Case notes on veterinary investigations in sheep, cattle and other species

2012-13 Summer edition of case studies

Summer 2012-13 Sheep State Report
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands LHPA

Sheep

Chronic fasciolosis with aberrant mature fluke
Written by: Bruce Watt (Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority) and
Patrick Staples (State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Elizabeth MacArthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle)
Over the past three months, two of five mature White Suffolk rams died after losing weight. Most of the cohorts had also lost weight and appeared lethargic. They had grazed low-lying wet paddocks during joining in the summer ... Read More

A review of vitamin B12 supplementation in sheep
Written by: Elizabeth Barter, final year veterinary student, University of Sydney
In recent years, the use of supplementary vitamin B12 in sheep to improve fertility and weight gain has increased. This use has extended to areas that do not have cobalt deficient soils and where deficiency of vitamin B12 in sheep is not suspected ... Read More

A sporadic chondrodysplasia of unknown aetiology in lambs
Written by: BR Watt, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst NSW
This paper describes a sporadic chondrodysplasia in lambs. In the experience of the author, this disorder (or disorders) occurs at low prevalence across a wide area central NSW and it not associated with the presence of plants of the Trachymene genus ... Read More

Cattle

Field pea toxicity in cattle
Written by:Ted Irwin, District Veterinarian, North West LHPA
Field pea toxicity or "pea mania" is a relatively rare condition in cattle grazing field peas. It has been described but to date the toxic principal is unknown, as are the conditions that lead to the occurrence of toxicity ... Read More

Paralysis ticks in the New England, an emerging problem?
Written by: Lisa Martin, New England Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Tenterfield
Since 2011, there have been numerous anecdotal reports of cattle losses to paralysis ticks (Ixodes spp.) in the Northern and Eastern Fall areas of the New England LHPA. The losses have usually occurred in scrubby uncleared timbered country ... Read More

Other

Wild Bird Mortalities
Written by: Matt Ball, Senior District Veterinarian Lismore, NSW
A beef cattle producer, located at Eureka NSW (near Lismore), reported to the North Coast LHPA the death of wild birds on his farm. ? The deaths began in mid January 2013 and all the birds were being found in one particular paddock ... Read More