Articles - Synergy Farm Health

Synergy Vet Diaries

EAST

Autumn has seen a steady increase in workload on East. We’ve been PD’ing our spring block herds – results have been generally good considering the summer that we’ve had. Although dry off is still a while away, continuing to record all clinical cases of mastitis is essential when using selective dry cow therapy and along with cell count data, age and udder conformation will be used to make decisions later in the year. Clinical mastitis cases can be also be classified by severity. Recording this provides extra information to identify any patterns on farm:
Grade 1 – milk changes only
Grade 2 – milk and udder changes
Grade 3 – milk and udder changes, plus systemic signs such as a temperature or being off-feed.
Autumn block calving is now in full swing. The pre-calving catch up is an important date in the diary – making sure the correct protocols and infrastructure is in place to successfully manage large numbers of transition cows, calving cows and young calves. Calf pneumonia often rears its head around this time – cold nights and warm days can stress calves and predispose to infectious disease. Ensure buildings are properly ventilated without drafts, using artificial ventilation if necessary. Our vets can advise on building design and installation of fans and tubes.

Written By Claire Rudd, Veterinary Surgeon

NORTH

Many of us have had conversations about magnesium control this year, and I wondered if another mention would just be repetitive – but recent results have shown it is still relevant! A feature of individual “down cow” cases this year has been the number that have had low magnesium. Some have responded to the usual calcium products but a fair few have needed additional supplementation.
More recently, I have taken surveillance bloods from groups of animals – particularly on autumn block dairies – and found almost universal low magnesium results. Animals appear to be transitioning well, but underneath it all there are many that will be on a knife edge as regards magnesium. With the current low levels within and across herds, anything that drops daily intake can precipitate a down
cow or other issues. It would be great to take a few bloods at the next opportunity and just confirm what is going on at a herd level – there are some simple options to improve things very quickly!

Written By Tom Warboys, Veterinary Surgeon

LYMPSTONE

Well autumn has definitely arrived! I’ve introduced myself to several new clients at difficult calvings recently. Thankfully the initial rush of Bluetongue cases in the area seems to be slowing down thanks to everyone’s efforts vaccinating. Between Bluetongue and calvings I also recently had the pleasure of meeting Ringo and Ziggy (pictured left) who needing sedating before having a foot and tusk trim!

Written By Adam Robbins, Veterinary Surgeon

RESPIRATORY DISEASE IN YOUNGSTOCK

As we head into the damper and cooler months, it’s important to take a look at your current strategies to protect youngstock against pneumonia. Respiratory disease in youngstock isn’t only about immediate treatment costs, or reduced growth rates during the period of clinical disease. Disease early in life can compromise a heifer’s growth far beyond the time it takes to recover, and increases the likelihood of
her not making it into the milking herd.
The majority of heifers need to reach a second lactation to become profitable, and therefore heifers leaving the herd early represent a significant financial loss. It’s been demonstrated that for every additional 100g of increased daily liveweight gain during the first two months of life, an additional 225kg of milk can be expected during the first lactation.
A pneumonia outbreak is rarely caused by one thing alone. Infectious agents, a calf’s immune system, and environmental conditions all interact to create the perfect storm.
This is why it’s important to control what you can to put calves in the best position to fight disease.
A strong immune system starts from the first feed. Good quality, clean colostrum in the appropriate quantity is one of the most important things we can do to set a calf up to successfully fight disease. Nutrition continues to be vital in ensuring a calf has enough energy and protein to support both growth and their developing immune system. If nutrition is lacking, one of these will have to be sacrificed, either making the calf less likely to fight disease or reducing growth rates.
As temperatures drop and buildings are closed to keep calves warm, effective ventilation can quickly become an issue. Balancing effective ventilation with protecting calves from draughts can be tricky. Calf jackets are a cost effective tool to prevent cold stress. Temperatures below 10°C are likely to cause issues for calves under three weeks old, as they will divert energy away from immune function and growth
to keep warm. Having a thermometer in your calf shed is a quick way to check just how cold the environment is for calves, especially first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Minimising cumulative stress is also important for keeping respiratory disease low. Routine procedures like disbudding, weaning, group changes, and even vaccinations all add stress to a calf which can temporarily suppresses the immune system. Stacking these stressful events together creates a window of time when a calf will be particularly susceptible to disease. Ideally stressful events should be spread out to allow the immune system time to recover.
Finally, vaccination is an important tool for a robust pneumonia strategy. Most vaccinations will not eliminate disease entirely, especially if contributing environmental or nutritional factors are too challenging. If you utilise vaccines but still experience a high level of disease, it’s important to reach out to your vet for a thorough review of your calf housing and management protocols.

Written By Charlotte Leppard-Padula, Veterinary Surgeon

BLUETONGUE UPDATE: PROTECT BREEDING STOCK AND CHECK FERTILITY BEFORE AUTUMN SERVICE

Bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV3) is still circulating widely in our area, with more than 2,500 cases confirmed in the UK. Scotland, England and Wales are now included in the same restriction zone, so animals can move within this area without pre-movement testing.
Bluetongue remains a notifiable disease. If you suspect it, contact us immediately and do not move affected animals unless officially advised. Where clinical signs are clear, vets can now examine animals and report cases directly to APHA without requiring confirmation by a blood test. Most outstanding results have now been returned as the government laboratory catches up with testing, and the vast majority have been positive for BTV-3.

Vaccination and reducing risk to future fertility
Vaccination remains the best available protection against severe BTV-3 disease. Vaccine is available, and vaccination is still worthwhile now toprotect animals during the final part of this year’s midge transmission risk period and to prepare them for next season.
Vaccination does not adversely affect fertility in rams or bulls. In contrast, infection with wild BTV can impair male fertility because fever and testicular swelling may damage sperm production.
Vaccination reduces the risk of severe disease, but a vaccinated animal may still have been exposed to wild BTV. Infection can affect semen quality, so we advise checking bulls and rams whether they have been vaccinated or not.

Breeding soundness/MOTchecks vital for Bulls and Rams
The adverse effect of BTV on fertility may persist after an animal appears to have recovered. Sperm development takes around 50 days in rams and 60 days in bulls, and recovery of breeding soundness in affected rams may take up to 100 days. Cattle may have had a mild or unnoticed infection, so visual assessment alone is not sufficient.
We have already tested more rams and bulls this autumn than in a typical year, and we are identifying a higher proportion of sub-fertile animals. We assess and grade results using guidance from the national veterinary associations for sheep and cattle. A sub-fertile result does not necessarily mean that a male will remain unsuitable for breeding, and reassessment is often advised. Testing sufficiently far in advance of mating allows time for reassessment or for sourcing replacement males, helping to protect flock or herd fertility.

• Book a breeding soundness examination or MOT now for every bull and ram you plan to use during the autumn breeding season. This will leave enough time to retest animals, source replacements or add extra sire power if required.
• For unvaccinated animals, and for animals vaccinated after the risk period began, arrange the breeding soundness check as close to service as practical while still allowing enough time to respond to an unsatisfactory result.
• Semen assessment is particularly important where the consequences of subfertility would be greatest, for example, in single-sire groups, where female-to-male ratios are high, where the service period is short, where sires are especially valuable or where an animal has had suspected illness.
• Treat any ram that has shown clinical signs of BTV within three months before mating, or any bull that has shown clinical signs within two months before breeding, as being at very high risk of infertility.
• Remember that a fertility check provides reassurance only at thetime of examination. Infection or illness after a satisfactory result can still impair fertility, so continue monitoring breeding activity and returns throughout the service period.

During the breeding period
During the breeding period, use raddles or harnesses with rams and watch carefully for repeat returns. Monitor bull activity and consider additional sire power or a longer service period. In cattle, arrange early pregnancy diagnosis so that you can respond quickly to problems. Promptly investigate poor conception, abortions, stillbirths or abnormal newborns to give the best chance of identifying the cause
and limiting losses.

Please contact your regular vet now to discuss BTV-3 vaccination and arrange breeding soundness or MOT checks for every bull and ram you intend to use this autumn.

Written By Tom Clarke, Clinical Director

October 2026 Newsletter

Catch up on the latest news from Synergy Farm Health, including our Bluetongue update and advice on breeding soundness, protecting youngstock from respiratory disease, autumn dispensary offers, upcoming training courses and the latest news from our veterinary teams.

Bluetongue outbreak ‘really distressing for farmers’

Summer Beef Meeting – Performance and the low input suckler cow

Wow, what an evening! On the 29th July we held our summer beef farm walk at the Dorset Wildlife Trust at Lyscombe, where our vet tech lead Dave Philips and his wife Carla graze their Longhorn cattle. The focus of the evening was looking at the performance of the low input suckler cow in a conservation grazing role, and the importance of profitability in such systems. We enjoyed a long walk around Lyscombe, stopping periodically to enjoy the view and to engage in discussion.
We welcomed guest speaker Harriet Bunning, beef breeding and genetic expert from AHDB, who spoke about environmental land management project because of their grazing behaviours. We need to work with that to optimise performance whilst delivering environmental goals. the importance of genetics in bull and replacement heifer selection. She introduced the National Beef Evaluations database, which provides estimated breeding values (EBVs) for five commercial carcass traits plus three new maternal EBVs in beef cattle, using national data from processors, breed societies and the BCMS: https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/national beef-evaluations
Dave gave us a fantastic insight into his pedigree herd and the work that the cattle do in maintaining the delicate ecosystem.
Other take home messages included:
1. Proactive health planning and diagnostics such as bull testing and PDing are still important in this kind of system to optimise performance
and minimise wastage.
2. CHECS health status adds value to herds and optimises performance.
3. Suckler cattle (and breeding herds in particular) have a key role in environmental land management project because of their grazing
behaviours. We need to work with that to optimise performance whilst delivering environmental goals.

Everyone who attended agreed that the location was stunning and a fantastic backdrop for what was a hugely informative meeting. Thanks again to
Norbrook for sponsoring this event and providing the pasties, brownies and cider – it was a perfect summers evening!
Claire Rudd Veterinary Surgeon

WATCH OUT, STAGGERS ABOUT!

I have treated more staggers cases in the last year than probably the previous four or five years combined. It has become a regular condition (or secondary to an underlying complaint) and I hope a reminder about low magnesium will be useful. Magnesium is essential to the nervous system and is only stored in small amounts in the body, so anything that disrupts the daily supply can have dramatic effects quickly. The last two dry summers have affected this supply, particularly through the high potassium that is present in forages during a drought, which interrupts magnesium control in the animal.
Clinical signs typically start with nervous or twitchy animals and progress to staggering about or being down. I will say that the vast majority of the cases
I have seen recently have presented more as a typical, unexplained down cow. Lab results have shown that it is low magnesium, and not low calcium,
that is to blame. Please keep magnesium on the radar when treating any down cows, even if it is not the typical time of year to see it.
It can be a very serious condition and treatment will not always be successful, particularly in seizuring cows, so the methods of prevention below are key.
But at the very minimum, cows should have a bottle of Magniject under the skin – keep some in stock! They will often benefit from Calciject given in
the vein but these cases often require veterinary intervention so please ring to discuss cases. Anti-inflammatories and occasionally even sedation are
required, as well as the ongoing after care of down cows.
Prevention centres around supplementing magnesium intakes. The simple solution is to add magnesium chloride flakes to drinking water. Make sure the trough is the only water source as it can make the water bitter and cause cows to seek out alternative sources. Sufficient flakes should be added to the ball-valve end to leave a reservoir of undissolved mineral; more should be added when all of this has dissolved.
You can also provide ‘high-magnesium’ lick blocks, which can be made more palatable if molasses are added. Bolusing cows with magnesium can also provide a source of magnesium within the rumen, which usually lasts for about a month. I would advise you supplement cows now, given the amount of staggers we are continuing to see, but particularly if any of you are autumn calving. Significant magnesium is lost into the milk.
Please speak to a member of the team if you have any further questions, and please keep staggers on the radar!
Tom Warboys, Veterinary Surgeon

Danish Farms Adopt a Forward-Thinking Biosecurity System

MAKING THE MOST OF EID DATA THIS AUTUMN

With weaning complete and the breeding season fast approaching, autumn is the perfect opportunity to make use of the wealth of information collected throughout the year. Electronic Identification (EID) has become a valuable management tool in many flocks, but its true value lies in using the data to make informed decisions.
Weaning weights, growth rates and health records can all provide a clear picture of which ewes are consistently producing the best-performing lambs. Rather than relying solely on appearance or memory, EID allows producers to identify the most productive females and those that may be underperforming.
Autumn is also an ideal time to review culling decisions. Ewes with repeated lameness cases, vaginal prolapses, or lambs that consistently fail to meet growth targets may be costing more than they contribute and can lead to overall poor health of the flock.
Performance records can also be useful when selecting replacement ewe lambs. Choosing females from high-performing maternal lines helps build a flock with improved fertility, growth and longevity. Combining EID data with visual assessment ensures replacements are both productive and structurally sound.
Before tupping, it is also worth checking that all EID equipment is functioning correctly and that records are accurate and up to date. Reliable data becomes even more valuable when scanning results and lambing information are added next season, allowing you to monitor trends year after year.
As input costs continue to challenge profitability, making better use of information already available on the farm can deliver real benefits. EID can help us to supports better breeding decisions, more efficient flock performance and increased profitability. Taking time this autumn to review the figures could help shape a stronger, more productive flock
for years to come. Speak to your vet who will be happy to help with sorting through the data with you to help make further flock health decisions.

Written By Ellen Taylor, Veterinary Surgeon

ABORTION VACCINES

As we think about restarting the flock calendar at tupping time, one of the important jobs that has to be done is getting abortion vaccines into our ewes in a timely manner. I thought it would serve as a good reminder here to review the whats, the whys and the whens of abortion vaccines in sheep

What diseases are we vaccinating against?
The top three most common infectious causes of ovine abortion in the UK are Enzootic Abortion of Ewes or EAE (Chlamydophila abortus), Toxoplasma
gondii and Campylobacter species. The order in which these rank can vary year to year but they remain the most prevalent.
Enzootic Abortion (EAE) is a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes late-term abortion and is spread by contaminated aborted material and discharges. Affected ewes tend to abort in the final weeks of pregnancy but are generally otherwise well in themselves. Disease can be brought into a flock by buying in latently (hidden) infected replacements.
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoal disease that is spread in cat faeces. If sheep eat contaminated food, water or bedding they can become infected and abort, but disease cannot spread directly from sheep to sheep. Depending on when a sheep is exposed will determine the outcome. If early in pregnancy then we may just see an increased barren rate, if mid-pregnancy then she may resorb, if late pregnancy she may abort or give birth to small, weak lambs.
There are a few different species of Campylobacter that cause abortion in sheep. Disease is spread by infected faeces by carrier sheep or by wildlife vectors. Abortion storms can spread rapidly through a flock and generally speaking we see these 4-5 years post entry when immunity in a flock wanes.
It is important to note that all of these diseases are zoonotic (meaning they can cause disease in humans) and some of these can potentially cause miscarriage in humans, which is why pregnant women should avoiding handling ewes, particularly at the time of lambing.

Who do we vaccinate?
All flocks are potentially vulnerable to Toxoplasma, as a small amount of cat faeces can infect many sheep. Even if there are no cats on your farm, consider are there any neighbourhood cats and also the risk of buying contaminated straw or hay from other farms.
Flocks that are buying in replacements are potentially vulnerable to Enzootic abortion and Campylobacter, but wildlife can play a factor for the latter. A robust vaccination plan should be put in discussion with your vet to ensure your flock is protected, according to your flock’s requirements. Some of the vaccines we use are one dose for ewe’s lifetime, so annually we only have to dose replacements.
When do we vaccinate?
Some of the vaccines we use are live vaccines, which means they can interfere with pregnancy. The timing of vaccination varies depending on the vaccine given, but generally speaking doses need to be given at least a month before tupping. If you breed your own replacements it is advisable to think about your vaccine needs in the spring, as vaccine supply can be more stretched in the autumn.

Written By Charlotte Mouland Veterinary Surgeon