March 2015

Updates on Twin Lamb Disease

Twin lamb disease or pregnancy toxaemia is a common disease of sheep which is typically seen

during late pregnancy. This disease is similar to ketosis in cows, though the clinical signs tend to

be more severe than those seen in cattle. Those most commonly affected are ewes carrying two

or more lambs though those carrying a single large lamb are also susceptible. The cause of the

disease is not fully understood but is characterised by low blood glucose, high ketone body levels

and in severe cases infiltration of the liver tissue with fat.

Up to three quarters of a lamb’s

birth weight is gained in the last six

weeks of pregnancy. This places a

large metabolic strain on the ewe

which must support this growth.

Concurrently as the foetus grows it

occupies more abdominal space

limiting the ewe’s capacity for

energy intake as the rumen is left

with less room for expansion. Low

energy intake coupled with a high

energy demand from the growing

foetus tends to trigger the disease.

Symptoms of twin lamb disease vary with the severity and course of the condition. Initial signs

may be separation from the flock, loss of interest in feeding and apparent blindness. Later in the

disease unsteadiness or recumbency may be seen. Losses occur through death of severely

affected ewes as well as the birth of dead or weak lambs.

Traditional treatment for twin lamb disease involved the provision of energy through intravenous

glucose or oral propylene glycol. More recent studies of twin lamb disease however, have

suggested some additions to this treatment regime in order to maximise ewe survival and lamb

viability.

Low calcium levels decrease the ability of the ewe to produce glucose and so inhibit its ability to

recover from pregnancy toxaemia. It is for this reason that the inclusion of calcium in the

treatment is vitally important. As well as this the use of an anti-inflammatory injection has been

shown to significantly increase the survival of ewes and their offspring

when compared to those treated with glucose and calcium alone.

Ewe-go oral drench was developed to provide high levels of energy

and calcium to ewes suffering twin lamb disease. It is available in one

litre flexi packs which allow attachment of a dosing gun for ease of

administration. Ewes should be administered 100mls orally followed

by an anti-inflammatory injection.

This three pronged approach providing energy, calcium and anti-

inflammatory, gives each ewe suffering from twin lamb disease the

best chance of recovery and a successful lambing.

Lower Wick Dursley

Gloucestershire GL11 6DD

Phone: 01453 511311 Fax: 01453 819306

E-mail: reception@tyndalevets.co.uk

Enrol at www.farmskills.co.uk

or call the practice

Help wanted

Part time help required

for relief milking and

associated duties at 220

cow dairy herd near

Stroud.

Contact David at the

surgery for full details.

Have you visited our

farm shop?

We are stocked up with

all the seasonal needs

from lambing equipment

to our “gun cabinet”- a

range of dosing and

injecting guns for all

occasions.

Week 12 Week 20

Uterus

Rumen

Image supplied by EBLEX BRP

If you would like to receive future newsletters via email please let us know by emailing: reception@tyndalevets.co.uk

TB testing

Changes to the arrangements for testing have been discussed and “in the pipeline” for several years. Up until now the

government has set the price and monitored the quality of the job done. This has worked well for years so they decided

to change it!

TB testing is not as easy as it looks. There is a difficult balance between

performing the job correctly to identify reactor cows, at a reasonable speed,

whilst still working cooperatively with the farmers. At first glance some

regulations seem to conflict with common sense. There are always discussions

at the Practice regarding how to maintain these standards whilst working at

the speed expected by many farmers.

A recent quote from a young vet summed it up after testing some very wild

store cattle, “it’s alright them insisting on all this and that but TB testing is like

putting your hand into a paper shredder….you get in and out as quickly as you

possibly can.”

Anyway, the government decided to go ahead with tendering last summer and this is how things have ended up for

Tyndale.

Wales

Iechyd Da

This is a company set up under Welsh Lamb and Beef where all vet Practices currently testing in South Wales are equal

members and owners of the company. XLVets will be performing the auditing role for this company, despite the fact

that only 5 of approximately 30 Practices are XLVets members. It is envisaged that all work will be subcontracted back

to the vets currently doing the testing, assuming those vets meet the quality requirements.

From a farmer perspective, very little will change. This is really thanks to the Welsh government being very supportive

of rural vets and farming generally.

England (except Worcs and Herefordshire).

XL Farmcare Wessex

This is a company set up by 6 XLVets members in 2012 for the express purpose of tendering for the TB work in the area.

Tyndale was one member and most testing has been through this company for the last year to test our administration

systems. The tender was for all the work in Glos, Wilts, Somerset and Dorset (plus Bristol, S. Glos, BANES etc.).

We have won this tender with nearly full marks on the quality aspects and were also the cheapest of the quotes

submitted. A legal challenge by Westpoint vets, who submitted alternative bids across the UK but did not win any

contracts, has recently been dropped.

XL Farmcare Wessex is finalising arrangements and hopes to

be fully operational on 1st May 2015.

From the perspective of Tyndale clients, you should see no

change, with the same people testing and the same contact

points. For clients of non-XL Practices we anticipate

subcontracting the work back to those vets normally

performing the tests, assuming they meet quality

requirements.