Dealing with the Loss of Livestock
Mark KeplerPurdue Extension Educator
Bethany Funnell, DVMPurdue University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Lying, Head Uphill
"Gut-Wrenching" PainSouth Dakota 2013
PED
• Lost 1,000 piglets. • Most died within the first few days of • The anguish of finding so many dead piglets remains.• “It’s been tough, you’ve got to carry them out in
buckets. It’s not what you were designed to do.”• .“We know about life and death on farm, that's just
part of it. But this is ugly.”
T. R. Roosevelt
• Winter of 1886-87• Cattle ranch in Dakota was wiped
out by the severe winter• Prompting him to abandon his
ranching operations and instead pursue his political career.
Anticipate and Follow up
• Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda
Healthy vs. Sick
Symptoms
• Temperature• hair coat • isolation from the herd/flock• abnormal eating habits• depression• scouring or diarrhea,• abnormal vocalization, teeth grinding• other
Practical Importance of Body Conditioning Scoring
Should I call a Vet?
Preventing Livestock Death
Bethany Funnell, DVMPurdue University
College of Veterinary Medicine
• An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure– Benjamin Franklin
• It is less expensive to prevent than it is to treat
Animal Health: Areas of focus
• Vaccination protocols• Deworming Strategies• Nutrition/body condition• Grazing/pasture management• Isolation/quarantine protocols
Vaccination Protocols
• Viral pathogens– Modified live vs killed vaccines
• Bacterial pathogens– What are issues in your area
• Timing• Product handling/efficacy• Administration
Deworming Protocols
• What parasites– Internal vs external
• When• How often• What route• Inherent resistance?
Nutrition Program
• Carbohydrates• Fats• Proteins• Minerals• Vitamins• Water
Nutrition Program
• Young animals require more nutrient dense rations• Lactating females require higher nutrient density
(energy)• Ruminants require forages for proper rumen function• Protein and energy intake should be balanced
Nutrition Program• Minerals should be balanced
– Some areas are deficient of some minerals– Excessive amounts of a mineral can cause signs of deficiency
of another• High molybdenum copper deficiency• High Phosphorus calcium deficiency
Nutrition Program• Vitamins
– Fresh forages typically good Vit profile– Stored forages poorer Vit. Profile– Ruminants typically make enough B-Complex vitamins in
rumen
Grazing/Pasture Management
• Feed quality• Feed availability• Stage of production• Animal risk
– Grass tetany, bloat• Parasite load
Isolation/Quarantine
• New purchases• Animals returning home after exhibition• Sick animals on the farm
They got sick! Now what?
• Viral infections– Usually outbreak (many animals affected quickly)– “hard to get ahead of”– Supportive therapy
• Fluids, fluids, fluids• Supplemental nutrition• NSAIDS (flunixin, aspirin)
Viral Infections
• Viruses are fragile outside of the host
• Typically don’t survive in the environment long
They got sick! Now what?
• Bacterial infections– Onset due to compromised defenses
• Concurrent viral infection• Injury• Contamination of otherwise sterile organ
– Appropriate antibiotic, route of administration, and timing of doses can often treat bacterial infections
• NOT ALWAYS!!
Antibiotic Use on the Farm
• Hot topic!• Delivery – Injected, oral drench, in water, in feed, etc• Prophylaxis – before risk• Metaphylaxis – during risk• Therapeutic – treat disease• Veterinarian will know what is most appropriate!
“He didn’t make it, Doc.”
• Animal losses are not a total loss• Opinion: Necropsy is the most underutilized tool in the
kit• Animal is dead, can’t do any more harm• Work with your vet to learn normal vs abnormal
Necropsy
• What animal?– Recently deceased, fresh, untreated (if collecting samples
for culture)• Who will conduct the necropsy?
– Veterinarian– Pathologist at Diagnostic Lab– Farmer/producer?
Necropsy
• How?– Veterinarian and Diagnostic Lab have a specific protocol– Producer…open up and look for anything abnormal
Necropsy
• What’s abnormal– Area around the animal– Animal’s hide (evidence of struggle or thrashing?)– Bruising under the hide
• Keep in mind, blood congestion on the dependent (down) side
Necropsy
• What’s abnormal– Look at filter organs
• Lung, liver, kidney– Look at color
• Liver and kidney are dark reddish brown• Spleen is gray mottled• Lungs are light pink and puffy
Necropsy• What’s abnormal
– Look for off-colors, malodorous, excessive fluid (straw colored or blood tinged), foreign materials
– Be aware of what you are doing• Don’t confuse something you did to pathology• Wear gloves and eye protection
– Some bugs are zoonotic, you don’t want to get the same thing the animal had
Necropsy
• Take pictures as you go– If you come across something you don’t understand,
pictures will help your veterinarian identify the problem– Capture images from multiple angles and have something
in the image for perspective
Resources
• Local veterinarian• Specialty veterinarian• Extension Educators• University Faculty• Technical Services Representatives (MS, PhD)• Other experienced and knowledgeable producers
Ask the right people
• Don’t ask the high school kid stocking shelves how to treat pneumonia in your lambs.
• If it doesn’t sound right, it probably isn’t.• Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion.
Grief
• You are not perfect. • Even professionals get it wrong.• Use it as an educational experience. • What could I have done different?
Circle of life
Dispose of dead animals properly
http://defendingfarmanimals
Dead Animal Disposal
No person owning or caring for any animal that has died from any cause shall allow the body to lie about his premises. Any animal body shall be disposed of by such person within twenty-four (24) hours after knowledge of death so as not to produce a nuisance. Disposal must be by one (1) of the following methods:
Burial • Incineration • Composting
Burial The animal must be buried the owner's premises, to such a depth that every part of the animal's body is at least four (4) feet below the natural surface of the ground and every part of the animal's body is covered with at least four (4) feet of earth in addition to any other material that may be used as cover.
Ordinances. No person may bury the body of any animal within the corporate limits of any city or town, where the same is prohibited by law or ordinance.
Check with your local plan commission office to determine your local ordinances!
Incineration Thorough and complete incineration according to standards established by an appropriate governmental agency.
In this case, the appropriate governmental agency is the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. For more information call the IDEM Office of Agriculture Relations at 317-232-8587.
Composting Obtain a permit if manure will be used in the process
through IDEM. Call the IDEM Office of Agriculture Relations.
Cover the carcasses with one to two feet of damp base material.
Maintaining adequate coverage of carcasses is extremely important!