It is a vehicle for monthly WormFaxes (a round up of worm egg counting results around the state), Turning the Worm (a newsletter that in theory comes out 2-4 times a year – I haven’t forgotten you Dr Nilon), and occasional news items (1-3 times? a week).

Lately I have been posting most WormMails on a blog called ‘auswormblog’ at the WordPress site.

Some people have trouble accessing this due to their corporate set ups, although the I.T. people for most organisations are usually happy to allow access to individual blogs or sites on a case by case basis. For example Joedy Frape, IT guru for the LHPAs, kindly re-jigged things so District Vets could get access to auswormblog.

(The Qld DPI (now DEEDI) seems to be screwed down so tight that nothing gets in or out. (Sorry Maxine – perhaps some of your colleagues were spending too much time on Facebook) .

I was investigating ‘Posterous’ over the weekend -after reading this – and thought it may have a lot of potential. I set up one for personal use and so far am impressed with Posterous.

When items are posted on Posterous, they can also be automatically posted to other places (eg other blogs, Facebook, Twitter etc).

At the moment, I have set up Posterous (www.slagvet.posterous.com ..  maybe I should have called it ‘posturing’ ?) to auto-post to auswormblog and Twitter (slagvet).  

Is all this a pointless waste of time?  Maybe, but some people like to ‘communicate’ this, and some even like Twitter and similar things in the Status-sphere ( new word I learnt).

(In a similar fashion, there are people who gave up writing letters with ink and quill, and started using email. Maybe you are one of them?).

One advantage of having WormMail in the ‘blogosphere’ as well as in emails, is that you can easily go back and find things on a blog. (Blog is short for web-log).

The other thing I have to improve is how I manage the WormMail mailing list. Currently I do this in the email client (Lotus Notes) on my work computer. This can take up a fair bit of time because people leave jobs, change emails, get deported etc without telling me. Something like Google Groups may be a solution: I don’t know. (I don’t like the Listserv option much).

For those who have given me feedback (OK, the positive stuff is especially nice) – and let me know when they change addresses or want to unsubscribe –  a big thank you. It’s appreciated.

And a big thank you also to those who completed the WormBoss on-line survey and/or provided other feedback – on the new website for example (Yes, there are some problems).

But things change so fast: what will be ‘THE thing’ next week??  :-)

—
Stephen Love
Veterinarian / State coordinator ~ internal parasites
Primary Industries | Industry and Investment NSW
Armidale District Office | Tel: +61 2 6738 8519 | Useful links

   
If the above is all too much, you might like this:

Painting by Derek Bacon

From: http://garry.posterous.com/as-a-computer-user-dont-you-sometimes-feel-li   |   http://reflectionof.me/amazing-1011  

This message is intended for the addressee named and may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. Views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, and are not necessarily the views of their organisation.

]]> http://auswormblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/posterous-new-home-for-auswormblog-wormmail-2009-09-21-1200/feed/ 0 SL http://auswormblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/parasitic-and-other-sheep-diseases-being-monitored-at-nsw-abattoirs/ http://auswormblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/parasitic-and-other-sheep-diseases-being-monitored-at-nsw-abattoirs/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:30:04 +0000 SL http://auswormblog.wordpress.com/?p=280 ]]> The following article is by Dr Bruce Watt of Tablelands LHPA (central tablelands area of NSW) and is published here with permission.

(Hyperlinks added by blog owner).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ABATTOIR MONITORING NOW REPORTING ON A RANGE OF SHEEP DISEASES

In the last few weeks, a number of sheep producers have phoned to ask me about bladder worm (Cysticercus tenuicollis) in sheep. The reason for the sudden interest in this parasite is that these producers have recently consigned sheep for slaughter. Abattoir meat inspectors have detected bladder worm in the carcase. These finding have now been reported back to producers via the National Sheep Health Monitoring Program.

The program is being piloted in the Tablelands LHPA. Meat inspectors are reporting on a wide range of conditions from hydatids, sheep measles, liver fluke, OJD (ovine Johnes disease)  and pneumonia to grass seeds, dog bites and bruising.

Dr Ian Links, Biosecurity Special Projects Officer who works for an alliance between Industry and Investment NSW and CSU Wagga then collates and distributes the reports to producers.

Bladder worm is a tapeworm cyst. It is quite common and is sometimes mistaken for hydatids. However as the name suggests the cysts look like a bladder filled with clear fluid. It also contains a white spot, the tapeworm head. These cysts occur around the liver while the adult tapeworm lives in dogs.

I needed to know more before answering the questions these producers put to me so I turned to Dr David Jenkins now also at CSU. I have known David for nearly thirty years and have always enjoyed his infectious enthusiasm. He is also a world expert on tapeworms.

David reminded me that dogs acquire the tapeworm when they are fed sheep offal that contains the cysts. The mature tapeworms inside dogs produce segments every day or two and these segments contain a massive number of eggs. These eggs are also tough, surviving for a year or two.

Sheep consume the eggs when they eat contaminated pasture. After the eggs hatch inside the sheep, the little worms burrow through the gut wall and migrate through the liver causing damage along the way. If sheep eat sufficient larval their health and productivity can be affected.

The larvae then develop to form a cyst on the liver while they wait for the opportunity to become a dog’s breakfast and complete their life cycle.

Bladder worms are harmless to dogs and people but their presence indicates that tapeworms are maturing in home or visiting dogs. This means that these dogs could also be carrying the much more serious hydatid tapeworm or the tapeworm that cause sheep measles.

If you have lived in rural NSW for a generation or two you will almost certainly know someone who has suffered the consequences of hydatid cysts. As you will know, they are dangerous and can be fatal.

Sheep measles causes small white cysts through the meat leading to carcase condemnation. Fortunately, it is not a health risk to consumers but the rice grain sized lumps in their roast do not impress them. You will also not be impressed when the abattoir reports to you that they have condemned a proportion of your consignment.

Therefore, if your get a report of bladder worms in your sheep consignment take it as a gentle reminder that you need to control tapeworms in your dogs. You can do this by dosing them every 4-6 weeks (using a product containing praziquantel) and by ensuring that your dogs and those of your visitors are not fed fresh sheep meat (unless it has been frozen for 14days) or offal.

Remember that dogs belonging to casual farm workers are a source of tapeworms. It is recommended that you ask that they be tied up for 3 days after dosing and their droppings collected and disposed of safely.

The National Sheep Health Monitoring Program has the potential to deliver valuable information both to individual farmers and to the region. I am sure I will be reporting more of its findings to you in the future. I would like to commend The Sheepmeat Council of Australia, WoolProducers Australia and Industry and Investment for supporting this initiative.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For further information on larval cestodes of sheep and other animals see:

The following Primefacts at the NSW DII website:

• ‘Sheep Measles-another profit killer’
• ‘Hydatids-you too can be affected’
• ‘Hydatids-thebasics’

The sheep measles Primefact also has a table with a summary of ‘cysts of larval cestodes (tapeworms) of sheep and cattle’.

Also see the WormBoss website: www.wool.com/wormboss (The old URL, www.wormboss.com.au , will redirect to the new location).

While you are there, spend a few minutes doing the WormBoss on-line Survey. 

]]> http://auswormblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/parasitic-and-other-sheep-diseases-being-monitored-at-nsw-abattoirs/feed/ 0 SL http://auswormblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/08/treating-for-stomach-fluke-in-ruminants/ http://auswormblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/08/treating-for-stomach-fluke-in-ruminants/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:17:02 +0000 SL http://auswormblog.wordpress.com/?p=257 ]]> This follows on from an email from a vet asking about treating for paramphistomes. This and other aspects of stomach fluke is discussed in the primefact on stomach fluke. Also see WormBoss: www.wool.com/wormboss

Firstly, the mere presence of stomach fluke in the forestomachs of cattle or sheep, or their eggs in the faeces, does not indicate that treatment is necessary. Clinical disease (paramphistomosis) only occurs in certain areas (for example, the NSW North Coast) and under defined conditions, and is due to duodenitis from large numbers of migrating immature fluke.

Nilzan(R) (levamisole + oxyclozanide),  especially now that Mansonil(R) (niclosamide) is no longer available,  is the only product effective to a useful degree against immature stomach fluke.

However the product is not registered in NSW for this use  in cattle. Off-label use can only legally be done under veterinary prescription. For this reason Nilzan was removed from the current edition of the stomach fluke Primefact, although veterinarians can get more information by checking the references listed in the Primefact.

Dr Joseph Boray – long time expert on stomach and liver fluke (and one of the people behind the development of triclabendazole), responded at my invitation to our discussion on treating for stomach fluke. Here below is his letter, used with permission.

==============================

The Regional Veterinary Laboratory (RVL) (aka ‘Colin Blumer Regional Veterinary Laboratory’) at Armidale was later joined by RVLs at Wollongbar (north coast of NSW) and Wagga Wagga (south west NSW), and then finally at Orange (under the leadership of Dr Ray Webb), in the central west of the state.

Mirroring developments in the other states and countries, the labs underwent a series of closures, with Armidale and Wagga labs closing in 1996. (The author worked at the Armidale lab from 1986-1996). Private laboratory  Veterinary Health Research (Dr Bruce Chick et al) now occupies the site of the former RVL Armidale.

Most recent closures of vet labs belonging to NSW Department of Primary Industry (formerly Dept of Agriculutre, now Industry and Investment NSW), were the RVLs at Orange and Wollongbar. All I&I NSW veterinary laboratory services are now provided from RVL Menangle located at EMAI.

However, in an interesting development, Charles Sturt University is opening  a new lab at Wagga Wagga, rising, more or less, from the ‘ashes’ of the former RVL Wagga.  (The ‘Phoenix’ lab? ). One of the pathologists at the ‘VDL-CSU’ is A/Prof John Glastonbury, a former OIC of  RVL Wagga Wagga.

Life is interesting.

Here is CSU’s blurb on the upcoming lab:

For a PDF of his slide presentation, see under ‘What’s New’ at http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/science/savs/research/

http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/science/savs/images/WAAVP%202009%20Sangster%20Pfizer%20symposium%20expanded.pdf

(Hopefully these links will remain alive for some time. We live in a broken world: this extends to URLs).

For the low down on Nick (complete with pic ), go to http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/science/savs/staff/nsangster.htm

For related articles, see

* Besier RB. ‘Monepantel: are we ready for a new sheep anthelmintic?’ Skirting the Issues,  Australian Sheep Veterinarians’ Newsletter, Autumn 09, pp 9 -11. Ed.: JW Plant.  (Unfortunately this article is only readily accessible to members of the Australian Sheep Veterinary Society.

* Love S. ‘New drench on the block’. Vet Talk column, The Land Newspaper, Rural Press, Richmond NSW AU, April 16, 2009;  page 72. Reproduced in this weblog.

By the way, have you taken the WormBoss Survey yet?   Please do.   Help us to make it better.

Go to the Wormboss frontpage, or directly to the survey.

A new Vet Diagnostic Lab in NSW?? – see next post.

-S

Further to an earlier WormMail, please help us to make WormBoss better by taking the survey.

‘Our apologies to those who went to do the survey when the link was temporarily hard to find – because of the WormBoss site relocation. (“Life wasn’t meant to be easy”. Fraser M, pers comm).

” www.wormboss.com.au ” still works, but you will be automatically redirected to http://www.wool.com/wormboss (or similar)

Here is the blurb on the WormBoss Survey

———————

Current Wormboss News

“The WormBoss evaluation is now in full swing. Thanks again to those who have already contributed.
For your state outlooks, please follow the links below:
New South Wales
Victoria
South Australia
Queensland
Tasmania
Western Australia

Wormboss Survey

WormBoss was created in 2006 to help measure, manage and control sheep worms.
In order to assess information and services provided by WormBoss we need your help in answering a few simple questions. A state-of-the-art laptop computer will be supplied to one lucky participant as part of this evaluation!
With key researchers of internal parasites in the Australian sheep industry stating that “drench resistance in Australia is the worst in the world,” we recognise the importance of continually modernising WormBoss for you.
All feedback is strictly confidential and will only be used internally to assist in making improvements to the program.
Please click here and follow the instructions to complete the survey. We value your opinion to ensure we can provide a world-class worm management service for you in the future.

Worms cost Australian sheep producers more than any other disease. Drench resistant worms are increasingly prevalent and becoming harder to manage.  For most sheep producers, sustainable management and control of sheep worms is essential for their future prosperity.
WormBoss was developed by the Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre (Sheep CRC) and Australian Wool Innovation AWI to help producers meet these challenges.
WormBoss represents the national knowledge on sheep worms and their management. It has been assembled by leading parasitologists, researchers, extension officers, consultants, drench manufacturers and drench resellers.
WormBoss recommends four general management practices:
Monitor worm populations using worm egg counts to detect infestations early.
Do regular drench resistance tests so you know which drenches are effective on your property.
Maximise the use of non-chemical management strategies.
If you are unsure of anything – seek professional advice.
As you use WormBoss, you will see how you can use these practices to reduce costs, improve sheep health and productivity and increase profitability.
WormBoss was developed by the Australian Sheep Industry CRC and Australian Wool Innovation.”

SL

See links to useful sites in the sidebar (to the right), and below:

WormBoss

WormBoss

Primary Industries | Industry and Investment NSW

Cattle – worm control

Livestock – general

Livestock – health

Sheep health – incl. internal and external parasites

Vet Lab & Vet Lab Manual

Zoonoses

Other

Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre

ANZDSPs – incl nematodes of ruminants

IPM-S (AWI)

Please let me know if any links are broken or need updating.

Thanks

SL.  20090821

Nematodes – newly published Standard Diagnostic Procedures (Dr Gareth Hutchinson)

Newly published doc by Dr Gareth Hutchinson, formerly of NSW Dept Primary Industries

Go to http://www.scahls.org.au/standardprocedures/standards.htm

This continues a lot of useful information, even if you are not a diagnostician/parasitologist.

(This replaces the document published a number of years ago by Maxine Lyndal-Murphy /Chris Baldock of Queensland DPI).

Regards Steve

Drench lists

The July issue of InfoPest just came out.

From this I have created lists (MS Excel) of drenches for sheep, goats and cattle. Hopefully they are accurate.  I tried.

Also check out ‘PUBCRIS’ at the APVMA website.  www.apvma.gov.au

Don’t assume any of these drenches work on your property. Test them: at the very least do a DrenchCheck (a WormTest 10 days after using the drench, plus an extra test later in the case of long-acting products). ‘The most expensive drench is the one that doesn’t work’

Also, consider combinations.

Cattle worm resistance not an issue?   Think again.

Feedback

Thanks for the feedback on broken links in some of my recent emails   eg URLs for Turning the Worm etc on our website.   Links break in a changing world.   (hyperlinks, social fragmentation, final drives on inferior motorbikes with chains etc…  

Lice Test Info

Narelle Sales has put this together. It may be of interest.

Gemma Junk is the NSW Ectoparasite Coordinator (and Sheep and Wool Officer at Bourke NSW).

Regards

Stephen Love

Veterinarian/State Coordinator-Internal Parasites, Armidale    (< <  how do you like my new, super-minimalist signature block ? 

‘Inspired by Prof. Jim Scott’s news of the new UNE branding, as well as existing  email taglines etc….

We need some taglines…. (for the various types of people in Industry and Investment (formerly DPI)

Here is UNE’s:  “The UNE experience stays with your forever”    (I am not sure whether that is a good or bad thing).

TAFE NSW:  ‘Changing lives through learning’

Some possibilities??

Weeds people:  “Spread the word instead of weeds”   ?  ‘Weeds suck”  ?  ‘Wack weeds’?

Mine safety??    ‘Going for broke – not”     ” Aiming  for zero-zero’    ‘Aiming for zero maimed and dead’  ??  ‘Dig mine safety!’  ? ‘Safety: the responsibility is mine and your’s’

Sheep meats??  ‘Meating your needs’  ??   ‘Meatheads’ ?  ‘Steak your life on chops’ ?

Sheepos?  ‘Pulling the wool over your eyes’  ‘Fleecing you’ ? ‘ Have dags,will rattle’  ?   Musical sheep with dags: ‘Rattle and Hum’   (apologies to U2)   ‘Growing ground lice’ ?

Internal parasites…  ‘Turning the Worm’  (the name of one of my newsletters)   ‘Worms have the inside running’?   ‘Worms on the Web’  (already in use by me as well)  ‘WormBoss’ -name of national web-based info/dss project…   ‘WormKill’ – cool name dreamt up by Dr Keith Dash in the shower, 1984 (He told me: I wasn’t there).  ‘WormWise’ – a name dreamt up by the Western Australians but pinched by the Kiwis      ‘WormBuster’ – uncool name dreamt up by Queenslanders… 

Vets..  ‘Pets need vets’ (serious one; in use of course)   ‘Animal docs rock’ ?  “You can bet on a vet’ ?   ‘Vets are best’ ?    

Internal parasites of seabirds??   ‘Worming the Tern’ ?

Ectoparasites?  ‘Itchy and Scratchy’  ?  ‘What’s the rub?”
?

Geology  “We rock!”  ?   ‘Rocks rock!”

Agronomes?  ‘ Down and dirty’   ‘We’ve got the dirt on you’?  ‘Sodkickers don’t suck’?  ‘ Keep Australia beautiful: plant an agronomist today’  ?

Fisheries people?   ‘Scaling new heights’ ?  ‘Gills are gold” ?  ‘Power to the piscines!’  ‘Piscines perform!’ ?

Beefos?   …hmmm…   (Variations on ‘bull’, horny’, cowabunga!’ etc I guess…)

Managing effluent:  ‘Cut the crap”

Global warming…   ‘Eat less beans’

Managing methane   “Jumping Jack Flash, its a gas, gas gas!’

Help us improve Wormboss
Please take the WormBoss Survey. Go to www.wormboss.com.au
We value your opinion to help us work toward providing a world-class worm management service for you in the future.

Regards

Stephen Love – on behalf of the rest of the WormBoss team