Health & Welfare Bulletin No.29 : Important Issues
28/05/10 20:05
BLUETONGUE:
Have you vaccination your herd this year ?
To date Bluetongue has not been reported in the UK and we wish to be part of the livestock industry to keep it that way. Please be responsible.
ANNUAL VACCINATIONS:
Are you animals up to date with their regular vaccinations ?
WORMING:
A number of you re-locate your animals to their summer grazing at this time of year. Check for worms before you move them. Either worm them or send samples to your vet for analysis. There is no point is taking worms to new pastures when it is so easy to prevent.
FLYSTRIKE:
Due to the weather conditions we have already had a number of instances of flystrike. One has even resulted in death !
Check your animals regularly. Look under the tail first as flies need warm, damp conditions to lay their eggs but look all over the animal.
LIVERFLUKE:
This is more common from September to November but due to the amount of rain we have had recently, some land is still boggy and wet. Your animal will lose weight and generally be subdued. It may have diarrhea but also may just be less active and stop eating. If suspicious, send a dung sample to your vet for checking. Be sure to ask for a liver fluke test.
DEATHS:
If you in an unfortunate position and find yourself with a dead animal, it is recommended that you send it away for a post mortem. This can be arranged by your vet. Under NO CIRCUMSTANSES BURY THE CARCAS – THIS IS ILLEGAL. It must be disposed of in a safe and proper manner. Your local Animal Health can give you name of your nearest abattoir.
LIZ BUTLER
Vice Chairman BLS & Health & Welfare Representative
Have you vaccination your herd this year ?
To date Bluetongue has not been reported in the UK and we wish to be part of the livestock industry to keep it that way. Please be responsible.
ANNUAL VACCINATIONS:
Are you animals up to date with their regular vaccinations ?
WORMING:
A number of you re-locate your animals to their summer grazing at this time of year. Check for worms before you move them. Either worm them or send samples to your vet for analysis. There is no point is taking worms to new pastures when it is so easy to prevent.
FLYSTRIKE:
Due to the weather conditions we have already had a number of instances of flystrike. One has even resulted in death !
Check your animals regularly. Look under the tail first as flies need warm, damp conditions to lay their eggs but look all over the animal.
LIVERFLUKE:
This is more common from September to November but due to the amount of rain we have had recently, some land is still boggy and wet. Your animal will lose weight and generally be subdued. It may have diarrhea but also may just be less active and stop eating. If suspicious, send a dung sample to your vet for checking. Be sure to ask for a liver fluke test.
DEATHS:
If you in an unfortunate position and find yourself with a dead animal, it is recommended that you send it away for a post mortem. This can be arranged by your vet. Under NO CIRCUMSTANSES BURY THE CARCAS – THIS IS ILLEGAL. It must be disposed of in a safe and proper manner. Your local Animal Health can give you name of your nearest abattoir.
LIZ BUTLER
Vice Chairman BLS & Health & Welfare Representative
JOIN BLS
27/01/10 20:04
There is further and additional information regarding Health and Welfare and much more, available to members through the Members Only area of the Forum - you can apply on line.
Bluetongue Update
27/01/10 20:04 Filed in: bluetongue
BLUETONGUE UPDATE
It is coming up to the time of year when we should all be administering the Bluetongue 8 booster to our herds or to begin protecting our new crias against the virus. At one of the various meetings I have attended on your behalf to discuss disease control, it was suggested that we use the same brand of vaccine for the boosters that you used last year. Please check this with your vets.
'DONT HESITATE - VACCINATE'
LIZ BUTLER
Vice Chairman BLS and Health & Welfare Representative
It is coming up to the time of year when we should all be administering the Bluetongue 8 booster to our herds or to begin protecting our new crias against the virus. At one of the various meetings I have attended on your behalf to discuss disease control, it was suggested that we use the same brand of vaccine for the boosters that you used last year. Please check this with your vets.
'DONT HESITATE - VACCINATE'
LIZ BUTLER
Vice Chairman BLS and Health & Welfare Representative
Health & Welfare Bulletin No.28 : Anti-TB Drugs
20/01/10 21:13 Filed in: TB
DEFRA advice to owners regarding the use of anti-TB drugs on
camelids suspected of having TB
Members are urged to take heed of the advice from DEFRA given below for the welfare of themselves, their own animals and the national alpaca herd.
DEFRA’s advice is that suspect clinical cases of TB should be notified to Animal Health and culled rather than treated with anti-TB drugs.
Owners need to be aware of the risks posed by treating suspect cases. Effective treatment of TB in humans is quite a complex, long and costly process involving a six-month course of at least three different drugs. To our knowledge, the effectiveness of such drugs and protocols has never been properly evaluated in South American camelids.
Assuming that an infected camelid will consistently receive the right dose of the appropriate drugs over a long enough period, it may remain infective to humans and other animals for some time.
Many treatment regimes, whilst seemingly capable of resolving the clinical signs of TB, will not result in a complete microbiological cure (elimination of all the bacilli) and may result in latent infections and potentially the development of drug resistance, resulting in serious public and animal health risks.
Additionally, owners need to be aware that by treating animals for TB they are jeopardising the only method of control currently available to infected herds (testing and slaughter of any positives) due to the suppressive effects the drugs may have on the immunological responses detected by the ante-mortem diagnostic tests. Animal Health may, therefore, be unable to undertake any TB testing of infected camelid herds if they become aware that owners are administering anti-TB drugs to some of their animals.
LIZ BUTLER
Vice Chairman BLS & Health & Welfare Representative
Health & Welfare Bulletin No.27 : TB Awareness meetings
01/01/10 13:38 Filed in: bTB
Health & Welfare Bulletin No.25 : MICRO-CHIPPING & CRIA REGISTRATION
26/09/09 17:19 Filed in: Registration
Time to record your cria
'The BLS board is working hard to look after the interests of all members and their llamas. To do this it is vital that the llama register is accurate. In other species identification measures are enforced. For example all cattle must be registered with the national cattle movement services before they are two weeks old, must carry a passport, must have pre movement bTB test and must report all movements on or off the farm to the central registry; all equines must carry a passport and be microchipped; there are movement restrictions on pigs; and even sheep will have to be compulsorily microchipped from next year.
The BLS argue that we hold the national registry, can contact all owners and breeders quickly in the event of an emergency and that outside intervention is not necessary. If members are failing to register all births and sales, especially to non members, that argument begins to break down. If we cannot hold that argument, we cannot hope to represent the industry and protect our members from restrictive legislation.
Please register your cria NOW.
To record your 2009 and cria (and your older animals if they have still not been added to the registry) is very straight forward.
All cria must be microchipped. It is recommended to microchip cria’s at six months old plus. To register your cria prior to the age of six months, just allocate a microchip to that animal and record it on your registration form. Don’t forget to get the cria microchipped once it is six months old. Chips from BLS cost £4.15 each which is an extremely good price. To obtain your microchips please send a padded self addressed stamped envelope, with a cheque made out to British Llama Society to Liz Butler, Nutfield Park Farm, South Nutfield, REDHILL, Surrey, RH1 5PA. Chips will be sent out within 48 hours.
LIZ BUTLER
Vice Chairman BLS & Health & Welfare Representative
Biosecurity Recommendations for UK Camelid Farmers
11/07/09 11:14 Filed in: biosecurity
Given the recent emergence of several infectious diseases in the UK and the unknown effects of these diseases on South American Camelids, it seems prudent that camelid breeders take stock of their approach to biosecurity in order to protect these animals from disease This may mean changing some existing practices but the benefits of avoiding contact with disease should far outweigh any inconveniences faced. Members lo the British Veterinary Camelid Society have put these recommendations together,
The aim of "biosecurity` is to prevent the introduction and spread of disease in susceptible populations or herds lo animals. Mainly we are talking about viruses, bacteria and parasites Below is a list of potential diseases and organisms that may be spread from animal to animal:
Gastrointestinal parasites (including worms coccidia and fluke)
Skin parasites, especially Chorioptes mites
Bacterial pathogens (e.g. Strap zooepidemicus Salmonella)
Mycobacteria (including M bovis (TB) and M avium subsp paratuberculosis (Johne’s Disease)
Viruses (e.g. llama adenovirus, respiratory viruses. equine herpesvirus-1)
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus?
FMD?
Blue-tongue?
For the latter 3 viral diseases, the pathogenesis of potential disease in camelids and the effects of these viruses in terms of causing clinical disease in our species is largely unknown Further research is needed, but in the meantime, it would be prudent to include them in biosecurity considerations to try and minimize their effects. Essentially, biosecurity means protecting your existing herds from exposure to disease that may be brought in by new animals. and minimizing the risk oft spread of disease amongst newly introduced animals while also minimizing exposure to potential pathogens (disease-causing agents) that already exist on the farm. It is important to understand that animals may be clinically normal and showing no signs of disease while actually either incubating disease or being sub-clinically affected ‚ for example shedding coccidia although not having diarrhea. Therefore, it is not adequate merely to exclude animals that appear to be unhealthy as those that appear healthy (and may have passed veterinary health examinations) may still introduce disease onto your farm. A veterinary health certificate only shows that the animal appeared to be healthy at the time of the examination and does not certify the animal as free from disease It is also important to realize that the stress of moving animals from one farm to another, attending shows, changes in environmental conditions and social status can cause immune system suppression such that an animal that was previously healthy may be more susceptible to development of disease or may start to excrete the virus, bacterium or parasite, For example, it is quite common for an animal to have a negative fecal evaluation for parasites prior to transportation, and then several weeks later to find that the same animal has a clinically significant parasite burden, Commingling of animals at shows or while visiting breeding farms increases the potential exposure of animals to disease while also causing a certain degree of stress-induced immunosuppression For comparison, imagine a night spent on an aircraft traveling back from holiday - the effects of sleep deprivation (a stressor) suppress your immune system such that your body is less able to prevent the development of a cold from exposure to a cold virus breathed out by someone on the plane nearby.
We suggest following these practices:
1. Avoid introducing any animals that do not appear healthy to the rest of the herd.
2. Know the disease status lo any herd from which you are buying animals, or where your animals are being temporarily housed. Ask about current health status on the farm, but also previous problems with diseases such as gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea, parasites…) respiratory disease, abortion, ill-thrift or failure of passive transfer. Knowing that a particular farm had a problem with diarrhea for example is not necessarily a problem; knowing that the problem was identified, diagnosed and correct treatment and prevention measures employed should be reassuring and also shows that the farm knows what they are doing!
3. Insist on the pre-movement testing (PMT) and treatment of animals prior to their arrival. This is to show that they are at least as healthy as your own animals and requires that you have that same knowledge of the health status of animals on your own farm. There is little point in demanding testing of incoming animals unless you know that your own animals are healthy! Testing might at a minimum involve PMT for bovine TB by the comparative intradermal skin test or blood test as agreed, for BVD antigen (not antibody), and the treatment for endoparasites if required. No farm without an obvious chorioptic mange problem should accept a new animal with active lesions.
4. Isolate and quarantine all new animals before introducing them to the herd This includes animals that have been to shows or off-farm for breeding purposes since they have been commingling with other animals. lf you are introducing solitary animals, you may wish to place herd animals in the quarantine area to reduce the separation stress - choose less valuable animals for this such as geldings, avoid using breeding or lactating females.
a) Recommended quarantine period 30 days. This is the gold standard DEFRA and WAG may well in future introduce post-movement standstill orders of 5-7 days
b) Operate an all-in, all-out policy such that all animals housed in the quarantine area leave quarantine at the same time The quarantine period only starts from the time the last animal entered. Do not have animals moving in and out of the quarantine area on an individual basis.
c) The location of the quarantine site should be physically separate from the main herd as well as its handling facilities and housing. Ideally this should be several hundred yards away if possible and positioned such that it is downwind from the main herd but at the very least. there should be a double fence-line between the groups in order to prevent direct contact.
d) On a larger facility, have different staff working with the quarantine group and do not have the same staff return to the main herd. If this is not possible, tend to the main herd before tending to the quarantine group.
e) Wear clothing and footwear that is dedicated to the quarantine group when tending to this group - must be washable (e.g. wellies okay suede or fabric workbooks are not) Color coding of overalls is an obvious and visible reminder.
f) Monitor the animals in quarantine on a daily basis. Monitor attitude, appetite, water consumption, urination and defecation as well as for any signs of coughing, discharge from the eyes or nose, diarrhea etc. Animals showing any signs of disease should be further separated from the rest of the animals in quarantine and evaluated by a vet.
g) Evaluate a fecal sample on entry to the facility and 3 weeks later Ideally fecal samples should be collected every 3 days and stored in the fridge (Cebra 2007) If there is a subsequent problem with parasite-related illness or excretion then the source of the infestation can be determined. Treatment should be done if animals are found to have significant parasite burdens and their faeces retested 14-21 days later.
5. Minimize exposure of herd to human visitors. lf visitors come to the farm, question them about exposure to other livestock and where they have come from and make sure that they come to the farm wearing clean clothes and boots. Provide visitors with overalls and either Wellington boots or overboots kept on the farm for this purpose. Make sure that hand-washing facilities are available and that they are used.
6. Maintain optimum condition of animals in the herd. This will make them less susceptible to disease.
a) Personal hygiene to prevent transmission of pathogens between animals and from animals to humans (known as "zoonotic disease”).
b) Disinfection requires surfaces to be clean. All organic matter (faces, urine, milk, spit) must first be removed before disinfection can work on fences, floors, walls, clothing or hands. Disinfection may be difficult for certain organisms such as Cryptosporidia (which can also cause disease in humans) so is best avoided in the first place by following optimal biosecurity on the farm.
Reference:
Barrington GM et al. Biosecurity and biocontainment in alpaca operations. Small Rum Res 61 (2006).217-225 Cebra C. Update on parasitology. International Camel Conference, Oregon 2007
Claire E. Whitehead BVM&S MS DACVIM MRCVS
The aim of "biosecurity` is to prevent the introduction and spread of disease in susceptible populations or herds lo animals. Mainly we are talking about viruses, bacteria and parasites Below is a list of potential diseases and organisms that may be spread from animal to animal:
Gastrointestinal parasites (including worms coccidia and fluke)
Skin parasites, especially Chorioptes mites
Bacterial pathogens (e.g. Strap zooepidemicus Salmonella)
Mycobacteria (including M bovis (TB) and M avium subsp paratuberculosis (Johne’s Disease)
Viruses (e.g. llama adenovirus, respiratory viruses. equine herpesvirus-1)
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus?
FMD?
Blue-tongue?
For the latter 3 viral diseases, the pathogenesis of potential disease in camelids and the effects of these viruses in terms of causing clinical disease in our species is largely unknown Further research is needed, but in the meantime, it would be prudent to include them in biosecurity considerations to try and minimize their effects. Essentially, biosecurity means protecting your existing herds from exposure to disease that may be brought in by new animals. and minimizing the risk oft spread of disease amongst newly introduced animals while also minimizing exposure to potential pathogens (disease-causing agents) that already exist on the farm. It is important to understand that animals may be clinically normal and showing no signs of disease while actually either incubating disease or being sub-clinically affected ‚ for example shedding coccidia although not having diarrhea. Therefore, it is not adequate merely to exclude animals that appear to be unhealthy as those that appear healthy (and may have passed veterinary health examinations) may still introduce disease onto your farm. A veterinary health certificate only shows that the animal appeared to be healthy at the time of the examination and does not certify the animal as free from disease It is also important to realize that the stress of moving animals from one farm to another, attending shows, changes in environmental conditions and social status can cause immune system suppression such that an animal that was previously healthy may be more susceptible to development of disease or may start to excrete the virus, bacterium or parasite, For example, it is quite common for an animal to have a negative fecal evaluation for parasites prior to transportation, and then several weeks later to find that the same animal has a clinically significant parasite burden, Commingling of animals at shows or while visiting breeding farms increases the potential exposure of animals to disease while also causing a certain degree of stress-induced immunosuppression For comparison, imagine a night spent on an aircraft traveling back from holiday - the effects of sleep deprivation (a stressor) suppress your immune system such that your body is less able to prevent the development of a cold from exposure to a cold virus breathed out by someone on the plane nearby.
We suggest following these practices:
1. Avoid introducing any animals that do not appear healthy to the rest of the herd.
2. Know the disease status lo any herd from which you are buying animals, or where your animals are being temporarily housed. Ask about current health status on the farm, but also previous problems with diseases such as gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea, parasites…) respiratory disease, abortion, ill-thrift or failure of passive transfer. Knowing that a particular farm had a problem with diarrhea for example is not necessarily a problem; knowing that the problem was identified, diagnosed and correct treatment and prevention measures employed should be reassuring and also shows that the farm knows what they are doing!
3. Insist on the pre-movement testing (PMT) and treatment of animals prior to their arrival. This is to show that they are at least as healthy as your own animals and requires that you have that same knowledge of the health status of animals on your own farm. There is little point in demanding testing of incoming animals unless you know that your own animals are healthy! Testing might at a minimum involve PMT for bovine TB by the comparative intradermal skin test or blood test as agreed, for BVD antigen (not antibody), and the treatment for endoparasites if required. No farm without an obvious chorioptic mange problem should accept a new animal with active lesions.
4. Isolate and quarantine all new animals before introducing them to the herd This includes animals that have been to shows or off-farm for breeding purposes since they have been commingling with other animals. lf you are introducing solitary animals, you may wish to place herd animals in the quarantine area to reduce the separation stress - choose less valuable animals for this such as geldings, avoid using breeding or lactating females.
a) Recommended quarantine period 30 days. This is the gold standard DEFRA and WAG may well in future introduce post-movement standstill orders of 5-7 days
b) Operate an all-in, all-out policy such that all animals housed in the quarantine area leave quarantine at the same time The quarantine period only starts from the time the last animal entered. Do not have animals moving in and out of the quarantine area on an individual basis.
c) The location of the quarantine site should be physically separate from the main herd as well as its handling facilities and housing. Ideally this should be several hundred yards away if possible and positioned such that it is downwind from the main herd but at the very least. there should be a double fence-line between the groups in order to prevent direct contact.
d) On a larger facility, have different staff working with the quarantine group and do not have the same staff return to the main herd. If this is not possible, tend to the main herd before tending to the quarantine group.
e) Wear clothing and footwear that is dedicated to the quarantine group when tending to this group - must be washable (e.g. wellies okay suede or fabric workbooks are not) Color coding of overalls is an obvious and visible reminder.
f) Monitor the animals in quarantine on a daily basis. Monitor attitude, appetite, water consumption, urination and defecation as well as for any signs of coughing, discharge from the eyes or nose, diarrhea etc. Animals showing any signs of disease should be further separated from the rest of the animals in quarantine and evaluated by a vet.
g) Evaluate a fecal sample on entry to the facility and 3 weeks later Ideally fecal samples should be collected every 3 days and stored in the fridge (Cebra 2007) If there is a subsequent problem with parasite-related illness or excretion then the source of the infestation can be determined. Treatment should be done if animals are found to have significant parasite burdens and their faeces retested 14-21 days later.
5. Minimize exposure of herd to human visitors. lf visitors come to the farm, question them about exposure to other livestock and where they have come from and make sure that they come to the farm wearing clean clothes and boots. Provide visitors with overalls and either Wellington boots or overboots kept on the farm for this purpose. Make sure that hand-washing facilities are available and that they are used.
6. Maintain optimum condition of animals in the herd. This will make them less susceptible to disease.
- under conditioning can cause problems
- provided. Mineral deficiencies can be responsible for disease problems in herds. Also, ensure that young growing stock receive sufficient vitamin D to prevent rickets
- shelter from rain, wind, cold and snow in the winter. Appropriate bedding (e.g. straw) may also be necessary for protection from cold.
a) Personal hygiene to prevent transmission of pathogens between animals and from animals to humans (known as "zoonotic disease”).
- Frequent hand washing with hot water and soap
- Cleaning and disinfection of boots
- Thorough washing of clothing used when caring for animals
b) Disinfection requires surfaces to be clean. All organic matter (faces, urine, milk, spit) must first be removed before disinfection can work on fences, floors, walls, clothing or hands. Disinfection may be difficult for certain organisms such as Cryptosporidia (which can also cause disease in humans) so is best avoided in the first place by following optimal biosecurity on the farm.
Reference:
Barrington GM et al. Biosecurity and biocontainment in alpaca operations. Small Rum Res 61 (2006).217-225 Cebra C. Update on parasitology. International Camel Conference, Oregon 2007
Claire E. Whitehead BVM&S MS DACVIM MRCVS
Health & Welfare Bulletin No.24 : Bovine Tuberculosis
10/07/09 15:07 Filed in: bTB
Dear BLS Member
Bovine TB is spreading out of control. Llamas are susceptible to bTB.
As many of you are aware there are an increasing number of llamas being found to have bovine TB. Although the mode of infection is as yet unknown, it is likely to be either llama to llama, cow to llama or badger to llama. This is very concerning especially as we, as an industry, do not have any workable systems in place to reduce the risk of infection.
TB is not caused by the owners lack of knowledge or by bad management. If you have infected animals you should not be embarrassed or ashamed. Our llamas and your fellow members need you to stand up and talk openly about your particular situation. This is the only way that others can become educated about the problem, how to handle it and what our rights are as llama owners.
What is needed from you
The BLS and the BAS have a meeting coming up shortly about bTB with the Government Minister in charge to put the camelid case to her. It would be very helpful if I could go knowing what it is that the members want.
I need your help to understand the extent of the problem. Unless those affected tell me who you are, I have no way of knowing how many of our members are affected. Your information will be treated in the strictest confidence, and will be known only to those on the board who are actively involved. As a relatively small industry we are much stronger when we talk as one. I can only do this if all those affected as well as those who may be in a hot spot come together and define what is required.
The first step is to let me know in the strictest confidence if you are affected. Please get in touch even if you think I already know.
You can email me: llamaliz@hotmail.com or call on 01737-823375. Once again, your information will be handled in confidence.
We, as representitives of the Camelid industry, can't go forward with this unless we know what you want. Those with infected herds know who you are. You have a duty to the greater livestock industry to eradicate bTB from your herds, to do this efficiently and effectively everyone needs to work together. Herds do recover from TB and there is light at the end of the tunnel. The future of llamas in the UK could be seriously damaged if we do not get to grips with this issue.
Thank you.
LIZ BUTLER
Vice Chairman BLS & Health & Welfare Representative
British Llama Society - a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 04897204.
Registered office: Mansion House, Princes Street, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 1EP.
Bovine TB is spreading out of control. Llamas are susceptible to bTB.
As many of you are aware there are an increasing number of llamas being found to have bovine TB. Although the mode of infection is as yet unknown, it is likely to be either llama to llama, cow to llama or badger to llama. This is very concerning especially as we, as an industry, do not have any workable systems in place to reduce the risk of infection.
TB is not caused by the owners lack of knowledge or by bad management. If you have infected animals you should not be embarrassed or ashamed. Our llamas and your fellow members need you to stand up and talk openly about your particular situation. This is the only way that others can become educated about the problem, how to handle it and what our rights are as llama owners.
What is needed from you
The BLS and the BAS have a meeting coming up shortly about bTB with the Government Minister in charge to put the camelid case to her. It would be very helpful if I could go knowing what it is that the members want.
I need your help to understand the extent of the problem. Unless those affected tell me who you are, I have no way of knowing how many of our members are affected. Your information will be treated in the strictest confidence, and will be known only to those on the board who are actively involved. As a relatively small industry we are much stronger when we talk as one. I can only do this if all those affected as well as those who may be in a hot spot come together and define what is required.
The first step is to let me know in the strictest confidence if you are affected. Please get in touch even if you think I already know.
You can email me: llamaliz@hotmail.com or call on 01737-823375. Once again, your information will be handled in confidence.
We, as representitives of the Camelid industry, can't go forward with this unless we know what you want. Those with infected herds know who you are. You have a duty to the greater livestock industry to eradicate bTB from your herds, to do this efficiently and effectively everyone needs to work together. Herds do recover from TB and there is light at the end of the tunnel. The future of llamas in the UK could be seriously damaged if we do not get to grips with this issue.
Thank you.
LIZ BUTLER
Vice Chairman BLS & Health & Welfare Representative
British Llama Society - a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 04897204.
Registered office: Mansion House, Princes Street, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 1EP.
Microchipping
05/04/09 17:44 Filed in: microchipping
Microchipping – now mandated for all llamas born after April 2009 and all llamas that change hands from now on.
It has been very clear to the BLS Board that some form of mandatory identification and registering of all camelids is likely to be imposed by DEFRA. BLS already operates an effective registration system but so far has not asked members to use a method of identification such as ear tags or microchips. Nobody who owns a llama wants to see the mandated use of ear tags: they are unsightly but more importantly, because llamas are browsers, there is a real danger that they could be ripped out, leading to ear damage. Martin Hillson, one of our Welsh members, had a look at the pros and cons of microchipping and his article on the topic was published in the December 2008 Newsletter. Martin concluded that microchips were widely used in a variety of animals with a very low incidence of problems. Camelids are the only large animal now that DEFRA do not legislate for mandatory identification. Most animals have to be microchipped and ear tagged. We must be seen by DEFRA to be the responsible Society that we are and with our Registry and identification of animals in place, we feel this will be achieved.
The BLS Board has concluded that the use of microchips for the identification of llamas should be introduced from 2009. However the Board also felt that, since this was such an important and perhaps controversial topic, the membership should be asked to approve this move at the Annual General Meeting.
The final resolution for discussion and voting was: That all llamas changing ownership and all crias born after April 2009 must be microchipped. The resolution was well publicised before the meeting to allow members to join in the debate or to vote by proxy should they not be able to get to the AGM. At the AGM views for and against the proposal were put forward and debated, and the meeting overwhelmingly voted in favour of adopting this resolution.
The Society has purchased a stock of microchips at a very advantageous price of £4.15 each. They can be obtained by sending a padded SAE to Liz Butler, Nutfield Park Farm, SOUTH NUTFIELD, Surrey RH1 5PA together with full payment made out to the British Llama Society. This price is very reasonable and once the microchips are gone, a new quote will have to be obtained. Make the most of this great offer now.
Insertion tools can also be borrowed and the chips come with instructions on where they should be inserted in the necks of the llamas. This is easily done by your vet and can be combined with a vaccination visit to keep costs down. Reports from several members who have already had chips inserted is that it is quick and easy and causes minimum discomfort to the animal, none of whom have suffered any ill effects.
It has been very clear to the BLS Board that some form of mandatory identification and registering of all camelids is likely to be imposed by DEFRA. BLS already operates an effective registration system but so far has not asked members to use a method of identification such as ear tags or microchips. Nobody who owns a llama wants to see the mandated use of ear tags: they are unsightly but more importantly, because llamas are browsers, there is a real danger that they could be ripped out, leading to ear damage. Martin Hillson, one of our Welsh members, had a look at the pros and cons of microchipping and his article on the topic was published in the December 2008 Newsletter. Martin concluded that microchips were widely used in a variety of animals with a very low incidence of problems. Camelids are the only large animal now that DEFRA do not legislate for mandatory identification. Most animals have to be microchipped and ear tagged. We must be seen by DEFRA to be the responsible Society that we are and with our Registry and identification of animals in place, we feel this will be achieved.
The BLS Board has concluded that the use of microchips for the identification of llamas should be introduced from 2009. However the Board also felt that, since this was such an important and perhaps controversial topic, the membership should be asked to approve this move at the Annual General Meeting.
The final resolution for discussion and voting was: That all llamas changing ownership and all crias born after April 2009 must be microchipped. The resolution was well publicised before the meeting to allow members to join in the debate or to vote by proxy should they not be able to get to the AGM. At the AGM views for and against the proposal were put forward and debated, and the meeting overwhelmingly voted in favour of adopting this resolution.
The Society has purchased a stock of microchips at a very advantageous price of £4.15 each. They can be obtained by sending a padded SAE to Liz Butler, Nutfield Park Farm, SOUTH NUTFIELD, Surrey RH1 5PA together with full payment made out to the British Llama Society. This price is very reasonable and once the microchips are gone, a new quote will have to be obtained. Make the most of this great offer now.
Insertion tools can also be borrowed and the chips come with instructions on where they should be inserted in the necks of the llamas. This is easily done by your vet and can be combined with a vaccination visit to keep costs down. Reports from several members who have already had chips inserted is that it is quick and easy and causes minimum discomfort to the animal, none of whom have suffered any ill effects.
Health & Welfare Bulletin No.23 : Bluetongue
02/04/09 09:30 Filed in: bluetongue
BLUETONGUE IN EUROPE
You should be aware that France have declared the whole of their territory as a BTV1+8 Protection Zone in order to allow compulsory vaccination against BTV1 in addition to the current voluntary arrangements in place for BTV8. This means that all animals moving from France to GB must now comply with BTV1 conditions before they can be moved. Broadly, this means animals being imported from France to the UK must be vaccinated against BTV1, and then serve a waiting period of 60 days (or quicker with a negative PCR test).
You should be aware that France have declared the whole of their territory as a BTV1+8 Protection Zone in order to allow compulsory vaccination against BTV1 in addition to the current voluntary arrangements in place for BTV8. This means that all animals moving from France to GB must now comply with BTV1 conditions before they can be moved. Broadly, this means animals being imported from France to the UK must be vaccinated against BTV1, and then serve a waiting period of 60 days (or quicker with a negative PCR test).
Health & Welfare Bulletin No.22 : Bluetongue & Liver Fluke
02/04/09 09:29 Filed in: bluetongue | liver fluke
Have you placed you order for Bluetongue vaccine yet with your vet? If not, please do so now.
The recommendation from the Royal Veterinary College and the British Veterinary Camelid Society is to administer your booster vaccination of 1ml to camelids already vaccinated and two doses of 1ml to crias not vaccinated last year, in March/ April 09. There should be a minimum of 2 weeks between giving BTV8 vaccine and any other vaccination. It is also recommended that you try to use the same make of vaccine for the booster that you used last year. Please discuss this with your vet.
Recently, Liver Fluke has been reported as a big problem in camelids. A number of animals have been lost due to it. Know your animals and keep an eye on any abnormal behaviour such as progressive loss of body condition/weight, anaemia, pale membranes and swelling below the jaw (in severe cases).
Liver Fluke is easily treated so keep an eye on your stock for signs. If you are worried, please talk to your vet, it is better to be safe than sorry.
The recommendation from the Royal Veterinary College and the British Veterinary Camelid Society is to administer your booster vaccination of 1ml to camelids already vaccinated and two doses of 1ml to crias not vaccinated last year, in March/ April 09. There should be a minimum of 2 weeks between giving BTV8 vaccine and any other vaccination. It is also recommended that you try to use the same make of vaccine for the booster that you used last year. Please discuss this with your vet.
Recently, Liver Fluke has been reported as a big problem in camelids. A number of animals have been lost due to it. Know your animals and keep an eye on any abnormal behaviour such as progressive loss of body condition/weight, anaemia, pale membranes and swelling below the jaw (in severe cases).
Liver Fluke is easily treated so keep an eye on your stock for signs. If you are worried, please talk to your vet, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Health & Welfare Bulletin No.21 : Bluetongue
02/04/09 09:29 Filed in: bluetongue
BLUE TONGUE DISEASE – DON’T IMPORT IT!
Following the discovery of Blue Tongue Disease (BTV) in England in 2007, no new cases of circulating disease have been found in 2008. This has been primarily due to the very successful vaccination campaign during 2008. It is estimated that over 90% of susceptible animals in East and South East England have been vaccinated. However, the uptake of vaccine has been much lower in other parts of the country and the overall coverage in the whole of England is thought to be only about 60%. Wales and Scotland have been running separate vaccination campaigns and there are no data yet on the coverage in those two countries.
There is a risk that the farming community might become complacent, thinking that BTV in Britain has been beaten and that there is no need to vaccinate again in 2009. Nothing could be further from the truth. One only needs to look at the latest map of BTV throughout Europe to see that the risk is not only still present but even greater than ever. BTV.8, the serotype found in England, has spread throughout most of Western Europe, with the exception of the Republic of Ireland and Portugal. It has spread as far south as Spain and Italy, north to Sweden and east to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania. Even more worryingly, BTV.1 has now spread to north-western France and BTV.6 has been found in The Netherlands. There is no vaccine available against BTV.6 and there is no cross-immunity between BTV.8 and BTV.1 or BTV.6.
Britain therefore remains at risk of re-introducing BTV.8 and of introducing BTV.1 and BTV.6 either by cross-Channel spread of vectors (which is how BTV.8 reached us last year) or by the legitimate trade in animals imported from other EU Member States. To control those risks, the British farming community therefore needs to:
- Carry on vaccinating against BTV.8 during 2009, giving boosters to all animals vaccinated during 2008, preferably before the vector becomes active in the Spring, and by vaccinating any animals born during 2009.
- Be very careful not to import disease when importing animals.
Because the BTV Protection Zone that covers all of mainland Britain is confluent with the BTV.8 PZ in Europe, there are no BTV-related restrictions applying to imports of live animals from within that PZ. In effect, it is just the same as moving animals from Kent to Lancashire.
However, there are risks in doing this as has been shown by the post-importation testing carried out by Defra. In 2008, at least 10 groups of imported animals have been found to be positive to BTV.8 virus and on 25 November, it was announced that a group of cattle imported from south west France were positive to BTV.1 virus. Fortunately, there has been no evidence that any virus circulated from these imported animals to other animals in the country and, in effect, we got away with it. But there is no doubt that these importations not only endanger our livestock industry and our exports but they are widely reported and give a dreadful image to the wider world.
The importation of BTV.1 infected animals has stimulated a widespread call from both veterinarians and farming groups to the livestock industry to stop importing animals from mainland Europe. After months of urging members to take care with European imports, the president of the NFU, Peter Kendall, has now called for an official ban. The President of the British Veterinary Association, Nicky Paull, feels the same way: “To me, it is very straightforward – stop importing from areas where the bluetongue virus is known to be circulating.”
There are legitimate reasons why the British livestock industry wishes to import animals but the message is loud and clear: Either make sure the imported animals are protected from BTV disease or risk having a complete ban imposed.
Minimum precautions:
All an importer needs to do is go back to the movement restrictions that were in place in the UK in the spring of 2008, when the vaccination campaign had begun and the PZ was limited to the south and east of England. At that time, to move animals from within the PZ to the Free Areas in the rest of Great Britain or for export:
1. The animals had to be vaccinated by a veterinary surgeon and be accompanied by a veterinary certificate of vaccination stating that: “I, the undersigned, being a veterinary surgeon, certify that I vaccinated the animals identified above….” giving details of the vaccine used and the date(s) the animals were vaccinated.
2. Either the full vaccination course had to be completed more than 60 days before the date of movement;
Or (i) The full vaccination course had to be completed at least 21 days before the date of movement, AND
(ii) The animals were subjected to an agent identification PCR test with negative results, carried out at least 35 days after the full vaccination course was completed.
Please be responsible. BLG urges all its members who are planning to import animals from areas of Europe where BTV virus is known to be circulating to act responsibly and insist on:
1. A veterinary certificate of vaccination.
2. An agent identification PCR test with negative results, carried out at least 35 days after the full vaccination course was completed.
By acting responsibly ourselves and urging our friends, colleagues and neighbours to do likewise, we not only improve the chances of protecting the British livestock industry from imported disease but also of negating the siren calls from others to ban all imports.
Andrew J Taylor BA VetMB MRCVS. Chairman: BLG (British Livestock Genetics Consortium Ltd)
If you have queries, concerns or feedback on any of these issues, please contact Liz Butler:
llamaliz@hotmail.com, or 01737 823375.
Health & Welfare Bulletin No.20 : Bluetongue
02/04/09 09:29 Filed in: bluetongue
Order NOW for 2009
Defra are asking all owners of Camelids and all susceptible species to order their Bluetongue vaccine requirements for 2009 NOW in order to ensure sufficient vaccine is available for 2009.
Please let your own vet know how many doses you will require in 2009 so the vet can place an order for sufficient doses.
All animals vaccinated this year will need a Booster and all cria born in 2009 will need 2 vaccinations. The advice is to give the one Booster vaccination before the warm weather which means by the end of April, irrespective of when you gave the initial two jabs in 2008.
Scientists warn that the risk for 2009 will be considerable because of the spread of Bluetongue 8 in France with over 20,000 cases this year, as well as the risk posed by unvaccinated animals here. The French experience was that once an outbreak occurs it may be too late to vaccinate. Vaccinating animals with no symptoms but which have in fact already been infected, produces very sick animals indeed.
Vaccination is the only defence against Bluetongue 8.
Be very careful importing from Europe, many llamas appear not to have been vaccinated. Exporting from Holland and NW Germany is forbidden because of the outbreak of Bluetongue 6.
All imports irrespective of where they come from are tested for 4 sera-types 1,6,8,25. All of these strains have now been detected in Europe.
There are no UK licensed vaccines for sera-types other than BTV8.
Beware of non vaccinates
Protect your Llamas
Don't Hesitate--vaccinate
If you have queries, concerns or feedback on any of these issues, please contact Liz Butler:
llamaliz@hotmail.com, or 01737 823375.
