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

2018 Autumn edition of case studies

Sheep

Chronic copper poisoning in feedlot lambs
Written by: Nik Cronin, District Veterinarian, Central West LLS
Chronic copper poisoning was diagnosed in feedlot lambs in September 2017 on a property in central New South Wales following an investigation into sporadic sudden deaths ... Read More

Coxiella burnetii associated reproductive disorders in small ruminants
Written by: Lucienne Downs, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Orange
Coxiella burnetii has been found in the foetal fluids, vaginal mucous, semen, milk, urine and faeces of many domestic and wild animals ... Read More

Cattle

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) and Ureaplasma spp. in association with a case of balanitis in a beef herd
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 Respiratory Disease complex causing high mortality in young traded beef and dairy calves
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

Heavy Linognathus vituli infestation in one of 70 Angus heifers
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

Salmonella orion causing acute haemorrhagic and necrotic enteritis and sudden death in neonatal dairy calves
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

Other

Backyard and fancy poultry
Written by: Dr Rod Reece, veterinary pathologist, NSW DPI, State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, EMAI, Menangle
Formerly, a young domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus) was known as a 'chicken' but that term now applies to all age groups and breeds of domestic fowl ... Read More

Clostridium sordellii and Clostridium perfringens isolated from a case of acute enteritis and sudden death in adult goats
Written by: Jeremy Rogers, SVO, PIRSA Biosecurity, Murray Bridge
The first report of Clostridium sordellii in goats in South Australia with Clostridium perfringens also cultured from samples, so one or both organisms may have been responsible for the deaths in this case ... Read More