Diseases of Beef Animals

Diseases of Beef animals include:

•Tuberculosis (TB)

•Stomach and Intestinal Worms.

•Lungworms

•Blackleg

•Grass Tetany

•Lice

•Red Water Fever

Tuberculosis (TB) It affects all types of cattle, of all ages. Caused by Mycobacterium bovus Highly infectious Humans can also get this disease (A Zoonose)

Symptoms Failure to Thrive Sweating Bad appearance

Advanced symptoms: Emaciation Coughing Fever and Death Prevention None really Don’t buy in stock Good farm hygiene No drinking from streamsTreatment Slow veterinary assistance for TB All affected animals are culled

Stomach Worms

Cause: A nematode in the cow’s digestive

tract. Older cows get a resistance to stomach

worms.

Symptoms: Diarrhoea, failure to thrive, growth

restriction.

Prevention: Proper grazing management,

leader follower system, dosing.

Treatment: Dosed with a suitable nematicide.

Lung Worms (Hoose)

Cause: Nematode in the lungs.

Symptoms: Hoarse, husky cough, failure

to thrive.

Prevention: Proper grazing management,

leader follower system, hoose vaccine.

Treatment: Dosed with a suitable

nematicide, under veterinary supervision.

Blackleg Cause: Bacteria called Clostridium chanvoei.

Bacteria produce spores which can travel to

muscle tissue. Animal can die within 24 hours

of showing symptoms. Symptoms: Lameness, swollen legs with black

discolouration, high fever. Prevention: Vaccine available, every six

months. Treatment: None.