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A.C.T. Long Lasting Disinfectant – Afrivet
Our new Afrivet ACT long acting disinfectant is scientifically proven to eliminate up to 99.999% of viruses (including COVID-19), fungi & bacteria. If you are interested in this product, please contact Octavoscene for prices. Jurené Botha Contact Number: 087 237 9995
Atypical interstitial pneumonia (Fog Fever)
Introduction:Atypical interstitial pneumonia, also commonly known as fog fever, is a syndrome farmers see in their cattle after placing the animals on lush green grazing. Animals that are fed a dry ration prior to grazing lush pastures are more likely to be affected by this syndrome. Fog fever is also known as acute bovine pulmonary oedema and emphysema (ABPEE). Disease progression:Cattle affected by this syndrome have been on dry feed for extended periods of time and the rumen fermentation pattern has adapted to this situation. With the change to lush green pasture the dietary protein concentration increases dramatically. One of the amino acids in this plant protein, tryptophan, is the culprit. The tryptophan in the feed is converted by rumen bacteria to a substance called 3-methylindole (3-MI) at a very high rate.This 3-MI is absorbed through the rumen wall and circulated around the body. The 3-MI is toxic to the primary cells (Type 2 pneumocytes) that line the interior surface of the lungs at the alveolar-blood barrier. Thus, as the high levels of 3-MI move from the rumen to the lungs, more and more lung tissue is destroyed. Clinical Signs:Difficulty breathingCoughingFrothing at mouthCattle do not normally run a fever- This is an extremely important point as the clinical signs seen with fog fever are very similar to those seen with Bovine respiratory disease.Anxiety (separation from group)CollapseDeath Treatment:Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for fog fever. Mild cases may recover without treatment, should they be caught early enough. Most severely affected cattle will not […]
Reminder | Closing date for orders December 2021
Octavoscene’s last day for orders is 10 December 2021 and we will close on 17 December 2021. We will reopen on January 4, 2022. Emergencies will be handled wherever possible, depending on supplier availability.
Bovine Ephemeral Fever (Three-day stiff sickness)
Introduction: Bovine Ephemeral Fever, more commonly known as Three-day stiff sickness, is a viral disease affecting cattle in Southern Africa. The disease is an arthropod borne Rhabdovirus and is characterized by a short duration fever, stiffness, lethargy, recumbency but almost always results in complete recovery. Epidemiology: Outbreaks of three-day stiff sickness are related to seasonal patterns. Since the virus is transmitted by vectors such as mosquitoes and midges, high rainfall areas experience this problem more frequently than the drier areas of Southern Africa. Clinical Signs: Three-day stiff sickness in most cases is self-limiting, meaning the animal will recover uneventfully without serious complications. Individual animals show a wide variety of clinical signs, but the onset is always rapid, characterized by a rapid rise in the animal’s body temperature. The animals usually have two or more febrile peaks 12-24 hours apart. During the initial febrile phase, the symptoms are usually mild and go unnoticed. During the second febrile peak, stiffness, lethargy, and anorexia is noticeable. Heavier animals with good body condition scores are usually more severely affected as compared to light weight cattle. Heavier animals will initially lie down in sternal recumbency which will progress to lateral recumbency as the disease progresses. Treatment: A multimodal approach is preferred in these cases. The disease is extremely painful, so pain management is the first method of treatment. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug should be administered, following a prescription from your veterinarian. Always ensure the animal is hydrated before administering these types […]
Southern Africa needs a new science-based approach to control Foot-and-Mouth disease
For nearly a century hundreds of thousands of rural livestock farmers in Southern Africa have been kept in a virtual trade lock-down because of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). The form of FMD that occurs in Southern Africa is in fact a trivial disease and is different from the FMD that occurs in most other parts of the world. Southern Africa urgently needs a new science-based approach to control FMD that will be to the benefit of both our livestock and conservation sectors. This new documentary about FMD, released at the end of April, is dedicated to the memory of Prof Gavin R Thompson, former extraordinary professor (1998-2001 and 2012-2021) in the Faculty’s Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases (DVTD), who sadly passed away on 23 April 2021. Prof Thompson was an internationally renowned veterinary scientist and an expert on Foot and Mouth Disease and other transboundary diseases. During his time in the department he contributed significantly to publication outputs, postgraduate student supervision and presentation of training workshops on FMD. He also wrote the script for this film, a collaborative effort between the Department, Afrivet, the Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) and Conservation International. It was produced by M&M Pictures.
Quantifying the Transmission of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Cattle via a Contaminated Environment
ABSTRACT Indirect transmission via a contaminated environment can occur for a number of pathogens, even those typically thought of as being directly transmitted, such as influenza virus, norovirus, bovine tuberculosis, or foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Indirect transmission facilitates spread from multiple sources beyond the infectious host, complicating the epidemiology and control of these diseases. This study carried out a series of transmission experiments to determine the dose-response relationship between environmental contamination and transmission of FMDV in cattle from measurements of viral shedding and rates of environmental contamination and survival. Seven out of ten indirect exposures resulted in successful transmission. The basic reproduction number for environmental transmission of FMDV in this experimental setting was estimated at 1.65, indicating that environmental transmission alone could sustain an outbreak. Importantly, detection of virus in the environment prior to the appearance of clinical signs in infected cattle and successful transmission from these environments highlights there is a risk of environmental transmission even before foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is clinically apparent in cattle. Estimated viral decay rates suggest that FMDV remained viable in this environment for up to 14 days, emphasizing the requirement for stringent biosecurity procedures following outbreaks of FMD and the design of control measures that reflect the biology of a pathogen. IMPORTANCE Effective control of a disease relies on comprehensive understanding of how transmission occurs, in order to design and apply effective control measures. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is primarily spread by direct contact between infected and naïve individuals, although the high levels of […]
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