A case of abortion in cattle due to infection by Salmonella chester | Posted September
2011
Written by: Andrew Biddle, District Veterinarian New England LHPA
For a number of years, calves around 3 months of age had been dying suddenly with the only sign prior to death
being bloating ... Read more
A case of Lythrum hyssopifolia (lesser loosestrife) poisoning in cattle | Posted March
2011
Written by: Tony Morton, District Veterinarian, Hume LHPA
Lesser loosestrife is a widely distributed weed being recorded in SA, NSW, Vic and QLD. It prefers wetter
areas and is considered to be relatively unpalatable ... Read more
Actinobacillosis in dairy heifers | Posted July 2012
Written by: Eliz Braddon, Senior District Veterinarian, Lachlan LHPA
Many dairy owners and dairy practitioners are aware of wooden tongue as a problem from time to time in
individual cattle. This case outlines the coming together of a number of factors to result in an
‘outbreak’ of wooden tongue ... Read more
Abomasal ulceration | Posted September 2011
Written by: Andrew Biddle, District Veterinarian New England LHPA
For a number of years, calves around 3 months of age had been dying suddenly with the only sign prior to death
being bloating ... Read more
Acorn calf syndrome | Posted August 2007
Written by: Chloe Hawthorne, Intern at RLPB Young
A producer finds a dead calf that looks more bulldog than calf ... Read more
Acorn calves in south-eastern Australia | Posted August 2010
Written by: Brigit Pitman, DV, Hume LHPA
Acorn calves display a clinical syndrome of skeletal abnormalities, with a domed head ... Read more
Acute bracken toxicity in beef cattle | Posted July 2012
Written by: Ian Poe, District Veterinarian Kempsey Mid Coast LHPA
Bracken fern is a native warm-season perennial fern adapted to most soil types. This report describes a case
of the acute haemorrhagic syndrome in beef cattle ... Read more
An apparently new syndrome of chlamydia infection of cattle in the southern Riverina | Posted April
2013
Written by: David Petersen, Finley Veterinary Clinic Dan Salmon Riverina Livestock Health and Pest
Authority Matthew Petersen, Finley Veterinary Clinic
Historically infection by Chlamydia spp has been a relatively infrequent diagnosis in the southern
Riverina. When it has been diagnosed it has been seen as a sporadic infection of young cattle. Morbidity has
usually been less than 5%. Affected animals have presented as febrile and lame with variable swelling and pain
in most joints ... Read more
Anaemia caused by theileriosis | Posted July 2012
Written by: Ted Irwin, North West Livestock Health and Pest Authority
Benign theileriosis has been causing increasing occurrences of disease on the coast and inland in NSW. It is a
protozoal organism spread by ticks that parasitises the blood cells leading to anaemia in cattle. ... Read more
Arsenic and young cattle don't mix | Posted March 2011
Written by: Eliz Braddon, Senior District Veterinarian, Lachlan LHPA
Sudden death of 16 of 100, 2 year old steers was reported to a local private practitioner on 27 Dec 2009. The
cattle had arrived for agistment 10 days ... Read more
Arsenic poisoning in cattle | Posted February 2021
Written by: Dione Howard, District Veterinarian, Wagga Wagga, Riverina Local Land Services, and Ann-Michele
Rheault, USYD Student
One heifer showed significant clinical signs, including pyrexia (40.3°C), staggers, generalised
incoordination, injected mucous membranes and a prolonged capillary refill time ... Read more
Arsenic toxicity in cattle given access to treated, burned vineyard posts | Posted December 2021
Written by: Jess Bourke, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Mudgee
Arsenic is a metalloid element that is naturally present soils and is considered an essential mineral for some
plant and animal species. It has a long history of use as a pesticide, medicine, pigment, timber preservative
and homicidal agent ... Read more
Arsenic toxicity in cattle with access to burnt treated posts after bushfire | Posted May 2020
Written by: Mark Corrigan, District Veterinarian, Albury, Murray Local Land Services
This case highlights the dangers posed by the burning of arsenical-treated posts which can leave an ash that
is attractive to cattle ... Read
More
Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita in an Angus calf | Posted December 2021
Written by: Steph Ferguson, final year student CSU, Wagga Wagga and Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands LLS,
Bathurst
In 2008, a new form of arthrogryposis, characterised by a low birthweight and multiple joint involvement
emerged in the Angus breed following the widespread use of ... Read More
Aspects of yersiniosis; what happened in 2022 in NSW | Posted July 2023
Written by: Erika Bunker, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle NSW
In the unusual winter season of 2022, characterised by persistent wet weather and flooding in many parts of
NSW, a peak in outbreaks of yersiniosis was experienced by field veterinarians ... Read more
Atypical chorioptic mange in cattle | Posted October 2010
Written by: Libby Read, DV Narrabri / Walgett & Shaun Slattery SDV Northwest LHPA
A small herd of 16 adults and 2 calves developed intense pruritus in association with nodular skin lesions ...
Read more
Beef measles, should we bother about looking for it in Australian abattoirs? | Posted August 2015
Written by: David J Jenkins, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga
Wagga
Cysticercus bovis or beef measles in the bovine intermediate host manifests as small, blister-like
cystic lesions about 5-10mm in length occurring most commonly in cardiac, tongue, diaphragm and/or masseter
musculature, but muscles throughout the body may be ... Read more
Benign bovine theileriosis - a questionnaire of 64 affected properties | Posted March 2011
Written by: Graham Bailey, Industry and Investment NSW, Orange
Benign bovine theileriosis (BBT) caused by Theileria sergenti / T. buffeli / T.
orientalis complex is a tick borne disease occurs throughout the world ... Read more
Benign theileriosis in beef calves | Posted December 2011
Written by: Steve Eastwood, Senior District Veterinarian, New England LHPA
In October 2011, a 400 cow beef breeder enterprise at Yarrowitch on the eastern escarpment of the Northern
Tablelands, had four calves, aged 12 weeks, die within a week ... Read more
Benign theileriosis on the mid-north coast | Posted March 2011
Written by: Ian Poe, District Veterinarian, Mid Coast LHPA, Kempsey
Common presentations of disease include late term abortions, stillbirths, dystocia, weakness, lethargy and
death ... Read more
Bloat in cattle on grazing oats and wheaten hay | Posted August 2008
Written by: Bruce Watt, DV RLPB Central Tablelands
Bloat has been estimated to cost 47 million dollars per year. In August 2007, deaths on grazing oats led to an
investigation... Read more
Bobby calf welfare at Bega saleyards | Posted March 2012
Written by: Ian Lugton, District Veterinarian, SELHPA, Bega and Camellia Leong, Veterinary Intern,
University of Sydney
Bobby calves, mostly males under 2 weeks of age, are often considered to be low-value products of the dairy
industry. Bega has the only saleyard on the far south coast selling bobbies ... Read more
BJD in a Market Assurance Program herd (1) |Posted December 2011
Written by: Matt Ball, District Veterinarian, Lismore
In September 2011 BJD was diagnosed by a private veterinarian in a single cow in a North Coast dairy herd that
was enrolled in the Market Assurance Program (MAP) for BJD ... Read more
BJD in a Market Assurance Program herd (2) |Posted September 2012
Written by: Matt Ball, District Veterinarian, Lismore
For at least 15 years the herd has been closed having entered the Market Assurance Program (MAP) and was
assigned a herd status of MN1 in 1998 ... Read more
BJD in Spanish dairy farms: A case report| Posted July 2013
Written by: Marta Ramis, Monica Espada and Delia Lacasta, Veterinary Faculty of Zaragoza. Spain
One Holstein cow from a dairy farm near the Veterinary Faculty of Zaragoza was referred to the Ruminant
Clinical Services. The farmer advised that the cow was found to have problems with fertility, despite
synchronization treatments and artificial insemination. Signs of clinical BJD were observed when the affected
cow developed a profuse liquid diarrhoea despite absence of other clinical signs such as pyrexia or
inappetance ... Read more
Blackleg causing acute myocarditis in a Hereford cross calf | Posted December 2012
Written by: Bruce Watt (Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst) and Steven Hum (State
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Menangle)
Blackleg commonly kills unvaccinated cattle between 3 months and two years of age, usually commencing in
skeletal muscles but occasionally the heart or diaphragm is affected ... Read more
Blackleg in calves west of the Blue Mountains in NSW | Posted December 2012
Written by: Bruce Watt (Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst), Kim Bensch and Michelle
Monaghan (Lithgow Veterinary Hospital)
Blackleg is a common cause of death on the coast of NSW but is rarely diagnosed west of the mountains ... Read more
Blackleg in cattle: a retrospective | Posted March 2011
Written by: Keith Hart, SDV Cumberland
Blackleg is a gangrenous myositis caused by the bacterium Clostridium chauvoei, which is commonly found
in the soil and in the gut contents of normal cattle ... Read more
Botulism causing high mortality in a small beef herd | Posted December 2016
Written by: Nigel Gillan, District Veterinarian, Mudgee
Botulism is a disease caused by toxins produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum, and
is characterised by progressive, flaccid paralysis and in some situations morbidity and mortality may be high
... Read more
Botulism in a dairy herd | Posted March 2015
Written by: Helen Schaefer, South East Local Land Services, Bega
This case demonstrates the challenge it can be to diagnose a disease which has limited diagnostic aids,
particularly when it does not present as classically recognised ... Read More
Bovine anaemia caused by Theileria orientalis group | Posted September 2012
Written by: Andrew Biddle, District Veterinarian, New England LHPA
In March 2012 significant losses were incurred on two neighbouring properties as a result of infection with
Theileria orientalis ... Read more
Bovine anaemia due to Theileria orientalis in homebred beef calves | Posted December 2016
Written by: Ian Poe District Veterinarian, Kempsey
A protozoan red blood cell parasite of cattle, historically referred to as Theileria buffeli, has been
present in Australia for many years ... Read more
Bovine besnoitiosis, an emerging disease | Posted April 2013
Written by: Bruce Watt (Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority)
Bovine besnoitiosis (elephant skin disease) is a costly endemic disease in the Middle East, Asia, tropical and
subtropical Africa and is also emerging as a significant problem in Europe ... Read more
Bovine Campylobacter and Trichomoniasis: they still cause problems | Posted May 2019
Written by: Rod Reece, NSW Department of Primary Industries, State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, EMAI,
Menangle NSW
Diagnosis of infertility or sub-fertility, as in all other differential diagnoses, rests upon the pillars of
clinical history, clinical signs and results of further testing ... Read More
Bovine enzootic haematuria with multiple neoplasms in a mature angus cow | Posted December 2016
Written by: Amy Masters, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Orange and Pat Shearer, Elizabeth
Macarthur Agricultural Institute
Bracken fern causes two distinct diseases in cattle: an acute haemorrhagic syndrome associated with
leukopaenia, thrombocytopaenia and anaemia; and a syndrome of multiple urinary bladder tumours known as bovine
enzootic haematuria ... Read
more
Bovine ephemeral fever | Posted April 2020
Written by: Megan Davies, District Veterinarian, Narrabri
Bovine Ephemeral Fever is an arthropod-borne rhabdovirus that is generally only seen when seasonal conditions
are conducive to the spread of mosquitos and other biting insects ... Read More
Bovine heritable arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (BHAMC) | Posted August 2009
Written by: DJ Gardiner, Central North LHPA
A number of cases of arthrogryposis are investigated in the Mudgee / Merriwa district ... Read more
Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) and Ureaplasma spp. in association with a case of balanitis in a beef
herd | Posted August 2018
Written by: Kate Sawford, Braidwood, South East Local Land Services
This report details a case of balanitis in a commercial beef herd and the diagnostic tests performed in an
attempt to determine the presence of bovine herpesvirus 1 and Ureaplasma spp. ... Read more
Bovine Johnes Disease - Case report | Posted August 2008
Written by: Phil Kemsley, DV RLPB Casino
A report into the nature of spread of Bovine Johnes Disease in a coastal dairy environment ... Read more
Bovine Johnes Disease ELISA FAQ | Posted August 2010
Written by: Steven Hum, Veterinary Research Officer, EMAI
The ELISA test employed by EMAI, how it works and what the results mean ... Read more
Bovine mastitis and concurrent pneumonia caused by Mannheimia haemolytica | Posted July
2019
Written by: Eliz Braddon, DV, Young LLS
A mob of travelling stock suffered four deaths in a period of two weeks from mastitis on a TSR near Monteagle
NSW ... Read More
Bovine respiratory disease complex causing high mortality in young traded beef and dairy calves |
Posted August 2018
Written by: Ella Duldig and Dr Jeremy Rogers, PIRSA Biosecurity
This is a case of Bovine Respiratory Disease that developed after the introduction of a group of cattle
purchased from a saleyard ... Read more
Bovine respiratory disease outbreak in selenium deficient cattle in NSW | Posted March 2011
Written by: Erin Davis, veterinary undergraduate CSU, & Dave Gardiner, District Veterinarian, Central
North LHPA, Mudgee
At weaning time May 2009, while mustering a mob of 49 cows and 24 calves, the owner discovered one dead cow
and calf with advanced decomposition. Many cattle in the mob were coughing ... Read more
Bovine vibriosis (campylobacteriosis) causing mid term abortions in a beef herd | Posted June
2015
Written by: Belinda Edmonstone, District Veterinarian, Central West LLS, Forbes Office
Vibriosis causes serious economic loss in beef herds through reproduction wastage. An investigation conducted
from 1992-94 showed that 46% of cases of infertility in cattle in NSW was caused by vibriosis ... Read more
Bovine viral diarrhoea virus - potential for control and eradication in Australia | Posted April
2017
Written by: Kate Sawford, Braidwood, South East Local Land Services and Genevieve Hannaford, Charles Sturt
University
Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is the most prevalent infectious disease of cattle worldwide. In
Australia, BVDV is endemic throughout the cattle population with greater than 80% of herds surveyed showing
some level of exposure to the pathogen ... Read more
Bovine viral diarrhoea virus - The economic impacts | Posted August 2007
Written by: Mike Healy, Genevieve Chin (Vet Interns, Syd Uni) and Ian Lugton (SDV, SE LHPA)
An analysis of all the impacts of the introduction of BVDV into a dairy herd ... Read more
Bracken fern poisoning in heifers | Posted October 2013
Written by: Ainslie Lund, District Veterinarian, North Coast LHPA, Grafton
Bracken fern (Pteridium esculentum) contains ptaquiloside, a norsesquiterpene glycoside, which has been
shown to cause both neoplasia and acute haemorrhagic syndrome in cattle and is a common cause of cattle
mortalities on the North Coast of NSW. The following case study describes Bracken fern toxicity in 3 heifers
on a farm in the Pillar Valley ... Read more
A case of possible ‘Bronopol’ poisoning in calves | Posted November 2016
Written by: J Rogers BVSc, Senior veterinary Officer, Flaxley Agriculture Centre, PIRSA
Bronopol is a commonly used preservative in milk that is added to fresh milk prior to storage and testing for
a range of production parameters. After the milk has been tested, it is collected by farmers who feed it to
livestock ... Read more
Burrawong palm hepatopathy | Posted May 2007
Written by: Allan Glassop, DV RLPB Gloucester
A mortality investigation of cattle following consumption of Burrawang palms ... Read more
Calf diphtheria in Hereford calves | Posted December 2011
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst
Two calves approximately 2 months old in a mob of 25 Hereford cows with calves at foot were noticed to be sick
... Read more
Cardiomyopathy in an Angus heifer | Posted December 2012
Written by: Bruce Watt (Tablelands LHPA, Bathurst) and Steven Hum (State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory,
Menangle)
The heifer, examined on 20 November 2012 was bright, alert and responsive and while in moderate body condition
was judged to be about 80 kg lighter than her cohort ... Read more
A case of blue-green algae poisoning in cattle | Posted May 2016
Written by: Ted Irwin District Veterinarian, North West Local Land Services, Warialda
Blue-green algal build up in farm dams and other low-flowing wet areas is not uncommon and can cause
significant losses ... Read
More
Cattle nematodes on the mid-north coast of NSW | Posted March 2016
Written by: Jim Kerr, District Veterinarian, Paterson
Investigation of weight loss in cattle in the Taree and Gloucester districts of NSW sometimes implicates
gastrointestinal worms as a likely cause ... Read more
Cattle parasites - what's new? | Posted June 2023
Written by: Dr Peter Rolfe, District Veterinarian, Yass
There is a wealth of historical data and studies that have examined the epidemiology and control of internal
and external parasitism affecting cattle ... Read more
Cattle tick management in south-east Queensland | Posted December 2018
Written by: Matt Ball, Virbac Australia and Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands LLS, Bathurst
This note outlines some important cattle tick management principles for South East Queensland and forms the
basis for best practice in any enterprise struggling to control the parasite ... Read More
Cattle worms - update | Posted April 2013
Written by: Stephen Love, Veterinarian / State Worm Control Coordinator, NSW DPI Armidale
As with other grazing livestock, use of anthelmintics plays an important role in worm control, although
integrated parasite management, including nutrition and grazing management, is vigorously promoted, but
variably adopted ... Read more
Changes in the epidemiology of bovine leptospirosis in the Narrabri district from 1991 to 2012 |
Posted April 2013
Written by: Shaun Slattery, Senior District Veterinarian, North West LHPA
This paper describes the change in the annual incidence of bovine leptospirosis in the Narrabri district from
1991 to 2012. Bovine leptospirosis changed from a frequently diagnosed cause of infertility in the early
1990s, to rare by 2000 ... Read more
Chronic weight loss, partial blindness and three swollen legs in a 2.5-year-old Angus steer | Posted
February 2022
Written by: Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands LLS, Bathurst, George Corones, Corones and O'Hehir Veterinary
Surgeons, Bathurst and Leah Johnson, EMAI, Menangle
One of 15 2-2.5-year-old steers presented as alert but lethargic with weight loss over several months, partial
blindness and three swollen legs ... Read
more
Classical epitheliogenesis imperfecta in a new born calf | Posted January 2014
Written by: Robert Templeton, District Veterinarian Braidwood SELLS
Classical epitheliogenesis imperfecta is a congenital condition characterised by failure of development of the
skin and/or mucous membranes. It is not compatible with life ... Read more
Clinical observations on teat and udder damage to beef cattle after the Ournie-Tooma fire of 17th December
2009 | Posted March 2011
Written by: Brigit Pitman, District Veterinarian Hume LHPA, David Hall BVSc, Walwa Veterinary Clinic and
Chris Miller BVSc Corryong Veterinary Services
On December 17th 2009 two grass fires caused extensive damage to property and livestock in the Hume LHPA. A
Section 44 was declared for both fires and Emergency Operation Centres were opened ... Read more
Clinical presentations of lead poisoning | Posted November 2024
Written by: Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Bathurst
Lead affects the nervous, digestive, renal, hepatic, haematopoietic and reproductive systems but clinical signs other
than those associated with the nervous system are rare ... Read More
Coccidiosis causing sporadic enteric haemorrhage and sudden death in unweaned beef calves | Posted
December 2021
Written by: Samantha Spark, CSU Veterinary Student, Wagga Wagga, Bruce Watt, Tablelands LLS, Bathurst and
Leah Manning and Anne Jordon, EMAI, Menangle
Bovine coccidiosis is a common parasitic disease in more intensive cattle raising areas, but is not common in
more extensive Southern Australian beef grazing systems ... Read More
Coliform abortion in a heifer | Posted December 2011
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst
An 8kg foetus was aborted from one of a mob of 28 Hereford cross heifers ... Read more
Coliform bacteraemia, with meningitis and other sequelae, in a neonatal beef calf | Posted December
2016
Written by: Ian Poe District Veterinarian, Kempsey
The calf was noted to initially have a depressed appearance and difficulty standing, later it began to display
opisthotonus before becoming recumbent and dying ... Read more
Copper deficiencies in North Coast Hereford cows | Posted January 2014
Written by: Ainslie Lund, District Veterinarian, Grafton
Copper deficiency is quite common on the mid and north coast of NSW with many soils low in available copper,
with availability strongly affected by molybdenum and sulphur levels and possibly iron as well ... Read more
Cost of cattle parasites in Central Tablelands of NSW | Posted August 2009
Written by: Jeff Eppleston and Bruce Watt, Tablelands LHPA
Monitoring of worm egg counts in 18 cattle herds in the Central Tablelands ... Read more
Cows and the big city - A survey into the nature and risks of beef cattle in Sydney | Posted March
2015
Written by: Dr Matthew Ball, Virbac Animal Health, 14 Ashland St, Alstonville NSW 2477
Beef cattle herds in Greater Sydney are non-commercial. The main motivations for cattle ownership are to
manage pasture and weeds, secondary income and as a hobby. A relatively high number are used for home meat or
milk consumption ... Read More
Coxiella burnetii - A seminal case study | Posted September 2021
Written by: Shayne Fell, Ronald Coilparampil, Yan Huang, Cheryl Jenkins, Keith Walker, Kristie Harper and
Ian Marsh, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW DPI
Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic pathogen that occurs worldwide, except for New Zealand, causing Query
(Q) fever in humans and coxiellosis in animals. In cattle, sheep and goats ... Read more
Curved rice flower (Pimelea curviflora) associated with deaths in cattle in the Riverina |
Posted October 2014
Written by: Gabrielle Morrice, Riverina Local Land Services, Narrandera
Although curved rice flower/tough-barked rice flower (Pimelea curviflora) occurs in the south western
region of NSW, it has not previously been recorded as a cause of death or illness in cattle in this region ...
Read more
Cutaneous lymphoma in a Friesian heifer | Posted March 2024
Written by: Ben Weir, Production Animal Vets, Paris Creek, SA, Graeme Knowles, Specialist Veterinary
Anatomic Pathologist, Gribbles and Jeremy Rogers, Strathalbyn, SA
Unusual firm lumps were observed on a 10-month-old Holstein dairy heifer from a herd of approximately 200
animals on a property, with no other animals affected ... Read More
Cysticercus bovis: background to the NSW program and review of cases | Posted April 2017
Written by: Graham Bailey, Cattle Health Coordinator, NSW Department of Primary Industries,
Orange
The metacestodes (or larval cestodes) of Taenia species tapeworms are the cause of cysticercosis in
various farmed and wild animals and in humans ... Read more
Deep ulcers of unknown origin on the nose and lips of a steer: Foot-and-mouth Disease and Lumpy Skin
Disease excluded | Posted November 2022
Written by: Kylie Greentree, Hunter LLS, Maitland
In this case a producer submitted a photograph of a steer with deep ulcers on the nose and lips prompting an
emergency animal disease exclusion ... Read more
Dermatitis in angus heifer weaners and angus cows grazed on mixed vetch pastures | Posted August
2015
Written by: Colin Peake, DV Hay, Riverina LHPA and CSU Vet students Suzie Richards and Joanne
Ward
Vetch is a plant that has often been sown in pastures for its high nutritional value and legume properties or
between cropping rotations. It is likely that vetch toxicosis occurs sporadically ... Read more
Dermatophilus and lice causing severe dermatitis in a heifer | Posted May 2019
Written by: Effie Lee, Veterinary Pathologist, Gribbles Veterinary Pathology, Glenside, Jeremy Rogers,
Senior Veterinary Officer, PIRSA Biosecurity - Murray Bridge and Ellena Hillbrich, Naracoorte & Penola
Veterinary Centres, SA
A weaned six-month-old Angus heifer developed a severely painful and smelly skin disease with thickened lumps
of brown keratinized crusts or scabs ... Read More
Dermatophilosis in weaner cattle | Posted April 2011
Written by: Libby Read, District Veterinarian, North West Livestock Health and Pest Authority
Skin lesions were noticed on 4 of 63 calves at weaning of a group of Shorthorn calves following a particularly
wet summer and abundant pasture growth ... Read more
Developmental duplications in Angus calves | Posted 4 December 2013
Written by: Laurence Denholm, Principal Policy Analyst, Trade and Investment NSW and Lisa Martin, District
Veterinarian, New England LHPA
Angus Australia, the American Angus Association and Angus breed societies in other countries have declared DD
to be a recognized genetic condition in the Angus breed. The DD allele is transmitted in Angus and Angus
infused breeds (Brangus, Black Simmental,etc.) ... Read more
Diarrhoea in calves: advances in research and diagnosis | Posted March 2012
Written by: Andrew Thompson, Peter D. Kirkland, John House, Paul Sheehy, Alison Gunn (Faculty of Veterinary
Science, University of Sydney and NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural
Institute, Menangle)
Neonatal calf diarrhoea (NCD) is a common problem in Australian beef and dairy enterprises. The disease
epidemiology is complex and traditionally diagnosis is difficult ... Read more
Distal limb necrosis in a hereford calf | Posted March 2011
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority and Patrick Staples, State
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, EMAI, Menangle
Distal limb necrosis is occasionally encountered secondary to septicaemia, most notably from Salmonella, and
from the ingestion of fungal toxins ... Read More
Drought feeding and management | Posted May 2019
Written by: BR Watt
Crucial decisions must be made as the onset of drought becomes obvious. The most important decision is what to
sell and what to keep ... Read More
‘Dummy’ calves - a BVDV syndrome | Posted September 2011
Written by: Matt Ball- District Veterinarian Lismore and Adrian Philbey, Laboratory Leader, State
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
The North Coast of NSW can be prone to arboviral disease in calves that are born from dams that originated
from out of the region ... Read more
Dummy calves due to bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV or pestivirus) in North West | Posted December
2017
Written by: Megan Davies, District Veterinarian, Narrabri
“Dummy Calves” reported by landholders can mean anything from calves with swollen heads and protruding
tongues, to severe muscle spasms and ataxia ... Read More
Early weaning lambs & calves - 2018 drought experiences | Posted December 2019
Written by: Jillian Kelly, District Veterinarian Coonamble & Scott Parry, North West Vets
Early weaning is a powerful drought management tool that can be used to influence nutritional, reproductive,
animal health, behavioural, logistical and environmental factors associated with breeding sheep and cattle ...
Read more
Effect of injectable copper, selenium, zinc, and manganese on cattle vaccine response and conception in
Australia | Posted December 2019
Written by: Matthew Ball (Virbac Australia), Luc Durel (Virbac France), and Jerry Liu (Virbac
Australia)
Trace mineral supplementation has traditionally been used only for animals in areas of known deficiency,
especially after the manifestation of clinical signs. However, more recent research has found production
responsive benefits ... Read more
Endemic salmonellosis | Posted September 2012
Written by: Matt Ball, Senior District Veterinarian, North Coast LHPA
A 3 month old calf was examined and found to be dehydrated, febrile and weak with rectal straining passing of
stands of mucous. This calf had been treated with three daily doses ... Read more
Entry and establishment of QLD Cattle tick to the North Coast of NSW through saleyard purchasing: a risk
analysis for an uncertain future | Posted July 2012
Written by: Matt Ball, Senior District Veterinarian, North Coast LHPA and Paul Freeman, Regional Veterinary
Officer, NSW DPI
Cattle tick and associated tick fever are significant diseases in Australia. Both QLD and NSW Governments have
had a long and complex history of cattle tick control policies ... Read more
Enzootic posthitis (pizzle rot) in steers fed a high protein drought ration | Posted February
2021
Written by: Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands Local Land Services and Ania Deutscher and Zoe Spiers, Elizabeth
Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle
Enzootic posthitis (ulcerative posthitis or pizzle rot) is a well-known condition of Australian wethers on a
high protein diet but has also been reported in rams, angora goat wethers, bulls and steers ... Read more
Eradication of bovine johne's disease using risk assessments | Posted August 2015
Written by: Gabrielle Morrice, Riverina LLS (Narrandera)
Following a positive reaction in a steer sold to an export feedlot, four co-owned properties were investigated
for the presence of BJD. The properties were well separated, but had been allocated the same PIC to reduce the
property to property transfer requirements caused by multiple movements between them ... Read more
Eradication of enzootic bovine leucosis in national dairy herd | Posted April 2013
Written by: Dr Diane Ryan, Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural
Institute
In the mid-1990s, a scheme to eradicate Enzootic Bovine Leucosis (EBL) infection from Australia's dairy herds
began as voluntary State based programs. A National Dairy Enzootic Bovine Leucosis Eradication Program
(NDEBLEP) was established in 2008 ... Read more
Eradication of Johne's disease from a beef herd | Posted June 2015
Written by: Dan Salmon, Regional Veterinarian, Deniliquin
The long incubation period of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis, the causative agent of
bovine Johne's disease (BJD) during which time none of the available tests have any predictive value makes
eradication of established disease from grazing beef herds almost impossible ... Read more
Ethics of grazing livestocka brief overview | Posted June 2015
Written by: BR Watt, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority (now Central Tablelands Local Land
Service), Bathurst NSW
While those who consider that animals have similar rights to people will always regard livestock production as
unethical, those of most other philosophical persuasions can accommodate grazing livestock provided welfare is
guaranteed ... Read
More
Facial eczema in cattle - FMD excluded | Posted December 2011
Written by: Kylie Greentree, District Veterinarian, Cumberland LHPA
This case study outlines a disease investigation that was in response to a farmer contacting the Emergency
Disease hotline. The syndrome reported by the farmer could have been consistent with an exotic disease ... Read more
Facial eczema in the Bega Valley | Posted April 2017
Written by: Helen Schaefer, South East Local Land Services, Bega
Facial eczema is a disorder mainly of sheep and cattle primarily involving liver damage, though is most often
recognized as a form of photosensitisation affecting a number of the flock or herd at once ... Read more
Facilitating effective, responsible and sustainable antimicrobial mastitis treatment in the Australian
dairy industry: susceptibility of local pathogens to penicillin and cloxacillin | Posted December
2019
Written by: Claire Hunt and Susan de Burgh, Bayer Australia Ltd
Antimicrobial therapy remains an essential tool in the management of mastitis, however it raises the issue of
antimicrobial resistance ... Read
more
‘Failure to feed’ RSPCA welfare case: lessons | Posted March 2012
Written by: Shaun Slattery, Senior District Veterinarian, North West LHPA
In 2007 the then Narrabri RLPB was requested by the RSPCA to provide advice in a ‘failure to feed’
case. This was the start of RSPCA enforcement and legal proceedings that continued for four years ... Read more
Fascioliasis and severe worm burdens in young calves | Posted May 2012
Written by: Jack Neville-Towle, Sydney University Intern; Matthew Ball, DV North Coast LHPA
In early February 2012, a beef producer contacted the Lismore District Veterinarian about a severely pale
calf, concerned that the calf had contracted a congenital disease ... Read more
Fatal haemonchosis in beef heifers on the North Coast of NSW
Written by: Matthew Ball, Senior Technical Services Manager, Virbac Australia | Posted March 2023
Outbreaks of severe clinical haemonchosis are less expected in cattle than sheep but are reported each year
during the warmer and wetter months in higher rainfall areas Read More
Fatal perforation of the reticulum and diaphragm caused by a cow eating a kangroo tibia | Posted
December 2011
Written by: Derek Lunau, District Veterinarian, North West LHPA
A ten year old Hereford cross cow with a two month old calf at foot was reported to be losing weight and
lethargic ... Read more
Fatal verminous pneumonia in mature Angus cows | Posted May 2022
Written by: Ted Irwin, BVSc MANZCVS, District Veterinarian North West LLS, Warialda
The producers called me to examine a cow that appeared unwell after another cow had died within the herd of
120 cow ... Read More
Field pea mania (suspected) | Posted September 2012
Written by: Dr Jillian Kelly, Central West LHPA, Coonamble & Nyngan
Hypersensitivity reactions involving manic behaviour in cattle grazing Field Pea (Pisium
sativum),crops, referred to as "Field Pea Mania", are dramatic but short lived ... Read more
Field pea toxicity in two hereford heifers | Posted September 2012
Written by: Joanne Taylor, Year 5, University of Queensland & Shaun Slattery, SDV North West
LHPA
The field pea (Pisum sativum var avense) is a rapid-growing fodder legume, high in protein and
energy. Field Pea toxicity in cattle has been described previously ... Read more
Field pea toxicity in cattle | Posted April 2013
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
FMD control in the Mekong region using village-based approaches to vaccination and biosecurity |
Posted March 2012
Written by: Peter Windsor, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney
There has been dramatic progress in addressing poverty in southern Asia in recent years (FAO, 2009)
although the region still contains the highest prevalence of underweight people in the world ... Read more
FMD in South-East Asia | Posted July 2023
Written by: Peter Windsor, Production Animal Welfare & Health Services
FMD has been observed in South-East Asia for 150 years and remains endemic, with generally piecemeal control
measures until an integrated approach was initiated ... Read more
Foot-and-mouth disease: A diagnostic challenge? | Posted March 2015
Written by: Steve Eastwood, District Veterinarian, Northern Tablelands LLS, Armidale
FMD is often described in context of the typical clinical presentation in pigs and cattle. What is less
recognised is that presentation in sheep can be varied and often difficult to diagnose in the field ... Read More
‘Fog Fever’ in a Limousin bull | Posted May 2007
Written by: Bruce Watt, DV RLPB Central Tablelands
Dyspnoea and exercise intolerance following consumption of cabbages ... Read more
Foreign fevers - Rift Valley fever, East Coast fever and classical swine fever | Posted April
2017
Written by: Nigel Brown, Northern Tablelands Local Land Services, Glen Innes
Rift Valley fever (RVF), East Coast fever (ECF) and classical swine fever (CSF) are three diseases with
differing epidemiology and disease attributes which might be introduced into Australia. This paper aims to
provide a summary of these diseases ... Read more
Grass tetany (hypomagnesaemia) in beef cattle: a selective review | Posted March 2012
Written by: Bill Johnson, District Veterinarian, Goulburn
Grass tetany (hypomagnesaemia) kills more adult beef cows than any other disease in south-eastern Australia
(Champness 2007). Sackett et al. (2006) considered grass tetany the fourth most significant disease
affecting southern beef production ... Read more
Greying of Angus cattle | Posted March 2012
Written by: David Thomson, DV Grafton
A property owner reported generalized loss of hair coat and greying of hair coat colouring affecting several
amongst a group of mature Angus cows grazing high-production, kikuyu-clover based floodplain pastures ... Read more
Gossypol poisoning | Posted August 2007
Written by: Andrew Thompson, DV RLPB Northern Slopes
A mortality investigation with three calves dying in the space of a week ... Read more
Heavy Linognathus vituli infestation in one of 70 Angus heifers | Posted August 2018
Written by: Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands LLS and Narelle Sales, State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory,
Menangle
Occasionally individual members of a herd with heavy lice burdens are encountered, these are sometimes
referred to as 'louse carriers' and may act as a reservoir of lice in the herd ... Read more
Heliotrope poisoning - the steer in the dam | Posted August 2010
Written by: Tony Morton, DV Hume LHPA, Wagga Wagga
A young steer standing in the middle of a dam and not inclinded to venture to dry ... Read more
Hemlock Poisoning of Wagyu steers in the Northern Tablelands | Posted July 2023
Written by: Samantha Boland, DV, Inverell LLS, Meg Parsons, DV, Glen Innes LLS and Andrew Biddle, DV,
Inverell LLS
Upon investigation approximately one quarter of the stock were found to be extremely agitated and running
through fences, with deceased animals on the fence line ... Read more
Hemlock poisoining suspected in the sudden death of two heifers | Posted March 2012
Written by: Katie Boulton, final year veterinary student, University of Sydney and Bruce Watt, Tablelands
Livestock Health and Pest Authority
When investigating sudden death, several aetiological categories need to be considered. These include
toxicities (plant and otherwise), infectious diseases, nutritional accidents, misadventure and anaphylaxis. In
the case presented, two heifers were found dead well after it was feasible to conduct an autopsy ... Read more
Hepatic carcinoma as a cause of chronic weight loss and diarrhoea in a murray grey cow | Posted May
2014
Written by: Bruce Watt (Central Tablelands Local land Services, Bathurst) and Rod Reece (State Veterinary
Diagnostic Laboratory, Menangle)
Cases of chronic weight loss and diarrhoea of individual cows warrant investigation, in part because the
differential diagnosis includes bovine Johne's disease and other diseases of herd significance such as
internal parasitism and fasciolosis. In this case the cow was found to be suffering from a hepatic carcinoma.
... Read more
Histophilosis cases in the North West LHPA | Posted March 2011
Written by: Libby Read, DV Narrabri-Walgett and Shaun Slattery, SDV North West LHPA, Narrabri
Histophilosis is a bacterial disease of cattle found worldwide. It presents with clinical syndromes that
include pneumonia, meningoencephalitis, myocarditis and arthritis ... Read more
Histophilus in feeder cattle | Posted March 2012
Written by: Phillip Kemsley, District Veterinarian Casino
In the week prior to the first property visit, three calves presented with fever (>41oC), marked
respiratory distress, an oral white stable frothy discharge and malaena ... Read more
Hypomagnesaemic tetany in Poll Hereford cattle | Posted September 2012
Written by: Steve Eastwood, New England LHPA, Armidale
Hypomagnesaemic tetany (grass tetany) is most common in late pregnant and lactating cows. Clinical signs
develop when there are low magnesium levels in the cerebrospinal fluid ... Read more
Illthrift due to cardiac abscess | Posted March 2012
Written by: Andrew Biddle, District Veterinarian New England LHPA
A 3 year old cow with sudden onset of weight loss was presented for examination. Testing indicated that
pestivirus was not the likely cause ... Read more
Importance of Nitroxynil for control of liver fluke and barber's pole worm in Australian beef cattle |
Posted June 2023
Written by: Matt Ball, Virbac Australia
Nitroxynil is a unique narrow spectrum anthelmintic useful against the growing emergence of multi-drug
resistant liver fluke and barber's pole worm ... Read more
Investigating a reproductive problem in a beef herd - when do you stop? | Posted April 2013
Written by: Paul Freeman, NWW DPI
The investigation of reproductive problems in beef cattle herds can be problematic. Rarely is suboptimal
performance due to a single cause and the challenge in investigating problems is to be able to define the
stages of the reproductive cycle when suboptimal performance is occurring ... Read more
Investigating risk factors for two Histophilus outbreaks in grass-fed cattle | Posted April
2013
Written by: Bill Johnson, District Veterinarian, Goulburn office Tablelands LHPA
Histophilus somni caused significant mortalities in a pasture-based cattle enterprise on the Southern
Tablelands during winter 2012. The same property experienced further losses in summer 2012-2013. Potential
risk factors associated with the two outbreaks were compared in an attempt to prevent future losses ... Read more
Investigating suspected inherited neurologic conditions in ruminants | Posted July 2023
Written by: Leah Johnson1,2, Imke Tammen2, Mark Krockenberger3, Brendon
O'Rourke1 and Katie Eager1,2
1 Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Department of Primary Industries, NSW
2 School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW
3 School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW
Our knowledge on inherited diseases and traits in animals is rapidly increasing with more than 298 bovine and
118 ovine single locus diseases and traits reported ... Read more
An investigation into the serological evidence of Coxiella burnetii infection in beef cattle in the
Lachlan Livestock Health and Pest Authority in NSW | Posted September 2015
Written by: Nik Cronin, District Veterinarian Central West Local Land Services, Forbes
Q fever, caused by the organism Coxiella burnetii and is more frequently diagnosed in humans than some
of the more commonly known zoonotic diseases ... Read More
Johne's disease B, S or C strain type: What does it all mean? | Posted March 2015
Written by: IB Marshaand RJ WhittingtonbaElizabeth Macarthur Agricultural
Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, MenanglebFaculty of Veterinary Science,
University of Sydney
The term bacterial strain now exists in two broad contexts: bacterial taxonomy and bacterial epidemiology -
taxonomically, a bacterial strain is a population of bacteria that descend from a single organism or pure
culture, while the epidemiological definition of strain refers to a phenotypic ... Read more
Know your screw-worm flies | Posted June 2023
Written by: Narelle Sales, Microbiology and Parasitology - Research, NSW DPI, EMAI, Menangle
The only parasitic insect that is on the NAQS list of target pests, diseases and weeds is the Old World
Screw-Worm Fly ... Read more
Lack of response to trace mineral supplementation of sheep and cattle on the central tablelands of NSW
| Posted June 2015
Written by: BR Watt, K Crawford and J Eppleston, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority (now
Central Tablelands Local Land Service), 66 Corporation Avenue, Bathurst NSW
In this paper we present the findings from two studies in sheep and cattle in which production responses
following supplementation with selenium, vitamin B12 and a commercial mineral mix were absent in the face of
low blood levels of GSHPX and/or vitamin B12 ... Read More
A large-scale poisoning event in cattle caused by Cape Tulip | Posted November 2023
Written by: Daniel Reiner, Willunga Veterinary Services, Mount Compass, SA, Julie Wayne, Gribbles VETLAB
and Jeremy Rogers, PIRSA, SA
A producer lost over 100 of 200 cattle that had been grazing a 'bush block' and that were poisoned by cape
tulip ... Read More
Lazy calving, dystocia and hypomagnesaemia | Posted December 2011
Written by: Judy Ellem, District Veterinarian, Central North LHPA, Coonabarabran
Owner reported prolonged calving times, 7 to 8 hours from first noticing heifer calving to calf being produced
... Read more
Lead poisoning | Posted May 2007
Written by: Eliz Braddon, DV RLPB Young
Sudden death in cattle showing no premonitory signs ... Read more
Lead poisoning in a mob of steers | Posted November 2015
Written by: Megan Davies, DV Narrabri and Ted Irwin, DV Warialda, North West Local Land Services
District veterinarians were called to investigate a single 8 month old Charolais x steer that was observed
standing along a fence, separate to the mob. It was dull, depressed and able to be approached and touched ...
Read more
Lead poisoning in steers | Posted November 2024
Written by: Ian Poe, District Veterinarian Kempsey, North Coast LLS
A producer contacted the District Veterinarian following the death of one steer three days earlier
and a second animal showing signs of blindness ... Read More
Lead poisoning in yearling cattle | Posted December 2011
Written by: Libby Read, District Veterinarian, North West LHPA
Four heifers died from a mixed mob of 45 yearlings grazing a sparse, mature oats crop on sandy soil ... Read more
Leptospira Pomona a likely cause of reduced fertility in Angus heifers on the Central Tablelands of
NSW | Posted November 2022
Written by: Bruce Watt, District Veterinarian, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Bathurst
Leptospirosis was provisionally diagnosed as the cause of reduced fertility in a mob of heifers in which
47/191 were found to be not pregnant at routine pregnancy testing ... Read more
Lesions on the nose, teats and feet of a cow; vesicular diseases excluded and photosensitisation
diagnosed | Posted August 2023
Written by: Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Bathurst
In this case the owner of a small herd of cows on the Central Tablelands of NSW called the Emergency Animal
Disease Hotline to report skin lesions that looked like blisters on the nose, feet and teats of one of 40 cows
... Read more
Lessons from a large botulism outbreak in a South Coast dairy herd | Posted September 2018
Written by: Steve Whittaker, District Veterinarian Berry SE LLS, Andrejs Medenis, Private Veterinarian,
Gerringong and Paul Freeman Senior Veterinary Officer, NSW DPI Wollongbar
Mass mortalities in cattle due to botulism occur sporadically usually associated with feed contamination.
Management of these outbreaks is a major logistical exercise and highly traumatic for all involved ... Read more
Lessons from a lead toxicity case when the lead source is unknown | Posted November 2024
Written by: Katelyn Braine, District Veterinarian, Murray Local Land Services, Deniliquin NSW
This report describes the lessons learnt from a lead toxicity case in cattle in when the lead source could not be
determined ... Read More
Lessons from the 2018 drought on the Central Tablelands | Posted December 2019
Written by: Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands Local Land Services
Our memories tend to be short, but it is important that we learn from each drought, to enable us to reduce
their social, environmental, economic and welfare impact in the future ... Read more
Lightning strike in the Riverina | Posted March 2015
Written by: Rahul Shankar and Elizabeth Braddon, Riverina LLS, Young
Every year thousands of animals worldwide succumb to lightning injuries. Animals are particularly vulnerable
as they are usually placed outside during severe storm events. Animals that have a large separation between
their front and back legs (such as cattle) are vulnerable ... Read more
Are linear singe marks pathognomonic for lightning strike in cattle? | Posted December 2017
Written by: Bruce Watt, District Veterinarian, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Bathurst,
NSW
While death by lightning strike is difficult to prevent it is an important diagnosis in part because livestock
may be insured against it, necessitating proof and in part to exclude of other causes of sudden death ... Read More
Liver fluke in steers | Posted February 2011
Written by: Matthew Ball, DV Lismore with map by Keith Newby, DV Grafton
A case study of liver flike in steers on the north coasat of NSW ... Read more
Livestock management in droughts — how to stop recurring themes from being recurring themes |
Posted December 2019
Written by: Paul Cusack BSc. BVSc. MVSt. MACVSc. M.Agribus. PhD., Australian Livestock Production Services
/ Adj Prof. CSU., Cowra NSW
The development of a substantial beef feedlot sector (total capacity 1.3 million head, January 2019) and
access to established or opportunity lamb feedlots, facilitates the managed sale of young livestock during
droughts at reasonable prices ... Read more
Low dietary protein resulting in calf losses in the NSW Southern Highlands | Posted May 2020
Written by: Henry Clutterbuck, District Veterinarian, Goulburn, South East Local Land Services
Correct dietary formulation is vital for young stock to ensure adequate growth rates and development, with
protein being particularly important for growth and immune function ... Read More
Lumpy skin disease excluded in a case of eosinophilic dermatitis in an Angus cow | Posted November
2023
Written by: Kate Atkinson, District Veterinarian, Central West LLS at Coonabarabran and Patrick Staples,
EMAI, Menangle
The cow had displayed skin lesions for several months but had never been unwell and no other cattle in the mob
were affected ... Read More
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) ruled out in a case of Actinobacillus dermatitis in a young steer |
Posted June 2024
Written by: Victoria Ludlow, Willunga & Aldinga Veterinary Services, Jeremy Rogers, Senior Veterinary
Officer, PIRSA, Murray Bridge, SA and Graeme Knowles, Specialist Veterinary Anatomic Pathologist, Gribbles
Veterinary Pathology
In November 2023, one of the authors was called to a property to inspect a steer with skin lesions,
predominantly on the left side, that were unusual in appearance ... Read
more
Lumpy skin disease exclusion - a case study | Posted July 2023
Written by: J McNally
The case in question was a heifer in a feedlot with raised skin lesions across the body, found during a
routine weighing procedure ... Read
more
Lumpy skin disease outbreaks in Asia: Implications for Australia | Posted December 2021
Written by: Aziz Chowdhury, District Veterinarian, Greater Sydney LLS
Lumpy skin disease (LSD), caused by the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), is an OIE notifiable, vector-borne
disease of cattle and Asian water buffalo ... Read more
Lung worm infestation in North Coast beef weaners | Posted May 2014
Written by: Ainslie Lund, North Coast Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Grafton
All animals showed signs of weight loss and scours prior to death. The owner had noticed some animals, but not
all, had a cough ... Read more
Mad cow disease in hindsight: Lessons learnt about disease control programs - A short literature
review | Posted March 2015
Written by: Dermot McNerney, NSW State Coordinator TSE, NSW DPI, Dareton
BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, "Mad Cow Disease") was first reported in November 1986 in the United
Kingdom and was thought at that time to be similar to Scrapie in sheep and goats ... Read more
Maintaining a social licence to operate in times of drought | Posted December 2019
Written by: Sarah Bolton, North Coast Local Land Services, South Grafton
In recent times, drought conditions across much of Australia have seen increased media coverage of cases of
malnutrition, water deprivation and humane destruction of drought-affected livestock ... Read more
Mannheimia haemolytica pneumonia in beef calves | Posted October 2013
Written by: Libby Guest, District Veterinarian, North West LHPA
This is a report of an unusual outbreak of pneumonic pasteurellosis (Mannheimia haemolytica) in
extensively-managed, unweaned beef calves on a drought-affected property near Burren Junction ... Read more
Marked variability in nitrate levels in Sorghum Hybrid (Sudax) hay contributing to nitrate poisoning in
cattle | Posted November 2022
Written by: Bruce Watt, District Veterinarian, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Bathurst, NSW
The owner of a mob of 34 Murray Grey/Angus cows reported that four were found dead that morning having been
fed sorghum hybrid hay ... Read more
Meningoencephalitis due to Histophilus somni in grazing weaner beef cattle | Posted June
2018
Written by: Nigel Gillan, District Veterinarian, Mudgee
Histophilus somni is a commensal organism of bovine mucous membranes which has the potential to cause a
range of diseases, including meningoencephalitis ... Read More
Mother of millions toxicity in a heifer | Posted May 2022
Written by: Aziz Chowdhury, District Veterinarian, Greater Sydney LLS and Erika Bunker, Veterinary
Pathologist, EMAI
A paddock walk revealed a large number of Mother of Millions plants next to a dam, with evidence that the
plants had been eaten by the cattle ... Read More
Mother of millions toxicity in pregnant cattle | Posted September 2011
Written by: Libby Read, District Veterinarian, Narrabri-Walgett
One cow was found dead in a mob of calving cows, with another cow depressed, lethargic, inappetant with
watery, brown diarrhoea ... Read more
Multiple agents causing respiratory disease and mortality in grass fed steers | Posted October
2014
Written by: Alexandra Stephens, SE LLS Yass
These two cases of Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex were seen in grass fed steers on good quality and
quantity pastures and water with no crowding or inclement weather ... Read more
The myocardial form of nutritional muscular dystrophy in calves on clover dominant pastures | Posted
December 2012
Written by: Bruce Watt (Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst) and Patrick Staples
(State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Menangle)
The manager of a cattle property in the Peelwood district noticed that a one-month-old Angus calf became
lethargic then die. Subsequently two more large well-grown calves were noticed to be lethargic and suffered
respiratory distress when mustered ... Read more
New concepts in the use of trace minerals in cattle | Posted July 2012
Written by: Ann Kenny Ph.D. Technical Product Manager, Virbac Australia
Deficiencies in trace minerals can cause severe abnormalities and in some cases death. Conversely, high
concentrations of trace minerals can cause acute or chronic toxicity, also leading to death in some cases ...
Read more
Nicotiana glauca toxicity in cattle | Posted July 2013
Written by: Tahleah Haddow, Veterinary Student, Charles Sturt University Dermot McNerney, Veterinary
Officer, Western Division NSW DPI
Nicotiana glauca (tree tobacco) is an upright, small, spindly tree with broad, elliptical, bluish-green
leaves and pale yellow, tubular flowers. It is an introduced species of Argentina and regarded as an
environmental weed ... Read
more
Nitrate poisoning | Posted August 2008
Written by: Ross Kemp, DV RLPB Hunter
More than 120 cattle died during Autumn. The toxic nitrate level is greater than 1200 to 1800 mg/kg ... Read more
Nitrate poisoning in transported Brahman weaners fed organically fertilised Rhodes Grass (Chloris
gayana) hay | Posted May 2021
Written by: Jack Donkin, Veterinary Student, CSU and Elizabeth Bolin, DV, North Coast LLS
A group of cattle arrived in the early hours after a long journey and were unloaded into a holding yard where
they were supplied Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay ... Read more
Novel case of fat toxicity in holstein-friesian cows following the consumption of dessicated coconut |
Posted April 2013
Written by: Rebecca Hallett, CSU intern, Ben Schulz CSU intern, Colin Peake DV Riverina Livestock Health
and Pest Authority
This report details a novel case of fat toxicity in an 800 cow Holstein-Friesian dairy causing widespread
mortality over a period of approximately one week, associated with the inclusion of desiccated coconut into
the fed ration ... Read more
Observations on Lumpy Skin Disease in Indonesia | Posted July 2023
Written by: Peter Windsor, Production Animal Welfare & Health Services
In the week of 12-17 December 2022, I visited Java to gain an understanding of the recent spread of LSD of
cattle from Riau to Central Java in Indonesia ... Read more
Oleander toxicity - What is your evidence? | Posted March 2011
Written by: Helen McGregor DV Hume
It is not unusual to find an Oleander shrub in the older farm homesteads throughout Australia. This plant has
a reputation as both a possible medical saviour and an efficient killer of many species ... Read more
On-farm animal welfare self-assessment | Posted December 2019
Written by: Nigel Brown, District Veterinarian, Glen Innes
In this presentation, the basic practical premise is offered that good animal welfare is the result of good
animal husbandry. As such, it means looking after the well-being and health of animals as well as possible ...
Read more
Ostertagiasis Type I in yearling steers | Posted August 2009
Written by: BR Watt, DV, Tablelands LHPA and J Eppleston, Project Officer, Tablelands LHPA
Type 1 ostertagiasis typically occurs in the winter and spring in beef weaners ... Read more
Ostertagiasis Type II in beef cattle on the Northern Tablelands | Posted August 2009
Written by: Steve Eastwood, DV, New England LHPA
Type II ostertagiosis is an uncommon syndrome of synchronous maturation ... Read more
Outbreak of Histophilosis in introduced weaner cattle | Posted January 2019
Written by: Judy Ellem, District Veterinarian, North West LLS, Gunnedah and Thomas Westermann, Pathology
Resident, EMAI
This case demonstrates a multifactorial disease outbreak of Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC) with
septicaemic spread of Histophilus somni ... Read more
Oxalate poisoning in a beef herd grazing Setaria sphacelata - a case report | Posted March 2012
Written by: Will Hawker, Sydney University Intern
The Lismore District Veterinarian was contacted in December 2011 following the sudden death of three steers
that had been introduced six months ago as part of a larger herd of 200 and had been grazing low lying country
... Read more
Paralysis ticks in the New England, an emerging problem? | Posted April 2013
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
Paspalum staggers in cattle | Posted November 2020
Written by: Athena Garabian, USYD Final year DVM Student, and Liz Bolin, District Veterinarian, North Coast
LLS
In the early months of 2020, there was abundant growth of paspalum on the North Coast of NSW and subsequently
large numbers of cattle were affected by paspalum staggers ... Read more
Paspalum staggers (nervous ergotism) in steers | Posted September 2011
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst and Andrew Denman, Blayney
Veterinary Hospital
It has been know for over 100 years that sheep, cattle and horses can develop a ‘staggers’
syndrome after ingesting the seed heads of paspalum ... Read more
Pathology and epidemiology of Bovine Yersiniosis | Posted August 2010
Written by: Matt Ball, Senior District Veterinarian, North Coast LHPA
A full rundown on the history of yersiniosis in cattle on the north coast of NSW following periods of ... Read more
Pestivirus (BVDV) economics and management options for NSW beef herds | Posted March 2015
Written by: Alex Stephens, District Veterinarian, South East LLS, Yass
This paper describes various economic models that show the cost of pestivirus management to be worthwhile. It
then discusses the various control methods being recommended in the field and aims to present a methodical
approach to recommendations ... Read
more
Pestivirus prevalence and management in the Central Tablelands | Posted August 2008
Written by: Bruce Watt, DV RLPB Central Tablelands
80-90% of herds show evidence of pestivirus exposure. In surveys in 2006 and 2008, all herds had evidence ...
Read more
Phosphorus deficiency in cattle on the Southern and Central Tablelands of NSW | Posted March
2011
Written by: Bill Johnson, District Veterinarian, Tablelands LHPA, Goulburn and Bruce Watt, Senior District
Veterinarian, Tablelands LHPA, Bathurst
Phosphorus deficiency in cattle may cause symptoms related to reduced appetite, including retarded growth rate
of young cattle, low milk yield and impaired fertility ... Read more
Phosphorus deficiency in the Riverina, NSW | Posted August 2021
Written by: Courtney Simkin, District Veterinarian, Riverina LLS, Hay; Alexandra Carleton DVM Graduate
2020, University of Sydney
Four properties surrounding Hay and Hillston in southwestern NSW, suffered morbidities and mortalities of
stock during autumn and spring 2019 ... Read More
A pilot trial investigating anthelmintic efficacy in cattle in Central West NSW | Posted July
2019
Written by: Lucy Wonders, Veterinary Student, Charles Sturt University Wagga and Jillian Kelly, District
Veterinarian, Central West LLS Coonamble
Anthelmintic resistance in cattle has been increasing over the past 10 years and resistance to commonly used
drenches has been reported in the USA, Europe, South America and Australia ... Read More
Pimelea poisoning in cattle | Posted August 2010
Written by: Kylie Greentree, VO Bourke
A calf presents with severe ventral oedema and respiratory distress ... Read more
Pimelea simplex (desert riceflower) poisoning in the Far West of NSW | Posted August 2020
Written by: Jessica van de Weyer, District Veterinarian, Western Local Land Services, Broken Hill
Pimelea plants are found throughout inland NSW and they can have significant impact on the cattle
industry as a result of production losses ... Read More
Planning and logistics for bleeding a large number of cattle | Posted November 2024
Written by: Linda Searle, District Veterinarian, Murray LLS, Deniliquin
Lead toxicity was diagnosed in a cow after a blood test revealed a blood lead level of 3.44 µmol/L and there remained
1,167 cattle that needed to be bled to see if any had lead levels above the MRL ... Read More
Polymenia (supernumerary limbs) in Angus calves | Posted December 2011
Written by: Dr Laurence Denholm, DPI NSW and Lisa Martin, District Veterinarian, New England LHPA and
Andrew Denman, Blayney Veterinary Hospital
Whilst sporadic cases of polymelia in cattle have been reported all around the world in both Bos taurus
and Bos indicus breeds, in recent years the incidence of this congenital defect seems to be increasing
in Angus calves in Australia ... Read more
PositiveTheileria blood smears. What does it mean? | Posted April 2013
Written by: Steve Eastwood, Senior District Veterinarian, New England LHPA (Armidale)
The increase in incidence of Theileriosis in beef cattle over the past few years has realised a need to better
understand the underlying prevalence of Theileria spp. in beef cattle and allow the clinician to
interpret laboratory results in context ... Read more
Presumed false blackleg (malignant oedema) in Angus steers | Posted October 2014
Written by: Bruce Watt (Central Tablelands LLS) and Erika Bunker (State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory,
Menangle)
Clostridium septicum is the causal agent of a number of wound and tissue infections of livestock
including malignant oedema, gas gangrene, ‘false blackleg’ and swelled head in rams. However, as
C. septicum is a post-mortem invader, its isolation from tissues alone is insufficient to
establish a diagnosis ... Read
more
Prevalence and effect of Theileria infection in NSW South Coast cattle herds: a targeted
surveillance study | Posted July 2012
Written by: Alissa Burney (Vet Intern, Sydney Uni) and Ian Lugton (SDV SELHPA)
Theileria are protozoal blood parasites transmitted between livestock by ticks and generally considered a
benign disease in Australia. This is in contrast to the Theileria spp. present overseas, which can cause
significant disease and high mortalities ... Read more
Pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning in cattle - Case 1 | Posted August 2010
Written by: Ian Masters DV Hume (Gundagai)
Young cattle that walk with a sloshing sound that go on to die ... Read more
Pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning in cattle - Case 2 | Posted August 2010
Written by: Bruce Watt, SDV, Tablelands LHPA (Bathurst) and David Payten, ‘Kaloola,’ Darby's
Fall's Road, Cowra
A case of ongoing mortalities in a cow herd months after summer grazing ... Read more
Pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity in dairy heifers | Posted January 2014
Written by: Katelyn Braine, Charles Sturt University Veterinary Student Intern, Riverina LHPA, Deniliquin
and Dan Salmon, District Veterinarian, Riverina LHPA, Deniliquin
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are amongst the most important natural toxins affecting livestock, and this report
details an ongoing case of pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity in a group of dairy heifers over a 10 month period
... Read more
Pythiosis, ('swamp cancer' in horses) - Emerging in cattle in Australia? | Posted February 2022
Written by: Jocelyn Todd, District Veterinarian, North Coast LLS, South Grafton; Erika Bunker,
Veterinary Pathologist, Belinda O'Rourke, Technical Officer and Sophia Callaghan, Plant Pathologist, NSW
DPI, EMAI, Menangle
Pythium spp are common plant pathogens, and belongs to the Oomycetes group, most closely related to
brown algae, but with a superficial resemblance to fungi ... Read more
Pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity in dairy heifers | Posted January 2014
Written by: Katelyn Braine, Charles Sturt University Veterinary Student Intern, Riverina LHPA, Deniliquin
and Dan Salmon, District Veterinarian, Riverina LHPA, Deniliquin
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are amongst the most important natural toxins affecting livestock, the main sources
are plant species including Senecio, Ageratum, Heliotropium, Echium and
Crotalaria. This report details an ongoing case of pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity in a group of dairy
heifers over a 10 month period ... Read more
Vetch toxicosis in Angus cows fed vetch hay | Posted August 2020
Written by: Will Berry, Blayney Veterinary Hospital, Bruce Watt Central Tablelands LLS, Bathurst and Anne
Jordan, EMAI
Cattle can develop a chronic inflammation of the skin, kidneys, heart and other organs 3-10 weeks after
grazing vetch pastures or forage crops ... Read More
Quantitative PCR as a tool for the diagnosis of bovine theileriosis | Posted March 2015
Written by: Cheryl Jenkinsa and Daniel Bogemaa,baElizabeth Macarthur
Agricultural Institute, Camden NSWbithree institute, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway
NSW
The pathogenic genotypes of bovine theileriosis have become enzootic in herds over large areas of the eastern
seaboard and are now commonly observed in subclinical as well as clinically-affected animals. Recent
developments in quantitative PCR technology provide further aids to laboratory diagnosis ... Read more
Rape blindness (polioencephalomalacia) in cattle | Posted July 2013
Written by: Jillian Kelly, District Veterinarian, Central West LHPA, Coonamble & Nyngan
Rape blindness is one of a number of possible disease manifestations associated with grazing brassicas. It has
not been diagnosed in recent years in the Central West but is an example of the problems that can be
encountered when farmers use alternative feed sources in dry times ... Read more
Rectal prolapse in a young steer | Posted March 2011
Written by: Bob Templeton, DV Braidwood and Rod Reece, State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory,
Menangle
The steer was in store condition. The rectum, while prolapsed, was otherwise relatively normal. However, the
liver was quite spectacular ... Read
more
Reflections on selenium in the Lower Hunter | Posted March 2015
Written by: Digby Rayward, Regional Veterinarian, Hunter Local Land Services, Tocal
Selenium is the most common trace element deficiency seen in the Lower Hunter. In non supplemented cattle we
see the GSHPX levels bouncing along below or near the accepted normal range 40-300 and it takes very little
changes in pasture conditions to push these stock into the clinically deficient zone ... Read more
Relevance of historical anthrax data in current property risk assessments | Posted August 2015
Written by: Barbara Moloney, NSW DPI Orange and Dan Salmon, LLS Murray (formerly SDV Riverina)
Very early reports of anthrax cases can be found in the Sydney Morning Herald (1851) and the Department of
Mines Annual Reports going back to at least 1886 ... Read more
Renal failure in calves caused by Amaranthus retroflexus | Posted September 2015
Written by: Lucienne Downs, District Veterinarian, Central Tablelands LLS andCharlotte Campbell, Final Year
Veterinary Student, CSU Wagga Wagga
Ingestion of Amaranthus retroflexus is associated with two syndromes of poisoning in cattle: toxic
nephrosis and methaemoglobinaemia due to nitrate-nitrite poisoning ... Read More
Retrospective study of the bovine tuberculosis eradication campaign in Fiji from 2015 to 2020 | Posted
January 2023
Written by: Garcia A, Borja E, Reid A, Samy V, Singh Shivani, Whittington R, Toribio J-ALML
To provide evidence of the performance of the test-and-cull based BTEC program to inform revision of the BTEC
strategy ... Read more
Review of cases submitted to investigate the cause of cattle deaths in western New South Wales (so called
3D syndrome) | Posted April 2015
Written by: Graham Bailey, Cattle Health Coordinator, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange and
Erika Bunker, Veterinary Pathologist, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Menangle
A syndrome with the key signs of drooling and diarrhoea leading to death has been reported by graziers with
combined losses across all properties where 3D syndrome has been investigated in the hundreds ... Read more
Review of known knowledge about blackleg in the Tweed-Lismore region of NSW | Posted December
2012
Written by: Lydia Poad, Veterinary intern, University of Sydney and Matt Ball, Senior District
Veterinarian, Lismore
Eighty seven laboratory reports were found in archives covering the period between 1968 and 2012. Forty seven
of these reports were consistent with the case definition for blackleg ... Read more
Review of tick fever outbreaks in NSW 2011-2012 | Posted April 2013
Written by: Paul Freeman, NSW DPI, Wollongbar
NSW has been using regulation to restrict the entry of cattle tick into NSW for over 100 years as a means of
controlling outbreaks of tick fever. Outbreaks of tick fever occur periodically in NSW ... Read more
Risk of diarrhoea in calves due to Cryptosporidium being transmitted to humans | Posted March
2012
Written by: Belinda Walker Technical specialist Animal Biosecurity, NSW DPI, Bob McKinnon Senior District
Veterinarian, Central North LHPA, Ross Kemp District Veterinarian, Mid Coast LHPA Keith Eastwood, Hunter New
England Health, David Durrheim, Hunter New England Health, Peter Massey, Hunter New England Health, Philippe
Porigneaux, Hunter New England Health Josephine Ng, Murdoch University, Una Ryan, Murdoch
University
Cryptosporidia are protozoan parasites capable of causing diarrhoea in a very wide range of animals.
Usually different species or strains of Cryptosporidia affect different species of animals, but there
is some overlap ... Read more
Rockfern poisoning in sheep and cattle | Posted July 2013
Written by: Duncan McRae, Katie Kent (SU vet students) and Greg McCann
Rock fern poisoning is capable of causing significant disease in both sheep and cattle.
Signalment: Early weaned dairy calves placed in pasture with no mature animals.
Problem: All calves in the paddock had died ... Read More
Salmonella abortion in dairy cattle | Posted August 2010
Written by: Andrew Thompson, Veterinary Pathologist, EMAI
A full laboratory rundown on an abortion storm in a dairy herd ... Read more
Salmonella orion causing acute haemorrhagic and necrotic enteritis and sudden death in neonatal
dairy calves| Posted August 2018
Written by: Jeremy Rogers, SVO, PIRSA Biosecurity, Murray Bridge
Salmonella spp. are enteroinvasive gram-negative bacteria - all known species / subspecies are
pathogenic and a significant cause of acute and chronic diarrhoea and death in various domestic and wild
species ... Read more
Salmonella mortality in extensive cattle herd | Posted August 2010
Written by: Libby Read, District Veterinarian, North West LHPA (Narrabri-Walgett)
An investigation into the deaths of 50 calves found after a wet period ... Read more
Salmonellosis in adult beef cattle | Posted December 2011
Written by: Evelyn Walker, District Veterinarian Central West Livestock Health and Pest Authority,
Dubbo
A beef producer lost 2 head of cattle just outside the Gulargambone area out of a mob of 100 in early June
2011. At least 14 others were unwell ... Read more
Salt poisoning in cattle | Posted April 2015
Written by: Scott Ison, Murray Local Land Services, Albury
Salt toxicity in ruminants occurs most frequently when salt-rich solutions are consumed during a period of
restricted access to water, followed by unrestricted access to fresh water ... Read More
Sand impaction causing weight loss and mortality in Angus bulls| Posted October 2019
Written by: Rebecca Densely, Bordertown and Keith Veterinary Clinics,Bordertown, SA and Jeremy Rogers,
Senior Veterinary Officer, Biosecurity Division, PIRSA, Murray Bridge
In Australia the condition is seen in droughts when livestock consume soil and sand either as they attempt to
graze in bare paddocks or when they are hand fed on sandy soil ... Read More
Schmallenberg virus in cattle, sheep and goats in the UK | Posted November 2024
Written by: Mike Howe, Director, NADIS
In the initial outbreak in 2012/13 the virus likely arrived in the UK with windblown midges in south eastern counties
and then spread inland and north ... Read More
Schmallenberg virus - what is all the fuss about? | Posted April 2013
Written by: P.D. Kirkland, Virology Laboratory, EMAI, Camden NSW
Animal health authorities were astounded by the incursion of bluetongue viruses into Western Europe. However,
few expected another vector borne virus to emerge so quickly and close to the focus of emergence of BTV-8 ...
Read more
Screwworm – risk and recognition | Posted March 2011
Written by: Peter James 1 and Peter Green 2
1 Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Uni of Queensland
2 Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI)
The Old World screw-worm, is considered to be the most serious exotic insect pest threatening Australia's
livestock industries and is endemic in a number of our closest neighbouring countries ... Read more
Selenium deficiency in weaned Hereford calves | Posted March 2011
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority
In April 2010, the owner of a mob of 120 calves called because he noticed that a marked ‘tail’ had
developed in both the weaned heifer and steer mobs ... Read more
Selenium nutrition of sheep and cattle | Posted March 2011
Written by: Bruce Watt and Jeff Eppleston, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst,
NSW
Selenium deficiency is characterised by myopathy and ill thrift in lambs and calves and infertility in ewes
and cows. Selenium intoxication is a risk when livestock are overdosed ... Read more
Smartweed (Persicaria spp.) poisoning in cattle | Posted April 2013
Written by: Ian Lugton, District Veterinarian, SELHPA, Bega
Deaths occurred during one of the worst summer dry periods experienced in the Bega valley. Prevailing
conditions led stock to graze green forbs at the edge of drying dams and swampy areas. As it transpired, these
were dangerous places to go for a green pick after hot weather ... Read more
Spinal abscess caused by Trueperella pyogenes in a bull | Posted August 2021
Written by: Sophia Johnson & Julianna Brailey, University Sydney Veterinary students, Dr Lyndell Stone,
District Veterinarian, Hunter LLS and Dr Mark Hazelton, Veterinary Pathologist, EMAI
This case report describes a spinal abscess in a two-year-old bull, suspected of being affected by Bovine
Ephemeral Fever Virus ... Read More
Spongy degeneration in the brain of an Angus calf | Posted August 2010
Written by: Christina Kwan, Veterinary Intern in Pathology, University Veterinary Teaching Hospital,
Camden
A calf showing recumbency and depression has diffuse vacuolation of the brain ... Read more
Sporadic Bovine Encephalitis and ovine chlamydiosis in the Narrabri district | Posted March 2011
Written by: Shaun Slattery, SDV North West LHPA
These records contain sixteen reports of ovine chlamydiosis and thirty of sporadic bovine encephalomyelitis
(SBE). On endemic properties ... Read
more
Sporadic Bovine Encephalomyelitis case in Hume LHPA | Posted August 2010
Written by: Brigit Pitman, DV Hume LHPA
Histopathology on a male hereford calf solves a calf mortality problem ... Read more
Sporadic bovine leucosis in a calf | Posted March 2012
Written by: Libby Read, District Veterinarian, North West LHPA
A 3-4 month old calf from a mob of 40 cows and calves developed a fever and enlarged submandibular lymph nodes
and grazing lush native pasture with no introductions to the group ... Read more
Stock disposal scheme | Posted December 2019
Written by: Henry Clutterbuck, District Veterinarian, Goulburn
Due to drought conditions, lack of feed availability and cost, and excessive numbers of stock on the market,
stock owners may be unable to transport or sell their stock or afford feed and/or water for stock ... Read more
Subacute nutritional muscular distrophy (white muscle disease) in angus calves | Posted March
2012
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands LHPA, Bathurst and Tanya Rajkumar, 2011 final year veterinary student,
University of Sydney
Subacute nutritional muscular dystrophy is a myodegenerative disease caused by selenium deficiency. It affects
both calves and lambs, targeting the limb muscles, while the acute form of the disease affects the myocardial
and respiratory muscles ... Read
more
Sudden death in a calf due to lead toxicity following access to old batteries | Posted August 2024
Written by: Kylie Greentree, Hunter LLS
On dissection of the gastrointestinal tract, there were noticeable black hard flakes sitting in the reticulum, which
were assumed to be lead from the batteries ... Read More
Suspected case of Datura ferox (fierce thornapple) toxicity in cattle | Posted
May 2016
Written by: Nigel Gillan, District Veterinarian, Mudgee
There are six species of Datura naturalised in Australia; all are potentially poisonous, containing a
range of tropane alkaloids including scopolamine, hyoscyamine, and atropine ... Read More
Survey of leptospirosis exposure in livestock in the North West, Central West, Central North, Darling and
Lachlan Livestock Health and Pest Authorities of NSW | Posted June 2015
Written by: N Charman#, A Hodge#, C Colantoni# and J. Kelly* - # Zoetis Australia Pty Ltd, 5 Rider
Boulevard, Rhodes, NSW - * Central West Local Land Services, 12 Buckley Drive, Coonamble, NSW
This paper describes a survey conducted to determine the level of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar
hardjo and Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona exposure in sheep flocks, cattle herds
and feral pig populations through a serological surveillance of unvaccinated flocks and herds ... Read More
Suspect Salmonellosis case study | Posted December 2011
Written by: Matthew Ball, District Veterinarian, Lismore
In late October 2011 a dairy/beef producer at Rous (between Ballina and Lismore) reported the deaths of two
Australian Illawarra Shorthorn (AIS) mature cows from a mob of 35 cows and calves ... Read more
Suspected fluquinconazole toxicity in beef cows | Posted May 2014
Written by: Ted Irwin, District Veterinarian North West LLS (Warialda)
Poisoning with Fluquinconazole in livestock can result in clinical signs such as ataxia, weakness, and death,
however reports of clinical cases from toxicity are difficult to find ... Read more
Suspected sticky nightshade (Solanum sisymbriifolium) intoxication in a greater Sydney beef
herd | Posted February 2015
Written by: Kate Sawford, Greater Sydney Local Land Services
Plants in this genus produce many toxic alkaloids, including solanine, in their leaves, fruit, and tubers with
a number of mammalian species known to be at risk to toxicity, including cattle, sheep, goats, chickens,
ducks, horses, rabbits, dogs, and humans ... Read more
Tetanus in steers following failed ring castration | Posted February 2022
Written by: Katelyn Braine, District Veterinarian, Murray LLS, Deniliquin NSW, and Andrew Lean,
Veterinarian, Finley Veterinary Clinic, Finley NSW
The producer had found one steer dead that morning and another steer was found down that afternoon nearly to
the point of death ... Read more
Theileria and pneumonia in calves | Posted February 2011
Written by: Matthew Ball, District Veterinarian, Lismore
In this syndrome adult cattle were typically anaemic, jaundiced and may abort. A second syndrome has been seen
in calves ... Read more
Theileria in cattle - a case presentation | Posted May 2014
Written by: Ted Irwin, District Veterinarian North West LLS (Warialda)
The effects of the Ikeda strain of Theileria have been well documented in the past few years outlining the
most susceptible classes of cattle and the likely clinical signs. This case highlights that symptoms are not
always classic and cases may present as neurological in appearance ... Read more
Theileria orientalis on the North Coast | Posted January 2023
Written by: Ian Poe, North Coast Local Land Services, Kempsey
Since being first detected in the region in the early 2000s anaemia due to Theileria orientalis has
become a frequent diagnosis on the north coast ... Read more
Theileria research findings | Posted April 2013
Written by: Graeme Eamens and Cheryl Jenkins, Microbiological Diseases and Diagnostics Research, EMAI
Camden NSW
In Australia, bovine theileriosis is caused by the haemoprotozoan Theileria orientalis that infects
erythrocytes, and can result in clinical signs of lethargy, fever, anaemia, jaundice, abortions and
mortalities in naive cattle. Many outbreaks of clinical disease have occurred in NSW since 2007 ... Read more
Theileria transplacental transmission | Posted March 2015
Written by: Shayne Fell* Cheryl Jenkins*, Jade Hammer+, Gaye
Krebs# and Emma Swilks# *Microbiological Diseases and Diagnostics Research,
EMAI Menangle NSW+Main Street Veterinary Clinic, Bairnsdale Vic #Charles Sturt
University, Wagga Wagga NSW
A number of calves in this study showed evidence of infection with T. orientalis based on blood smears
as early as four days of age. This led to the proposal that infection can be passed to the calf in-utero which
is a potential source of continued transmission of disease within the herd ... Read more
Theileriosis as a cause of significant mortality in pregnant cattle | Posted December 2017
Written by: Aziz Chowdhury, District Veterinarian, Greater Sydney LLS and Rod Reece, Veterinary
Pathologist, SVDL, DPI, EMAI
Theileria orientalis is an apicomplexan protozoan blood disease of cattle spread by
H.longicornis that has been present in Australia since early 1900s and was traditionally regarded as
relatively benign ... Read
More
Theileriosis causing anaemia | Posted December 2011
Written by: Ted Irwin, North West Livestock Health and Pest Authority
Benign theileriosis has been causing increasing occurrences of disease on the coast and inland in NSW. It is a
protozoal organism spread by ticks that parasitises the blood cells... Read more
Theileriosis research on the mid-north coast of NSW 2011 | Posted April 2013
Written by: Allan Glassop and Jim Kerr, Mid Coast LHPA, Wingham
This article describes field research to record the progress and outcome of theileria infection in a group of
ten dairy heifers introduced into a Taree dairy herd from South Australia in October 2011 ... Read more
Three cases of bloat in the drought of 2019 | Posted March 2020
Written by: Nik Cronin, District Veterinarian, Central West Local Land Services, Forbes
Cattle losses due to bloat, particularly 'frothy bloat', are generally associated with lush legume pastures
and more productive seasons - this paper describes three cases of mortalities in the drought year of 2019 ...
Read more
Tick fever | Posted July 2012
Written by: Phillip Kemsley, District Veterinarian, Casino and Jessica Hamilton, Final year Veterinary
Intern, University of Sydney
Tick fever is an important disease of cattle, caused by a blood parasite, spread by the cattle tick and
producing severe clinical signs including fever, depression, neurological signs and haemoglobinuria, often
accompanied by jaundice and anaemia ... Read
more
Tick fever and Theileria excluded from a case of copper toxicity in a 7-month-old Brahman poddy calf |
Posted February 2022
Written by: Kylie Greentree, District Veterinarian, Hunter LLS
As this case was a Brahman calf with 'red water' (red discolouration of the urine) and jaundice, it was
important to exclude tick fever as the cause of death ... Read more
Toxic hepatopathy, challenges in diagnosis | Posted August 2010
Written by: Dr Melinda Gabor, EMAI
Histopathology of the liver from various toxins are discussed in minute detail ... Read more
Toxic hepatopathy (suspected phomopsin intoxication) in cattle grazing lupin stubbles | Posted March
2024
Written by: Erika Bunker, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle and Kate Atkinson, Central
West Local Land Services, Coonabarabran
In late June 2023, three cows from a mob of 32 adult Hereford and Hereford-cross cattle on a property near
Coonamble were found dead ... Read More
Toxic nephropathy in cattle grazing pastures heavily infested with blue heliotrope (Heliotropium
ampexicaule) | Posted August 2024
Written by: Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands LLS, Bathurst; Michael Willott, Upper Macquarie County
Council, Bathurst; Patrick Staples and Erika Bunker, Veterinary Pathologists, NSW DPI,
EMAI, Menangle
The owner of the property reported that one of 40 mature Angus cattle with calves at foot died after becoming
emaciated and that four other cows were in poor to emaciated condition ... Read More
Toxicosis in cattle grazing woolly pod vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa) in Northern
NSW | Posted May 2019
Written by: Heidi Austin, Tamworth
This report describes a case of vetch toxicosis in six Angus and Murray Grey cows in the Tamworth district of
North West New South Wales ... Read
More
Trichomoniasis eradication - a case study | Posted August 2010
Written by: Andrew Biddle, DV, New England LHPA, Glen Innes
How an enterprise eradicates and develops a strategy to keep out infectious infertility ... Read more
Trypanosomes - A millstone for the developing world and an insidious threat to Australian livestock |
Posted March 2015
Written by:Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands Local Land Service, Bathurst NSW
Pathogenic forms of trypanosomes are the major constraint to livestock production in much of Africa and also
cause losses in South America and Asia. In Australia, the species found in livestock are not obviously
associated with disease ... Read
More
Two cases of chronic malignant catarrhal fever in a mob of beef cattle in Central Western New South
Wales | Posted November 2023
Written by: Alicia Moses, Central West LLS, Grenfell, Nik Cronin, Central West LLS, Forbes and Anne Jordan,
EMAI, Menangle
Presentation of the two heifers was very similar with signs of blindness, inappetence and rapid loss of body
condition and development of neurological signs ... Read More
Two cases of Malignant Catarrhal Fever in beef cattle on the Central West Slopes of NSW | Posted May
2023
Written by: Nik Cronin District Veterinarian, Central West Local Land Services, Forbes and Mel Martyn,
Private Veterinary Practitioner, Lachlan Valley Veterinary Clinic, Forbes
Malignant Catarrhal Fever is a generally fatal disease of susceptible cloven-hoofed species, caused by
infection with a herpesvirus carried by an asymptomatic natural host ... Read More
Two cases of proximal radial nerve paralysis in cows in a small beef herd| Posted January 2019
Written by: Bruce Watt, District Veterinarian, Central Tablelands LLS, Bathurst
Affected cattle characteristically have an extended shoulder, a dropped elbow and carry or drag the carpus and
fetlock partially flexed ... Read
More
Two 'outbreaks' of Actinobacillosis in beef cattle | Posted September 2015
Written by: Megan Davies, DV Narrabri
Actinobacillosis, or Wooden Tongue is not an uncommon condition in cattle, but is generally seen sporadically
in individual animals. It does not spread readily unless predisposing environmental conditions cause a high
incidence of oral lacerations ... Read More
Unilateral pyothorax in an Angus heifer | Posted November 2023
Written by: Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands LLS, Bathurst, Bernadette O'Brien, final year veterinary student
at CSU and Erika Bunker, EMAI, Menangle
A producer reported a heifer that was lethargic with a swollen brisket which also had noticeable weight loss
and diarrhoea ... Read More
Unusual bovine respiratory disease outbreak | Posted March 2011
Written by: Ian Lugton, SDV, South East LHPA, Bega and Paul Hick and Peter Kirkland, Virology Lab, I&I
NSW, EMAI, Menangle
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most important cause of morbidity and reduced production in
intensively managed cattle. This complex is multifactorial in its aetiology ... Read more
Vagus indigestion in an Angus cow | Posted September 2012
Written by: Bruce Watt, Tablelands Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Bathurst
Vagus indigestion is an insidious, chronic dysfunction of the ruminant (but usually bovine) forestomachs,
leading to reduced outflow and therefore chronic bloat, inappetence and weight loss ... Read more
Vale rinderpest | Posted June 2015
Written by: Dan Salmon, Regional Veterinarian, Deniliquin
The extremely high morbidity and mortality of rinderpest resulted in it influencing many aspects of world
history, not just agriculture, and was the main factor in transforming farriers into veterinarians ... Read more
Vitamin A deficiency in sheep and cattle in North Western NSW | Posted December 2019
Written by: Megan Davies, District Veterinarian, Narrabri, Shaun Slattery, District Veterinarian, Narrabri
and Judy Ellem, District Veterinarian, Gunnedah
During drought conditions between 2014 and 2019, District Veterinarians investigated multiple cases of Vitamin
A deficiency, presenting a wide range of clinical signs, including anorexia, ill thrift, diarrhoea, blindness,
convulsions, paralysis, recumbency, abortion ... Read more
Wallerian degeneration caused by bovine ephemeral fever in a NSW North Coast dairy cow | Posted
September 2016
Written by: Liz Bolin, Casino District Veterinarian
A jersey cow definitively diagnosed as having Bovine Ephemeral Fever was also found to have evidence of a
mild, multifocal neuropathy with Wallerian degeneration ... Read more
Water (salt) intoxication in a mob of steers | Posted November 2015
Written by: Megan Davies, DV Narrabri, North West LLS
Water deprivation and subsequent intoxication is not an uncommon occurrence in cattle and sheep and may be
seen after transport, excessive heat or unexpected failure of water supplies ... Read more
Water, water everywhere and not a spot to stand | Posted March 2011
Written by: Libby Read, DV Narrabri-Walgett
Since the beginning of December 2010, five river systems within the NWLHPA have flooded requiring significant
responses. Flooding in these river systems is generally widespread and slow moving ... Read more
Wet pasture and failure of rumen development | Posted July 2012
Written by: Matt Ball, Senior District Veterinarian Lismore
Between January and February 2012 owners of three independent beef herds reported "poor doing" beef calves. In
each herd about 2-3% of calves were reported to be growing poorly ... Read more
Yersiniosis in cattle | Posted September 2012
Written by: Phillip Kemsley, North Coast LHPA, Casino
Cases of yersiniosis in cattle are seen each winter on the north coast. Ten cases were investigated by the
author in the winter of 2012 over a 10 week period ... Read more
Yersiniosis or more? | Posted October 2011
Written by: David Thomson, District Veterinarian, Grafton
Losses involve both sporadic individual deaths and multiple-death outbreaks, and are also sometimes associated
with at least some evidence of diarrhoea within affected mobs ... Read more