Lysteriosis in sheep SOS

[AYF]

Having a bad year for listeria in ewes. Forced to feed less than ideal baled silage because we had less pit silage than we'd like, so that is getting the blame.

Anyhoo. In the preventative mesures I have seen on one site it says to mix acidifying products with the silage, as the bacteria likes low acidity (high PH?!?) conditions to survive.

Any ideas what products I could use??

 

[scoffcruddle]

Having a bad year for listeria in ewes. Forced to feed less than ideal baled silage because we had less pit silage than we'd like, so that is getting the blame.

Anyhoo. In the preventative mesures I have seen on one site it says to mix acidifying products with the silage, as the bacteria likes low acidity (high PH?!?) conditions to survive.

Any ideas what products I could use??

What about micosorb,it's used in dairy diets for micotoxins.

I'm feeding the opposite to what you want,acidbuf.

 

[scoffcruddle]

Just had a look and the main thing seems to be keep them tight and eating up to avoid old silage heating.

 

[AYF]

Just had a look and the main thing seems to be keep them tight and eating up to avoid old silage heating.

They clear the feed barrier clean in 48 hrs. And not pushed to eat any dregs so it must be in the mix.

I think my ideas might be out. Firther reading makes me think I needed more acid at fermenting.
Acid of sorts in the mix would probably leed to upset rumens?

It seems the main pasage for the bacteria is through cuts in the mouth. From teeth lifting or abscesses. So by the time it's in the rumen it's too late anyway.

Sheep muck on the fields simply didn't go down with it being such a dry year so.....

 

[Win]

They clear the feed barrier clean in 48 hrs. And not pushed to eat any dregs so it must be in the mix.

I think my ideas might be out. Firther reading makes me think I needed more acid at fermenting.
Acid of sorts in the mix would probably leed to upset rumens?

It seems the main pasage for the bacteria is through cuts in the mouth. From teeth lifting or abscesses. So by the time it's in the rumen it's too late anyway.

Sheep muck on the fields simply didn't go down with it being such a dry year so.....

Am I right in thinking the bacteria is in the soil rather it being caused by the fermentation process? Neighbour has a frightening amount of soil in the silage but doesn't seem to have any trouble or so he says, someone told him some ground has it and some don't??

 

[scoffcruddle]

Yes bacteria in soil,sheep seem to be prone to it,I've had a couple of cows with it over the years,one was dangerous jumped walls and cleared the scraper tractor,she made a full recovery.

 

[AYF]

Am I right in thinking the bacteria is in the soil rather it being caused by the fermentation process? Neighbour has a frightening amount of soil in the silage but doesn't seem to have any trouble or so he says, someone told him some ground has it and some don't??

It's basically everywhere.
But the conditions in high ph and high DM silage, especially bales, makes it multiply rapidly. So they end up more susceptible to it from silage. They can get it on stubble turnips if they are pushed to clean it too hard. or hard wet grazing. But as it doesn't multiply well in soil they are less likely to catch it.
I suppose if his soil was acidic it would counteract it. But at the same time if it was that acidic he wouldn't have grass to cut!?!

What I mean is that the bacteria needed to be killed at that stage by lactic acid production rather than now with acid on the silage at feeding. (I think I have that right, but don't quote me!!)

 

[nashmach]

Yes bacteria in soil,sheep seem to be prone to it,I've had a couple of cows with it over the years,one was dangerous jumped walls and cleared the scraper tractor,she made a full recovery.

Listeria can lead To meningitis as well In cattle which Is usually fatal.