Farmers Newsletter

May 2020

DEFRA / APHA COVID-19 TB Testing Update: Youngstock

All calves 42 days old and over should be tested when it is safe to do so in line with current COVID-19 public health guidelines and full social distancing. However, after seeking feedback from vets DEFRA has now recognised the practical difficulties in testing some groups of youngstock. A temporary amendment will now allow bovine animals under 180 days old to be excluded from certain routine and targeted surveillance TB skin tests in Officially TB Free (OTF) herds where in the OV’s judgement the stock cannot be handled safely. In these situations if all the older animals test clear then no movement restrictions will be placed on the herd, although any young animals that were left untested will still need to be privately pre movement tested before they are sold.

For Pre Movement, Short Interval, Tracing, Inconclusive and Check Tests all animals over 42 days will still need to be tested with full social distancing measures in place. Clear as mud? Give us a call!

Medicines Update

We hope that you are all well and keeping safe. Our veterinary work seems to have settled into this new COVID world, with all the new requirements for social distancing and we would like to thank all of our clients for the help that you have given us to put this into practice on our visits.

This section is just to update you regarding some medicines changes. We have managed to keep most product lines available but there has been more changes than we would like as products have become unavailable then reappeared, often without warning. Apologies for the inconvenience that this has caused, as I’m sure you are all aware, these problems are widespread across the industry.

TETRA DELTA / MULTIJECT / GAMARET Tetra Delta is still unavailable, and Multiject is now also out of stock, although we have been promised resupply in June. In the meantime we have sourced a product named Gamaret from Spain. The pack design is very similar to Tetra Delta, although it contains 20 tubes instead of 24, and the product is identical to Tetra Delta, although the milk withdrawal is slightly reduced at 72 hours (Meat Withdrawal is 7d). Alas unless you are fluent in Spanish the packaging will be illegible so we have printed out a translation to go out with the product.

UBRO YELLOW Alas this product has not been in production for a while, we still hold reasonable stock levels but the wholesalers are now out of stock.

FOSTON / VIGOPHOS Licensing issues have meant that no more Foston will be manufactured. Vigophos is the alternative, it is packaged in 100ml bottles, the dose rate is 5ml per 100kg and the costs per dose are similar to Foston. This product contains both a source of Phosphorus and a source of Vitamin B12. It is primarily used to support and enhance energy metabolism, for example in cows with ketosis or recovering from a DA. However the product can also be used to treat phosphorus deficiency. There is no milk or meat withdrawal period.

BETAMOX LA / TRIOXYL LA Betamox LA is still out of stock but Trioxyl LA is a direct alternative that is licensed for use in both sheep and cattle at the same dose rate of 1ml/10kg. It has slightly different W/D period: Cattle and Sheep Meat = 28d, Milk = 120h.

ADRENACAINE Stock is now apparently with the wholesalers so will be with us very shortly.

PAROFOR This product is now only available in 1 litre bottles, the cost per ml is the same as for the 500ml bottles.

Dedicated and Experienced Farm Animal Team Competitively Priced Drugs and Work

24 Hour Local Emergency Service

WELLINGTON (01823 662286) COLLITON (01404 841011) WIVELISCOMBE (01984 624422)

Wormers, Flukicides, Fly Treatments and other VPS Products

We have been increasing our sales of these medicines over the last couple of years, and have a competitive pricing structure with substantial discounts for larger purchases. We have always offered advice as to treatment choices and protocols, and we would very much welcome the chance to quote for these products. Please give the practice a call for more details. We may not always have the product or pack size that you need in stock, but we can usually order the product in for next day collection, or for larger orders we can arrange delivery to farm.

Our range of products includes;

Pour On Wormers for cattle (all effective against gutworm, lungworm, mange, lice, hornflies) Enovex: Ivomec equivalent, least expensive option but shorter duration of action. Taurador: Dectomax equivalent, this product has a longer duration of action than Enovex. Eprizero: Eprinex equivalent. Zero milk withhold so very useful in dairy herds. Injectable Wormers Bimectin: Ivomec equivalent for cattle and sheep. Cydectin 10%: Long acting injection for cattle so very convenient. Oral Wormers Noramectin (clear drench) for roundworm and lungworm in cattle and sheep. Endospec 2.5% (white drench) for roundworm, tapeworm, lungworm and adult fluke in sheep. Endospec 10% for roundworm, tapeworm, lungworm and adult fluke in cattle. Levacur SC (yellow drench) for roundworm and lungworm in cattle and sheep. Zolvix (orange drench) for roundworm and lungworm in sheep, but should be reserved for use

where multi resistance worm populations are found, also use for quarantined animals. Combination Wormer and Flukicides Bimectin Plus Injection for cattle. Closamectin Pour On for cattle. Combinex 7.5% Drench for cattle. Combinex 3.75% Drench for sheep. Flukicides: Full details to follow later in the season Fly Treatments Spotinor for cattle and sheep. Ectofly for sheep. Clostridial Vaccinations Heptavac P for Clostridia and Pasteurellosis in sheep. Ovivac P for Clostridia and Pasteurellosis in sheep. Bravoxin 10 for Clostridia in cattle.