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To design a monitoring strategy that could be applied to regular veterinary visits to dairy farms to assess the prevalence and association between health conditions (uterine disease, hyperketonaemia and suboptimal body condition score) when diagnosed and treated at 1–7 days post-calving (DPC) and then re-examined at 28–35 DPC. This study evaluated data from 187 high-yielding dairy cows (21 primiparous, 166 multiparous) on one South Australian dairy farm on two occasions; Visit A which was 1–7 DPC and Visit B which was 28–35 DPC. On each visit, the nature of vaginal discharge, concentration of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BOH) in blood and BCS were recorded and assigned a clinical score. This was converted to a categorical outcome denoting the presence or absence of an abnormal health event, namely metritis or endometritis, hyperketonaemia (BOH concentration ≥1.2 mm/L) and suboptimal body condition score (>0.5 from optimum score). Cows with uterine disease or hyperketonaemia at either visit were treated. The prevalence of abnormal health events at each visit was determined and the association between the prevalence of disease at Visit A and Visit B (following appropriate treatment at Visit A) was measured using regression analysis. The prevalence of abnormal vaginal discharge, hyperketonaemia and suboptimal BCS at Visits A and B were 26%, 7%, 35% and 25%,16%, 33% respectively. A higher proportion of primiparous cows (Visit A: 0.86 (95% CI = 0.70–1.00); Visit B: 0.95 (95% CI = 0.86–1.00)) were found to have suboptimal BCS at both visits compared to multiparous cows (Visit A: 0.28 (95% CI = 0.20–0.35); Visit B: 0.24 (95% CI = 0.17–0.32)). A higher prevalence of hyperketonaemia at Visit B for multiparous compared to primiparous cows (19 (95% CI = 12–25)% vs. 0 (95% CI = 0–17) respectively) was identified. An increase in clinical discharge score at Visit A increased the odds of purulent vaginal discharge at Visit B (OR = 1.77 (95% CI = 1.31–2.40)). Failing to calve at target BCS was strongly associated with cows missing target BCS at Visit B (OR = 5.77 (95% CI = 2.35–13.11)) and for every unit increase in BCS at Visit A, BCS at Visit B increased by 0.40 (95% CI = 0.26–0.53). This study describes a pilot monitoring strategy for clinical parameters indicative of post-partum disease at 1–7 and 28–35 DPC. Determining the herd prevalence of these conditions will enable tracking of herd disease status over time. Abbreviations: BCS: Body condition score; BOH: Beta-hydroxybutyrate; DPC: Days post-calving; NEFA: Non-esterified fatty acids; SCHK: Subclinical hyperketonaemia [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Rhodococcus equi is a Gram-positive facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen and the most common cause of severe infectious pneumonia in foals. The pathogen is ubiquitous in the environment, but becomes concentrated in breeding farm situations due to its ability to reproduce in the gastrointestinal tract of herbivores. Foals may be exposed to the organism soon after birth; overt infection results in variable number of foals due to a combination of pathogen virulence, host susceptibility, and infective dose of the organism. Herd health programs using passive transfer of antibodies, especially with transfusions of equine hyperimmune plasma, can decrease incidence rates on affected premises, but rarely prevent infection in all susceptible individuals. An effective vaccine is not currently available. Combined therapy of clinically affected individuals using macrolide antibiotics combined with rifampin has improved outcome, including both morbidity and mortality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In recognition of the changing influences on animal health, Extension professionals are charged with the responsibility of delivering educational programs to our limited resources farmers on the importance of herd health. Herd-health programs must be designed and implemented with the help of an Extension veterinarian to provide routine, planned procedures that will prevent or minimize on farm diseases. There is a necessity for Extension professionals to get involved in educating our small farmers on the importance of animal health to enable them to maximize opportunities to participate in new markets for agriculture products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]