As spring begins across the Central West, livestock producers are being urged to take proactive measures against pulpy kidney and bloat, two conditions that can devastate flocks and herds without warning.
Both diseases are prevalent when pastures are lush and feed quality is rapidly changing, making this time of year particularly high-risk for sheep, cattle, and goats.
Local Land Services, alongside livestock agents and farmers, is emphasising the critical role of vaccination, nutrition management, and close monitoring in keeping stock safe.
Pulpy kidney, also known as enterotoxaemia, is a clostridial disease that can cause the sudden death of healthy, prime-condition animals.
It strikes particularly when livestock are grazing on carbohydrate-rich or energy-dense feed.
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The tragedy is that often there are no warning signs, affected stock are found dead, with diagnosis typically confirmed post-mortem.
Local livestock agent Craige Oliver confirmed the condition is well known among producers.
“Pulpy kidney, it’s common,” Mr Oliver said.
“It’s very common.
“Springtime is the peak of it, whenever food is growing and pastures are coming on, but really, it can happen anytime,” he said.
The most effective protection is vaccination, which Mr Oliver described as both affordable and practical.
“It’s a cheap insurance to vaccinate.
“It doesn’t cost very much at all to vaccinate, so I think it’s a no-brainer.
“With lambs, you’ve got to give them a shot, then a booster shot six or eight weeks later, and that covers them for 12 months.
“Adults only need one shot a year."
Local Land Services reinforces this message, stressing that vaccination must be handled correctly to ensure its effectiveness.
Vaccines should be stored in a refrigerator before use and kept in an esky, away from direct sunlight, when administered at the yards.
Adhering to label instructions and expiry dates is also essential.
Lyndell Stone, Principal Program Manager of Animal Biosecurity and Welfare at LLS, provided detailed advice on vaccination schedules.
“Pulpy kidney is easily and cheaply prevented by effective clostridial vaccination,” she said.
“Initially, two vaccinations are administered four to six weeks apart, with timely boosters during high-risk periods around every three months crucial to ensure ongoing protection.”
“It’s worth noting, the better your lambs and calves are doing, the more important it is to give a booster, as pulpy kidney strikes the best stock.”
Ms Stone also warned against complacency when purchasing new animals.
“If purchasing cattle or sheep, don’t assume they have already been vaccinated.”
“It’s a costly error to find out vaccinations were incomplete when you start losing stock,” Ms Stone said.
Local farmer Chris Groves echoed these sentiments, calling vaccination a commonsense investment.
“There are lots of tools there that farmers can use to protect their animals from diseases, and one shot of vaccine in the scheme of things, what lambs are worth, is a small investment to make sure you don’t get issues from the fresh growing feed and pulpy kidney,” Mr Groves said.
While pulpy kidney poses one set of risks, bloat is another challenge that accompanies fresh seasonal growth.
Caused by the formation of a stable foam in the rumen, bloat prevents animals from belching gas, leading to potentially fatal abdominal swelling.
It is often triggered when livestock graze rapidly growing legumes such as clover, though lush young grasses can also be a culprit.
Signs of bloat in cattle may include distention of the left side of the abdomen, distress or loud bellowing, frequent lying down and standing up, and rapid, open-mouth breathing
Mr Oliver said local producers were familiar with the issue.
“Bloat happens more often than people think.”
“Foods that are just becoming good at the moment can be a problem,” he said.
Mrs Stone offered additional management strategies for bloat prevention.
“Ensuring cattle are not hungry when first introduced to high-risk pastures is crucial.”
“This can be achieved by providing access to roughage such as hay.”
“Grazing livestock in smaller paddocks to allow for more intensive monitoring, or using grazing pasture management to avoid grazing high-risk pastures, can also minimise the risk.”
She added that there are several tools available for direct intervention:
“There are three bloat control agents for consideration, which are anti-foaming agents, detergents, and rumen modifiers.”
“Whichever method, or combination of methods, is used, monitoring stock after the introduction is essential,” Ms Stone said.
With spring growth already underway, producers in the Central West are reminded that both pulpy kidney and bloat can strike quickly, often with large consequences.
The consensus among local experts is clear, prevention is far cheaper, and more effective, than reacting after losses occur.
Mr Oliver summed it up best, saying, “it’s cheap insurance, vaccinate your stock.”
By combining vaccination, feed management, and ongoing monitoring, local farmers can safeguard their flocks and herds through this high-risk period, ensuring healthy, productive animals and protecting their livelihoods.
