Animal Health News

With a dizzying range of vitamin-enriched poultry supplements available on the market, Ricky Love from AFS Supplies simplifies the key principles of poultry health and nutrition.

Oregano essential oil (OEO) has been found to help lower milk somatic cell count (SCC) and reduce levels of oxidative stress biomarkers – leading to greater milk production. These findings were from trials carried out at the Federal University in Brazil.

As bovine TB can survive for months in the environment and still be infective, it is important to break the habit of badgers visiting farms, as part of efforts to reduce transmission, said farm vet Sarah Tomlinson at this year’s Dairy Tech Online.

Volac research scientist Dr Jessica Cooke explains how feeding more milk and weaning more gradually could result in better fertility, survival and milk yields – while Boehringer veterinary adviser Ailsa Milnes explores vaccination options.

Farmers could face uncontrollable fly populations and costly health issues in their livestock when the weather warms up, if they don’t get ahead and protect their stock now, experts are warning.

As requirements for milk quality are constantly changing, Evans Vanodine offers its expert advice on developing a prevention programme for mastitis.

Introducing the AfiCollar, which livestock farmers are praising for its accuracy, ease of use and training programme.

Warmer temperatures in spring and summer can cause heat stress in cows – sooner than we think. A decline in fertility is often the first consequence, followed by a decline in production, and often before we notice any effects.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) has welcomed the launch of a new initiative exploring a structured approach to controlling sheep scab – and looks forward to coordinating the work in South West England.

Poultry farmers are being urged to maintain the highest possible standards of biosecurity after the avian flu housing order was lifted, as H5N8 is detected at a non-poultry premises in Lancashire.

Defra has confirmed that the housing order will still be lifted despite a new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza – but other restrictions remain in place.

With the majority of sheep farmers embarking on lambing from early spring, vets are urging farmers to test for Enzootic Abortion of Ewes (EAE) if they experience abortions in their flock.