficacy and reduce antimicrobial resistance. The key areas of the Dairy Welfare Strategy are: Think about what your clients wants to achieve in the long term and what support the government is providing already through the small and large grants. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2023 is split into two themes: • Productivity and Slurry - The items in this list improve agricultural sustainability and horticultural and forestry productivity, helping farmers use less inputs, reduce emissions and cut waste. • Animal Health and Welfare - The items in this list offer improvements in the health and welfare of livestock, potentially helping farmers improve biosecurity or decrease environmental stress. The large grants coming soon will be focused on high welfare calf housing, could this be something you could use, adapting an existing shed or building a new one from scratch with all the mod cons! This will be expanded to include all cattle housing in the future. There will also be ‘payments for results’ for farmers who achieve set criteria – whether they already are or just starting to can receive payments. Have a look at what technology is out there. The finalists of the RADBF Royal Dairy Tech Innovator Award 2023 included boluses to assess water intake, body temperature and rumination, a palm-free fat supplement which can increase yields without the environmental impact of palm-oil-based supplements and a digital camera linked to your phone or tablet which can assess Body Condition Score (BCS) to help management decisions and assess impact: Could any of these be used on your clients’ farms? Have you carried out genomic screening of the herd and talked to the client about what breeding might look like in the future? Has your client considered long term breed sustainability? This new era and funding model is an opportunity to plan and take a fresh approach. How is the farm investing in its team – could they be using your practice to develop their on farm skill in calf health, improving heat detection, calving cows and postpartum care of the cow and calf, for example? Talk to your clients about using this as an opportunity to set out on the right path to take you on your journey to a sustainable, profitable, healthy future.
CATTLE QUARTERLY 25 Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) • BVD is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle. It is one of the biggest disease issues facing the UK cattle industry. • BVD has been estimated to cost between £13 and £31 per cow in Great Britain. • The national cost could be as high as £61M per year. • We have good tests for the virus both antibody (testing for the animals immune response to the virus) and antigen (testing for the virus itself). • There are good vaccines widely available. • With simple good biosecurity and strategic testing and culling a herd should be able to become BVD free very quickly. • BVD on farm can cause excess waste, calf losses, poor growth rates and increased levels of other infectious diseases such as mastitis as well as fertility losses. • Waste on farm and sub-optimal performance reduces productivity, profitability and increased the environmental impact of a business. • BVD eradication from a farm will improve health and welfare, reduce methane emissions and help achieve net zero for the agricultural industry sooner. For your farmer You may want to consider helping your farmer to think about their AHWP review in advance with a simple form. Before the AHWP Review Before your AHWP vet review, have a look at the following questions to give you some ideas of what you would like to achieve with your vet, perhaps fill it in with your vet together, or at least show your vet before the visit so they have an idea of what to prepare resources on /investigate/maybe even for the practice to send the most appropriate vet with the knowledge on the area you would like to focus. 1. Write down three things you are proud of on your farm, think about how you could further develop what you are doing well. 2. What areas of the farm would you like to improve or know more about? 3. What things have you and your vet chatted about during TB tests/Red Tractor reviews/at night whilst calving a cow, but never had the time to follow up on as routine work, emergencies or cost of the vet time has got in the way? A version of this article also featured in Kingshay Dairy Insight. BCVA appreciates the permission to reproduce for our members. Adding Value to the compulsory BVD screening It may seem frustrating that part of the funding covers BVD testing when many of your clients may have been part of various voluntary BVD testing schemes. BVD status may already be known, or the farm could even be BVD free. However, to access the funding you still have to at least carry out a BVD bulk milk test. There are still ways to add value to the tests paid for as part of the pathway visit. • The sample can be run to screen for other infectious diseases such as IBR or Leptospirosis or exposure to liver fluke. • Talk to your vet about what else you can use the bulk milk samples for like assessing the quality of the cleaning process and the types of bacteria commonly found in the milk, this can pin point certain areas to look at more closely. • If carrying out a young stock screen again you can check the bloods for exposure to other infectious diseases, or check mineral status for example. • Young stock screens can be used to become CHECS accredited BVD free, really useful if selling or thinking about selling breeding stock.
Red Tractor is part of a much wider industry initiative committed to rearing all calves with care and ending the routine euthanasia of calves. Led by the NFU and AHDB, the GB Dairy Calf Strategy brings together a range of more than 40 farming and animal welfare bodies, government, academia and other key industry stakeholders, who have committed to achieving the success of the strategy, rearing all calves with care and eliminating the practice of euthanasia of calves by 2023. Routine Euthanasia of Calves The strategy involves rearing all calves with care, encouraging responsible breeding strategies, better communication of market requirements, supporting Britain’s beef sector, opening new supply chains, supporting research and development, and increasing biosecure routes for TB infected herds. The Red Tractor contribution to this strategy is to require assured farms to have a written breeding and management policy in place and implemented, which describes how breeding decisions are taken to ensure that there is a market for all calves, replacement rates are calculated and there is a contingency plan in the event of a TB breakdown. The policy must include semen use and breeding management decisions, including the use of tools to determine replacement rates (which may not be applicable in the case of a flying herd). It is understood that this is a complex area, as fluctuations in both supply and demand can change what defines a good breeding decision. An example of this has been the drop in value in Angus cross heifers since the increase in sexed semen to produce dairy replacements has enabled an increase in the use of beef sires. However, there is an expectation that farmers think about their proposed markets when planning breeding decisions, as well as cow type. RED TRACTOR 26 CATTLE QUARTERLY In the fourth of this series of articles, Rachel Hayton looks at another area of Red Tractor Farm Assurance of particular relevance to vets: avoiding the routine euthanasia of calves Calf Euthanasia There must be sufficient housing available for youngstock, including to cover the maximum number of births that might be expected over a 10-day period. Impact of TB A TB breakdown can play havoc with cash flow, housing provision and replacement rate and some farmers in endemic TB areas will rear surplus heifers to cover this eventuality. However, there should be a TB contingency plan in place to include approved dedicated sales for calves from herds under TB restriction, extra housing or feed provision if required and sufficient heifer replacements. All of these are areas where veterinary involvement can add value, not only in getting through the Red Tractor audit but in breeding decisions, youngstock management, preparing for the worst in the event of a TB breakdown and also taking steps to lower the likelihood of this happening. There are resources available on the Red Tractor website to calculate replacement rates and also resources relating to the GB Dairy Calf Strategy on the AHDB website.
BCVA CPD Diary June - September More information about all BCVA courses can be found in the CPD section at www.bcva.org.uk - and you can also email [email protected] for more details. All information is correct at the time of going to print, but please visit the website regularly, as courses are often added to the programme as the opportunities arise. Also, remember that as a BCVA member you have additional, free online CPD in the form of CattleCasts and the Webinar Library. Data Driven Decisions - Fertility (Online) Chris Hudson Members: £276 Non-Members: £372 07/06/23 Mobility Mentor - Module One and Module 2 (Cirencester) Owen Atkinson and Nick Bell Members: £500 Non-Members: £630 21/06/23 and 22/06/23 Foundation - Post Mortems (Co Durham) Ben Strugnell Members: £360 Non-Members: £450 21/06/23 Foundation - Diagnostics (Online) Ben Strugnell Members: £276 Non-Members: £372 06/06/23 Medicines - BRD (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 28/06/23 Dairy Cow Housed Environment Day (Nottingham University) Nick Bell and James Breen Members: £450 Non-Members: £558 28/06/23 Medicines - The Sick Cow (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 05/07/23 Data Driven Decisions - Beef (Online) Joe Henry Members: £276 Non-Members: £372 05/07/23 Mobility Mentor Module 4 (Cirencester) Nick Bell Members: £402 Non-Members: £558.50 11/07/23 Medicines - Scouring Animal (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 12/07/23 Data Driven Decisions - Youngstock (Online) Kat Hart Members: £276 Non-Members: £372 21/06/23 JUNE JULY Overcoming Information Overload on Robotic Dairy Farms (Webinar) Vicky Hicks Members: £FREE 11/07/23 cut out and pin up Medicines - Mastitis (Online) Jude Roberts Members: £84 Non-Members: £102 21/06/23 AUGUST JULY continued.. On Farm Nutritional Monitoring (Webinar) Alastair Macrae Members: £FREE 13/06/23 Blood Sample Analysis - What Does it Mean (Webinar) Catriona Richie Members: £FREE 08/08//23 Milksure for Vets (Online) Owen Atkinson Members: £180 Non-Members: £240 07/09/23 Data Driven Decisions - Youngstock (Online) Ginny Sherwin Members: £276 Non-Members: £372 06/09/23 SEPTEMBER Masterclass - The oestrus cycle and how and when it can be manipulated (Online) FULL Mark Crowe Members: £396 Non-Members: £492 13/09/23 and 19/09/23 Beef Herd Nutrition Planning (Online) Lorna Shaw Members: £372 Non-Members: £480 19/09/23 and 21/09/23 Foundation - Surgery (Nether Stowey) Eoin Ryan Members: £360 Non-Members: £450 27/09/23 Advanced Surgery (Nether Stowey) Eoin Ryan Members: £384 Non-Members: £480 28/09/23
BCVA CONGRESS 2023 19th - 21st October Telford International Centre Lectures and Workshops, including practical sessions, for every stage of your farm vet career JOIN US www.bcva.org.uk