Whilst the rain has been patchy and certainly not the end of the drought the district vets wanted to share a few things to keep in mind for livestock on your place.
• Large amounts of rain can impact drought-affected stock with below-average fat scores, especially when combined with extreme weather events.
• Green pick has high moisture and low energy content and cannot sustain heavily pregnant ewes or drought affected cows with calves.
• Toxic plant poisonings can occur from hungry stock eating plants like pigweed, cathead and heliotrope.
• These are perfect conditions for stock to get pulpy kidney. Give your stock a
booster vaccination now before putting them out onto green feed.
• Weather should be monitored and stock moved to sheltered paddocks. Drought lots or other paddocks being used for feeding should have shelter.
• Energy requirements increase by approximately 20% in cold, wet conditions and feeding rates should be increased, preferably with hay, to prevent losses.
• The weather is perfect for the development of Barbers Pole Worm in sheep flocks. Producers should be doing worm tests regularly to monitor their flocks as burdens can increase really quickly and stock can die in large numbers.
(Source – Central West Local Land Services)