Gauteng Smallholder May 2016 | Page 33

ANIMAL HEALTH Causes and prevention of livestock diseases A basic knowledge of animal diseases, and the factors that cause diseases to occur, should be the aim of every livestock owner, however small or amateur his farming operation may be. Three principal reasons most often cited for the spread of diseases are poor sanitation, improper management and introduction of new animals into a herd. From page 29 And, the relatively small distances between herds and flocks on adjoining smallholdings in Gauteng, and the fact that many stockowners are ignorant or neglectful of the causes of disease, means that veterinarians describe Gauteng's plotland as a vigorous generator of otherwise preventable ailments. Knowledge of what causes disease, and of how animals can get a disease, helps us to know how to prevent disease and to treat sick animals. K Parasites are organisms that have to live on or in other organisms, such as animals, in order to survive. Most parasites are easy to see, although some mites and the early stages of worms can only be seen under a microscope. Some live outside the animal, such as flies, lice, mites, fleas MYCOTOXINS stand the effects of mycoFeeds should generally be toxins. Stress, physiological consumed within ten days of state, nutritional standing, delivery. and disease status will Cleaning and sanitizing independently and collecfeeders, storage bins and tively determine the response other equipment is another of a given animal to a specific basic precaution. mycotoxin level or complex One should also maintain the of mycotoxins. best possible level of health Mycotoxins may also be a in poultry and livestock, so hazard to human health since that they are able to withanimal products consumed by people may contain mycotoxin residues. Mycotoxin deactivators can be added to animal feed in order to help fight the effects of the chemicals. The Agricultural Research Council is currently working on breeding strains of crops that are resistant to mycotoxins. 31 www.sasmallholder.co.za and ticks. Others such as flukes and round worms live inside an animal. They usually live in the stomach and intestines but also in other parts of the body such as the lungs and liver. Parasites cause a variety of diseases in animals. K Microbes or germs are usually too small to be seen with the naked eye, and only Continued on page 32