WET weather has caused havoc for many livestock producers over the past month, but the damp season may have even more challenges as spring looms.
After massive falls of rain across the state in August, many producers had trouble accessing paddocks and were cut off from feed and stock by rising rivers.
This was the case for Matt Ryan, “Kilcooly”, Sodwalls, whose flooded river cut off access to his 150 Merino ewes.
“The pregnant ewes don’t want to jump water,” he said.
Mr Ryan said he had to wait until the water level dropped and could move them onto better feed. He said some of his in-lamb ewes were developing foot abscesses, and because they couldn’t graze as easily, pregnancy toxemia became a problem.
Central Tablelands Local Land Services (LLS) district vet Bruce Watt said the wet had brought on many reports of foot abscesses.
“Heavy ewes, and particularly twin-bearing ewes, in clover paddocks are particularly susceptible,” he said.
Sheep with foot abscesses develop swelling in one or more feet, which become hot and produce a pus.
Mr Watt said foot abscesses could be treated with a zinc sulphate foot bath, but he cautioned against bringing sheep into muddy yards unnecessarily.
“I wouldn’t recommend bringing them in just for a foot bath,” he said. “Sheep should be given access to dry areas.”
Ewes in good order who are close to lambing may develop pregnancy toxemia, due to running low on energy. He said ewes, particularly those on short green feed, should be introduced to grain as a supplement.
But a damp, warm spring could present more problems for producers.
Mr Watt said he had already had reports of hundreds of cattle in the Central Tablelands affected by grass tetany.
Grass tetany affects cows with calves who are grazing on short green feed, and Mr Watt suggests producers give their cows hay to accompany the green feed, and supplement cows with magnesium.
Cases of acute phalaris poisoning and phalaris staggers are also turning up. Mr Watt said acute phalaris poisoning occurred when hungry sheep were put onto fresh phalaris.
“If you’ve had them in the yards for shearing and then put them into a fresh paddock, it can be a problem,” he said. “Sudden exposure to fresh phalaris can be fatal.”
Phalaris staggers develops over weeks, and affects the brain and nervous system.
“If you have young sheep introduced from other areas, they are high risk,” he said.
