The memory of any drought is an old recollection right now on the North Coast where places like Lismore have recorded more than three times their October average.
Meanwhile, the landscape west across the Northern Tablelands beyond to Moree is changing before producers’ eyes and the risk of parasites and disease is more real than it has been for years.
To compound the problem thousands of cattle on coastal agistment will soon be making their way back home, west of the divide, and will certainly take back souvenirs like the paralysis ticks found at Coonamble after the arachnids hitched a ride in bales of donated sugar cane tops.
“Normal coastal spring livestock health issues have emerged quickly with the recent rain and are catching a few unaware,” Local Land Services Wingham based district vet Lyndell Stone said. “On the coast, we are seeing an increase in tick paralysis in calves and weaners, Theileria in calves and introduced stock, and stock deaths in cattle not fully vaccinated against clostridial disease.”
Theileria is a blood parasite carried by the bush tick, sometimes called the bottle tick. Cattle brought from country west of the dividing range to the coast for agistment, or those bought at opportunity prices and relocated to the coast, have no immunity to Theileria, which can cause abortion and death. The risk period is about six to eight weeks after they arrive or become infected with Theileria from tick bites. Pregnant and lactating females are at significant risk, less so dry heifers and steers.
“The best thing to do is to support affected animals through the peak anaemic crisis by keeping them quiet, not asking them to move and provide easy access to food and water,” she said. “Moving them to yards for treatment can be counter-productive and can lead to a very bad outcome for the affected animal, as they can die from the lack of oxygen in their blood.”
Dr Stone recommends treating Theileria affected cattle carefully, with cattle brought from the coast to western areas to be needled after the rest of the herd, as residual blood on the needle can transfer the blood parasite from infected cattle to those who don’t have it.
Check calves suspected of having Theileria from six to eight weeks old, looking at mucus membranes for signs of anaemia. If the gums or vulva, in heifers, are pink, it’s not likely Theileria. Cows immune to the disease don’t transfer that to calves.
“There is no effective treatment,” she said. “Support affected cattle through the crisis. Don’t move them. Manage for secondary lung infection. Usually a calf in a small paddock with mum can get over the illness.”
There are three strains of Theileria. Ikeda, the most recent – showing up in the past dozen years – is also the most pathogenic.
Last year’s red water outbreak at Kendall due to tick fever, which caused the death of 60 British cattle, was unusual in that the cattle tick is normally found in Queensland. But, the event was a reminder that vulnerable livestock can go down with the disease very quickly. Any unusual illness should be investigated.