Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science

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Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science
Diseases of Beef Animals
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Diseases of Beef Animals

• Diseases of Beef animals include
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Stomach and Intestinal Worms.
• Lungworms
• Blackleg
• Grass Tetany
• Lice
• Red Water Fever

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Diseases of Beef Animals - 2

• Tuberculosis (TB)
• It affects all types of cattle, of all ages.
• Caused by Mycobacterium bovus
• Highly infectious
• Humans can also get this disease (A Zoonose)
• Symptoms
• Failure to Thrive
• Sweating
• Bad appearance

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Diseases of Beef Animals - 3

• Advanced symptoms
• Emaciation
• Coughing
• Fever and Death
• Prevention
• None really
• Dont buy in stock
• Good farm hygiene
• No drinking from streams
• Treatment
• Slow veterinary assistance for TB
• All affected animals are culled

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Diseases of Beef Animals - 4

• Stomach Worms
• Cause A nematode in the cows digestive tract.
  Older cows get a resistance to stomach worms.
• Symptoms Diarrhoea, failure to thrive, growth
  restriction.
• Prevention Proper grazing management, leader
  follower system, dosing.
• Treatment Dosed with a suitable nematicide.

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Diseases of Beef Animals - 5

• Lung Worms (Hoose)
• Cause Nematode in the lungs.
• Symptoms Hoarse, husky cough, failure to thrive.
• Prevention Proper grazing management, leader
  follower system, hoose vaccine.
• Treatment Dosed with a suitable nematicide,
  under veterinary supervision.

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Diseases of Beef Animals - 6

• Blackleg
• Cause Bacteria called Clostridium chanvoei.
  Bacteria produce spores which can travel to
  muscle tissue. Animal can die within 24 hours of
  showing symptoms.
• Symptoms Lameness, swollen legs with black
  discolouration, high fever.
• Prevention Vaccine available, every six months.
• Treatment None.