On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:34:06 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Ice" warned usn about a couple of meat related parasite problems which
are a real problem, even if you cook the meat thoroughly and even then
Toxoplasmosis* is a problem seeing as 90% of the French
population are infected by age 40. A result of the national passion for
eating undercooked meat.
It is known to change the habits of infected animals and some say it is
probably responsible for the French national character! :-)

* Only problem is if a Pregnant woman catches it for the first time whilst
pregnant it can seriously damage the baby, if she has already had it for a
while then there usually isn't a problem as her immune system is dealing
with it. In France they give pregnant women tests for it.

Yet another reason to steer clear of meat, especially the factory
farmed shit.

Go veggie if you value the life of your family.


"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

A global picture of the yellow,lazy, coward hunters of today.


http://www.protectnjanimals.com/bowhuntershoot.html

On February 18, 2006 the United Bowhunters of New Jersey (UBNJ), one
of the state's leading hunting organizations, held a live pheasant
shoot on private property in Sussex County. The UBNJ purchased dozens
of birds for the sole purpose of having bowhunters shoot them with
arrows.

According to a representative of the UBNJ, who wrote about the shoot
on the website www.newjerseyhunter.com, the birds were "put to sleep"
so "they wouldn't flush before we got to them."

These birds, in a dazed state, refused to leave the ground. In order
to make them animated targets, hunters then proceeded to force the

birds to fly--and they did so by jabbing the docile creatures with
arrows and kicking them. The birds were then shot at point blank
range. And all this was recorded on videotape that UBNJ themselves
made and put on the Internet.

The abuse present in these videos is both unmistakable and monstrous.
When you see the hunters kick these poor birds, then see them laugh
when the arrows fly into their tiny bodies, you cannot help but be
repulsed and sickened. We are calling not only for the United
Bowhunters to be charged with animal cruelty, but the law changed so
that barbaric private bird shoots like this are never again allowed in
our state.

PHEASANT VIDEOS


Depending on your bandwidth, these videos might take a few moments to
load. These are MPEG files. In Netscape, Opera, Mozilla, Internet
Exploreryou will be able to view the movie with the player associated
with MPEGs. In Internet Exporer 6, they open in a new window.

http://www.conservenjbears.org/video/Pheasant1.mpg

http://www.conservenjbears.org/video/Pheasant2.mpg

http://www.conservenjbears.org/video/Pheasant6.mpg

http://www.conservenjbears.org/video/Pheasant5.mpg


http://www.conservenjbears.org/video/UBNJ_Pheasant.mpg
















"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

NADIS Veterinary Report and Forecast – July 2006
CATTLE


ADULTS

Fertility
Interestingly, the number of fertility problems reported by NADIS vets
increased in June, with both missed heats and anoestrus cases
increasing. This suggests that fertility problems this summer may
remain high as they did last year, when 32% of all non-detected heats
were recorded between June and September (as opposed to an average
around 23%). It is unclear why there was an increase in summer
fertility problems last year, there is certainly no discernible trend
in previous years. Even in average years NADIS veterinarians report
over 3500 non-detected oestrous cases during the summer, so although
detecting bulling in cows at pasture can be very time consuming it is
essential. Indeed when heat detection is done effectively submission
rates at pasture can be much better than in housed cattle. Heat
detection aids such as beacons and tail paint are particularly useful
at this time of year as false negatives due to knocking against
architecture are much less common.



This device glows when pressure is applied


The dairy industry needs to focus on heat detection as it’s probably
the fertility variable which varies most between farms and thus has
the most potential for improvement even on average farms. The main
problem with improving heat detection rates is that, unlike pregnancy
(or conception) rate which can be calculated using PD and service data
which most farms will collect, not many farms collect data to show how
good they are detecting oestrus. Thus it can be difficult to show the
farmer that there is a problem or that additional measures have
improved the situation. However heat detection data can be easily
collected, provided the cows due for service can be identified, and
when collected representative data using either can be monitored on a
short three week basis so problems can be identified quickly and
solutions implemented as soon as possible.



Figure 1: Monthly patterns for non-detected oestrus, showing the
marked increase in cases seen in June and the very high figures
reported last summer


June also saw an increase in the already high levels of endometritis
reported by NADIS vets. The number of endometritis cases seen so far
this year has been the highest of any year since 1998, continuing a
trend of steady increase since 2001. Interestingly, like missed heats,
2005 saw a very high number of summer endometritis cases, with 34% of
all cases reported between June and August (in contrast to the average
of 28% in previous years). Again, 2005 appears to have been an unusual
year as there was no previous trend towards an increase in
endometritis cases during the summer

Figure 2: The NADIS reports show that, although last year the number
of summer cases of endometritis increased markedly the long term trend
is one of stability rather than change.


Another fertility problem which was much more common in June than
average was uterine torsion, with the figures in June being very
similar to the very high figures reported in May, confirming that the
figures for that month were not an aberration. The number of cases of
uterine torsion has increased greatly since 1997 and seems to be
following a linear trend upwards, with an average of ten cases more
per year. The cause of this trend is unclear but is probably
associated with changes in genetics resulting in larger cows (with
more abdominal space) and heavier calves (increasing potential torsion
forces).

Figure 3: Change in the number of yearly reports of uterine torsion
from 1997 to 2005 (with prediction for 2006), with linear trend line.
The linear trend is statistically significant and explains over 75% of
the variation between years


Metabolic disease
The relative lack of dietary control in cattle at pasture means that
the summer remains the peak period for metabolic disease. So far this
year, except for displaced abomasums the number of metabolic disease
cases has been below average. This remained the case for
hypomagnesaemia (grass staggers) during June, which meant that this
year has been a good year with the number of reports being less than
60% of the average. It is likely that the effect of the poor weather
in April on grass growth and turn-out significantly reduce the risk
this year. It will be interesting to see whether a similar effect
occurs during the autumn peak as this has been much more variable in
recent years than in the past. In contrast to hypomagnesaemia, reports
of both hypocalcaemia (milk fever) and acetonaemia (ketosis) cases
increased in June, though neither was at unusually high levels.
Displaced abomasum reports, however, were at their highest ever level
for June. This means that despite a lower peak in cases, overall
figures for 2006 are very similar to those of 2005 which were the
second highest ever (after 2004). Although the peak number of cases
is March to May, over 30% of DA cases occur in the next four months,
so we need to keep implementing preventative measures even though many
cows will be out at pasture.

Figure 4: Change in the number of reports of displaced abomasum
between January and June for 1997 to 2006, with linear trend line. The
linear trend is statistically significant and explains over 80% of the
variation between years. On average there has been an increase of 45
cases during this period per year over the last 8 years




Cattle lameness

The dry and warm weather in June was marked by low levels of lameness
overall, with decreases in sole ulcer and digital dermatitis.
Foul-in-the-foot cases increased despite the dry weather but still
remained below average, while white line disease cases increased to
average. Summer marks a significant change in the risk factors for
lameness on many herds. The risk factors change from those associated
with housing (concrete and slurry) to those associated with pasture
(tracks and gateways). In particular, increases in white line disease
can be linked to poor cow tracks and management of cattle entering the
collecting yard. Peak levels occur in September/October but the damage
that eventually results in clinical disease starts long before then,
so on farms with a history of white line disease paying attention to
tracks now can significantly reduce future problems.

Figure 5: Seasonality of cases of foul-in-the-foot reported by NADIS
veterinarians, showing that the number of reports per month has been
consistently low so far this year.


CALVES

The number of scour cases remained low in June continuing the trend
seen in the rest of the year. Indeed this year’s trend follows the
pattern seen since 1997 of a decrease in veterinary reports of scour
problems (and is similar to the trend seen in the data from the
VLA/SAC). On face value this seems like good news, diarrhoea and its
consequences, particularly dehydration, are the primary causes of calf
loss, so a reduction in incidence can only be a good thing. However
this simple evaluation misses the possibility that economic factors,
such as poor calf values, rather than reduced diarrhoea may be the
primary driver of the reduced veterinary reports. We urgently need a
better measure of actual incidence of calf diarrhoea on farm.



Figure 6: Change in time with number of scour outbreak reports showing
the almost continuous decline in the number of reports by NADIS
veterinarians since 1997 (2006 data estimated)


No lungworm cases have been reported by NADIS vets since January,
which is not unusual as July is usually the first month of the
lungworm season. Recent years have seen higher peaks of disease in
August/September so a focus on prevention now is still likely to
result in significant benefits.

__________________________________________________ __________

SHEEP
Go To…….Cattle Pigs

Parasitic disease
Problems with coccidiosis continued in June, it seems likely that
problems will persist until July and maybe longer.


Coccidial oocysts



Undoubtedly the poor grazing conditions during spring have been part
of the problem. If future years have similar weather, more farms may
need to feed coccidiostats to their sheep in order to prevent the
effects of coccidiosis. These effects do not only extend to clinically
affected animals; sub-clinical disease also leads to major losses with
poorer growth rates and decreased resistance to other parasites being
the major problems.

As predicted problems with Nematodiriasis continued into June in the
northern regions of the UK, however they are unlikely to remain a
problem in July.

Fluke problems continued to be reported in June. There is no evidence
from. NADIS vets of significant triclabendazole resistance problems,
but this is something that needs greater attention.

Other diseases
Copper toxicity was again reported by NADIS veterinarians in June.
This is by far the most common poisoning reported in sheep, with a
significant variation between breeds in their susceptibility. However
as the NADIS reports show, copper poisoning can occur even in breeds
which are not thought of as susceptible (e.g. Scottish Blackface)




Jaundice showing in the eye of ewe suffering

from chronic copper poisoning

Most problems are chronic in nature rather than acute and deaths
should thus be avoidable. The problem is that in too many cases
insufficient attention is paid to what the sheep are being fed.

__________________________________________________ ___________

PIGS
Go To…….Cattle Sheep
The increased surveillance under the NADIS clinical veterinary
monitoring programme is starting to bring useful data forward. The
chart below indicates the prevalence of each disease in the various
age groups:-


ADULTS
As is usual case reports of problems in the adult population can be
separated into production issues either as a result of stockmanship
errors or disease and other health issues unrelated to breeding
productivity.



Within this month’s stockmanship/production reports, fertility issues
are particularly prominent.

1) Timing of service relative to actually identifying a sow on heat
(ie delaying 30-60 min) was blamed for poor results.

2) Delayed insemination following heat detection (8-12 hours) is
commonly reported to improve fertility but is highly dependant on
accurate and early heat detection.

3) Overfat sows at service was blamed for one outbreak of returns
to service.

4) The hot weather through the middle of the month is believed to
have accounted for extended weaning to service intervals, poor
appetite, and litter desertion outdoors .

5) Sows coming on heat during lactation – not uncommonly seen
outdoors in spring - was also reported.



A wide range of diseases affecting reproduction were reported. These
included Parvovirus, PRRS, leptospirosis, uncharacterised abortions,
post farrowing discharge, Arcobacter associated abortions and possibly
Clamydial infection.



Mange continues to be evident in sows – particularly in East Anglia
whilst other issues affecting sows included mastitis of unknown origin
and unusual front leg lameness/paralysis believed to be associated
with trauma as sows knock themselves getting through restricted
entrances to lying areas.


Hypersensitive (allergic) Mange in a sow





Swine flu was occasionally seen in the sow herd.



WEANERS
Two specific conditions dominate the health picture in weaners in
June.

1) Meningitis was widely reported and this continues the trend seen
since the spring. This disease does not seem to be afforded the
attention that its incidence would seem to justify.

2) PMWS – inevitably this continues to be widely reported although
there are an increasing number of success stories or at least signs of
improvement. Poor housing , overcrowding and concurrent disease –
especially Glasser Disease – are frequently highlighted as major
factors precipitating PMWS but increasingly, reporters are
highlighting the benefits of novel breed type boars in the fight
against this disease. Such breeding changes do not solve all the
problems but appear to give greater resistance to the weaners to cope
with the challenges they face.

Post weaning scour and colitis were not particularly prevalent
although removal of Zinc Oxide from weaning diets has been associated
with a number of problems, tending to confirm its need in the control
of enteric disease post weaning.



GROWERS/FINISHERS
As usual these dominate the disease picture and in addition to the
common problem of specific and complex respiratory disease, Glassers
disease and enteric problems (colitis/ileitis) grower scour, a wide
range of other conditions were reported.


Mild colitis with perineal staining and

loose faeces but no loss of condition

With respect to colitis a number of reporters commented on
improvements that have occurred following improvement to hygiene, feed
management and several commented upon the switch to meal feeding which
historically has proved effective at reducing maldigestion but is
often resisted because of handling problems, dust and reduced
appetite.



Skin conditions were raised. In addition to injuries resulting from
sharp metalwork, Sarcoptic mange was evident, unusually greasy pig
disease was seen in older growing pigs (with no reason found) in the
first reports of fly bite lesions this summer were received Worm
infestation including milk spot liver was a problem on one farm and
rectal prolapses were seen as a major issue in another.



PDNS was widespread in farms variably affected with PMWS.



Finally water supply featured in several reports. Salt poisoning was
seen following blockage to water although in one case the farmer’s
diagnosis of salt poisoning was actually an outbreak of infectious
arthritis causing pigs to go “off their legs”. One farm reported
increased water intakes for no obvious reasons.



PIGLETS
Investigations of problems in piglets were relatively sparse. As well
as the usual scour issues associated with E.Coli, rotavirus,
coccidiosis and clostridia, piglet respiratory disease usually
associated with Glassers disease was evident. Meningitis continues to
be common particularly in East Anglia.



Umbilical hernia detected early in life (before weaning) were seen as
a major concern and were believed to be associated with navel
infection at birth.



Through the warm summer weather expect problems with:-
1) Sunstroke and sunburn.

2) Summer infertility.

3) Litter desertions and rebreeding problems outdoors.

4) Farrowing house scour as sows wet solid floor pen to aid
cooling.

5) Erysipelas












"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

NADIS disease bulletins are written specifically for farmers, to
increase awareness of prevalent conditions and promote disease
prevention and control, in order to benefit animal health and welfare.

Farmers are advised to discuss their individual farm circumstances
with their veterinary surgeon.



ANTHRAX in Cattle


The recent outbreak of anthrax on a farm in south Wales highlights the
importance of this disease to the farming community. The two cows
identified as having died of anthrax were the first cases reported in
Britain since a cow died on a farm in Wrexham in 2002. The cases also
highlight the persistence of the organism as the two new cases are
very likely to be linked to cases which occurred on the same farm 35
years ago.

Vigilance is vital. All cases of unexplainable sudden death need to be
reported to your veterinarian, who will then report the case to the
Divisional Veterinary Office. This office will then decide whether the
animal is to be tested for anthrax. The testing and veterinary time
will be paid for by the government.




Bacillus anthracis (www.med.kurume-u.ac.jp)



Anthrax is important not just as a cause of disease in stock; it can
also cause disease in people. Despite the use of anthrax envelopes as
a scare tactic in the US, by far the most important cause of human
anthrax is contact with animals or animal products However, its also
important to realise that anthrax is a rare disease, occurring
sporadically in the UK. Unlike foot and mouth it does not spread
rapidly form farm-to-farm. So it’s vital to keep it in perspective



Clinical Signs

¨ Sudden death (often within 2 or 3 hours of being apparently
normal) is by far the most common sign

¨ Very occasionally some animals may show trembling, a high
temperature, difficulty breathing, collapse and convulsions before
death. This usually occurs over a period of 24 hours

¨ After death blood may not clot, resulting in a small amount of
bloody discharge from the nose, mouth and other openings



Diagnosis

· On the clinical signs described above

· Rod-shaped bacteria surrounded by a capsule (see
above) are visible in blood smears made from surface blood vessels

· Post-mortem examinations should not be undertaken on
suspected anthrax cases (including any cow that has died suddenly for
no apparent reason) until a blood smear has proved negative)

· If a carcass is opened accidentally, the spleen is
usually swollen and there is bloodstained fluid in all body cavities

Suspected anthrax cases are covered by the Anthrax Order 1991 (which
replaced the Order of 1938). Any suspicion of the disease must be
notified to the State Veterinary Service Divisional Veterinary Manager
(DVM), who if they see fit will instigate a veterinary enquiry to
determine whether anthrax is present on the farm. Usually the DVM will
arrange a visit (often by the owner’s own vet) to take a blood sample
to look for bacteria with capsules. The animal or carcass must not be
moved before this has been done, fines will be levied if movement does
occur. If the tests prove negative, the veterinarian will send in a
certificate stating this and nothing further will happen. If anthrax
is still suspected then orders banning movement and requiring
disinfection will be instigated. Further information can be found on
the DEFRA website and at:-
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1991/Uksi_19912814_en_1.htm

(which has the text of the Anthrax Order 1991)



Treatment

· Due to the rapidity of the disease treatment is seldom
possible

· High doses of penicillin have been effective in the
later stages of some outbreaks





Prevention



Infection is usually acquired through the ingestion of contaminated
soil, fodder or compound feed. In the recent outbreak it is thought
that a contaminated pool was the most likely source. Sterilisation of
meat and bone meal used in animal feed (and more recently its complete
removal from cattle feed) has been the main factor responsible for the
rarity of anthrax in the UK over the last few years.

Richard Laven PhD BVetMed MRCVS




"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

NADIS disease bulletins are written specifically for farmers, to
increase awareness of prevalent conditions and promote disease
prevention and control, in order to benefit animal health and welfare.
Farmers are advised to discuss their individual farm circumstances
with their veterinary surgeon.



Pink Eye in Sheep






PINK EYE IS A COLLOQUIAL TERM WHICH DESCRIBES INFLAMMATORY DISEASES OF
THE EYE, USUALLY DUE TO INFECTIOUS KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS, LISTERIA OR
TRAUMA.





OVINE INFECTIOUS KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS (OIKC)

Infectious keratoconjunctivitis is seen in sheep of all ages, but
tends to be more severe in ewes than in lambs. Outbreaks affecting up
to 25% of the flock are commonplace. The disease can become
particularly important when pregnant ewes are involved.



The first sign of OIKC is tear staining extending from the corner of
one or both eyes, associated with conjunctivitis. As the disease
progresses the cornea becomes cloudy and blood vessels are seen
prominently at the periphery of the eye. The ocular discharge becomes
thicker and pus-like as the disease progresses. When both eyes are
severely affected sheep become temporarily blind, resulting in
handling difficulties and losses due to misadventure. In most cases,
healing occurs over a period of several weeks, eventually leaving only
a faint corneal scar. However, in extreme cases the anterior chamber
of the eye may ulcerate, rupture and become secondarily infected,
resulting in permanent blindness. Acquired immunity following
infection is poor and many cases relapse.



The primary causative organisms are believed to be Chlamydia psittaci
and Mycoplasma conjunctiviae, either alone or in combination, but
several other bacteria may also be involved in a secondary role.
Close contact of sheep when trough feeding enables rapid spread of
infection and probably accounts for the high incidence of the disease
during winter months. Outbreaks in recently weaned lambs may be
associated with high stocking rates, dust, long grass and flies which
have been contaminated by tear secretions of infected animals.
Handling of the face and head of lambs when drenching may also provide
a means of spread. Clinically recovered animals may harbour the
causative organisms for several months and may be a source of
re-infection of other animals in subsequent years when their immunity
has waned.






THE DISEASE IS PAINFUL AND PROMPT TREATMENT OF AFFECTED EWES IS
USUALLY RECOMMENDED TO MITIGATE AGAINST THE RISK OF PERMANENT
BLINDNESS.



Treatment is tedious and usually involves the topical application of
aureomycin as a puffer or ointment. There is some evidence to support
the use of intramuscular injections of long acting oxytetracycline,
which may be a practical method for the treatment of OIKC in some
flocks.





LISTERIA IRITIS (silage eye)

Infection of the anterior chamber of the eye is commonly seen in sheep
(and cattle) of all ages associated with the feeding of big bale
silage. The disease is associated with Listeria monocytogenes
infection and up to 25% of the flock can be affected in severe
outbreaks.



The initial presenting signs are excessive tear production, frequent
blinking and avoidance of bright light involving one or both eyes. On
closer examination the iris is swollen and thrown into a series of
radial folds. Within two to three days, more severe inflammatory
changes develop, with blueish white corneal opacity starting at the
border and spreading inwards. Focal aggregations of fibrin in the
anterior chamber of the eye are seen as accumulations of white
material beneath the cornea. In more advanced cases widespread
corneal opacity and vascularisation is often seen. If untreated,
complete healing of this painful condition may take one to three
weeks.



The precise cause of ovine iritis has not been experimentally proven.
Outbreaks are invariably linked to the feeding of big bale silage.
The consistent isolation of L.monocytogenes from conjunctival swabs
taken from affected animals suggests that the organism has an
important role, although in some surveys an equal incidence of L.
monocytogenes has been shown in conjunctival swabs taken from both
normal and affected eyes.



Subconjunctival injection of a combination of oxytetracycline and
dexamethasone usually halts the progression of clinical signs when
administered in the acute stages of the disease and the eyes usually
return to normal within two to three days.



Your vet can advise you about the treatment and management of pink eye
in your flock.

Neil Sargison BA VetMB DSHP FRCVS




"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

Hypomagnesaemia (Grass Staggers)
The NADIS data shows that in previous years the number of cases of
hypomagnesaemia (grass staggers, grass tetany) increases each spring
after turn out reaching a peak incidence in May, with another peak in
October.





What is Hypomagnesaemia?
Hypomagnesaemia occurs when the intake of magnesium is exceeded by its
output. The clinical signs can occur very quickly because the cow
does not store magnesium, and is thus reliant on its daily dietary
intake. Hypomagnesaemia is most commonly a disease of lactating cows
at grass, because grass can be very low in magnesium and the output in
milk is high. When the losses in the milk exceed the dietary intake,
clinical hypomagnesaemia occurs. Like most nutritional diseases, the
animals showing clinical signs are just the tip of the iceberg, for
every cow with obvious disease many more will be affected sub
clinically.

The increase in disease in spring occurs because rapidly growing
grasses, particularly ryegrasses, are very low in magnesium. This low
concentration of magnesium can be further reduced by the application
of fertiliser, partly because of the increase in growth rate, but also
because application of potassium directly inhibits uptake of magnesium
by the grass. Slower growing forages, particularly clovers and other
broad-leaved plants contain much higher levels of magnesium.

The significant increase in late autumn, may be partly due to the
increase in forage growth that occurs at this time, particularly after
a dry summer, and also to the feeding silage produced from spring
grass that was low in magnesium.



Clinical Signs

The signs of hypomagnesaemia are vary variable ranging from mild
apprehension and tremor to sudden death. Hypomagnesaemia is probably
the major cause of sudden death in lactating cows at grass The signs
of hypomagesaemia are probably best visualised by detailing the
changes in an untreated animal with mild hypomagnesaemia.

I) The animal appears apprehensive with the head held high and a mild
tremor.

2) The gait stiffens, and the animal begins to stagger and frequently
falls over

3) The animal becomes recumbent (lies on its side unable to get up),
with marked convulsions Other signs, which may be seen at any of these
stages, include watery diarrhoea, skin that is cold to the touch and a
low body temperature

4) Death

Often there are signs of struggling evident on the ground around the
cow



For every cow obviously affected with hypomagnesaemia, there are many
more with marginal magnesium levels. Some of these animals mild show
very subtle behavioural changes but the most common effect is a small
reduction in milk yield.



Diagnosis


? Clinical signs



? Blood magnesium

Individual cows

For most animals treatment will have to begin before a diagnosis is
confirmed as there are no rapid cow-side tests available, but
individual measurements can be useful retrospectively in animals where
treatment has been unsuccessful

Herd
As hypomagnesaemia is primarily a herd disease, in most cases it is
important to assess the extent and severity of the hypomagnesaemia in
the rest of the herd, This is best done by testing six cows at the
same stage of lactation as those clinically affected. Care must be
taken when handling such animals as stress could initiate clinical
hypomagnesaemia.



?Aqueous humour magnesium concentration.

Samples can be taken by a veterinarian in animals suspected to have
died of hypomagnesaemia, however results must be interpreted with
caution

Treatment
I) All animals that are suspected of having hypomagnesaemia
should be immediately treated with 400ml of 25% magnesium sulphate
given subcutaneously. A 25% solution of magnesium should never be
given intravenously as it can cause a heart attack. No further action
is necessary for mild cases that respond to treatment, but if mild
cases do not respond to treatment or if the animal is recumbent a
veterinarian should be called.

2) Veterinary treatment usually involves further infusion of
magnesium, often intravenously diluted a calcium solution. For
severely affected animals a sedative may be given. As both of these
treatments are unlicensed they should only be given by a veterinarian.

Following treatment it is important to prevent stimulation for 10-15
minutes to prevent further convulsions. For recumbent animals they
should be put on their breastbone and left to get up.

Oral administration of magnesium bullets is recommended to prevent
relapses as is moving affected groups to fields with slower-growing
pastures.



Prognosis

Animals treated at an early stage have a very good prognosis. For
recumbent animals, the prognosis is very poor if they do not rise
within two hours of treatment and casualty slaughter should be
considered.

Prevention


I) Feeding magnesium in the concentrates to the cows.



2) Giving magnesium bullets at turn out to cover the period when the
animals are most at risk. For some farms, several bullets per cow are
needed to prevent hypomagnesaemia.



3) Buffer feed silage with magnesium added



4) Supplement the water supply (this is only effective if the cows
have no access to natural water supplies, and may depress water
intake)



5) Avoid potassium fertilisers if possible.



6) Adjust grazing sward to a clover/grass mixture



Richard Laven BVetMed MRCVS



"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

http://www.nadis.org.uk/Nematodirosis/NEMATO_1.HTM

NADIS disease bulletins are written specifically for farmers, to
increase awareness of prevalent conditions and promote disease
prevention and control, in order to benefit animal health and welfare.
Farmers are advised to discuss their individual farm circumstances
with their veterinary surgeon.


Nematodirosis
Nematodirosis is usually seen in young lambs and is characterised by
acute onset profuse watery diarrhoea, lethargy, abdominal pain rapid
weight loss, dehydration and sudden deaths.




SCOUR AND DEATH IN A WELL GROWN 8 WEEK OLD LAMB DUE TO NEMATODIROSIS






SCOUR AND RAPID WEIGHT LOSS IN 8 – 10 WEEK-OLD LAMBS



The clinical signs of nematodirosis are associated with severe
catarrhal inflammation of the small intestine caused by the presence
of 2000 or more immature or adult Nematodirus battus worms.




SEVERE CATARRHAL INFLAMMATION OF THE SMALL INTESTINE ASSOCIATED WITH
TANGLED KNOTS OF N. BATTUS WORMS



Risk assessment

The life cycle and transmission of nematodirosis differs from that of
the other important sheep worms. Infective larvae develop within the
N. battus egg and can survive freezing and very low temperatures on
pasture for up to two years. Hatching and release of infective larvae
only occurs after a period of cold exposure followed by a period of
daily maximum temperatures above 10oC. Infective N. battus larvae
generally don’t survive for long on pasture when weather conditions
are warm and dry, but can survive for several months during cool and
damp weather. Disease outbreaks are seen when the presence of large
numbers of larvae on pasture coincides with the grazing of susceptible
lambs. Most nematodirosis outbreaks are therefore seen in May and
June, the precise timing being influenced by local weather conditions
and sheep grazing management. While the warm weather during March
this year would have encouraged an early hatch of N. battus eggs,
subsequent cool and wet weather will have enabled prolonged larval
survival on pasture, which April-born lambs are now beginning to eat.



The life cycle of N. battus essentially involves transmission from one
season’s lamb crop to the next and the accumulation of infection on
pasture takes place over a period of grazing by susceptible lambs (and
occasionally dairy calves). Typically, lambs which are grazed on
pastures used for young lambs during previous years are at greatest
risk. However, during recent years, nematodirosis has also been seen
in older lambs during late summer. This is probably associated with
the effect of cold and wet summers on larval survival and means that
some pastures may now be heavily contaminated as a result of grazing
by older scouring lambs during the previous summer.




IN RECENT YEARS NEMATODIROSIS OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN SEEN IN OLDER LAMBS
DURING LATE SUMMER



Very young lambs are at low risk because they do not graze significant
amounts of pasture, while older lambs develop some degree of immunity,
which is partly dependent on previous exposure.



Diagnosis of nematodirosis

The diagnosis of nematodirosis is based on knowledge of the local
disease pattern, history of susceptible lambs grazing pasture used by
young lambs in previous years (or pasture where nematodirosis was
identified in older lambs during the previous summer) and clinical
signs of scour, weight loss, or sudden death. The diagnosis is
supported by the identification of Nematodirus sp. eggs in faeces,
although the absence of eggs in faecal samples does not exclude a
diagnosis of nematodirosis, because disease can occur during the
prepatent period of infection.



The diagnosis of nematodirosis can be confirmed by post mortem
findings of catarrhal enteritis and the presence of slender 2 cm long
white worms in the lumen of the intestine. N. battus worms are
sometimes seen in tangled knots with a characteristic ‘cotton wool
ball’ appearance, although in acute cases these may have been expelled
before death.




TANGLED KNOTS OF N. BATTUS WORMS



Most of the modern anthelmintics are effective against N. battus
although none afford persistent protection. During high risk seasons
two or three anthelmintic treatments may be required before weaning.
While anthelmintic resistance by N. battus is not currently recognised
as a problem in the UK, its appearance is inevitable and should be
monitored.



Spring teladorsagiosis

During recent years there have been several reports of teladorsagiosis
in 8 – 10 week-old lambs, associated with the overwinter survival of
high burdens of Teladorsagia circumcincta (brown stomach worm) larvae
on pasture. Most spring teladorsagisois outbreaks have occurred on
pastures which were grazed by older lambs during the previous winter
months.



In several of the nematodirosis outbreaks which have been investigated
this year, both T. circumcincta and N. battus infections have occurred
concurrently. Unfortunately, benzimidazole (white drench) resistant
T. circumcincta are present in many UK flocks. Therefore, white
drenches should be avoided for nematodirosis control where
benzimidazole resistance has been identified and the risk of spring
teladorsagiosis exists. Irrespective of the anthelmintic used,
checking the faecal egg counts of about 7 lambs, 7 – 10 days after
treatment can provide useful reassurance about the efficacy of the
drug.




NEMATODIRUS EGG (LEFT) AND TELADORSAGIA EGG (RIGHT)



Your vet can provide advice about the nematodirosis risk in your
flock, monitoring for resistance and most appropriate choice of
wormer.

Neil Sargison BA VetMB DSHP FRCVS

Copyright © NADIS 2004






"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

http://www.nadis.org.uk/Neonatal%20C...s/NEONAT_1.htm

NADIS disease bulletins are written specifically for farmers, to
increase awareness of prevalent conditions and promote disease
prevention and control, in order to benefit animal health and welfare.

Farmers are advised to discuss their individual farm circumstances
with their veterinary surgeon.



Neonatal Colibacillosis



Neonatal diarrhoea (scour) is a common cause of loss in piglets soon
after birth and yet nowadays is one of the easier disease problems
faced by the pig farmer to control. There are a range of causes but E
coli infection remains one of the most common particularly in gilt
litters.



Cause and Development


E coli is a bacteria that is normally found in the gut of pigs (and
most other mammals). The excretion rate of E coli from the sow
increases as she approaches farrowing and the three major sources of
infection for the piglet a-



1) The sow.

2) Other infected and particularly scouring piglets.

3) The environment.



Most strains of E coli are harmless. However, there are strains that
are extremely harmful to the piglet – most of which are clarified as
Haemolytic E coli (due to their growth characteristics in the
laboratory). Each strain is identified by number and in a few cases
by name (Abbottstown).



The balance between the degree of exposure of the piglet at birth and
the immunity conferred upon the piglet by the transfer of colostrum
from mother will determine whether or not disease is seen.



The effect of these harmful strains of bacteria is to stick to the
wall of the intestine and to produce a toxin (poison) which alters the
function of the intestine such that there is a loss of fluid into the
gut producing scour.



Clinical Signs



Neonatal E coli infection presents as a profuse watery scour within 3
days of age with severe and rapid dehydration. Death can occur
rapidly – in some littermates before scour is actually evident. It
will often though not always occur in whole litters and appear to
spread from litter to litter within a house (Fig 1).



At post mortem there will be inflammation of the small intestine with
watery often yellow content. Typically the stomach will be full of
milk as the pigs continue to suck. Diagnosis is confirmed on
laboratory testing of gut contents or rectal swabs.



NB. E coli is one of the few pathogenic agents affecting baby pigs
that will be easily detected on rectal swabs.



Treatment



Individual cases, maybe treated with an appropriate oral
antibiotic-determined by sensitivity testing. In an outbreak
strategic medication of all pigs at birth maybe necessary.



Equally important as part of the treatment programme is the provision
of electrolytes to reduce the severe dehydration that actually kills
many piglets. These must be kept fresh and in severely affected pigs
be actively administered orally e.g. by syringe.



Control and Prevention



The principles of control revolve around:-



1) Reducing spread of infection.

2) Reducing reservoir of infection.

3) Increasing immunity in sows and piglets.



1) The disease will spread by any physical movement of scour
between pens and buildings. Use of disinfectant foot dips between
pens and rooms is vital – keeping the foot dip fresh, clean and at the
correct dilution rate. Control of flies, mice etc is also vital.



Active cross fostering of piglets is discouraged in the face of an
outbreak.



2) The farrowing pen in which a previous litter has been affected
is a reservoir of infection if not thoroughly cleaned. Cleaning
should involve the use of detergents to remove the protective grease
film (derived from high fat lactation and creep diets), power washing
and disinfecting – using a MAFF approved product at the appropriate
dilution rate. The longer the pens can be rested between batches the
better. Fumigation of rooms may be an additional technique to employ.
Removal of slurry from channels under slats reduces the risk of flies
bringing infection back to the pen surface.



Cleanliness of the sow is also important. The sow should, if grossly
contaminated, be washed and dried before entry to a clean pen and she
should not spend an excessively long time in the crate before
farrowing 3 - 5 days is preferable – legally it cannot be more than 7
days.



In the outdoor environment, burning of old beds, moving of farrowing
arcs and avoidance of lying boards will all help control the disease.



3) Immunity in the sow can be raised by:-



a) Feedback – scour from the affected litters can be mixed back
to sows in late pregnancy (no earlier than 75 days gestation) for 3 –
4 weeks prior to entry to farrowing house. This must be done under
veterinary direction.



b) Vaccination – there are several proprietary vaccines on the
market to administer to gilts ands sows prior to farrowing. Each has
a slightly different protocol and it is vital that the correct
protocol is followed if the vaccine is to be effective.





It should be appreciated that the injectable vaccines raise systemic
immunity in the sow which is spread to colostrum and transferred to
piglets. As such they will only tend to protect the piglet in the
first 3 – 4 days of life and are largely ineffective for controlling
disease associated with E coli infection in older piglets.



Mark White BVSc DPM MRCVS




"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

http://www.nadis.org.uk/Displaced%20...m/DISPLA_1.htm

NADIS Home Page

NADIS disease bulletins are written specifically for farmers, to
increase awareness of prevalent conditions and promote disease
prevention and control, in order to benefit animal health and welfare.
Farmers are advised to discuss their individual farm circumstances
with their veterinary surgeon.



Displaced Abomasum (DA)

Richard Laven PhD BVetMed MRCVS


The NADIS data show that throughout last year the incidence of
Displaced Abomasums much higher than average.


In January 2006 the level was near average, but by March the trend
shown during the last 3 years returned with level well over double
the average number of cases:-






Better management of the late dry cow and of the changeover from dry
to lactating cow is clearly needed





What is a Displaced Abomasum



The abomasum (or true stomach) normally lies on the floor of the
abdomen, but can become filled with gas and rise to the top of the
abdomen, when it is said to be ‘displaced’. The abomasum is more
likely to be displaced to the left (LDA) than the right (RDA). Two
main risk factors have been implicated:

1) Calving: The majority of cases occur soon after calving.
During pregnancy the uterus displaces the abomasum, so that after
calving the abomasum has to move back to its normal position,
increasing the risk of displacement

2) Atony of the abomasum: If the abomasum stops contracting
and turning over its contents, accumulation of gas will occur and the
abomasum will tend to move up the abdomen



Clinical Signs



¨ Inappetance, milk yield drop, reduced rumination are the most
common signs

¨ Can be scanty diarrhoea, mild colic and distended abdomen

¨ Normally, very like acetonaemia, with ketones in blood, milk,
breath and urine. It often responds to treatment but relapses.



Diagnosis



· On the clinical signs above, but cannot be
distinguished from ketosis on these alone.

· On examination with a stethoscope the presence of
a pinging noise, that sounds like a tap dripping into a steel bucket,
is indicative of a gas-filled organ, which is almost certain to be a
displaced abomasum.

· A blood sample can be useful in identifying the
severity of the ketosis and other metabolic changes



Treatment



· Veterinary advice and assessment is essential.

· Treatment can be conservative or surgical



· Conservative treatment: This involves casting and
rolling the cow and manipulating the abomasum so that it returns to
its normal position. This can be effective, if done early but about
50% relapse.

Rolling can be used in conjunction with toggling, where a toggle is
passed through the skin into the abdomen and twisted fixing the
abomasum in the correct position. This significantly reduces the
relapse rate.

· Surgery: Many surgical techniques have been used some
involving opening both flanks.



Prevention



Of the two major risk factors, only atony of the abomasum is
preventable. Thus prevention should be aimed at ensuring dry matter
intake is maintained in early lactation:



1) Ensure cattle are not too fat at calving (i.e. 3.5 BCS)

2) Feed high quality feeds, with good quality forage

3) Feeding a total mixed ration as opposed to concentrates

4) Ensure plenty of space at feeding sites

5) Minimise changes between late dry and early lactation ration

6) Prevent and promptly treat, diseases such as milk fever,
metritis, toxic mastitis and retained afterbirth which reduce feed
intake

7) Maximise cow comfort, minimise stress

8) Data from the US clearly show that transition cow management
can significantly reduce diseases and increase milk production. It is
simple to achieve, currently requiring just two groups of dry cows
each fed a separate diet, designed for their needs and requirements.



It is likely that a farm with DA problem (3% of calving cows) is
feeding the late dry and/or early lactation cows wrongly. If you get
the nutrition right to prevent DA’s, you will also increase your milk
production as cows with DA’s are just the tip of an iceberg.





"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

http://www.animalaid.org.uk/press/0607tax.htm

Cheap Shots!
SHOOT INDUSTRY FRAUD
The game shooting industry, while trumpeting its alleged contribution
to the rural economy, is guilty of widespread tax 'irregularities',
according to our new report, Cheap Shots.

The latest in a line of industry-financed studies into the economic
impact of 'sport shooting' in the UK is likely to be published in time
for the Country Land and Business Association Game Fair at Broadlands
in Hampshire on 28 July 2006.

What it won't reveal, notes the national campaign group's new dossier,
Cheap Shots, is the level of tax avoidance that contributes to the
game industry's profits. In fact, just as the industry prepares to
launch its latest pro-shooting propaganda offensive, HM Revenue and
Customs (HMRC) is undertaking a country-wide investigation into
shooting's malpractices. Its initiative comes after Animal Aid
provided the agency with a detailed dossier on how shooting businesses
dodge paying business rates and VAT.

The scope for VAT evasion by the shooting industry is significant, as
indicated by a letter sent to shoot businesses in April 2006 by HMRC.
The letter states that 'tax irregularities are occurring across the
country' and warns that unannounced inspections will be taking place.

HMRC's concerns not only closely mirror those that have been raised by
Animal Aid for some years, but also its decision to act against
shooting industry fraud follows detailed correspondence and a lengthy
meeting between Revenue officials and Animal Aid.




Cheap Shots - Shooting industry tax 'irregularities' exposed
The game shooting industry, while trumpeting its alleged contribution
to the rural economy, is guilty of widespread tax 'irregularities',
according to a new report by Animal Aid.

The latest in a line of industry-financed studies (1) into the
economic impact of 'sport shooting' in the UK is likely to be
published in time for the Country Land and Business Association Game
Fair at Broadlands in Hampshire on 28 July 2006.

What it won't reveal, notes the national campaign group's new dossier,
Cheap Shots, is the level of tax avoidance that contributes to the
game industry's profits. In fact, just as the industry prepares to
launch its latest pro-shooting propaganda offensive, HM Revenue and
Customs (HMRC) is undertaking a country-wide investigation into
shooting's malpractices. Its initiative comes after Animal Aid
provided the agency with a detailed dossier on how shooting businesses
dodge paying business rates and VAT.

The scope for VAT evasion by the shooting industry is significant, as
indicated by a letter sent to shoot businesses in April 2006 by HMRC.
The letter states that 'tax irregularities are occurring across the
country' and warns that unannounced inspections will be taking place.

HMRC's concerns not only closely mirror those that have been raised by
Animal Aid for some years, but also its decision to act against
shooting industry fraud follows detailed correspondence and a lengthy
meeting between Revenue officials and Animal Aid.

The Revenue's letter to shooters lists numerous ways in which the
public purse is deprived of funds. These include:

misdescribing a commercial shoot as a non-profit making club activity
passing off shooting expenditure - on which VAT should be paid - as
being related to food production, which is zero VAT rated.
Failure to register for VAT
As well as VAT irregularities, many shooting businesses also dodge
paying local taxes.

Because pheasants and partridges are reared for 'sport shooting'
rather than for food, those involved in their mass production must pay
business rates. However, hundreds of such businesses fail to do so.
Animal Aid has reported dozens of them to the Valuation Office Agency
(VOA), which will lead to the collection of millions of pounds. But,
notes Cheap Shots, the evidence shows that the majority of game bird
producers are still evading their duty to pay business rates, as a
result of inaction by the VOA, the Treasury and local authorities.

Says Animal Aid Director, Andrew Tyler:

"Not content with killing animals for pleasure, the shooting industry
pretends that its bloody activities somehow benefit the public purse.
The reverse is the case. Shoots impoverish rural communities, in
particular, by failing to pay their full share of local and national
taxes. "Game" shooting is so publicly contentious, it requires six
major organisations to defend it. Despite their combined annual
turnover exceeding £23 million, these organisations are engaged in a
lost cause."

Download Cheap Shots
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/pdfs/cheapshots.pdf

Notes to Editor
The Public and Corporate Economic Consultants (PACEC) report 'into the
impact of sporting shooting to (sic) the UK economy and the wider
benefits of the industry' has been commissioned by the Countryside
Alliance. PACEC is a Cambridge-based economic consultancy firm. It was
used by the CA in the months running up to the passage of the Hunting
Bill and issued a report forecasting significant job losses in the
event of a hunting ban. There is no evidence of such losses occurring.
For more information, contact Animal Aid's Andrew Tyler on 01732
364546.
For full background on animal research, see the pheasant index.
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/pheasants.

Top ^



www.animalaid.org.uk | site map | about us |

Animal Aid campaigns peacefully against all animal abuse, and
promotes a cruelty-free lifestyle. You can support our work by
joining, making a donation, or using our online shop. Contact Animal
Aid at The Old Chapel, Bradford Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1AW, UK,
tel +44 (0)1732 364546, fax +44 (0)1732 366533, email





"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
..........among his own relations...
............and in his own house

"Ice" wrote in message
...
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/press/0607tax.htm

Cheap Shots!
SHOOT INDUSTRY FRAUD
The game shooting industry, while trumpeting its alleged contribution
to the rural economy, is guilty of widespread tax 'irregularities',
according to our new report, Cheap Shots.

You do have to realise that senior members of the Country Land and Business
Association went out of their way to wrongly, publicly and deliberately
blame HMC&E for the 2000/2001 Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth outbreaks.

A senior customs officer at the inaguration of the "Fat Labradors Fiasco" at
Heathrow, bravely and correctly made it quite clear that he regarded the
operation as a waste of taxpayer's money.

Immediately Farmers Weekly launched a wild attack on a named and respected
senior customs officer calling for his resignation.

Some weeks later, Customs acting on the matter as the CLA had demanded,
followed an illegal meat import via Heathrow to Inverness and "did" the 4WDs
in the airport carpark for the wrong colour diesel, whilst they were
waiting.

Later, they thoughtfully pointed out that they were saving the taxpayer's
money by killing two birds with one stone.

The message was missed by the CLA representative on uk.business.agriculture,
but the exchange via the media is hilarious. A classic that all, of all
opinions, can enjoy.

Anyway, I have nothing against shooting and nothing against those that are
against.

But I don't like tax fraud and do have a sense of humour.

Nobody likes being blamed for something they did not do. They tend to get
the idea that those blaming them have something to hide.

My money's on HMC&R. If the report is right, and that remains to be proved,
the CLA membership are about to get very thoroughly turned over.

Naturally they won't mind that if the allegations are untrue

Stand by your beds!


--
Regards
Pat Gardiner
www.go-self-sufficient.com




"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
.........among his own relations...
...........and in his own house

Pat Gardiner wrote:

You do have to realise that senior members of the Country Land and
Business Association went out of their way to wrongly, publicly and
deliberately blame HMC&E for the 2000/2001 Swine Fever and Foot and
Mouth outbreaks.
A senior customs officer at the inaguration of the "Fat Labradors
Fiasco" at Heathrow, bravely and correctly made it quite clear that
he regarded the operation as a waste of taxpayer's money.

Immediately Farmers Weekly launched a wild attack on a named and
respected senior customs officer calling for his resignation.

Some weeks later, Customs acting on the matter as the CLA had
demanded, followed an illegal meat import via Heathrow to Inverness
and "did" the 4WDs in the airport carpark for the wrong colour
diesel, whilst they were waiting.

Later, they thoughtfully pointed out that they were saving the
taxpayer's money by killing two birds with one stone.

The message was missed by the CLA representative on
uk.business.agriculture, but the exchange via the media is hilarious.
A classic that all, of all opinions, can enjoy.

Anyway, I have nothing against shooting and nothing against those
that are against.

But I don't like tax fraud and do have a sense of humour.

Nobody likes being blamed for something they did not do. They tend to
get the idea that those blaming them have something to hide.

My money's on HMC&R. If the report is right, and that remains to be
proved, the CLA membership are about to get very thoroughly turned
over.

That is the same HMC&E that were so incompetent when running an anti fraud
investigation that they turned an illegal £10 M enterprise into an illegal
£500 M enterprise and allowed over 100 defendants to walk free from court?
As a consequence they were merged into (taken over by?) the Inland Revenue.

--
Old Codger
e-mail use reply to field

What matters in politics is not what happens, but what you can make people
believe has happened. [Janet Daley 27/8/2003]

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:21:49 +0100, Ice wrote:

http://www.animalaid.org.uk/press/0607tax.htm

Cheap Shots!
SHOOT INDUSTRY FRAUD
The game shooting industry, while trumpeting its alleged contribution
to the rural economy, is guilty of widespread tax 'irregularities',
according to our new report, Cheap Shots.

The latest in a line of industry-financed studies into the economic
impact of 'sport shooting' in the UK is likely to be published in time
for the Country Land and Business Association Game Fair at Broadlands
in Hampshire on 28 July 2006.

What it won't reveal, notes the national campaign group's new dossier,
Cheap Shots, is the level of tax avoidance that contributes to the
game industry's profits. In fact, just as the industry prepares to
launch its latest pro-shooting propaganda offensive, HM Revenue and
Customs (HMRC) is undertaking a country-wide investigation into
shooting's malpractices. Its initiative comes after Animal Aid
provided the agency with a detailed dossier on how shooting businesses
dodge paying business rates and VAT.

The scope for VAT evasion by the shooting industry is significant, as
indicated by a letter sent to shoot businesses in April 2006 by HMRC.
The letter states that 'tax irregularities are occurring across the
country' and warns that unannounced inspections will be taking place.

HMRC's concerns not only closely mirror those that have been raised by
Animal Aid for some years, but also its decision to act against
shooting industry fraud follows detailed correspondence and a lengthy
meeting between Revenue officials and Animal Aid.




Cheap Shots - Shooting industry tax 'irregularities' exposed
The game shooting industry, while trumpeting its alleged contribution
to the rural economy, is guilty of widespread tax 'irregularities',
according to a new report by Animal Aid.

The latest in a line of industry-financed studies (1) into the
economic impact of 'sport shooting' in the UK is likely to be
published in time for the Country Land and Business Association Game
Fair at Broadlands in Hampshire on 28 July 2006.

What it won't reveal, notes the national campaign group's new dossier,
Cheap Shots, is the level of tax avoidance that contributes to the
game industry's profits. In fact, just as the industry prepares to
launch its latest pro-shooting propaganda offensive, HM Revenue and
Customs (HMRC) is undertaking a country-wide investigation into
shooting's malpractices. Its initiative comes after Animal Aid
provided the agency with a detailed dossier on how shooting businesses
dodge paying business rates and VAT.

The scope for VAT evasion by the shooting industry is significant, as
indicated by a letter sent to shoot businesses in April 2006 by HMRC.
The letter states that 'tax irregularities are occurring across the
country' and warns that unannounced inspections will be taking place.

HMRC's concerns not only closely mirror those that have been raised by
Animal Aid for some years, but also its decision to act against
shooting industry fraud follows detailed correspondence and a lengthy
meeting between Revenue officials and Animal Aid.

The Revenue's letter to shooters lists numerous ways in which the
public purse is deprived of funds. These include:

misdescribing a commercial shoot as a non-profit making club activity
passing off shooting expenditure - on which VAT should be paid - as
being related to food production, which is zero VAT rated.
Failure to register for VAT
As well as VAT irregularities, many shooting businesses also dodge
paying local taxes.

Because pheasants and partridges are reared for 'sport shooting'
rather than for food, those involved in their mass production must pay
business rates. However, hundreds of such businesses fail to do so.
Animal Aid has reported dozens of them to the Valuation Office Agency
(VOA), which will lead to the collection of millions of pounds. But,
notes Cheap Shots, the evidence shows that the majority of game bird
producers are still evading their duty to pay business rates, as a
result of inaction by the VOA, the Treasury and local authorities.

Says Animal Aid Director, Andrew Tyler:

"Not content with killing animals for pleasure, the shooting industry
pretends that its bloody activities somehow benefit the public purse.
The reverse is the case. Shoots impoverish rural communities, in
particular, by failing to pay their full share of local and national
taxes. "Game" shooting is so publicly contentious, it requires six
major organisations to defend it. Despite their combined annual
turnover exceeding £23 million, these organisations are engaged in a
lost cause."

Download Cheap Shots
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/pdfs/cheapshots.pdf

Notes to Editor
The Public and Corporate Economic Consultants (PACEC) report 'into the
impact of sporting shooting to (sic) the UK economy and the wider
benefits of the industry' has been commissioned by the Countryside
Alliance. PACEC is a Cambridge-based economic consultancy firm. It was
used by the CA in the months running up to the passage of the Hunting
Bill and issued a report forecasting significant job losses in the
event of a hunting ban. There is no evidence of such losses occurring.
For more information, contact Animal Aid's Andrew Tyler on 01732
364546.
For full background on animal research, see the pheasant index.
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/pheasants.

Top ^



www.animalaid.org.uk | site map | about us |

Animal Aid campaigns peacefully against all animal abuse, and
promotes a cruelty-free lifestyle. You can support our work by
joining, making a donation, or using our online shop. Contact Animal
Aid at The Old Chapel, Bradford Street, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 1AW, UK,
tel +44 (0)1732 364546, fax +44 (0)1732 366533, email





"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!"
Woody Guthrie

A prophet is only despised in his own country....
.........among his own relations...
...........and in his own house







Jim Webster,Barrow-in-Furness farmer,troll & president of Cumbria CLA.
would you let your children near this person? see
http://tinyurl.com/kgbnf
now in the sixth year of raving about Pat Gardiner and
still no result.

Need to complain about employees bringing Country Land and Business Association
into disrepute? Why not contact us at
Country Land and Business Association

16 Belgrave Square
London
SW1X 8PQ

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7235 0511
Fax: +44 (0)20 7235 4696
E-mail:


David Fursdon – President


Phone: 020 7235 0511
FAX: 020 7235 4696
Email


Henry Aubrey-Fletcher – Deputy President


Phone: 020 7235 0511
FAX: 020 7235 4696
Email


William Worsley – Vice President


Phone: 020 7235 0511
FAX: 020 7235 4696
Email