Livestock Matters - Winter 2017/18

XLVets member practices 608 Farm and Equine Veterinary Surgeons Allen and Partners Armour Veterinary Group Belmont Farm and Equine Vets Bishopton Veterinary Group Cain Veterinary Centre Calweton Veterinary Group Capontree Veterinary Centre Cliffe Veterinary Group Clyde Vets Donald S McGregor & Partners Drove Farm Vets Dunmuir Veterinary Group Endell Veterinary Group Farm First Veterinary Services Farm Vet Solutions Fenton Vets Friars Moor Veterinary Clinic Glenthorne Veterinary Group Hook Norton Veterinary Group Kernow Veterinary Group Kingsway Veterinary Group Lambert, Leonard & May Larkmead Veterinary Group Midshire Veterinary Group Millcroft Veterinary Group Mount Vets Ltd Northvet Veterinary Group Paragon Veterinary Group Parklands Veterinary Group Penbode Veterinary Group ProStock Vets Rosevean Veterinary Practice Scarsdale Veterinary Group Scott Mitchell Associates Shepton Veterinary Group Shropshire Farm Vets St Boniface Veterinary Clinic Synergy Farm Health Thrums Veterinary Group Torch Farms Vets Tyndale Vets Westmorland Veterinary Group Willows Veterinary Group Wright & Morten XLVets is a novel and exciting initiative conceived from within the veterinary profession. We are all independently owned, progressive veterinary practices located throughout the United Kingdom committed to working together for the benefit of our clients. WINTER EDITION C O N T E N T S Livestock Matters is published by: XLVet UK Ltd, Carlisle House Townhead Road, Dalston Carlisle CA5 7JF Tel: (01228) 711788 *This publication is supplied free of charge to farm clients of XLVets member practices. © XLVet UK Ltd No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. Disclaimer: XLVets does not necessarily share the views of contributors. No responsibility can be accepted for opinions expressed by contributors, or claims made by advertisers within this publication. THE ED I TOR ANIMAL HEALTH 05 Controlling Johne’s disease Nathan Loewenstein, Shropshire Farm Vets explains why controlling Johne’s disease requires a long term holistic approach. 07 Using diagnostic tools to select the correct antibiotic treatment Ed Hill, Thrums Veterinary Group, Lee-Anne Oliver, Scott Mitchell Associates and Andy Stokes, Penbode Farm Vets provide an update on the diagnostic tools available to identify the culprit bateria behind infections. 11 Vaccination protocol adjusted to keep pneumonia at bay Farmer Ian Patullo, with the help of vet Graeme Richardson, Thrums Veterinary Group explain how vaccination protocols may need adapting if new disease pathogens have entered the herd/farm. 13 XLVets support of charity shows UK and African dairy farms face similar challenges Bryony Kendall, Tyndale Vets and Sarah Caldwell, Calweton Vets explain that although climate and scale of farming are different in Africa, some familiar challenges occur, getting cows back in calf, housing, feeding etc. CONTENTS 15 Team effort keeps high yielding dairy herd healthy Rob Henderson, Midshire Veterinary Group and farmer Tim Sinnot describe how a team effort is required to ensure the health and performance of a high yielding dairy herd. FARMSKILLS 17 Lameness in dairy herds - how can we improve things ? David McCrea, Capontree Veterinary Centre talks us through the AHDB Healthy Feet Programme and explains how mobility mentors work with dairy farmers to reduce lame cows leading to healthier, more productive cows. GRADUATE DIARY 21 Following the seasons Find out what our new graduate writers have been up to in their roles in XLVets practices since completing the XLVets farm graduate programme. Welcome to the ‘Winter’ issue of Livestock Matters In this issue we look at Johne’s control and gain an understanding of why regular risk assessments and strict management protocols are needed to prevent its spread. We explore how bacterial populations on farm change over time. Vet Graeme, talks us through why it is worth revisiting the farm vac- cination strategy to see what alternatives there are. Finally, a little further from home, we review the progress made by the XLVets partnership with Send A Cow in the last 12 months. Vets Bryony and Sarah explain how some of the challenges faced in African dairy farms are similar to the challenges faced in the UK. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a prosperous New Year! We hope you enjoy this issue of Livestock Matters. Gemma Ayre Editor