Coughing: Speaking to farmers right around the country, coughing cattle is a major talking point. The coughing is more than likely being caused by a lungworm burden. The mild and wet conditions over the last month have been ideal for rapid spread of lungworm from dung to grass, which is then ingested by the animal.

It is early in the year for it, but suckler calves appear to be the worst affected. Bucket-reared dairy calves are usually affected by parasites six weeks into the grazing season. With the frequently changing temperatures, calves are also susceptible to pneumonia or chills. Lungworm burdens can increase the level of susceptibility so be sure to keep a close eye on calves’ overall health. Many second-season grazers are also coughing and this is down to low lungworm immunity due to a low exposure to the parasite during the dry summer last year.

In terms of control, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. All anthelmintics will treat lungworm but it is best to talk to your vet before treatment to consider factors such as severity of the parasite burden, persistence of the product and risk of anthelmintic resistance.

Grass tetany: Some farmers might be surprised to hear there has been a small number of grass tetany cases reported over the last week – many of which were fatalities. It’s not the typical time of year for grass tetany, but the risk-factors are there.

Grass tetany is caused by low blood magnesium levels. Because the body does not store magnesium well, a combination of low magnesium intake combined with external stressors can culminate in a case of tetany. Stressors are hard to control but keep it in mind. A cow milking reasonably well and perhaps coming into heat, combined with the cooler and frequently changing day and nighttime temperatures of late, puts stress on the system.

The risks of low magnesium intake at this time of the year come from two things primarily – highly fertilised soils and lush leafy grass. Spreading high levels of potassium (K) will lock magnesium into soil, meaning highly fertilised ground, or ground that received an application of slurry, is a high risk at the moment. In terms of lush and leafy grass, such as after-grass, it is low in fibre and rapidly passes through the digestive system, allowing little time for magnesium absorption into the blood.

AHI events: From now until the end of June, Animal Health Ireland (AHI), in conjunction with Teagasc and Meat Industry Ireland (MII), is running a nationwide series of beef health management events. A total of six events are being held between 18 and 28 June on farms in Mayo, Louth, Roscommon, Kildare, Tipperary and Donegal. Each event will focus on four key topics – Antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic usage, the prevalence and control of IBR in beef herds, an in-depth look at parasite control and some practical advice on key animal husbandry practices such as disbudding and castration. All six events are DAFM-approved KT beef events.