Cattle
The inclusion of a cattle vet as an integral part of your production line is a great way to ensure your herd is performing at its optimal level. We provide a range of Herd Health services for cattle.
- Disease Testing and Surveillance for diseases
- Calf Health
- Obstetrical / Calving Emergencies and Caesareans
- Hoof Surgery
- Lameness Evaluations
- Mastitis
Cattle hoof care
It is most important
to spot the cows that
have just gone lame.
If these are dealt with
immediately, treatment
can be a relatively simple
and rewarding job.
The
chronically lame cows who have had a problem for a long time can be much more difficult to treat effectively and disease is more likely to recur. Routine hoof trimming is an investment in long term health of the cow’s feet.
Calvings
A cow’s pregnancy lasts for an average of 283 days or approximately 40 weeks, similar to the length of human pregnancy. At the end of pregnancy, cows go through ‘calving’ or labour, which involves the following three stages:
- Stage 1 – Where the cervix (the internal opening to the uterus/womb) opens. This stage can last between 1- and 24-hours.
- Stage 2 – Where the calf moves into the birth canal and abdominal contractions begin. The amniotic sac (‘water bag’) which contains the calf will become visible at the cow’s back end. Generally, the calf should be born within 2 hours of the ‘water bag’ appearing.
- Stage 3 – This occurs once the calf has been born and involves the delivery of the placenta. The placenta, or ‘afterbirth’, is a collection of tissue which provides nutrients to the calf during pregnancy.
Cattle pregnancy testing
Routine husbandry
Routine cattle husbandry services are an essential component of herd operation for adherance to animal food and welfare standards, and to allow for safe management of cattle. We offer the following husbandry services for cattle:
- Vaccinations and Worming
- Herd Management
Unfortunately we can’t prevent all of the illnesses we commonly see in cattle herds. We offer a general diagnosis and treatment service to get your animals back to happy and healthy with the following conditions most commonly seen in our area:
Hartley Valley Vets also conduct Bull breeding soundness evaluation testing to ensure your herd is performing at its best.
Castration
Castration is ‘removal of the testicles’ in very young male cattle. Castrated male cattle (steers) are generally less aggressive and easier to handle, are less likely to fight causing injury to other animals, and are less likely to damage fences.
Note that, in NSW, it is illegal to castrate calves over
the age of 6 months, unless under veterinary
supervision.
The code assumes the use of pain minimisation by local anaesthesia or analgesia in animals older than 6 months of age.
Mastitis
Mastitis (inflammation in one or more quarters of the udder) occurs most commonly in
dairy cows, but also in beef cows. Mastitis develops if bacteria enter the teat canal – as
when cows calve in dirty areas or lie in mud and manure after calving.
It can also occur when a cow has her calf weaned & the udder is engorged with milk for a
time after weaning.
If the infection stays localized, mammary tissue in that quarter may be permanently
damaged by the infection so that quarter will dry up & be small & dry the next time she
calves. Cows with a ‘dry’ quarter can still produce as much milk as a cow with 4 quarters,
the calves will just drink more often from the good 3 quarters.
Calf Health
Orphan calves often show signs of dehydration, depression, lack of appetite or scouring. If the calf is to survive, proper care during the first 24 hours is critical.
It is essential for the newborn calf to receive colostrum. Colostrum is the first milk that a mother produces. Colostrum provides passive immunity to disease and helps build up vitamin and mineral levels. The new-born calf should get colostrum within the first 36 hours of birth – either from a mother or artificial sources. A supply of frozen colostrum can be kept in the freezer, while some milk replacers also contain colostrum. Once the calf has received colostrum, it can be fed solely on whole milk or milk replacers.
Caesarean
Cattle may need a C-section for many reasons. First, it may be a cow-heifer problem. If the dam does not have a big enough birth canal, the baby may not be able to pass through. This may be due to genetics or the heifer being too immature to have been bred.
The pelvis may even be malformed or have healed from a pelvic fracture resulting in abnormal conformation. Some cows and show heifers that are over conditioned may also have difficulty birthing (dystocia) due to fat deposition in the pelvis.