Irritating conditions

Market report for 1st and 2nd August 2018 Wednesday Fat Sale head 98. Thursday Bull and Cow Sale, 12 bulls, 330 cows, 17 steers

A lighter yarding of all cattle this week, has seen some very good vealers sold with the top the same as last week 335 cents per KG and with good vealers selling well. Limited numbers of other cattle sold well. 4 heifers made to 252.2. 11 steers made to 289.2. 79 veal made to 355. With the yard average was back 27 cents to 252.3. Demand for cows eased on Thursday with 330 head yarded, the top was back 25 cents to 240. The cow average eased 23 cents to 166.7, in a yarding mainly lighter dairy cows. Bulls sold to a weaker market with a few lighter dairy bulls offered. With 12 on offer the top was down at 240.2 and the bull average was 214.8. With the yard average back 21 cents to 172.3.

Vealers 1 B/L 1 Lim 3 Lim 1 Sim 1 Sim 1 Lim Steers 1 Ang FS&KJ Toohey, Drouin 1 Lim A&P Slater, Buln Buln East Export Cows & Heifers 1 Ang C&E Stafford, B/Buln East 1 Ang Smethurst Farms, Athlone 2 Lim J&L Oldham, Neerim Sth 1 Hfd A&E Board, Catani 1 M/G J&J Hatswell, Neerim South Dairy Cows 1 Frn P McCauley, Cora Lynn 615 1 Frn WL Morgan, Hazelwood Nth 675 1 Frn J Fortune, Nilma 610 2 Frn M Moyes, Shady Creek 680 1 Frn NS&RD Cranston, NNG 630 1 Frn Lindsay Lockett, N/South 645 1 Frn C&A Drew, Nyora 570 Steers 1 Frn 2 Frn 1 Frn Bulls 1 Ang A&V Robertson, Yarragon 2 A/Red J&T McRae, Yallourn Nth 1 Frn P McCauley, Cora Lynn

MR & JS Distron, Drouin M&S Knight, Willow Grove M&S Knight, Willow Grove AG McDonald AG McDonald Spinazzola, Childers RE&EM Penny Cloverlea C&D Kent, Lillico Stanvale Farms, N/North

420 420 303 325 325 360

500 485

665 600 665 515 575 515 560 620

355.0 330.0 325.0 320.0 310.0 302.2

289.2 265.0

240.0 238.0 234.6 215.0 213.2

214.6 210.0 210.0 208.6 208.6 208.2 208.2

250.0 242.0 239.6

1491 1386 985 1041 1009 1087

1446 1285

1596 1428 1560 1107 1255

1319 1410 1281 1418 1314 1342 1186

1287 1355 1485

950 240.2 2281 890 230.2 2048 815 218.6 1781 1. Scotts, 2. SEJ, 3.

Landmark, 4. Gibbon, 5. Elders. We have a Facebook page. Like and follow us on Baw Baw Livestock Exchange.

Have you ever wondered why some ill thrifty, young cattle’s coats look so rough at this time of year? It could be due to lice or ringworm, as both complaints thrive under similar circumstances.

Both lice and ringworm are typically a greater problem in young cattle in either poor nutrition or with a compromised immune system. Neither are a significant problem to cattle in good health.

Lice are small sucking or biting insects found most commonly around the head, neck and shoulder areas, and along the back to the tail.

The irritation they cause leads to a rough scruffy appearance, and areas of skin rubbed raw particularly around the neck and shoulder. The main effect of lice is skin damage as well as reduced grazing.

Cattle are infested through animal-to-animal contact with other cattle, and the population of lice can build up rapidly. Cattle lice do not infest other animals.

The cattle’s denser winter coat along with cooler weather favours the lice’s survival.

Without treatment, the problem will remain until spring, when increasing temperatures and day lengths, along with improved nutrition naturally reduce lice numbers.

Ringworm is a transmissible infectious skin disease caused by a spore forming fungi.

Ringworm is also spread by direct contact and can spread rapidly through a group of cattle, particularly in poorly growing young animals with underlying poor health or nutrition.

It causes grey-white areas of slightly raised skin with an ash like surface. It can become widespread, being seen predominantly around the eyes, ears and back of calves, and the chest and legs of adult cattle.

It causes little permanent damage or economic loss. However, it can be transmitted to humans.

Ringworm usually clears up within one to two months without any treatment particularly when conditions improve.