In the News - March 2008
Floods could deliver disease, parasites to beef cattle
LITTLE ROCK – Floodwaters may be making potentially deadly deliveries to
Arkansas cattle: disease-causing spores and parasites.
"When the soil is disturbed, such as in a flood, cattle can ingest the spores
and possibly contract one of the diseases," said Dr. Tom Troxel, extension
animal science professor/associate department head-animal science with the
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
Flooding can uncover and move blackleg and anthrax spores. Blackleg hits
cattle between the ages of six months and two years. If the cattle aren’t
vaccinated, the disease is nearly 100 percent fatal.
"Anthrax, another soil-borne disease, is a disease that nobody likes to take
about," Troxel said. "Typically, anthrax isn’t a disease of real concern in
Arkansas, but occurrences of anthrax can be increased by warm weather with heavy
rainfall where animals are confined to small area."
Anthrax is more typically seen in areas with rich soil and in tropical and
subtropical areas with heavy rainfall. Sudden simultaneous occurrence of
outbreaks in separate locations can occur. The death rate is almost 100 percent.
The flooding may also increase populations of nematodes and other parasites,
providing nice muddy pools for snails hosting liver flukes or the organisms that
cause leptospirosis.
"Treating for internal parasites is critical at this time of year because so
many of the cows are nursing calves and rebreeding," he said. "Beef cattle
producers may have to deworm cattle more frequently than normal because of
flooding."
Troxel advised beef cattle producers to consult with their veterinarian to
determine practices, such as vaccination, are needed to protect the herd.
Getting hay to cows stranded on high ground as the flood waters recede is
critical to keep their digestive systems functioning normally, he said.
"When cattle are in flood situations, getting hay to them is about all a beef
cattle producer can do until water recedes," Troxel said. "Just getting hay to
these cattle can be difficult, especially if the situation exists for a long
period of time.
"The flooding of 2008 will go down in Arkansas history as one of the most
severe floods in history," he said. "The full impact of the 2008 flood won’t be
fully assessed until the waters recede."
For additional information contact your local county extension agent. The
Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
March 27, 2008
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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