Floodwaters and wet conditions can cause a wide range of livestock health issues, even for some time after the waters have subsided.

Central West Local Land Services District Veterinarian, Hanna Thomas, believes that livestock that have been standing in water for some time or that have been submerged are most at risk of developing disease issues and should be monitored closely.

“Knowing the signs of disease and parasites that occur during floods can help livestock recover faster and make treatment options more effective,” Dr Thomas said.

“Foot problems are a major concern.

“Standing in water or on damp ground can cause damage to the feet and lead to foot abscess and other foot problems.

“Moving livestock to drier and higher ground where possible should be a priority.

“If you are unsure of the cause of the lameness we recommended you seek further advice.”

Similarly skin and wool problems such as fleece rot and lumpy wool may also be seen, particularly on the lower limbs of sheep that have been standing in floodwater.

Shearing of affected animals may be required to avoid ongoing disease issues.

Cattle and horses may experience rain scald.

The wet conditions and warm weather favour worm survival, especially Barber’s pole worm, with larvae surviving much longer on wet pastures.

Producers should be vigilant for worm issues and consider worm-testing higher risk mobs such as lambing ewes and weaners.

Livestock standing in water or suffering other diseases, especially foot problems, will be less inclined to graze.

Feed may also be an issue as pastures may start to die on waterlogged paddocks.

This can be particularly problematic for heavily pregnant livestock and lead to the development of pregnancy toxaemia.

Careful attention should be paid to these animals and other disease issues should be addressed and supplementary feeding considered where necessary.

“The wet conditions also cause an increase insect activity, including mosquitoes and flies,”  Dr Thomas said. 

“Wet fleeces attract flies, so flocks will be particularly susceptible to flystrike.

“Increased incidence of pinkeye may also be seen.

“Three day sickness or BEF (Bovine Ephemeral Fever) could become an issue as populations of mosquitoes increase.

“Bacteria flourish in a moist environment and the incidence of bacterial diseases such as pneumonia, salmonellosis, leptospirosis and clostridial diseases may increase rapidly.

“Producers should ensure livestock vaccinations are up to date. Vaccination against pulpy kidney and other clostridial diseases is highly recommended,” she said.

Water damaged fodder is a major problem and can be an issue in both stored and standing feed.

The nutritive value and palatability of the feed can both be affected. Mould growth can impact these qualities and can also result in stock deaths and longer-term health issues.

Pastures damaged by flooding may leave producers having to source alternative feed for stock over the next few months.

Stock water quality should also be considered and monitored.

Silt and organic material can easily make their way into dams and contaminate water sources.

Stock often refuse to drink flood water if it is polluted or tastes different from their normal supply.

It is important to monitor this continuously.