Last week, a friend of mine had salmonella abortions confirmed on his farm. Three cows out of 110 had aborted three weeks ago, the samples (foetus) turnaround was about 10 days and he has since given his cows a salmonella vaccine.
In disease-outbreak terms, this was quite mild for a salmonella problem.
It was interesting to see his bulk milk sample antibodies had risen before the abortions and probably could have been an indicator or early warning sign. Hindsight is a great thing, I know.
This probably shows the value for dairy farmers to be bulk milk sampling, but, most importantly, keeping an eye on them.
Salmonella is a bacterial disease that can affect animals and people. It has a number of strains - the common ones being S. Dublin and S. thyphimurium. It is very commonly associated with abortions, but it can have many other symptoms in outbreaks.
Salmonella can cause:
Septicaemia in young calves, which can have a number of symptoms and can often lead to rapid death. These calves can be weak, have a poor suck and will go downhill rapidly and may start scouring.Dry gangrene of the extremities, which is where skin goes dry and dead from toxins in the blood.Salmonella can cause respiratory symptoms like pneumonia in calves and occasionally in older animals.Scour is another symptom in both calves and cows. It may be bloody or smelly and can make animals very sick. Treatment involves antibiotics and very aggressive fluid therapy.Cervical osteomyelitis is when the bug enters the bone in the neck causing massive damage leading to calves collapsed from spinal damage.Abortion is the classic symptom many farmers experience with salmonella at this time of year. Fluke and salmonella
Liver fluke infestations can increase the risk of salmonella disease and outbreaks. Just another reason to manage fluke on your farms.
With any of the above symptoms, farmers should engage with their vets to make a diagnosis. Fluids, antibiotics and anti-inflammatories play a key role in treatments.
Any herds showing evidence of salmonella should begin vaccinating immediately and herds that are at risk should also consider it.
Last week, a friend of mine had salmonella abortions confirmed on his farm. Three cows out of 110 had aborted three weeks ago, the samples (foetus) turnaround was about 10 days and he has since given his cows a salmonella vaccine.
In disease-outbreak terms, this was quite mild for a salmonella problem.
It was interesting to see his bulk milk sample antibodies had risen before the abortions and probably could have been an indicator or early warning sign. Hindsight is a great thing, I know.
This probably shows the value for dairy farmers to be bulk milk sampling, but, most importantly, keeping an eye on them.
Salmonella is a bacterial disease that can affect animals and people. It has a number of strains - the common ones being S. Dublin and S. thyphimurium. It is very commonly associated with abortions, but it can have many other symptoms in outbreaks.
Salmonella can cause:
Septicaemia in young calves, which can have a number of symptoms and can often lead to rapid death. These calves can be weak, have a poor suck and will go downhill rapidly and may start scouring.Dry gangrene of the extremities, which is where skin goes dry and dead from toxins in the blood.Salmonella can cause respiratory symptoms like pneumonia in calves and occasionally in older animals.Scour is another symptom in both calves and cows. It may be bloody or smelly and can make animals very sick. Treatment involves antibiotics and very aggressive fluid therapy.Cervical osteomyelitis is when the bug enters the bone in the neck causing massive damage leading to calves collapsed from spinal damage.Abortion is the classic symptom many farmers experience with salmonella at this time of year. Fluke and salmonella
Liver fluke infestations can increase the risk of salmonella disease and outbreaks. Just another reason to manage fluke on your farms.
With any of the above symptoms, farmers should engage with their vets to make a diagnosis. Fluids, antibiotics and anti-inflammatories play a key role in treatments.
Any herds showing evidence of salmonella should begin vaccinating immediately and herds that are at risk should also consider it.
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