Assisting producers to prevent vaccination site abscesses
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Abattoir inspectors have noticed a recent increase in the number of vaccination abscesses in sheep carcasses, which result in downgrading and removal of sections of a carcass at abattoir and reduced profits for the producer.
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Abscesses are normally seen in the neck, rump, flank, back and inner thigh. Vaccinations should be given high in the neck away from prime cuts.
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This Animal Health Australia factsheet may be useful to help discuss with your clients best practice for vaccinations.
Video highlights benefits of livestock surveillance
A new four-minute video highlights the benefits to WA producers and to the livestock industries when they call a vet to investigate livestock disease. The Animal Health Surveillance in WA video is available on Youtube.
Exotic disease in the spotlight: Peste des petits ruminants (PPR)
OIE map of the geographical distribution of PPR
Surveillance activities support Western Australia’s and Australia’s proof of freedom from specific diseases, increase our export trade opportunities and ensure that we able to detect exotic diseases in a timely way if they were to enter WA, so as to limit their impact. One of the serious diseases spreading in other sheep growing countries, and that Australia is currently free from, is peste des petits ruminants (PPR).
PPR is a highly infectious disease primarily of sheep and goats and is a member of the same family of viruses as rinderpest. The disease is well established in West Africa and extends into the Arabian Peninsula and Middle East but concern is mounting over spread further into central and southern Asia. In January 2017 an outbreak in Mongolia decimated a population of thousands of the endangered saiga antelope.
Differentials:
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Bluetongue disease, foot-and-mouth disease, Nairobi sheep disease, sheep pox, coccidiosis, salmonellosis, orf.
There have been no occurrences of the disease in Australia to date and cases of disease in sheep or goats showing similar signs to PPR are tested to support Australia’s freedom from the disease and access to livestock markets.
Clinical signs:
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fever, pneumonia, severe diarrhoea, high morbidity and mortality, inappetence, oral and nasal discharges, oral lesions.
What to do if you see signs:
PPR is a reportable disease in Australia. Contact your DPIRD vet immediately if you investigate a disease with these signs, or if your DPIRD vet is not available, call the emergency animal disease hotline on 1800 675 888.
Previous issues
Previous issues of WALDO - for vets and WALDO - for producers are available on the DPIRD website on the newsletter archive page or by searching 'WA livestock disease outlook - for vets'.
Feedback
We welcome feedback. To provide comments or to subscribe, email waldo@agric.wa.gov.au.