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AG News: 03/09/2009

Includes: Innovative Gippslanders Encouraged To Go For Awards; Getting Cows Back Up When They’Re Down; Farming Diary

By Department of Primary Industries - 11th September 2009 - Back to News

GETTING COWS BACK UP WHEN THEY’RE DOWN

The key to ‘downer cow’ management is knowing when it is likely to happen and symptoms to watch out for; and if it occurs, taking prompt action to help the animal recover while avoiding unnecessary suffering.

Adopting a ‘wait and see approach’ can often be detrimental resulting in the loss of a good animal.

Why does it happen?

Calving is a vulnerable time and reasons that prevent cattle from rising can often be attributed to late or unsuccessful treatment of milk fever; or paralysis caused by traumatic injury during calving.

In the latter example, the common post mortem findings in these cows are severe muscle damage caused by poor blood supply and leading to necrosis of thigh muscles, damage to the major nerves of the hind limb, traumatic separation of muscles and tendons and hip damage, including

hip dislocation.

Prompt treatment in cases of milk fever reduces the chances of severe muscle damage occurring and therefore considerably improves the chances of a swift recovery.

In cases of calving paralysis, early administration of anti-inflammatory analgesic drugs can also significantly increase the chances of a swift recovery.

Other conditions which prevent a cow from rising include fracture of the pelvis or femur, and spinal cord disease or injury.

The probability of a cow recovering from severe muscle, nerve or tendon damage, spinal injury or fractures is extremely low.

What to do?

If a cow cannot rise unassisted, the basic requirements are a warm dry environment, provision of comfortable dry soft bedding (hay, straw or sawdust) placed on a non-slip surface. If a cow is left on a slippery surface, efforts to rise can result in further muscle and joint damage.

The cow should also be positioned correctly by sitting her on her sternum and positioning the hind limbs underneath her body. To minimise muscle and nerve damage that results from recumbency, the cow then needs to be turned from side to side as often as possible or at least three times daily.

If there is no improvement in a downer cow within a reasonable time frame, say within 24 to 36 hours, then a veterinarian should be called to assess the cow, to determine the underlying cause of the recumbency, provide further treatment as necessary and assess chances of recovery.

If hip dislocation is suspected as a complication of the recumbency a veterinarian should also be called to replace the hip without delay. Early intervention will increase the chances of the hip staying in place.

Feed and water should be made available to the cow at all times, or offered at least three times per day.

Protection from foxes, wild dogs and crows is important, as these predators will prey on any live cattle unable to move and protect themselves.

Tools that can assist

Lifting devices such as hip clamps can be very useful, but can also cause considerable damage if not used properly.

Hip clamps should be applied firmly to prevent them slipping off, they should not be applied for more than 10 minutes twice per day and not be applied to cows which hang in the clamps and do not take any weight on their limbs.

Key things to remember

Cows that continually lie flat out on their sides or have their hind limbs in unusual positions are very unlikely to rise, as are cows that become sunken eyed (dehydrated).

The ‘wait and see’ approach is not appropriate in these cases, and in any cases where the cow is clearly not improving or getting worse.

The longer a cow is left down without this type of care and appropriate treatment, then the lower the chances of recovery.

If the chances of recovery are considered to be poor or minimum care requirements cannot be met, then the cow must be quickly and humanely destroyed.

For more information,, please contact your nearest Animal Health Officer at DPI Maffra on (03) 5147 0800, DPI Ellinbank on (03) 5624 2222 or DPI Leongatha on (03) 5662 9900.

INNOVATIVE GIPPSLANDERS ENCOURAGED TO GO FOR AWARDS

Farmers and rural innovators alike have the opportunity to win a cash prize of $10,000 to further develop their winning initiative.

The Hugh McKay Future Farming Award is awarded to a Victorian primary producer or rural resident, or team that can demonstrate practical adoption and championing of an iinovative solution to an environmental, social or economic issue affecting Victoria’s primary industries, communities or environment.

Previous recipient of the Hugh McKay award Jenny O’Sullivan, of Tarwin Lower in Gippsland won the award for the development of an environmental management system that underpins the beef brand, Enviromeat, resulting in improved on-farm environmental practices and value adding to meat products.

Ms O’Sullivan said the award had been of great benefit.

"Winning the Hugh McKay Future Farming Award was really important to us because Enviromeat is all about farmers getting recognition and giving customers great food, which is good for them and good for the environment," Ms O’Sullivan said.

"The prize and publicity from winning the award is substantial and has helped me fund a study tour to the UK looking at sustainable agriculture.

"Nominating is a great way of gaining recognition for your efforts and furthering your initiative."

The Hugh McKay Future Farming Award was named after the inventor of the Sunshine Harvester which since the late 1800s has revolutionised the way grain farmers harvested their crops.

Nominations are also being sought for the Nancy Millis Postgraduate Award that provides winning graduate with a study allowance over three years to undertake their PhD studies and is worth over $21,000.

Science graduate students keen to further their scientific careers through postgraduate research in agriculture, biology, natural resources management, environmental science or earth sciences, are encouraged to apply.

Nominations for the 2009 Science Awards close on Friday, September 25 and will be presented at an official ceremony to be held in Melbourne in November 2009.

For more information on the 2009 DPI Science Awards and how to nominate please call the DPI on 9658 4000 or the Customer Service Centre on 136 186 or visit www.dpi.vic.gov.au

FARMING DIARY

Improving Nutrient Management

The Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) invites farmers to an ‘Accounting for Nutrients on Australian Dairy Farms’ seminar on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at DPI Ellinbank from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm.

DPI’s Accounting for Nutrients project has been measuring and monitoring nutrient imports, exports, and ‘within-farm’ flows and exports from 44 farms across Australia,

As dairying continues to intensify, this research targeted the significant issue of nutrient accumulation and higher risks of nutrient loss to the environment.

Now in its final year, Project Leader, Dr Cameron Gourley will present the project’s preliminary findings on farm nutrient flows, transformations, and farm nutrient use efficiencies.

For more information, please contact Sharon Aarons at DPI Ellinbank on (03) 5624 2222.

Adaptive Forage Planning

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) will be running two Adaptive Forage Planning Discussion Days in the Rosedale area on Wednesday, September 9; and in the Yarram area on Thursday, September 10 respectively.

As Gippsland continues to experience seasonal variability, DPI is currently comparing a range of crops that can be utilised under these conditions in the future.

Both days are designed for dairy farmers, graziers, croppers and interested service providers to examine various crops and discuss their potential for both dairy farmers and forage producers.

For more information, please contact Frank Mickan on (03) 5624 2259 or Greg O’Brien on 5624 2288.

Pasture and Grazing after Bushfire

Department of Primary Industries’ Fiona Baker will present a Pasture and Grazing workshop providing practical advice on how to establish and manage productive pastures to meet livestock grazing and fodder needs.

The workshop will focus on soil testing, selection of pasture species, fertilisers, sowing techniques and rotational grazing systems. It will also include pasture inspections of various paddocks re-sown since the Black Saturday fires.

When: Saturday, September 12, 2009

Where: Labertouche Hall, Cnr Labertouche and Forest Road, Labertouche

Time: 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

All landholders are welcome, in particular those whose properties have been fire affected.

For more information, contact Carolyn Ferguson on (03) 5624 2409.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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