Empowering Animal Health & Feedlot Success Practical veterinary solutions and trusted medicines for South African livestock producers.

Recent Issues

Sernick Information Day

8 March, 2026

Sernick, together with Bonsmara SA, invites producers to an informative industry session focused on Foot-and-Mouth Disease and the road ahead for the livestock sector.Entry is free, and producers of all breeds are welcome to attend.The event will feature expert speakers from the veterinary, agricultural, and industry sectors, followed by a panel discussion addressing the challenges and future of livestock […]

Biosecurity in Practice: Prevention & Control

8 March, 2026

Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Symposium 2026

26 February, 2026

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE (FMD) SYMPOSIUM Octavoscene (Pty) Ltd is proud to host a landmark symposium focused on the global and local landscape of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). We are bringing the world’s leading FMD authorities to South Africa for a rare, one-day intensive session. This event is a must-attend for veterinary professionals, livestock industry stakeholders, and biosecurity […]

5 December, 2022

Lumpy Skin Disease Virus

Lumpy skin disease is an infectious, highly contagious occasionally fatal disease of cattle characterized by nodules on the skin and other parts of the body, both internally and externally. Lumpy skin disease is most often found in southern and eastern Africa, but in the 1970s it extended northwest through into middle and northern Africa as well as the middle east.Lumpy skin disease appears epidemically or sporadically its incidence is highest in wet summer weather, but it may occur in winter because of global warming. Temperatures are not dropping low enough to remove the responsible vector population Since it is largely a vector-borne disease, environmental conditions need to be right for the disease to occur. There are many mechanisms of transmission in this diseaseTicks- R.appendiculatusBiting flies -Tabanid species and stomoxys calcitransSemenSalivaClinical signs:The incubation period is 4–14 days. Infected cattle develop primary viremia which presents with a fever. Lethargy, inappetence, and malaise are also common clinical signs seen at this stage of infection. The nodules are well-circumscribed, round, slightly raised, and full thickness through the skin. Nodules may develop in the respiratory tract as well as along the digestive system on any of the epithelial surfaces. Distal limb swelling is also a common occurrence because of the impedance of lymphatic drainage from the distal limbs.In time, the nodules either regress or necrosis of the skin results in hard, raised areas known as sit-fasts. These areas slough to leave ulcers, which heal and scar.Diagnosis:A diagnosis of LSDV is often made on clinical signs. However, histopathology, […]

22 March, 2022

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

10 December, 2021

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 […]

29 November, 2021

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.

8 November, 2021

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 […]

1 September, 2021

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.