Cattle producers urged to vaccinate stock

District Vet Dr Kristi Arnot says with the current high value of cattle, producers should maintain a regular vaccination schedule to avoid unnecessary deaths.

“A five-in-one vaccine costs less than one dollar per animal, it’s a cheap insurance policy no matter whether you are protecting a young calf, heavy steer or stud animal,” Dr Arnot said.

“Every time you are planning to move stock onto different feed, if you are moving them to a different property or you have bought stock in from another area, vaccinate,” she said.

“You can vaccinate them every three months and I highly recommend all producers maintain a regular vaccination program to protect against losses from these common illnesses,” she said.

Deaths also continue to occur from nitrate poisoning as producers bring new stock into the Hunter, which are not used to the high levels of nitrate found in the area.

Livestock that graze on lush green feed and weeds high in nitrate can die suddenly, with most poisoning occurring in late autumn or winter, particularly during a flush of growth after rain. 

“It really is essential to be aware of the nitrate poisoning, because following autumn rain, landholders need to take extra care when shifting livestock onto green feed,” Dr Arnot said.

“Hunter Local Land Services is still offering free feed testing, which has been part of our drought support initiatives, to ensure producers have peace of mind before feeding out new fodder or transferring stock onto new pastures,” she said.

“If you have concerns about the health or welfare of your stock, or managing pastures you can contact our team on 1300 795 299,” she said.