DPI vet Dr Jack Winterbottom catches up with Dairy Australia’s Dr Steve Little and GippsDairy project director Annette Zurrer.TEXT messages will be used this summer to alert Gippsland farmers of any rise in fungal spores that cause facial eczema.
In an Australia-first initiative, Dairy Australia and the Department of Primary Industries are using ‘sentinel’ farms across the region to provide updates on sporidesmin numbers.
When sporidesmin trigger levels are reached, neighbouring farms will be alerted via SMS, allowing them to immediately introduce prevention methods which could save their cattle from the potentially lethal liver problems associated with the condition. Facial eczema is expected to impact across the whole of Gippsland in coming months, rather than being confined to East Gippsland as has traditionally been the case.
Warmer weather and plenty of rain are creating ideal conditions for facial eczema, which is actually a liver condition that can have symptoms including skin and eye problems.
In many cases liver damage has already occurred before any outward symptoms are shown.
The spores, which grow on the Pithomyces chartarum fungus which thrives in the dead litter found in rye grass crops, are consumed by cattle and other grazing animals, causing severe liver damage.
Zinc supplements given before liver damage has occurred is the only known solution.
More than 40 people were on hand at the Trafalgar Football Clubrooms on Thursday to hear the latest news from Dairy Australia’s Dr Steve Little, DPI’s Dr Jack Winterbottom and Maffra vet Dr Jakob Malmo.
Farmers were urged to use a Dairy Australia webpage which will update spore levels on the sentinel farms over coming months.
They were also encouraged to have their grass tested for the spores and to prepare methods of feeding zinc so they can respond quickly to any change in circumstances.
GippsDairy, which alerted Dairy Australia to the looming issue after cases were identified last autumn, helped to organise the Trafalgar event and similar information days across the region.
“The response we have seen at the Trafalgar session shows just how seriously farmers are taking the facial eczema issue,” GippsDairy executive officer Dr Danielle Auldist said.
Dairy Australia’s facial eczema web page is at www.dairyaustralia .com.au/facialeczema.
Maffra Veterinary Centre is offering at-cost spore testing. Information sessions will be held at Leongatha and Drouin in the new year.
