Pulpy kidney, also known as enterotoxaemia, can cause sudden death in sheep, goats and cattle on high carbohydrate, energy-rich feed, with fat, healthy livestock in prime condition particularly susceptible.
LLS principal program manager animal biosecurity and welfare Lyndell Stone said the best form of protection against pulpy kidney is vaccination.
“Pulpy kidney is easily and cheaply prevented by effective clostridial vaccination,” she said.
“Initially, two vaccinations are administered four to six weeks apart, with timely boosters during high-risk periods around every three months crucial to ensure ongoing protection.
“It’s worth noting, the better your lambs and calves are doing, the more important it is to give a booster as pulpy kidney strikes the best stock.
“If purchasing cattle or sheep, don’t assume they have already been vaccinated. It’s a costly error to find out vaccinations were incomplete when you start losing stock.”
Vaccinations should be handled according to label instructions, and expiry dates should be adhered to. Ensure vaccinations are refrigerated prior to use and stored in an esky out of direct sunlight when being administered at the yards.
Livestock producers are encouraged to speak with their local LLS district veterinarian to discuss local conditions and their animal’s nutrition, particularly if they’re planning a change in diet to lush pastures or heavy grain feeding.
For impacted livestock, there will generally be no prior signs of sickness or evidence of struggling.
Affected livestock are simply found dead, with diagnosis readily made post-mortem. It is important to contact a veterinarian to establish a diagnosis and rule out notifiable or emergency animal disease, which can look similar.
Pasture bloat is another disease associated with the rapid introduction of new green growth.
Caused by the formation of a stable foam in the rumen, bloat is often associated with grazing lush rapidly growing legumes, such as clover, and can also be seen on some rapidly growing young grasses.
The foam formed prevents animals from belching gas, and the rumen can quickly become bloated.
Cattle with bloat may display signs of distension of the abdomen on the left side, may appear distressed or bellow, and will lie down and get up frequently. They will also show signs of rapid breathing, often with the mouth open.
Dr Stone said several options were available to producers to help reduce the risk of pasture bloat.
“Ensuring cattle are not hungry when first introduced to high-risk pastures is crucial. This can be achieved by providing access to roughage such as hay.
“Grazing livestock in smaller paddocks to allow for more intensive monitoring and management or using grazing pasture management to avoid grazing high-risk pastures can minimise the risk of bloat.
“There are also three bloat control agents for consideration, which are anti-foaming agents, detergents and rumen modifiers.
“Whichever method, or combination of methods, is used, monitoring stock after the introduction is essential.”
Local Land Services also recommends producers ensure their stock are up to date with five-in-one or seven-in-one vaccination, as pulpy kidney may also be seen in stock grazing early spring pastures.
If you have any concerns about bloat or pulpy kidney, or you notice unusual symptoms or stock losses, contact your district veterinarian on 1300 795 299. Further information is also available at www.lls.nsw.gov.au.
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