Farmers reminded to vaccinate

SUCKLER and dairy farmers have been reminded about the importance of vaccinating against leptospirosis, the infectious disease that causes abortions, weak calves and sudden drops in milk yield.

Farmers, and others in contact with an infected animal, are also at risk of picking up the highly debilitating disease which causes flu-like illness with muscle pain and headaches, leading in some cases to meningitis.

Fergal Morris, veterinary specialist with Intervet-Schering Plough, said the prevalence of leptospirosis in dairy cows is well-known, with 90% of dairy farmers carrying out routine vaccination.

However, less than 10% of suckler farmers vaccinate, in spite of a UCD study showing that the vast majority of herds show evidence of exposure to the disease.

The study, published in 2007, showed that almost half of all animals in suckler herds tested positive for leptospirosis. Suckler herds in the midlands and south east have the highest proportion of positive animals, with larger herds at greatest risk of infection.

Mr Morris said infected urine is the most common cause of infection in animals, but the disease can also be spread in infected milk and uterine discharges, especially the afterbirth of infected cows.

The leptospirosis organism can survive for up to six weeks in water.

In human infection, dairy farmers are at particular risk from cows urinating in the milking parlour.