Horiba says subclinical hypocalcaemia (SCH) is a significant and under-diagnosed metabolic problem in dairy cattle affecting up to 50% cows annually.
After lactation, total calcium levels in the cows’ blood drop which can lead to sub-optimal health and yield.
The webinar will be presented by James Husband BA, VetMB, DipECBHM, DCHP, MRCVS, who will offer the benefit of his research and experience on the subject.
At the end, there'll be a Q&A session.
During the webinar, Horiba will also introduce its patient-sideLAQUAtwin Ca-11C pocket meter, which measures blood ionised calcium levels fast and is currently on special offer until 30th June 2022.
To register, visit: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6274625209458361872
Norbrook has announced the launch of Spotinor Deltamethrin spot-on, a new product which kills a wide range of external parasites that can have economically damaging effects on cattle, sheep and lambs.
The product is effective against lice and flies on cattle, ticks, lice, keds and established blowfly strike on sheep, and lice and ticks on lambs. It is available in 250ml and 500ml squeeze neck dispensing packs as well as a 1 litre and 2.5 litre backpack with dosing gun. The dose is 10ml for cattle, 5ml for sheep and 2.5ml for lambs (under 10kg/1 month of age).
Spotinor has a zero milk withhold time.
Edward Haughey, Director of Norbrook GB, said: "As Britain's leading veterinary pharmaceutical company, Norbrook is committed to providing British farmers and vets with the products and services they need to manage animal health effectively. Spotinor is the first generic to market, which displays the same benefits as the pioneer product. We are delighted to launch Spotinor, which gives livestock producers a greater choice of safe and sound solutions for the control of external parasites."
For more information, contact your Norbrook representative, telephone +44 (0) 1536 741 147 or email: enquiries@norbrook.co.uk
The survey for vets is about two minutes long: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ZCONJA/.
A prize draw will be carried out after the survey closes with 10 participants winning a Q fever snood.
Renzo Di Florio, veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health, said: “Despite Q fever being endemic in GB dairy herds1, we believe that awareness amongst farmers and the related farming industries is low.
"Our national Q fever surveys will help us ascertain how we can support farmers and vets when it comes to diagnostic challenges, treatment options and prevention through vaccination to help protect farmers, farming families and the related professions from the disease and reduce the impact of Q fever on farms.”
Jonathan Statham MA VetMB DCHP FRCVS, a RCVS registered specialist in cattle health, co-author of the ‘Dairy Herd Health’ textbook and chief executive of RAFT Solutions, added: “Multiple surveys in the UK support Q fever prevalence ranging from 60 to 80% in our national dairy herd, including recent work carried out by RAFT Solutions in NE England and SW England (2021)2.
"Reproductive issues are of course multifactorial and it is important therefore not to associate a Q fever positive diagnostic result as a single cause of infertility.
"However, increased level of metritis and endometritis, abortion and pregnancy loss or extended calving-conception intervals merit further investigation with Q fever as part of a herd health discussion that should of course address other infectious disease such as BVD, IBR or leptospirosis.
"Q fever is of further significance as a zoonosis and also as a potentially emerging disease in the context of climate change and changing vector patterns.”
Ceva has also launched a social media toolkit containing social media graphics and content on the disease that can be posted on vet practice social media channels, available from your local Ceva account manager.
References
Lucy Chadwick, Head of Technical Services & Marketing at Forte Healthcare Ltd said: “Neonatal calf diarrhoea is a leading cause of death in the calf crop in the UK and Ireland.
"We are delighted to therefore offer this webinar discussing up to date information on what we can do to boost neonatal defences in the face of an NCD outbreak.
"Tune in to learn more about the importance of colostral antibodies and how the resecretion of antibodies plays a key role in gut protection.
"We will also discuss what factors can influence the effectiveness of a NCD vaccination programme and what this means for your farmers.”
You'll be able to ask questions during the event and the webinar will also be made available to watch on demand afterwards.
https://www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/forte-healthcare-register
Ms Padron Vega had also been found to have failed in her duties as an OV by being unprepared for, and unaware of, new regulations. She also did not take adequate steps to ensure that the two individuals for whom she had given veterinary certification were licensed to perform slaughter in accordance with the regulations.
Ms Padron Vega originally applied for restoration in December last year, at which time the Disciplinary Committee had concerns about her keeping up-to-date with the knowledge and skills needed to return to practice, and decided to adjourn for six months to allow her to prove that it was appropriate to restore her name to the Register.
At the latest hearing, Ms Padron Vega sought to address the concerns that the Committee had raised about her professional development. In addition to the documentation she provided in her original restoration hearing, which included positive testimonials from colleagues, she provided evidence of her continuing professional development (CPD).
This included a letter from her previous employer, who confirmed she had more recently worked for them as a Certification Support Officer from February to March 2021, where they received positive feedback on her conduct.
The documentation also included a letter from another practice confirming that Ms Padron Vega had been offered a position of employment with them, and a separate letter from practice veterinary surgeon, Dr Khan MRCVS, confirming that he would be her mentor. Dr Khan also confirmed that she had been coming to the practice for work experience and he considered her to have good working knowledge of current medicines used within the practice. He further outlined in his letter what CPD support the practice would be providing for Ms Padron Vega as part of her employment with them.
An additional piece of evidence was a testimonial from Dr Max Rutana MRCVS who confirmed that Ms Padron Vega had worked unsupervised for a period of three weeks, and that he found her clinical notes during this period to be satisfactory and they received no complaints about her conduct from clients.
Ms Padron Vega also submitted CPD documentation which confirmed she has taken a Certification Support Officers’ course and examination in mid-December 2020.
In response to questions from the Committee about her small animal practice experience and how long she had been shadowing Dr Khan for, Ms Padron Vega explained that she had completed 80 hours of shadowing with Dr Khan and that in her future employment under his mentorship, he would be available to support her. She also explained that her job offer was evidence that she would continue to be trained in the relevant area of veterinary work.
Cerys Jones, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “During the hearing, we heard evidence from Dr Khan who provided reassurance of Ms Padron Vega’s continued professional development with his practice and the ongoing supervision that she would be under. He explained that the supervision would last at least three months.
“The Committee’s view is that Ms Padron Vega accepts the findings of dishonesty that were made against her at the original Inquiry hearing. In her Reflective Statement, she acknowledges that veterinarians have a professional responsibility to ensure the integrity of veterinary certification, that she is now aware that when signing documents as a veterinary surgeon they need to be approached with care and accuracy. Further she has undertaken a CPD course on this very ethical issue and has passed the examination set at the end of that course. The Committee is confident that Ms Padron Vega is unlikely to repeat the conduct which resulted in her being removed from the Register. It is the Committee’s decision that she should be restored to the Register.”
Vetoquinol has announced the introduction of Melovem to the UK market. Melovem is a new injectable preparation containing 5mg/ml meloxicam which is licensed for use in pigs and young cattle.
According to the company, meloxicam is the most widely used veterinary non steroidal anti-inflammatory injection in the UK. Presented in 100ml bottles, with a lower dose formulation, Melovem can be a cost-effective NSAID solution to leave on-farm.
Mark Leddy from Vetoquinol said: "We are pleased to be the distributors of Melovem in the UK. Melovem provides vets and farmers with a new, cost-effective meloxicam injection that is suitable for on-farm use."
Contact your Vetoquinol representative for more information on Melovem, or call Vetoquinol on 0800 1608197.
The RCVS has brought out a new publication to help members of the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions understand their legal and professional obligations regarding controlled drugs.
Controlled Drugs Guidance is a consolidation of existing advice and guidance on controlled drugs from a number of organisations including the RCVS itself, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) and the Home Office. The guide also gives details of the existing legislation concerning controlled drugs, namely the Misuse of Drugs Act and associated regulations.
The guidance provides advice on a variety of topics to reflect the common queries the RCVS Advice Team receives, such as storage, destruction and disposal; keys and keyholders for controlled drugs cabinets; controlled drugs in vehicles; and veterinary nurses administering controlled drugs.
The publication also deals with specific controlled drugs such as ketamine which, on 30 November 2015, was rescheduled to a Schedule 2 controlled drug, meaning that it is now subject to the same strict storage, prescription, dispending, destruction and record-keeping requirements as other medicines in this Schedule.
Laura McClintock, Standards and Advisory Manager at the RCVS, said: “We hope that this publication will help members of the profession navigate the often complex legislative and professional requirements regarding controlled drugs, as well as imparting best practice advice on how they should be stored and disposed and so on.
"This publication has also been endorsed by our colleagues in the Home Office, VMD and BSAVA and, because this is an area that is subject to regular change, we will make sure to keep it up-to-date as and when the regulations change."
The publication is available to download from the RCVS website at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
Baycox Iron Injection is indicated for the concurrent prevention of clinical signs of coccidiosis (such as diarrhoea) in neonatal piglets on farms with a confirmed history of coccidiosis caused by Cystoisospora suis, and the prevention of iron deficiency anaemia.
Professor Nicole Kemper, Director of the Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover in Germany said: "Piglets go through intense handling in their first days of life. While this is done to give them a better start to life and protect them from disease, it can also cause a lot of stress. Measures to reduce the need for piglet handling can make an important contribution to enhancing piglet well-being in the farrowing pen."
Octavio Orlovsky Eckhardt, Head of Species Marketing Swine at Animal Health, Bayer said: "A combination therapy that can effectively address these concerns with reduced handling can make a real difference for pig health and well-being.
"At the same time, farmers and workers can benefit from the reduced labour. For example, on a 1,000 sow farm, the reduced complexity is estimated to save up to one full work day every month."
For more information on Baycox Iron Injection, contact your local Bayer Animal Health representative.
The company says Cevaprost can help improve breeding success in reproduction protocols in cattle and has the following indications:
Ceva says these indications are equivalent to those of the leading racemic and single isomer cloprostenols available in the UK.
Cevaprost is available in a 20ml colourless glass vial and in a multi-pack of 10 x 20ml vials. It can be administered in single or repeated 2ml doses (equivalent to 0.5mg of cloprostenol) by intramuscular injection. It has a withdrawal period of one day for meat and no withdrawal period for milk.
Peter Keyte, ruminant business unit manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: “We are delighted to add Cevaprost to our extensive range of reprodAction products to provide vet and farmers with comprehensive cattle reproduction solutions and improve breeding success in reproduction protocols.”
For further information, contact your local Ceva territory manager or email cevauk@ceva.com.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has launched a new oxytetracycline spray which the company says offers more accurate antibiotic delivery whether the can is used in an upright or inverted position.
Alasdair King MRCVS, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health veterinary manager, says new Engemycin Spray has been developed specifically to address problems reported with traditional aerosol cans:
"Antibiotic sprays are used widely, yet they can become a practical nuisance to both vets and farmers simply because many cans do not perform satisfactorily. All too frequently the nozzle leaks or detaches, the spray pattern is irregular - particularly if the can is held upside down as it so often needs to be - or the valve clogs before the can is empty. This can be a source of great frustration to users, but new Engemycin Spray overcomes all these problems."
Intervet/Schering Plough says Engemycin Spray combines a unique, quick-drying formulation with an innovative, non-clogging spray valve. The quick-drying formulation minimises wastage from the sprayed area, while the new valve - which works as well when the can is upside down - cuts spraying time and ensures more reliable and constant delivery of antibiotic. The valve is unique and designed to enable the can to fully empty.
Engemycin Spray is licensed for the treatment of foot and wound infections in cattle, sheep or pigs following surgery or physical injury. The new product is available now from wholesalers.
Defra has announced the detection of Bluetongue in 18 imported cattle on premises near Bishop Auckland, County Durham. The animals originated from within the BTV8 Restricted Zone in Germany and were detected as a result of post-import testing carried out by Defra on all Bluetongue susceptible animals arriving from Continental Europe.
This is the fourth incidence of infected animals being imported to the UK. Alongside the premises in East Sussex, Hertfordshire and Devon identified in August, the imported animals will remain under restrictions.
As of 1 September the whole of England and Wales is now in a Protection Zone and approximately 30 million doses of vaccine have so far been made available to farmers throughout England and Wales to protect their stock. However, it may take up to six to eight weeks from now for livestock keepers in the North of England and Wales to have had sufficient opportunity to vaccinate their livestock and to gain immunity (at least three weeks in sheep, and six weeks in cattle).
To allow livestock keepers in those areas sufficient opportunity to protect their animals, and while further veterinary investigations are carried out, these particular infected animals will remain under restriction until late October. Any further positive import cases detected may also be restricted for a period of time depending on veterinary risk assessment, while vaccination continues.
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Alick Simmons said: "This incident shows how important it is for farmers to consider potential disease risks when buying stock, regardless of source. Buyers need to consider how best to protect their own businesses and those of their neighbours and make sure they are clear about the stock they are intending to buy.
"I also want to remind farmers about the importance of vaccination. It is the only effective tool to protect susceptible animals from Bluetongue. Recent evidence indicates a drop or delay in vaccine take-up in counties recently brought into the Protection Zone. Sales data for some of those counties suggest that the number of animals vaccinated in these areas could be as low as one in three, and in Northumberland and Cumbria, the most recent counties brought into the Protection Zone, as low as one in five.
"The threat from Bluetongue is present and real, as shown by the most recent import cases. Vaccination as a preventive measure is therefore more important than ever, so the message to the industry remains clear: don't hesitate, vaccinate".
The review coincided with a move last month from RUMA, the agricultural and food industry alliance which promotes responsible use of medicines in farm animals, to align with the EMA position.
The announcement means that under PVS guidelines, fluoroquinolones, 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins and colistin will retain Class 3 status. This means they are only used when no other options are available and when supported by laboratory sensitivity testing – or exceptionally when all other options have failed.
Class 1 antibiotics form the standard prescribing list within responsible use guidelines and Class 2 are used only when sensitivity tests or clinical experience proves standard antibiotics are not effective. In all treatment decisions the health and welfare of the pigs must always take priority.
Betalactams with betalactamase inhibitors (clavulanic acid) were previously in the highest priority Class 3 but in light of the list defined by the EMA, which has been adopted by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate as well as RUMA, the PVS has reassessed the risk and moved them to Class 2 to align them with plain betalactams. This means they are still subject to voluntary restrictions, but their use would not necessarily be only as a last resort.
PVS president Mark White said that despite the ongoing review process and the potential to reclassify certain products, the Society’s underlying principles remain unchanged: "The total amount of all antibiotics used on pig farms to treat and prevent disease should be minimised, and the types of antibiotics used in pigs should be considered in light of the implications for antibiotic resistance challenges in both pigs and man.
"This policy is proving successful with AHDB Pork’s electronic pig medicine book (e-MB) recently showing that use of colistin appears to have fallen by over 70% in 2016 following its move to a Class 3 antibiotic in late 2015.
"We must also continue to be alert to the possibility of cross resistance, even in older antibiotics that have little or no use in humans. Risk must be acknowledged where it exists and overall reductions are still imperative."
RUMA has welcomed the review and alignment from the PVS. Secretary General John FitzGerald said: "Farmers and vets need boundaries within which to operate and clear objectives to meet, and we would urge all supply chains, from farmer to retailer, to align with the sector position on best practice use of antibiotics, as defined by each sector’s professional veterinary organisation."
Improve International has announced that it is to hold the first conference aimed specifically at Official Veterinarians.
Taking place from 22-23 October 2015, Improve says the conference aims to provide a forum to update OVs on the latest developments and thinking on all aspects of OV work and to provide an opportunity to network and share experiences and ideas.
Organised in association with the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA), the Official Veterinarian Conference programme includes a two-day stream of large animal lectures and round-table discussions on topics including Bovine TB, Brucellosis, Anthrax, Sheep Scab and other important diseases.
A lecture stream for small animal practitioners will provide updates on export regulations and small animal exotic diseases, with dedicated lectures for equine practitioners also running on Friday 23 October.
Speakers at the event include Peter Jinman, Chair of the RCVS Certification Sub-Committee (pictured right); Dr Tim Brazil, Directorate of Equine Medicine on the Move and Andy Paterson, Veterinary Head of Intervention Epidemiology. An exhibition of the latest products and services for OVs will run alongside the conference which takes place at the Alexandra House Hotel and Conference Centre, near Swindon, where Improve International is based.
David Babington MRCVS, Managing Director of Improve, said: "The world of the OV is a fast-changing one so this unique event provides an opportunity for OVs to come together in a relaxed atmosphere to hear industry experts deliver up-to-date and practical lectures which will have a positive impact on their work as an OV.
"The programme and content has been developed by our Scientific Committee in collaboration with APHA which is supporting us and we believe it will offer highly relevant content for all OVs."
Are you planning to come to this event? If so, indicate it here, so other VetSurgeon members can see you'll be there!
To book, visit www.officialvet.com
With just a few days to go before the first anniversary of bluetongue being detected in England, the JAB campaign group is urging farmers to vaccinate their livestock to stop the disease from taking hold in this country as it has in Europe.
So far this year France has reported 4,543 cases of bluetongue, including cases in Calais, and the Netherlands has just confirmed its first case of the disease in 2008. The affected small holding reported a sick cow found with serotype eight which had not been vaccinated against infection.
With the threat of bluetongue re-emergence in the UK growing by the day, JAB leaders have issued a reminder to farmers to contact their vets as soon as their region is in the protection zone and vaccine is available.
In a statement JAB said: "The amount of cases being reported across Europe shows the disease is on the move. This most recent case in Holland demonstrates that not vaccinating livestock leaves farmers vulnerable to outbreaks now the midge season has started.
"The industry has rallied behind the JAB campaign and has done tremendously well in terms of vaccination. Nearly 19 million doses have already been made available to English farmers, and with another nine million doses planned to be released in the coming weeks we need those areas that are new to the protection zone to vaccinate as soon as they are able. We must remember bluetongue could already be circulating in areas where outbreaks occurred last year so the risks to everyone are very real.
"The explosion in the number of cases on the continent also acts as a timely reminder to those farmers in the current protection zone who have not vaccinated and the dangers this presents to their unprotected livestock
"We are entering the peak period for midge activity so vaccination is the only way to prepare and protect us from any potential outbreaks that may emerge in the coming weeks."
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Veterinary View not only highlights some of the veterinary profession's fantastic work, but complements our joint project with RCVS, Vet Futures, in exploring how the profession can best shape its own future. We hope it will stimulate debate among vets, and the wider community in which we work, about both the big challenges and opportunities that the veterinary profession is facing."
The series includes a number of videos which showcase more recent industry developments:
Stem Cell therapy for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis (VetCell Therapeutics)
Pharmtrax, a mobile device for vets to record work and dispensing on the farm (Henry Schein Animal Health)
Hormone implants as an alternative to castration (Virbac Animal Health)
Practice management support from Zoetis
Preventing an epidemic of equine flu (Merial Animal Health)
Intervet/Schering-Plough has announced that Estrumate®, in both the 10ml and 20ml vial size is back in stock and available to order from your veterinary wholesaler.
The stock out situation had arisen as a result of increased demand during the early part of the year but the company is confident that there will be sufficient stock to supply the increased level of demand in the foreseeable future. Intervet/Schering-Plough would like to thank their clients for the patience and understanding.
Further information is available from Intervet/Schering-Plough Account Managers or the Veterinary Support Group (VSG) on 01908 685685.
The Veterinary Record has published what the British Homeopathy Association is calling the first ever systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in veterinary homeopathy.
The review was conducted by Dr Robert Mathie, research development adviser to the association, and Dr Jürgen Clausen from the Carstens Foundation, Germany.
They found 18 placebo-controlled RCTs of veterinary homeopathy, published in the peer-reviewed literature, that were eligible for detailed assessment. Of these, only two were judged to provide reliable evidence. The remainder were unclear or had a high risk of bias.
The two studies which were judged reliable were:
HEKTOEN, L., LARSEN, S., ØDEGAARD, S. A. & LOKEN, T. (2004) Comparison of homeopathy, placebo and antibiotic treatment of clinical mastitis in dairy cows - methodological issues and results from a randomized-clinical trial. Journal of Veterinary Medicine. A, Physiology, pathology, clinical medicine 51, 439-446. In this study, homeopathy was shown to be ineffective.
Dr Mathie said: "Up to now, debates about the efficacy or effectiveness of veterinary homeopathy have been polarised by the absence of any systematic review of the subject. Our work clarifies the nature of the current RCT evidence."
Mr Mark Elliott, immediate past president of the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons, said: "This important study affirms that reliable evidence does exist and that more research should be done, particularly in light of current concerns about antibiotic resistance in production animals."
It seems a remarkable admission, that the entire veterinary homeopathy edifice rests upon one study in piglets. However, if that study did prove the efficacy of homeopathy, it would of course be an order of magnitude more remarkable than today's admission.
So, no pressure then, Camerlink et al!
Defra / APHA will provide an update on the current situation, followed by a presentation about BTV by Peter Mertens, Professor of Virology, University of Nottingham, and Christopher Sanders, Research Fellow in Veterinary Entomology from the Pirbright Institute.
If can't attend, you can register to be sent a recording afterwards.
This is the first of a series of bluetooth update webinars which will be held fortnightly on Wednesdays at 6pm.
https://ahdb.org.uk/events/bluetongue-virus-technical-webinar
MSD Animal Health has launched a new Chronogest CR pack for practices starting a dialogue with sheep producer clients about planned breeding for 2013 lamb sales, and is offering a free applicator with every four packs purchased.
The Chronogest CR intra-vaginal sponges, impregnated with 20mg of cronolone (flugestone acetate) synthetic hormone, are now available in foil wrapped packs of 25. The packs protect the sponges from light and moisture.
MSD is reminding practitioners that sponging programmes must be planned at least six weeks in advance of mating, with PMSG-Intervet injections essential at sponge removal.
The new packs of 25 will be available when existing 25, 50 and 100 pack sizes sell out.
Further information on planned breeding - including newsletter copy and sheep producer advisory materials - is available from the MSD Animal Health veterinary support group (VSG) on 01908 685685 or via emailing vet-support.uk@merck.com
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has launched its complimentary blood testing service that allows practitioners to investigate one of the main infectious causes of early embryo loss in sheep flocks.
The annual subsidised Barren EweCheck diagnostic scheme is available from 1st December 2009 until 31st March 2010 for breeding ewe flocks. The service establishes whether Toxoplasma gondii is potentially implicated in any empty or aborting ewes.
ISPAH says that data from the 2009 scheme showed that 69% of flocks had been exposed to the toxoplasma parasite at some point before blood sampling. As a result, practitioners were able to give clients receiving a positive diagnosis timely advice on disease control and the benefits of a Toxovax vaccination regime.
Further information and the 2010 Barren EweCheck pads are available directly from the company's Veterinary Support Group by calling 01908 685685.
Dr Berwyn Clarke, CEO of PBD Biotech, which developed the bacteriophage-based detection method, says this is significant step forward: "In situations where a farm has had an ongoing chronic bovine TB problem, APHA’s protocol offers a promising new approach to controlling the infection.
"Actiphage is now included within a series of measures that farmers can use in conjunction with their vet and with specific APHA approval as a means to improving their disease management strategy.
"For many farms that have been struggling for years it provides the first step to becoming TB free. This move by the APHA is a really positive step towards tackling this devastating disease."
Much of this new strategy, as part of a private TB eradication plan, has been driven by the success of Devon-based vet Dick Sibley, who incorporated Actiphage into a disease management strategy last Autumn to help clear a dairy herd that had been stricken with TB since 2012.
Dick said: "The approach of directly measuring the presence of live bacteria in the blood in just six hours is a totally different but complementary measurement to other technologies and has enabled enhanced testing, early detection and containment of the infected animals.
"We don’t have all of the answers yet, but it’s about predicting, preventing and managing what we can – and Actiphage has contributed greatly to the outcome we’ve been after for so long."
The Exceptional private use of non-validated tests for TB on cattle in England protocol enables any private veterinary surgeon to request APHA permission for exceptional use of Actiphage and the other non-validated tests, subject to certain criteria that include herd supplementary interferon-γ (IFN- γ) testing, discussions with the APHA Case Vet and the farmer’s written consent.
Berwyn added: "Actiphage is unique in directly detecting live mycobacteria in blood or milk, and it can also distinguish between a vaccinated and an infected animal - paving the way for new types of disease control when vaccines become available in the future.
"We are working with international governments, and the test is being trialled on bovine, ovine as well as exotic species, but we appreciate it is new to the UK market so we’re keen to answer any queries vets or farmers may have."
The new test will be profiled in the Innovation Hub at the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Show next month (27 & 28 June).
PBD Biotech says Actiphage will require further testing before it is officially approved for standard veterinary use in the UK, however under the APHA protocol it is now permitted for private use where herds have experienced persistent breakdowns and this will contribute to the evidence-base required for official validation by the OIE and acceptance by APHA.
Within this protocol, APHA has outlined a number of other non-validated tests that may be proposed for exceptional use in cattle herds with chronic breakdowns, including: the Actiphage assay, developed by PBD Biotech and Nottingham University; the Enferplex TB serological test, produced by Enfer Laboratories Ireland and approved in GB for use in camelids; and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing of faecal samples. APHA says this is not an exhaustive list and that the protocol covers any current or future non-validated tests for bovine TB.
The comparative intradermal tuberculin skin test and the IFN- γ blood test remain the only ante mortem tests currently approved for the statutory cattle TB testing programme in Great Britain.
The full Exceptional private use of non-validated tests for TB on cattle in England is available on the APHA Vet Gateway: apha.defra.gov.uk/vet-gateway/non-valid-tb-testing
Hysolv Animal Health has announced the launch of Salmovac 440, a new live salmonella vaccine for poultry which the company claims gives earlier, stronger and longer-lasting immunity than other salmonella vaccines.
The vaccine is given orally through the water supply in a three-dose regime that protects against Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST). It also protects against other SE strains and the newly-emerging monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium strains.
Hysolv says the advantage for farmers is that the vaccine strain is robust and can survive in more hostile conditions. It therefore remains effective where the water delivery system is less than ideal.
The first dose is administered from Day 1 followed by a second dose at six weeks and a third as early as 11 weeks. Salmovac 440 protects chicks after six days and remains effective for up to 63 weeks after the third vaccination, providing an extra four weeks of protection.
Hysolv says another important benefit to egg producers is that the earlier final vaccination at 11 weeks means that the birds can be moved into the laying house as early as 16 weeks old if required — a significant management advantage on some farms.
During the development of the vaccine it was found that the third live vaccination tended to ‘shut down’ any prolonged shedding of the vaccine strain. This, coupled with the earlier vaccination at 11 weeks, helps solve the issue of the vaccine strain being found at transfer to the layer house. Dr Daniel Windhorst, salmonella vaccine specialist with IDT Biologika, said: "If any should be found, the new PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test shrinks the testing time to just two to three hours."
Daniel added: "Although the UK has one of the lowest percentages of salmonella in its flocks, almost one-third of cases were of S Typhimurium. In most continental countries the percentage is much higher, so the extra cover provided by this vaccine is important."
Salmovac 440 has been approved for use by the British Egg Industry Council, which administers the Lion Code.