Volume 23 • Issue 02 • 2019
The Livestock Health and
Production Review is published
Bi-monthly by Vetlink
Copyright reserved.
Expressions of opinion, claims and
statement of supposed facts do not
necessarily reflect the views of the
editor or publisher. While every
effort is made to report accurately,
the publisher or the editor does not
accept any liability with regard to
any statement, advertisement, fact
or recommendation made in this
magazine.
Editor
Mark Chimes
CONTENT
Enzootic Abortion of Small Ruminants 04
Ruralvet - in the real world: Corynebactaerium Name Confusion 11
Peculiarities of Foot and Mouth Disease in Southern Africa and Resulting
Implications
Ruralvet - in the real world: Tick-borne Protozoan and Rickettsial
Disease of Sheep and Goats in South Africa
This issue focuses on diseases of sheep. If anything, the articles
in this issue once again emphasise that all disease outbreaks and
production issues have to be approached on a herd basis. Herd
health hinges on 4 primary areas that need to be addressed,
namely – Nutrition, Biosecurity, Herd immunity and Management.
The Star System discussed by Dr Dave Midgley emphasises once
again that the system is only as good as the nutritional status of
the animals and the level of management on the farm. “Fertility”
can be improved through husbandry management and good
nutrition only. Dr Gavin Thompson’s article on FMD re-iterates
the importance of biosecurity to prevent the spread of the disease
outside the controlled areas.
Patron
Danie Odendaal
Publisher and Owner:
Vetlink Publications
The Editor,
PO Box 232,
GROENKLOOF, 0027
Tel: (012) 346 1590, 0825756479
Fax: 086 671 9907
[email protected]
23
EDITOR’s Note
Heinrich van Rijn
Send them to:
21
A Tribute to Veterinary Pioneers: Elia Marius van Tonder
Layout and design
letters for publication.
16
Sub-clinical Coccidiosis: the Silent Profit Eater
Madaleen Schultheiss
contributions, topic suggestions and
12
Revisiting the Star Sheep Production System
Production and advertising
We welcome any comments,
08
Prof. Prozesky also mentions biosecurity and herd immunity in preventing Enzootic Abortion
from being introduced and spread on the farm. It appears that protozoal and rickettsial diseases
in sheep are precipitated by stress, which in turn is caused primarily through management and
nutritional issues. Abscesses in sheep can be controlled through improving herd immunity by
vaccination and biosecurity by preventing cross infection.
Therefor, the biggest gains in disease prevention and increased production can be obtained by
focusing on these 4 areas in the initial stages of a herd health program. Only once these basic
areas have been addressed properly should one start to work on the finer detail of a herd health
program.
Enjoy the reading
Warm regards
Mark Chimes
3