Livestock Management Practices AS 1.6 Unit 3 Health Practices

Causes of ill health Direct causes: Poisons, e.g. Stock eating tutu Injuries e.g. barbed wire, sharp stones Nutritional deficiencies, e.g. milk fever Internal and external parasites

Indirect causes: Weather Poor nutrition Lameness, e.g. infection in the hoof Pregnancy Heredity, e.g. hip dysplasia in dogs

Disease Prevention There are two main ways to prevent disease in stock Drenching – Dosing with liquid chemicals to kill external and internal parasites Vaccination – Helps to prevent animals contracting the disease. The vaccine stimulates the animal’s body to produce antibodies, giving the animal immunity to a particular disease.

This is how vaccines protect you against dangerous infectious diseases

This is how vaccines protect you against dangerous infectious diseases

Minimising chances of infection Good feeding – provide enough nutritious food at all times Careful stock handling – don’t yard stock for long periods of time, be firm but quiet with stock and have good control of dogs Quarantining – stock suspected of having an infection should be kept separate from other stock Culling – animals that get the same disease repeatedly should be culled Avoid overcrowding – this can lead to rapid spread of infection

For young animals Ensure good hygiene, keep equipment clean at all times Remove soiled bedding and replace with clean bedding House young animals in a warm dry place that is free from draughts Inspect all animals daily for signs of sickness or infection