NADIS Cattle Veterinary Report and Forecast – December 2009

UK - This is a monthly report from the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS), looking at the data collected from their UK farm inspections

4 January 2010

2 minute read

Europe

ADULTS

Metabolic Disease

Overall metabolic disease cases declined in November, but at a lower rate than last year. Except for January and February reporting of metabolic disease has been around 50 per cent of the long term average and, with much variation around the mean, at 80 per cent of last year’s figures.

Figure 1: Comparison of reports of metabolic disease with those for 1997-2007 and 2008.

The number of reports of hypomagnesaemia was higher in November than October. This would seem surprising, as on average November reports are 70 per cent of October’s, but this is the fourth year of the 13 that NADIS has been active when cases have increased in November. The peak in November meant that autumn reports of hypomagnesaemia were 75 per cent higher than in spring; so for six out of the 13 years, autumn figures for hypomagnesaemia have been higher.

Fertility

There was a moderate decline in the number of fertility reports in November as although the number of non-detected heats remained static, there were falls in all of the other main problems. The most marked change was in anoestrus reports which fell almost 50 per cent, in complete contrast to last year when there was a marked rise in cases.

Figure 2: Number of monthly reports of anoestrus in 2009 and 2008 compared to average of 1997 to 2007.

Endometritis reports decreased in November, to below the long term average. At the beginning of the year, endometritis reports were at an all-time peak, but since April, figures have only been 80 per cent of last year. Nevertheless, 2009 is still second in the list of total cases to November – suggestions as to why endometritis cases have become more common welcome.

Lameness

Overall lameness reports were also declined moderately in November. Of the main four diseases only white line disease showed an increase, although levels still remained well below last year. So far this year, except for January, reports of white line disease have remained below the levels reported last year. The high January figure is likely to be due to hold-overs from the previous December which had a precipitous decline in cases.

Figure 3: Number of monthly reports of white-line disease in 2009 and 2008 compared to average of 1997 to 2007.

CALVES

In contrast to last year when there was a decrease in cases in Novemeber, last month cases followed the usual seasonal trend with the largest number of reported outbreaks since 2004. Still well below the numbers seen in the late 1990s though