WA Livestock Disease Outlook - for producers - September 2018

In early spring, watch out for these livestock diseases

Disease	Typical history and signs
Polioencephalomalacia (PEM) in sheep and cattle	Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency is the most common cause of PEM in WA Most often occurs in WA when there is a sudden change to feed composition. All ages and classes can be affected. Most outbreaks involve only a few animals in the mob but can result in death rates as high as 10%. Signs include muscle twitching, seizures, head pressing, blindness, paddling and head thrown back, death. Animals treated in the early stages with thiamine may recover. Read more about treatment on our PEM webpage. Eligible disease investigations can be subsidised – contact your DPIRD field vet for information.
Worms in sheep and cattle	Signs of Barber’s pole worms include bottlejaw, fluid-filled abdomen, anaemia and sudden deaths. Other worm species may cause lost productivity, ill-thrift, weakness and diarrhoea. Young sheep and cattle require good worm control to achieve their potential growth rate. High stocking rates favour the spread of worms. Lambs will require an effective drench at weaning and ideally be put onto a paddock with a low worm burden. Worm egg counts are a useful tool to measure drench effectiveness. See the sheep Drench Decision Guide on the Wormboss website or the DPIRD website on drench resistance. Read more on sheep worm control. Read more on beef cattle worm control.

Disease

Typical history and signs

Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency is the most common cause of PEM in WA
Most often occurs in WA when there is a sudden change to feed composition. All ages and classes can be affected.
Most outbreaks involve only a few animals in the mob but can result in death rates as high as 10%.
Signs include muscle twitching, seizures, head pressing, blindness, paddling and head thrown back, death.
Animals treated in the early stages with thiamine may recover. Read more about treatment on our PEM webpage.
Eligible disease investigations can be subsidised – contact your DPIRD field vet for information.

Signs of Barber’s pole worms include bottlejaw, fluid-filled abdomen, anaemia and sudden deaths. Other worm species may cause lost productivity, ill-thrift, weakness and diarrhoea.
Young sheep and cattle require good worm control to achieve their potential growth rate.
High stocking rates favour the spread of worms. Lambs will require an effective drench at weaning and ideally be put onto a paddock with a low worm burden.
Worm egg counts are a useful tool to measure drench effectiveness. See the sheep Drench Decision Guide on the Wormboss website or the DPIRD website on drench resistance.
Read more on sheep worm control.
Read more on beef cattle worm control.