7 Nov 2023
Resources designed to highlight incidence of disease and provide support.
Vet Times
Job Title
Ceva Animal Health has launched new resources to highlight Q fever incidence and support farmers whose herds have been diagnosed with the disease.
It launched a Q fever map and farmer Q pack during BCVA Congress, with the map featuring data from 274 Q test bulk tank milk PCR samples – 217 of which were submitted to date in 2023.
The Q test research identified 50% of herds tested positive for Q fever.
The Q pack is aimed at farmers whose dairy herds have been diagnosed, and features leaflets and a poster covering comprehensive information on the disease, including clinical signs, regulatory reporting, impact on human health and what can be done to reduce risk on the herd.
It also includes information on the role of vaccination to break the circulation of Coxiella burnetii and decrease shedding.
Veterinary surgeon at Synergy Farm Health Tom Angel said: “The bulk milk Q fever testing we have been undertaking in our practice has returned positive results in approximately 80% of farms sampled.”
Dr Angel added: “The challenge for vets is assessing the impact this disease is having on farm. In some cases where other causes have been excluded, signs such as increased pregnancy losses and still birth rates have been identified.
“However, on other units, more subtle, but still costly effects such as increased days open and increased transition disease may be attributable to Q fever.
“Working out the best strategy for on-farm control is where supplementary diagnostics, such as serological testing of animals in different management groups, and the cost calculator from Ceva’s Q audit has allowed us to guide the best vaccination protocols on different farms in a cost-effective manner.”
Ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva Katherine Timms said: “Despite Q fever being endemic in GB dairy herds, Q fever has been historically underestimated and awareness of the disease among farmers and the related farming industries has been low.
“The Ceva Q map will be updated on an ongoing basis and will help address this by demonstrating the incidence of positive cases, and indiscriminate hotspots across the UK, while the Q pack will help support farmers whose herds have been diagnosed with the disease.”
The Q map is available online and the farmer Q pack is available from Ceva account managers.
