Schmallenberg?

[5312]

Just lambed a ewe, first lamb backwards with deformed legs. Second ok and healthy.

Is it Schmallenberg? Sorry, rubbish photos.

 

[Spartacus]

How many you lambing? Where are you based? Always get some deformed, pre sbv it was one of those things, now every time there's one its a bit of a panic there could be more!

 

[woodston]

Anyone else having problems with Schmallenberg? (sbv) We had it in 2012 nothing since, but we've been lambing since Christmas and 10% of the lambs have something wrong mainly fused legs. Lambing about 70 now and a similar number in March ( not scanned yet). I'd say it's definitely about!

 

[tepapa]

Heard reports of cattle in cheshire infected and came across twin lambs yesterday joined with one head. Not mine but 3/4th this lambing. So we assume its in the area.

 

[gatepost]

Had quite a few last yr, but all came back negative from lab although at post mortem they appeared clinical, subsequent bloods from ewes all negative as well?? this year no doubt something else.

 

[woodston]

Had quite a few last yr, but all came back negative from lab although at post mortem they appeared clinical, subsequent bloods from ewes all negative as well?? this year no doubt something else.

Did you find out what caused it last year? Took some upto the labs Friday, but not expecting the results until the end of the week, had two more since, elongated twisted neck and fused limbs

 

[sheep breeder]

Seemingly there are several different strains around, in 2012 blood samples were taken locally and tested negative and the second part of the sample was tested in Belgium and was positive.
In 2012 we had a type where the ewes got sick and got down with no milk and we lost lambs and after 10 days the ewe recovered,

 

[gatepost]

Did you find out what caused it last year? Took some upto the labs Friday, but not expecting the results until the end of the week, had two more since, elongated twisted neck and fused limbs

No some very strange lambs, least affected would have been badly undershot, worst, fused limbs, small heads. I assumed that there was something else lurking, so @sheep breeder , case of different strains might be behind it. We also had a very high barren rate although all ewes vac against all the usual. first ewes scanned ok this year so fingers crossed. interested to hear what the lab says about yours.

 

[gone up the hill]

We have had a couple with it so far and a neighbour has had 20+ lambs with it ( lambing at same time )

Reports of dairy herds around the coast having quite a few cases as well.

Nothing you can do as currently no vaccine apparently.

 

[bovine]

Heard reports of cattle in cheshire infected and came across twin lambs yesterday joined with one head. Not mine but 3/4th this lambing. So we assume its in the area.

That's not SBV........

Zulvac is showing on the wholesaler catalogue but unless I try and order some I don't know if there is stock. No one bough any vaccine so I wouldn't be surprised if not discontinued.

Heard of lots of suspected disease, but nothing lab confirmed. We've always seen these deformed animals, people seem to want to blame them all on SBV

 

[llamedos]

There were 2 confirmed cases in ROI

Published Date: 2017-01-08 23:38:59
Subject: PRO/SOAS> Schmallenberg virus - Europe: Ireland (Cork, Laois) bovine, reemergence
Archive Number: 20170108.4748606

Two separate cases of the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection have been confirmed in Ireland by the Department of Agriculture.

The cases were found in aborted bovine foetuses, one submitted from Co. Cork and one from Co. Laois

 

[Water Wheel]

Will sending a bulk milk sample to AHVLA tell me anything about the Schmallenburg status of my herd ?

 

[bovine]

Will sending a bulk milk sample to AHVLA tell me anything about the Schmallenburg status of my herd ?

Maybe.

If positive then you have antibodies, but I don't know how long they last so we don't know when it happened.

If negative then you don't have recent exposure but have a susceptible herd.

When they first developed the milk antibody test all but 1 of our dairies tested went positive and we saw no real disease on the vast majority. I'm not sure what it tells you. We stopped testing herds after that.

I'm more interested in testing individual suspect lambs or calves, that tells us its active.

 

[Water Wheel]

Maybe.

If positive then you have antibodies, but I don't know how long they last so we don't know when it happened.

If negative then you don't have recent exposure but have a susceptible herd.

When they first developed the milk antibody test all but 1 of our dairies tested went positive and we saw no real disease on the vast majority. I'm not sure what it tells you. We stopped testing herds after that.

I'm more interested in testing individual suspect lambs or calves, that tells us its active.

Thanks, I suppose I should have done one last spring so I would have had a reference point. I'll do one anyway , just curiosity.

 

[Water Wheel]

Maybe.

If positive then you have antibodies, but I don't know how long they last so we don't know when it happened.

If negative then you don't have recent exposure but have a susceptible herd.

When they first developed the milk antibody test all but 1 of our dairies tested went positive and we saw no real disease on the vast majority. I'm not sure what it tells you. We stopped testing herds after that.

I'm more interested in testing individual suspect lambs or calves, that tells us its active.

APHA Schmallenburg Elisa test results bulk milk sample

S/P 145 % S/P > 40 % shown as positive

 

[bovine]

So, what does that tell us?

 

[Water Wheel]

So, what does that tell us?

That the virus is still around or has been in the last year or two???
I don't know how high the s/p figures go.
That at least some of the cows have some resistance?

 

[bovine]

We know they were exposed at some point, but it leave just as many questions as it answers!

When I do a diagnostic test I want an answer to a question.

 

[llamedos]

While SBV is not a notifiable disease, to help confirm diagnosis during winter 2016/17, APHA may offer testing free of charge for suspect cases by prior arrangement with a Veterinary Investigation Officer. APHA VIC and non-APHA PME contact details can be found on GOV.UK.

Source AHVLA

 

[Blod]

Mid Carmarthenshire here and mid January one of the vets said she had seen one Schmallenberg calving and plenty of lambs. Her view was it was about as she was seeing too many cases with classic deformities to put down to anything else. Obviously not feeding the info back to APHA though.