MSD Animal Health are delighted to announce that Bovilis INtranasal RSP Live vaccine can now be administered to newborn calves from the day of birth.
Bovilis® INtranasal RSPTM Live is licensed for the active immunisation of calves from the day of birth to reduce the clinical signs of respiratory disease and viral shedding from infection with Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Parainfluenza-3 (PI3).
Bovilis INtranasal RSP Live can now be administered from the day of birth.
Launchedto Irish vets and farmers in 2019, Bovilis INtranasal RSP Live brought new innovative technology such as offering the earliest administration available (from 7 days of age) and the fastest onset of immunity against RSV and PI3 viruses (7 days post administration).
Now this intranasal vaccine offers farmers the earliest administration available on the market, from the day of birth. As a once-off intranasal application, it will provide full protective immunity in 6 days against RSV and 7 days against PI3; providing the fastest protection on the market against RSV and PI3.
“Bovine respiratory disease is a significant threat to calf health and welfare that can cause pneumonia and permanent lung damage. As a major cause of morbidity in cattle populations around the world, it results in significant economic loss in the dairy and beef industries,” said Geert Vertenten, Global Technical Director, Ruminant Biologicals, MSD Animal Health.
A single 2ml intranasal dose will protect the calf against RSV and PI3 for 12 weeks.
“Unlike other vaccination methods, intranasal vaccination is still effective in the presence of maternal antibodies found in colostrum, allowing it to be effective when administered to a newborn calf. Bovilis INtranasal RSP Live is the only vaccine that can be administered from the day of birth, offering young calves the earliest protection against BRD.”
Bovilis® INtranasal RSPTM Live will be used to protect against bovine respiratory disease (BRD) from the earliest possible age, with the fastest onset of immunity.
This vaccine is available to farmers from their veterinary practitioner and sits alongside the other stalwart BRD vaccines in the MSD Animal Health portfolio namely, Bovilis Bovipast® RSP and Bovilis® IBR Marker Live. For more information, please speak to your local veterinary practitioner
The newborn calf will face many infectious diseases in the early stages of life, with calf scour being one of the most common challenges.
Creating a calf health plan now, will help reduce the risk of calf scour occurring in the first place. For Cork dairy farmer, James Murphy, this means making sure colostrum is of the highest quality, in addition to ensuring good environmental hygiene and management on farm.
James highlights the key steps he is taking in preparation for calving 2022 and why vaccination plays such an integral role in his calf health plan to reduce the risk of calf scour occurring on his farm.
Good Colostrum Management – Key to preventing calf scour
Calves are most at risk of calf scour during the first 4 weeks of life; therefore, rely entirely on good high-quality colostrum for protection.
Paul Ryan, Vet Practitioner with Waterside Vets, Co. Limerick, said that “to achieve adequate protection from calf scour, we recommend vaccinating the cow or heifer with Bovilis Rotavec Corona 12-3 weeks prior to calving.
“This will allow her to increase the concentration of antibodies produced in colostrum antibodies against the main calf scour causing pathogens,” said Paul.
It is critical that the calf receives three litres of good-quality colostrum as soon as possible after birth. The calf should also be fed within the first two hours of birth, to obtain the necessary antibodies which will kick start the calf’s immune system and protect against disease.
According to James, “vaccinating the cows prior to calving gives us an extra boost of confidence going into the calving period as we know the colostrum contains the critical antibodies to reduce the risk of calf scour.
“We place a big emphasis on getting the colostrum right and into the calf as soon as possible after birth. We operate the 1,2,3 rule of colostrum, and use a Brix Refractometer to ensure calves receive high-quality colostrum with a reading greater than 22%.”
Calf health programmeto reduce calf scour
The direct cost of treating calf scour can be easily determined from treatment costs and losses, but the overall indirect losses, such as reduced growth rates and labour requirements, are often underestimated.
“We vaccinate against calf scour for two main reasons: Animal welfare and labour. We don’t want the animals getting sick, and from an animal performance point of view, it is important that they reach their target growth rates. Sick calves also add to the workload at an already busy time of year,” explained James.
He continues, “since vaccinating with the Bovilis Rotavec Corona, we have had no sick calves and there is less pressure on the animals as well as the people working on the farm.”
It is important to remember that calf scour vaccination is not a substitute for good hygiene, housing, and environmental factors. Every attempt should be made to keep housing clean and dry, and reduce draughts, where possible.
All feeding equipment should be disinfected after every milk feeding and calf pens should be cleaned out, power washed and disinfected between batches of calves to reduce the build-up of bugs.
Bovilis Rotavec Corona – At A Glance
Single shot primary course.
Low dose volume (2ml shot).
Intramuscular administration.
Broad window of vaccination (Vaccinate pregnant cows 12-3 weeks pre-calving).
Reduces the severity of diarrhoea caused by E. coli (K99 and F41).
Reduces the incidence of scours caused by rotavirus.
Reduces the shedding of virus by calves infected with rotavirus and coronavirus.
The Bovilis Rotavec Corona is a single-shot injectable vaccination, given to pregnant cows to subsequently help protect the calf from diarrhoea caused by rotavirus, coronavirus and E. coli (K99 and F41), once the calf has been fed sufficient colostrum.
Bovilis Rotavec Corona is a single 2ml vaccine. It is administered to pregnant cattle 12 – 3 weeks prior to calving. It is given into the muscle of the animal.
Bovilis Rotavec Corona will stimulate the dam to produce antibodies which will protect the calf against rotavirus, coronavirus and E.coli (K99 and F41). These antibodies will be stored in the dam’s colostrum. The dam will pass these antibodies to the calf through the colostrum at the first milk feeding.
This is why is is crucial that the calf receives adequate colostrum as soon as possible after birth.
Remember the 1,2,3 rule when feeding colostrum. In the 1st 2 hours, ensure the calf gets at least 3 litres of colostrum. Feeding the calf good quality colostrum will enhance the protection of the calf against these scour causing pathogens.
New additions to Bovilis Rotavec Corona
Bovilis Rotavec Corona has undergone some recent changes. The following are some of the changes to note:
Bovilis Rotavec Corona is now the only “one dose” neonatal vaccine with both an E. coli F5(K99) and a new F41 claim. E. coli bacteria adhere to the small intestinal epithelium by fimbriae, F5(K99) and F41 are the most commonly observed fimbriae in diarrhoeic calves.
The vaccine pack has changed from blue to purple packaging.
A new 50 dose pack size, is now available to complement our current 5 dose and 20 dose presentations and to support use whatever the herd size.
All presentations are being transitioned from glass to a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle, instead of glass vials, to reduce the risk of breakage.
Bovilis Rotavec Corona – How does it work?
Single shot primary course
Low dose volume (2ml shot)
Intramuscular (IM) administration
Broad window of vaccination (Vaccinate pregnant cows 12-3 weeks pre-calving)
Why choose Bovilis Rotavec Corona?
Reduces the severity of diarrhoea caused by E. coli (K99 and F41)
Reduces the incidence of scours caused by rotavirus
Reduces the shedding of virus by calves infected with rotavirus and coronavirus
Unique 28 day in-use shelf life
Reduces the risk of breakage with new PET bottles
Available in 5, 20 and now 50 dose packs
Calf scour guide
Want to learn more about calf scour and how you can use Bovilis Rotavec Corona to protect your calves against scour? Check out our Calf Scour Guide by scrolling through the PDF document below.
Ask your vet about our Calf Scour Guide and how you can use Bovilis Rotavec Corona to help reduce the risk of calf scour occurring on your farm.
It’s that time of year again, where the farmers turn their focus to preparing for the dry-cow period.
We recently caught up with Wexford farmer, Patrick Banville, to learn more about how he is getting on with our new teat sealer CepraLock and the steps he takes when drying off cows to ensure they have an adequate dry period to rest and recuperate leading to a productive lactation next year. Watch the full video below:
Located near Taghmon in Co. Wexford, Patrick runs a 140-cow spring calving herd alongside his wife Carmel and children, John, Brian and Orla. The family have been farming the land since 1919 and they now operate over 90ha, 50 ha of which are on the milking platform.
“It pays dividends to have a good dry-cow management programme in place. Treating one sick cow can be just as time consuming as looking after a full herd of healthy cows. On top of that, you have the associated treatment costs, loss of milk production and increased antibiotic usage,” said Patrick.
Paying close attention to herd health and doing the basics well has been key to the Banville’s success. In April 2021, took home first prize in the milk quality category of the National Dairy Council and Kerrygold National Quality Milk Awards. The Banvilles have also been recipients of the CellCheck Milking for Quality Awards on six occasions.
Dry-Cow Period
A key part of Patrick’s drying-off procedure is the use of CepraLock®, a teat sealant from MSD Animal Health which was launched in 2021.
CepraLock is available in a 6-cow box (24 tubes) and 36-cow bucket (144 tubes)
60% of all new infections in early lactation can be traced back to the dry-cow period. Adding a teat sealant to a dry-cow management programme has been proven to reduce mastitis incidences by up to 25% in the next lactation.
CepraLock® is designed for use at drying-off, with or without a dry-cow intramammary antibiotic, and provides an important inert barrier in the teat canal to reduce the risk of a bacterial infection of the udder during the dry period.
CepraLock – Easy and fast application
“We are very happy with the CepraLock®teat sealant. It is not easy trying to teat seal on a cold winters day when you are drying off 10 cows and handling up to 40 tubes.
“You need to have something which is easy and efficient to use while maintaining a strong, tacky consistency. We switched over to CepraLock® last year and that’s exactly what it had”, explained Patrick.
CepraLock has a strong tacky consistency.
CepraLock® has a minimal air bubble and a significantly shorter plunger. This leads to easier administration into the teat canal, but it is also easy on the person’s hand who is administering the tube. Over time, administering many sealers in one setting can be tiring on the farmer’s hand.
It’s designed with a dual-tip syringe, giving the flexibility to choose between either the preferred short tip or the long tip for administration. This will help avoid the risk of teat damage and incorrect administration beyond the teat canal.
Don’t compromise on hygiene
According to Patrick, SDCT will only be a success if good hygiene practices and sufficient time is allocated when drying-off cows.
“Preparation is key. It’s all well and good using CepraLock teat sealer, but you can’t compromise on hygiene. Drying off cows is a two-person job, and we have all the gear ready to go in advance, tubes, cotton wool, methylated spirits, gloves, etc.”
Everything is prepared in advance of drying-off any cows.
Strict hygiene protocols don’t stop there for the Banvilles. Prior to housing, sheds are washed out and disinfected thoroughly. Once the cows are housed, cubicles are scraped and limed twice daily during the dry period, as if they were milking.
“We put the work in during the dry cow period to ultimately cut down on our workload next spring and ensure healthier and more productive cows in the next lactation,” concluded Patrick.
CepraLock: Udder Health Video Series
As part of bringing our new teat sealant – Cepralock – to market, MSD Animal Health have launched a new udder health video series to raise awareness about the correct procedure when drying-off cows, ahead of the upcoming dry cow season.
The video series features well-known veterinary consultant, Tommy Heffernan – better known as Tommy the vet – who shares lots of practical tips, tricks, and advice to help farmers get prepared for a successful dry-cow period.
A total of six in-depth videos explores every aspect of the drying-off procedure, from effective use of milk recording data, what needs to be taking into consideration when going down the selective dry-cow therapy (SDCT) route and best practice protocols pre, post and when drying-off cows.
Salmonella is a significant disease on Irish dairy farms and can greatly impact on herd productivity and profitability. The implications include high abortion rates, high calf mortality, reduced growth rates and depressed fertility in animals that do overcome the infection. It is also a zoonotic disease, which means it can be transferred easily from animals to humans.
Tom Power, Dairy Farmer, Waterford
One farmer who doesn’t take any risks when it comes to Salmonella is Waterford farmer, Tom Power. Farming in Drumhills, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, Tom is milking a herd of 300 cows in a spring-calving system.
In the video below, Tom outlines the importance of Salmonella control on his farm and why vaccinating with Bovilis® Bovivac® S has become a critical component of his herd management programme.
“The herd is at a size now, where we can’t take any chances with their health and that’s why we vaccinate against Salmonella. Like most farmers do, we put a huge amount of time and effort into getting the cows into calf, so keeping them in calf is our number one priority,” says Tom.
No farm is risk free
According to Tom’s local Veterinary Practitioner, Declan Gilchrist from Deise Vets in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, “no farm is risk free. Just because you haven’t had Salmonella on your farm before, doesn’t mean you are protected from it.”
Vaccination against Salmonella
Currently in Ireland, Bovilis® Bovivac® S is the only vaccine available for the control of salmonellosis in cattle. Healthy calves from approximately three weeks of age can receive the primary vaccination course of two 2ml injections separated by an interval of 14 to 21 days.
Calves over six months of age and adult cattle should receive two 5ml injections 21 days apart. All cattle vaccinated with the primary vaccination course of Bovilis® Bovivac® S should receive a 5ml injection at least two weeks prior to each period of risk or at intervals of no more than 12 months thereafter.
Tom concludes: “We try to give each animal a chance and by vaccinating against Salmonella every year, we are reducing the risk of illness and ensuring the cow’s health and performance is not impacted. As it is a zoonotic disease, vaccination also possibly lowers the risk to anyone working here on the farm.”
Reasons to control Salmonella
There are two strains of Salmonella to be aware of for your herd. Salmonella dublin (S dublin) is the most common type associated with abortion in cattle in Ireland and has a high carrier status. Salmonella typhimurium is more commonly associated with diarrhoea outbreaks but can be a cause of abortions.
As well as causing abortions, clinical signs can vary from very mild diarrhoea to those which show obvious signs of fever, dehydration, and profuse diarrhoea, followed by death in a few days.
Clinical outbreaks in young calves can often resemble pneumonia. Acute infections can become chronic and may result in poor thrive, chronic diarrhoea, and terminal dry gangrene.
Salmonella is a significant disease on Irish dairy farms. It can survive for up to two years in the right conditions and the disease is shed mostly in faeces.
In many cases, cows that are infected with Salmonella will often appear clinically normal and Salmonella can survive for up to two years in the right conditions and the disease is shed mostly in faeces. In many cases, cows that are infected with
Salmonella will often appear clinically normal and healthy. It is common when these animals become stressed that they begin shedding the bacteria, infecting other cows, or getting sick themselves.
Hygiene and biosecurityto control Salmonella
Vaccination is critical; however, to maximise animal immunity and minimise exposure, it must coincide with the strict management measures outlined below.
Maintain a closed herd.
If buying in, quarantine arrivals for a period of four weeks minimum.
Strict biosecurity should be particularly maintained around cases.
Faecal material from clinical cases must not enter the slurry tank.
A disinfection point should be in place for everyone who enters and leaves the farm to use.
A rodent and bird control plan should be in place, especially regarding access to feed stores.
Hygiene of buildings between batches of animals is also critical.
Revolutionary processes and a tried and tested animal health programme at Moss Hill Farm in Co. Antrim is paving the way to bring some of the world’s most coveted Wagyu beef to market.
Gary Fitzpatrick has been utilising the Bovilis vaccines along with Consultant and Supply Chain Specialist Dr Ryan Law to roll out a tailor-made vaccination and nutrition regime, which is not only producing the finest quality Wagyu beef, but in half the time.
Wagyu beef is one of the most prized meats in the world and that’s down to the marbling. It’s unparalleled in flavour but also boasts a range of health benefits for the consumer due to its high levels of Omega 3 and 6.
It usually takes up to 36 months to rear and finish Wagyu cattle, but Moss Hill is doing it in 15 months, not only improving economic efficiency but making a positive impact on the carbon footprint of this beef production system.
Gary Fitzpatrick says with 450 animals now in the supply chain, animal health is a centre focus for the WagyuGold enterprise: “We believe prevention is better than cure and that is clearly delivering results. Our robust vaccination programme starts for the calves entering the rearing unit at 3 weeks old.
“Here they are protected from a range of respiratory diseases using Bovilis® IBR Marker Live and Bovilis® Bovipast® RSP. We’ve used these products to protect our cattle here on the farm for many years, so we know the animals perform well using this programme. The calves get a shot of Bovilis® IBR Marker Live and Bovipast® RSPon the same day and a booster shot of Bovipast® RSP 4 weeks later.” This combination offers a very broad range of protection against some of the most common pneumonia causing agents.
“With Wagyu beef, the key to quality meat is a lack of stress in the animal, so maintaining good health is paramount. Vaccination reduces the risk of sickness which, in turn, improves our productivity.
“We’ve created a comfortable, pathogen-controlled environment using pressure ventilated housing. This combined with the tailored nutrition programme has resulted in calm and content cattle with no pressure at the feed trough, which is what I like to see.”
Elite Pedigree Genetics sourced semen from the top herds globally, focusing on marbling score and fineness. The first calves arrived at the farm, based near Craigavon, in March 2021 at an average weight of 40kgs.
Calves were immediately placed on Anupro’s nutritional regime which optimises performance on a low milk, early weaning system and were weaned after 30 days on farm, with minimal health issues.
Growth rates were exceptional considering calves were from of cross-bred cows, reaching target weights ahead of expectation. The rearing programme enhances immune function and creates a positive energy balance where metabolic programming starts from a very early age.
Gary Fitzpatrick added: “In the current climate, this feeding programme is low cost and suitable for all calf rearing systems, resulting in high performance and low antibiotic usage.”
The calves also get a two-shot primary course given 4 weeks apart of Bravoxin-10 which provide protection against clostridial disease. During the finishing period cattle have access to grass and specialised feed which is continuously monitored to ensure the animals are receiving the correct nutritional requirements.
A growing consumer appetite for traceable, locally bred produce gave Gary and Ryan an opportunity to explore creating an independent supply chain. Now they’ve not only created a high-end beef product but can ensure consistency, ultimately delivering the best consumer experience possible.
Even though the business is relatively new, Dr Ryan Law says they’re keen to grow: “We are currently collecting calves from around 30 dairy farms across Ireland. Wagyu’s have a short gestation period and are very easy calved which is an ideal combination for a dairy farmer. We would support any participating farmer with the blueprint we’ve put in place here at Moss Hill which will help ultimately deliver a luxury eating experience for the consumer.”
This robust animal healthcare programme offering an efficient and economically beneficial prospect to farmers across Ireland. The business is hoping to start selling the product within a few months and is in conversation with both independent meat sellers and a large luxury national retailer.
For more information on any of the vaccines or diseases mention in the above, talk to your vet.
Vecoxan® is used for the prevention of coccidiosis in calves and lambs. For more information on Vecoxan, including how and why to use it, watch the video below.
To prevent disease and reduce the impact of sub-clinical disease, treatment using Vecoxan® should be administered close to the time when exposure to coccidiosis is known to occur.
Exposure is required for protective immunity to develop. Therefore, treatments should be administered 8-15 days after moving to a high-risk environment or if historical data is available, approximately one week before the expected outbreak.
How to use Vecoxan – ‘No one size fits all’
There is ‘no one size fits’ all for treating coccidiosis on farms. It is important to speak to your vet about the best approach for your farm.
Historical treatment
Treat whole group 1 week before expected clinical signs: Requires excellent records, knowledge of previous coccidiosis outbreaks & management history in herd/flock.
Unknown
Treat 2 weeks after exposure or treat at time of stressfactor (e.g. dehorning, castration, transport, weaning, regrouping etc.)
Clinical Outbreak
Reactive treatment: Treat allcalves in a group when diarrhoea is first seen in 1 or 2 calves/lambs
It is important to always treat all the calves in the group, as coccidiosis is a group problem, not an individual problem.
A single administration to susceptible animals during risk periods is appropriate although a re-treatment may be necessary if the period of risk is prolonged.
Why use Vecoxan?
Flexible product
Licensed to prevent coccidiosis in both lambs and calves
Allows natural immunity to develop (1)
Higher daily live weight gain following use of diclazuril (2)
Environmentally friendly (3)
Check our new Vecoxan brochure
References
Philippe, P., Alzieu, J.P., Taylor, M.A. and Dorchies, P., 2014. Comparative efficacy of diclazuril (Vecoxan®) and toltrazuril (Baycox bovis®) against natural infections of Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii in French calves. Veterinary parasitology, 206(3-4), pp.129-137.
Agneessens J, Goossens L, Louineau J, Daugschies A and Veys P (2006). Build up of immunity after a diclazuril (Vecoxan) treatment in calves, Poster at World Buiatrics Congress, Nice.
Van Leemput L. & Louineau., (2007). Diclazuril for coccidiosis in ruminants: safe for the environment? Janseen Animal Health, Beerese, Belgium.
The standard is very high for this year’s Pr€vention for Profit competition with the judges very impressed with each of the four finalists.
This week, the judging for this year’s competition took place with the judges traveling to all four corners of Ireland to meet each of the lucky finalists.
The judges were particularly struck by the the attention to detail by all farmers. Each farmer was committed to rearing all their calves to the highest of standard and demonstrated care and compassion for their animals in doing so.
From birth through to weaning, each farmer was implementing best practice when is came to calf rearing and were excellent examples of how Irish dairy farmers are rearing calves on farms.
The ‘Pr€vention for Profit’ competition this year is focused on the newborn calf. The #MyCalfOurFuture concept is to highlight the importance of the newborn calf, to the future and sustainability of the farm, the farmer and their family and their rural economy.
The finalists were judged on the four key pillars of production. These pillars are nutrition, genetics, management and animal health; together giving an indication of that farms performance and profitability.
Through this competition we aim to showcase the management of Irish dairy calves by identifying farmers that implement best practice with regard to calf rearing.
The winning farmer will receive an all-expenses paid study tour to mainland Europe where they will get to spend some time on the top performing dairy farms to see and learn how their systems operate.
Keep an eye out in the Irish Farmer’s Journal where we will be featuring each of the four finalists!
Coccidiosis is an increasingly prominent disease in young calves and according to Eamon O’Connell from Summerhill Veterinary Clinic in Tipperary, farmers must be extra vigilant, particularly where hygiene is poor.
“When we started our practice 15 years ago, coccidiosis in calves was pretty much unheard of, whereas now, it is one of the main causes of disease that we are seeing on farm. Failure to control the disease can have a huge impact on a dairy farm, leading to massive labour costs and stress, not to mention the reduction in daily live-weight gain and thrive in the calves,” stated Eamon.
One farmer who witnessed the impact of coccidiosis on farm is dairy farmer, Shane Hanrahan, who is milking 110 cows, in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. Hear Shane’s story in the video below.
“Historically, we had issues with coccidiosis when calves were turned out to grass. Following the advice of my vet, Eamon O’Connell, we implemented a rigorous preventative strategy using strict hygiene protocols and the oral solution, Vecoxan.
“It has worked really well for us. We’ve had no calf scour and calf health has never been better,” said Shane.
Coccidiosis in calves
Coccidiosis is a disease of the intestine and is often seen in calves ranging in age from 3 weeks to 6 months of age. The disease is caused by a tiny parasitic organism that damages the lining of the gut.
Clinical cases include watery diarrhoea, raised tail head and often the calf may be seen straining to pass faeces. More subtle signs of the disease can be decreased appetite and a reduction in daily live-weight gain.
“In Shane’s case, his calves were having issues with coccidiosis 2-3 weeks post turnout to grass. He is also seeing early cases of coccidiosis in younger calves indoors, particularly where calves are moving from individual pens to group pens and similarly, after stressful situations such as dehorning at 3-4 weeks old,” said Eamon.
Preventative plan for coccidiosis
“We tried other products on the market; however, Vecoxan has worked the best for us. Every calf now gets treated with Vecoxan at 4 weeks old, to prevent coccidiosis indoors, and receive a second dose at 2 weeks post turnout the to tackle the disease at pasture,” said Shane.
Vecoxan can be used as a preventative. The active ingredient, diclazuril has a short duration of action which allows exposure to the parasite and the development of natural immunity. This reduces the risk of reinfection going forward.
Eamon advised that the whole group are treated the same, as failure to do so could cause reinfection. If one calf is sick with coccidiosis, we must presume that a number of calves are sub clinical cases also.
He explained, “When the calves leave the individual pens and enter group pens, they should be left for 7-10 days to gain exposure to the parasite. The whole group should then be treated with Vecoxan as a preventative.
Similarly, when calves are let outdoors, they need exposure to the parasite and after 2 weeks post turnout, the whole group should receive their second dose of Vecoxan. On farms where records are available, the whole group can be treated one week before the expected outbreak.”
Vecoxan can be administered orally at a rate of 1ml per 2.5kg body weight. For example, a 50kg calf will receive 20mls of Vecoxan.
Hygiene is key to disease control
Eamonn stresses that Vecoxan alone should not be used in place of poor hygiene and a dirty environment.
“Feeding equipment and calf sheds should be cleaned and disinfected regularly and calves should be kept dry with a warm and comfortable straw bed.
“If your calves experienced coccidiosis last year, look at the paddocks that were a source of disease and avoid them if possible.
“Areas around water troughs and feed troughs can be a source of infection also, so make sure they are clean and dry. If the area begins to get mucky or wet, it is important to move the troughs to a new location,” stated Eamon.
Don’t take chances
Eamon concluded: “For farmers who suspect a case of coccidiosis on farm this spring or who have had a historic problem with the disease, it is critical to act promptly and contact your local vet to formulate a preventative plan.”
If you suspect your animals to have coccidiosis, contact your vet. They will carry out a full clinical examination and take faecal samples to confirm if it is coccidiosis. Treatment of your calves will be very much dependent on the outcome of the sample results.
Vecoxan – Added Benefits
Vecoxan can be administered to animals of any age or any weight. It is safe to use in calves, lambs, cattle and sheep that are indoors or outdoors.
Studies have shown that dairy heifers treated with Vecoxan achieved better average daily live-weight gains than those treated with a toltrazuril based product.
Vecoxan is environmentally friendly as the manure from treated animals has no environmental concerns and can be safely applied to land.
MSD Animal Health are delighted to announce the two overall champions of this year’s Prevention for Profit competition.
This year the competition was aimed at progressive sheep farmers who felt they were maximising their profitability by focusing on the four key pillars of production. These four key pillars are nutrition, breeding, animal health and management.
William Clarke was selected as the overall lowland champion of the competition. From just outside Ardrums, Co. Meath, William farms along side his father David.
William is a young farmer, mid-season lambing 570 ewes and ewe lambs. William excelled in the competition and provided a very clear rationale as to why he was taking particular steps on his farm.
William and his father place a strong emphasis on the health of their flock and are vaccinating against enzootic abortion, toxoplasmosis, pasteurella and clostridial diseases.
Check out the video below to hear more on why the judges chose William as the overall lowland champion of the competition.
Martin Hopkins was selected as the overall hill champion of the competition. His farm outside Drummin, Co. Mayo extends to 120 acres (48.6ha) of enclosed hill ground along with enclosed commonage grazing.
He is farming 300 Mayo-Blackface ewes and like William places a strong emphasis on his flock’s health to ensure they perform in the terrain in which they are run.
Listen to Martin, and why the judges selected him as the overall hill champion, by checking out the video below.
Three farmers were selected as champions from each category and the six finalists were judged by a panel of judges on the four pillars of production.
For more information on all six finalists, click here.
The Prevention for Profit concept is part of a global MSD animal health initiative which is called ‘#TimeToVaccinate’.
The ‘Time to Vaccinate’ initiative focuses on the use of preventative practices to ensure the well-being of farm animals and the sustainable production of meat, dairy and lamb.
It supports farmers who have already adopted vaccination, as well as farmers who want to learn more about how vaccination can improve animal health, productivity and subsequently profitability.
For more information on the #TimeToVaccinate initiative please click here.
