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

2020 Winter edition of case studies

Sheep

Contagious ophthalmia associated with Mycoplasma conjuctivae in sheep
Written by: Laura Kerrison, Veterinary Student, USYD, Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands LLS, and Mark Hazelton, Ania Deutscher and Mark Westman, EMAI
Four cases of contagious ophthalmia were investigated in the Central Tablelands, NSW, from March to June 2020... Read More

Haemorrhage in the anterior chamber of ewes poisoned with urea
Written by: Tilly Morgan, Veterinary Student, CSU and Lucienne Downs, District Veterinarian, Central Tablelands LLS
The affected flock had been grazing a stubble pasture and receiving wheat until moved into a laneway, where 26 ewes were found dead the following morning, with no clinical signs observed... Read More

Listeriosis in confinement ewes
Written by: Dione Howard, District Veterinarian, Wagga Wagga, Riverina LLS and Wesley Simek, USYD Veterinary Student
A southern Riverina producer reported sporadic losses of 20 sheep over a month, found dead after displaying neurological signs... Read More

Listeriosis in sheep and goats
Written by: Kylie Greentree, District Veterinarian, Hunter LLS (Maitland)
A sheep and goat producer in the Lower Hunter, lost three sheep showing clinical signs of anorexia, scours over 2-3 days with some respiratory signs... Read More

Photosensitisation in young sheep grazing lucerne Medicago sativa
Written by: Bonnie Andrew, CSU Wagga and Bruce Watt and Emilee Johnstone, Central Tablelands LLS
Primary photosensitisation occurs following the ingestion of a photodynamic agent, including the plants St John's wort, buckwheat and biserrula, while these sheep were grazing dryland lucerne... Read More

Sarcosporidiosis in Merino hoggets fed in confinement during drought
Written by: Amanda Walker, District Veterinarian, Northern Tablelands LLS, Zoe Spiers, Veterinary Pathologist, EMAI and Pedro Pinczowski, Veterinary Pathologist, EMAI
In this case sarcosporidiosis, caused by infection with Sarcocystis tenella, was identified as the cause of clinical neurological disease in a mob of Merino hoggets.... Read More

Toxoplasmosis abortion in a small Mid-North Coast sheep flock
Written by: Ian Poe District Veterinarian, North Coast LLS, Kempsey, Elsa Glanville, Mackinnon Project FVAS, University of Melbourne and Anne Jordan, EMAI
The owner of a small flock of sheep contacted the district veterinarian after five out of six ewes aborted, of which two were maidens, whilst three were on their second pregnancy.... Read More

Urolithiasis in a flock of ram lambs
Written by: Genevieve Hughes, Veterinary Student, USYD and Henry Clutterbuck, South East LLS
A sheep producer reported sudden death in a mob of Border Leicester rams less than 18 months of age, with a number of the remaining mob showing some degree of staggers and/or drooping ears... Read More

Cattle

Paspalum staggers in cattle
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

Other

Acute deaths in free range pigs in NSW
Written by: Eliz Braddon, ASF Program Lead, Dept of Primary Industries
In April 2020, a free-range pig producer reported unusual pig losses in his herd over the previous five days... Read More

Hepatic coccidiosis in meat rabbits
Written by: Tania Areori, CSU Veterinary Science Student, and Liz Bolin, District Veterinarian, North Coast LLS
This report describes an outbreak of hepatic coccidiosis in 2019 that led to the death of 19 out of 21 meat-producing rabbits in northern NSW... Read More