One of the basics of raising cattle, horses, or sheep is knowing the most common illnesses and how to avoid them. Here’s everything you need to know about Livestock Diseases.
Livestock Diseases: Cattle
Anthrax - Bacterial illness that is extremely infectious and often fatal. It can ravage an animal within hours. The effects can be minimized with a vaccination.
Blackleg - Fatal disease caused by eating the bacteria in soil. It can’t be passed between animals through {mosimage}contact alone. The first sign is usually lameness. Vaccinations have been very successful.
Bovine Spongioform Encephalopathy (BSE) - Also called “mad cow disease,” this ailment affects the cow’s central nervous system. Symptoms can develop years after infection. Scientists still don’t know what causes BSE, and there’s no known cure for it.
Coccidiosis - Caused by parasites, this illness affects more calves than mature cows. It causes diarrhea and emaciation, and often results in death.
Livestock Diseases: Horses
West Nile Virus - Caused by infected mosquitoes, this illness can cause paralysis, listlessness, and disorientation.
Equine Infectious Anemia - This often-fatal viral infection is caused {mosimage}by biting insects like ticks and horseflies. Symptoms include fever, hemorrhaging in mucous membranes, and anemia. There is no known cure or vaccine.
Colic - This term covers a wide range of abdominal illnesses in horses, and can simply mean any kind of pain in the general area. It can include worms, swelling, viral infections, and obstructions.
Livestock Diseases: Sheep
Enterotoxemia - A bacterial infection, it can cause bloody diarrhea and blindness. vaccines are available to prevent it.
Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (OPP) - This lung infection usually affects older sheep, and can pass from animal to animal.
Footrot - Caused by bacteria found in manure, it causes abscesses and limping. It’s difficult to treat and even prevent.
