“It’s time for the house,” has been a common topic of conversation on most farms this past week. However, a well-planned approach will lead to a smoother housing transition for both man and beast.
1 Worms Clearing out residual lung worm is a must in order to reduce irritation of the lungs, and prevent parasitic pneumonias.
2 Fluke They are best left until cattle are housed eight to 10 weeks unless you’re in a high-risk area. Stomach fluke should also be taken into consideration. A simple dung sample left into your local vet will make you aware of any fluke burdens.
3 Vaccines A thorough vaccine protocol will help prevent outbreaks of pneumonia in youngstock. This should be started before cattle are housed to give maximum protection. Contact your vet for a tailor-made vaccine plan.
4 Stress Don’t house, wean, vaccinate, worm,castrate and dehorn all on the same day - it is a recipe for disaster. Spread the workload and stress out over several weeks to allow stock to adjust.
5 Fodder Ensure good quality fodder is freely available. Ideally concentrates should be fed to youngstock pre-housing. Introduction of concentrate feed when housed means their rumen has to adapt, adding another stressor.
6 Weaning A gradual weaning strategy using weaning devices, or removing the mothers of several of the oldest calves from the group every fortnight, will smooth the weaning transition.
7 A dry back Bringing youngstock in wet increases the risk of them getting a chill. This cold stress, alongside housing stress, will increase the risk of pneumonia. Clipping backs and tails will reduce sweating, encourages intakes and reduces chances of a tramped tail.
Samuel McNabney is a veterinary surgeon at Lisnafillan farm vets in Ballymena.