NEWSLETTERS_files/Large Animal Newsletter Spring 2013

Spring Newsletter
South Waikato
Veterinary Services
Handy Hints to make spring easier
Inside this issue:
Mating Management
2
At Risk Cows
2
More tips...
3
PenClox Intramammary 3
In Depth Mating Plans
4/5
Calcium & Down Cows
5
DCAD - Does it matter? 7
Listeriosis
7
Dehorning Calves
8
19 Swanston St,
Tokoroa
(07) 886 64 13
89 Tirau St,
Putaruru
(07) 883 30 18
108 SH 30
Whakamaru
(07) 882 86 85

DON’T GIVE OXYTOCIN UNTIL THE CALF IS ON THE GROUND

2 HOURS IS MAX - a cow trying to calve any longer has a problem

IF IN DOUBT PUT A GLOVE ON - Far
easier than dealing with a rotten calving
and better for the cow

If you assist a cow in calving, give her an
injection of 5mL of Oxytocin afterwards.

LUBE!! When calving a cow, you can never use too much lube.

PROLAPSES THAT ARE DOWN ARE BEST LEFT THAT WAY

If she is bright and alert, do not give her any IV metabolics.
A prolapse is much easier to replace in a down cow than a
standing cow. If however, she is on her side/sick/very
depressed, do give an IV treatment.

If you don’t currently do whole herd metrichecking (recommended),
mark down problem cows and get them checked 4 weeks after
calving. Examples are assisted calvings, twins, retained membranes
and downer cows.

Retained Membranes? We are hearing anecdotal evidence that
giving 5ml Oxytocin for a couple of days is helping speed up removal
- Try it out and give us a shout if it looks to be working

CAN’T PICK CALVES UP TWICE A DAY? Take a bucket of Day 1
Colostrum and stomach tube calves in the paddock - a night on a full
stomach is a good idea
Check out our Colouring in Competition on PAGE 6- Make sure
your kids have a go! Entries close end of August. Cool prizes for
the winners of each age group.
Steve Whittaker, BVSc
Vaughan Parker, BVSc, BSc (Hons)
Edward Hunt , BVSc
Rachael Hunt, BVSc
Eddy De Weerd, DVM
Daniel Broughan, BVSc
Rochelle Jager BVSc
Rebecca Fone BVSc
South Waikato Veterinary Services
MATING - TWO THINGS TO DO
TAILPAINT
The use of tailpaint well in
advance of mating can not be
overstated.
Too many farmers rely on
watching cows in the yard - one bulling cow
can be ridden multiple times by different
cows giving the impression of multiple cows
bulling - Tailpaint is the only effective method
of actually measuring PREMATING HEATS.
So - What should you be doing?
Tailpaint colours should be getting sorted
now - you need at least FOUR colours ideally FIVE!!
Then start by painting cows as they calve
and rotating colours EVERY THREE
WEEKS. See the in-depth plan on page 5.
METRICHECK
Metrichecking is the most economical way of
finding “dirty” cows. By “dirty” we mean cows
suffering from ENDOMETRITIS.
Endometritis is a low grade infection that
causes reduced conception rates. Studies
done show cows that are suffering from this
take around 10 days longer to get in calf than
cows without an infection. Much like noncycling cows, this is a
hidden loss - only
evident at scanning
time as a lower InC a l f
R a t e .
Remember that lower
In-Calf Rates mean
less days in milk
which means less $$.
What to do with the “At Risk” Cow
Metrichecking is a fast and economical way of checking for Endometritis in an entire herd. However, over
calving we will have many cows that for one reason or another are grouped into an “At Risk” category.
What constitutes “At Risk”? Two easy things - Calving related trouble or metabolic trouble.
Should “At Risk” cows be treated any differently? Some studies have started to crop up that have been
looking specifically at the Sensitivity of metrichecking - Metrichecking is by far the best option for finding
Endometritis but unfortunately cows with a closed cervix are missed - the pus is trapped inside.
The chance of missing cows INCREASES the further after calving they are
checked, this is confused with cows becoming clean on their own - self cure rates
2-3 weeks after calving are quite low (1-2% of cows will self cure from then on as
opposed to <2 weeks around 30% self cure).
So what should you do?
Mark At Risk cows and have them checked NO LATER than 4 weeks after calving,
this is especially important regarding cows that retain their cleanings - they are at
such high risk there is evidence to suggest they should be treated regardless.
Page 2
Steve Whittaker, BVSc
Vaughan Parker, BVSc, BSc (Hons)
Edward Hunt , BVSc
Rachael Hunt, BVSc
Eddy De Weerd, DVM
Daniel Broughan, BVSc
Rochelle Jager BVSc
Rebecca Fone BVSc
Spring Newsletter 20
Tip One - Magnesium
Tips !!
Tip Two - Calcium
Magnesium Sulphate in the water
trough rather than Magnesium
Chloride
Calcium supplementation to the
colostrum mob and preferable to
Research has shown that it is better
than magnesium Chloride in
preventing milk fever
end of AB period...limeflour
150g/cow/day or 300 g/cow/day
if dusted.
Its not about the DCAD either!!!
Big Tip Three - Monensin
The addition of monensin to a cows ration improves rumen energy efficiency...FACT
Based on the Otorohanga Trial over 245 days -cows produced 230 more litres and 9.8kg
additional milk solids.
*The Cost is 1.64cents /day over 245 days = $4.01/Cow
9.8ms/cow @$ 7.50 /MS =
$73.50
Yes , we sell it BUT the science is there
* the 1.64cents /dose is based on our 20% Monensin product we sell...very cost effective..
Speak to Steve on the 20% Monensin product - limited stock available
PenClox 1200 - For the treatment of Mastitis
Penclox 1200 is a new intramammary mastitis
treatment with two active ingredients included to
target all the common types of bacteria that cause
mastitis.
It is a dual combination of Penicillin
and Cloxacillin in one syringe, that
has been developed, trialed and tailor
-made in New Zealand for our cows.
It contains 1gm of Penicillin (like
Lactapen) and 200mg of Cloxacillin
(like Orbenin LA/Nitroclox) so in
theory will treat all the main mastitis
pathogens with one tube. This will reduce the risk
of treatment failure due to Penicillin resistance or
from using the wrong type of antibiotics to begin
with.
It is generally assumed that most cases of mastitis
early in the season are environmental, whilst those
later in the season are contagious (cow-cow
transfer). However, some farms will
have mixed sources of infection early
in the season, and that is where
traditionally recommended
treatments for spring mastitis such as
Lactapen won’t produce an effective
cure. So if you are having recurring
mastitis cases and have not sent any
milk samples in to be tested,
reaching for PenClox whilst waiting
for culture results would likely be the best option.
To find out more give the clinic a call to discuss
whether PenClox would be suitable for your farm.
Page 3
Steve Whittaker, BVSc
Vaughan Parker, BVSc, BSc (Hons)
Edward Hunt , BVSc
Rachael Hunt, BVSc
Eddy De Weerd, DVM
Daniel Broughan, BVSc
Rochelle Jager BVSc
Rebecca Fone BVSc
South Waikato Veterinary Services
EX
AM
PL
E
Blaa
Page 4
Steve Whittaker, BVSc
Vaughan Parker, BVSc, BSc (Hons)
Edward Hunt , BVSc
Rachael Hunt, BVSc
Eddy De Weerd, DVM
Daniel Broughan, BVSc
Rochelle Jager BVSc
Rebecca Fone BVSc
Spring Newsletter 20
Calcium and Magnesium -fact or fiction
Magnesium:
is important for maintaining calcium homeostasis. Poor magnesium levels precalving
means greater risk of milk fever pre and post calving.
Some Magnesium Rules:

Cows require around 35g of elemental Magnesium in the month precalving

Dust with 60-100g Causmag( 45-49% Mg) per cow/day PLUS..

40-60 g Magnesium Sulphate in the water trough is BEST (preferable to Magnesium chloride) a mix
of 50:50 Mg SO4 and MgCl2 can be used.

Post calving magnesium supplementation : Jerseys 15g Mg /cow/day, Friesians 20 g Mg /cow/day.
Research has shown that magnesium in the form of magnesium sulphate
compared to causmag or magnesium chloride was better at preventing
milk fever in cows .
Its not the DCAD effect !!
The reason why??? Possibly the sulphur component ..we don't know
Calcium:

A surplus of calcium precalving during the precalving period has traditionally been believed to
suppress the normal mechanisms controlling calcium absorption. Traditionally we don't feed calcium
precalving……….BUT we have had to break that rule on many occasions and have advised the
feeding of Gypsum (calcium sulphate) in the springer mobs to prevent precalving milk fever with
excellent results. This is not a general recommendation, consult with Steve, Eddy or Vaughan if you
have a problem with cows going down precalving or in the colostrum mob.

Post calving Milking cows need calcium. Supplement with 150g/cow/day of Limeflour each day (or
300g/day if dusting) for as long as possible……..till end of mating… Steve recommendation!!!
Written REPRODUCTIVE PLANS
Like the look of what’s on the other page?? That is a comprehensive plan detailing what should
be done, and when, for the entire lead-up and first 3 weeks of mating. It includes everything that
could be done for a herd trying to improve their reproductive performance and can be tailored to
suit what you want done in particular.
Any Questions? Call Steve, Vaughan or Eddy at the clinic for a sit down consultation.
Too Busy? The crucial feature of most plans is to have tail painted the herd into calving groups
based on THREE WEEK BLOCKS. Follow this pattern and we can come in at almost anytime
and have a good idea of where to go
Page 5
Steve Whittaker, BVSc
Vaughan Parker, BVSc, BSc (Hons)
Edward Hunt , BVSc
Rachael Hunt, BVSc
Eddy De Weerd, DVM
Daniel Broughan, BVSc
Rochelle Jager BVSc
Rebecca Fone BVSc
South Waikato Veterinary Services
Page 6
Steve Whittaker, BVSc
Vaughan Parker, BVSc, BSc (Hons)
Edward Hunt , BVSc
Rachael Hunt, BVSc
Eddy De Weerd, DVM
Daniel Broughan, BVSc
Rochelle Jager BVSc
Rebecca Fone BVSc
Entries due back by the end of August
Prizes for best drawing (Judged by the Girls) Age categories are <6, 6-9 and >10
Colouring In Competition!!
Name:.................................................... Age:.......
Colouring in Competition
Spring Newsletter 20
DCAD - does it matter?
DCAD stands
Difference”
for
“Dietary
Cation
Anion
The theory behind DCAD is that careful diet
manipulation of Cations (electrolytes with a positive
value - Potassium and Sodium are the big players)
and Anions (those with negative values - Chloride
and Sulphate are the big players) can decrease the
pH of blood - making it more acidic.
What use is acidic blood?
The main hormone controlling Calcium absorption
(from Bones and the gut) is Parathyroid hormone
(PTH). There is a marked increase in the sensitivity
of tissues to PTH when blood pH drops (From
around 7.45 down to 7.35 (A relatively small
change in blood pH)). This increased sensitivity
helps to gear the cow for the sudden need to
absorb a lot more calcium from calving.
So how does playing with DCAD work?
To control DCAD effectively it needs to be a
NEGATIVE VALUE - reductions in DCAD from 400
down to 200 have little effect on blood pH. This is
where we encounter the first problem with DCAD in
NZ pasture based systems - Our DCAD IS HUGE.
On NZ farms DCAD can vary from around 200 up to
1000. The required amount of anions to reduce
DCAD to negative values can be up to a kilo of Mag
Chloride or Sulphate!!
The next problem with DCAD is that it has a
relatively short duration of effects - only about 2-3
weeks after getting DCAD below zero the pH of the
cows blood will become to normalize - meaning the
diet needs to be selectively fed to springing cows
only.
So does DCAD matter? In short - Not on pasture
based dairy farms.
Listeriosis
What is Listeriosis?
Listeriosis is a disease of cattle of all ages that
is caused by the bacteria Listeria
monocytogenes.
This bacteria is found throughout the
environment, mainly in soil, and is not
considered very pathogenic (compared with
something like Salmonella).
Infection with Listeria can cause abortions (one
of the reasons pregnant women should avoid
uncooked salads) and nervous disease - the
most common sign.
Outbreaks are commonly associated with
poorly made silage - normal silage pH is
around pH6 which kills off Listeria, poor silage
or silage that does not have a have enough
sugar content precut will not drop to this point
enabling Listeria to live.
Nervous disease is associated with the parts of
the brain that become infected. The most
common parts are those that control balance
so the number one sign we see in infected
cows is ‘circling’, followed by paralysis of one
side of the face.
So what should you do?
If you see a cow with presenting signs like this
it is best to call us for a definitive diagnosis.
Treatment can be successful but generally only
if started early and aggressively
Page 7
Steve Whittaker, BVSc
Vaughan Parker, BVSc, BSc (Hons)
Edward Hunt , BVSc
Rachael Hunt, BVSc
Eddy De Weerd, DVM
Daniel Broughan, BVSc
Rochelle Jager BVSc
Rebecca Fone BVSc
South Waikato Veterinary Services
Calf Dehorning 2013
Stress free and painless calf dehorning, as performed by South Waikato Vets for the past 14
years. Calves (ideally 2-6 weeks old) are sedated in their own pens, local anaesthetic is used to
dull the nerves to the horn buds and then electric fired disbudding irons are used to cauterize the
horn bud. This is the safe and reliable way to dehorn your calves.
Stress free & Painless
Farmers able to tag ears at the same time
Included in the price - we remove extra teats for you
Approximately 60 calves an hour!
Cost effective 7.17 exc per calf
Calves after sedation & local
anaesthetic
We have our own generator if there is no access to power
We can do Ultravac 5 in 1, Salmonella vaccinations & Dectomax
worming at the same time
No extra teats!
All enquiries welcome!
What we require from you

Calves, preferably between 2-6 weeks of age

Fine weather

An area for us to sedate them in - clean dry calf sheds or on
the yard

Access to power (or we can bring the generator)

Calves not to be milk fed that morning (if we are dehorning before 12pm)

Calves done after 12pm may be milk fed that morning

Ideally in groups of 50-100 calves at a time
Page 8
Steve Whittaker, BVSc
Vaughan Parker, BVSc, BSc (Hons)
Edward Hunt , BVSc
Rachael Hunt, BVSc
Eddy De Weerd, DVM
Daniel Broughan, BVSc
Rochelle Jager BVSc
Rebecca Fone BVSc