Subsidised Barren Ewe Blood Test Now Available
MILTON KEYNES, UK, January 2, 2015
feed and water, for example.
working to help the world be well. MSD
“Infected cats shed toxoplasma eggs in their Animal Health, known as Merck Animal
health, well-being and performance of
animals. It invests extensively in dynamic
faeces and sheep pick up these eggs as they Health in the United States and Canada,
and comprehensive R&D resources and a
than two percent can now ask their vet for
a subsidised blood test to establish whether
eat. The eggs are tough and can survive
in the environment for over a year, which
is the global animal health business unit
of MSD. Through its commitment to the
modern, global supply chain. MSD Animal
Health is present in more than 50 countries,
the cause of the problem is toxoplasmosis.
means farmers need to take steps to protect
Science of Healthier Animals™, MSD
while its products are available in some 150
EXPERTIS™ Barren EweCheck – the
diagnostic scheme supported by MSD
their sheep. The good news is that where
toxoplasma infection has been confirmed
Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, markets.
pet owners and governments on e of the
For more information,
– With sheep scanning well underway
shepherds with a flock barren rate greater
Animal Health (known as Merck Animal
in a flock the disease can be controlled
widest
Health in the United States and Canada) – is effectively by a vaccination regime. What’s range of veterinary
now available from vets until 31st March
more, the costs of a prevention programme pharmaceuticals,
2015.
Toxoplasmosis is the main infectious cause
can be easily covered by a reduction in
future flock barren rates,” he says.
of early embryo loss in sheep and is a very
common cause of barrenness, abortion and
visit www.msd-animal-health.com.
vaccines and
health management
Producers concerned about a high
solutions and
proportion of empty or aborting ewes should services. MSD
weak lambs born alive. Data from the 2014 talk to their vet about the service as soon as Animal Health
EXPERTIS Barren EweCheck scheme
showed that 85% of flocks tested had been
possible.
About MSD Animal Health
is dedicated to
preserving and
exposed to the toxoplasma parasite.
Today’s MSD is a global healthcare leader
improving the
According to MSD
Animal Health
technical manager,
John Atkinson
MRCVS, sheep pick
up the toxoplasma
parasite from the
environment – from
contaminated pasture,
Unit 5 Rhos Industrial Park
Church Road, Rhos On Sea
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A Days Fox Control By Tommy Cullen
Morning came early as it always does and
before first light we were up looking after all
our dogs before we headed out to hunt the
farm again, first the kennels were washed out
then the all the dogs got a quick run around
before we headed in and got some breakfast
for ourselves as we knew it might be a long
day ahead of us in the field. A good fry later
and we loaded up the trailer with the dogs
we were out for the days work, Ranger our
Beagle was first in the trailer then in went
Nettles my Border Russell before last but
not least Flea my 15 month old Irish terrier
cross greyhound crossed back to a collie
hound, she is a fiery little bitch and I have
high hopes for as she has the makings of an
outstanding fox bitch.
We soon arrived at the farm and our Plan
was to beat the cover around the bog with
Ranger then try the earth we had checked
the night previously and we hoped we could
again reduce the numbers on the hill farm.
Sean the landowner was coming along for
the walk with us today his appetite having
being wetted the night before having seen
the footage of Django catching the fox , we
made the short walk to the fields near the
Bog and I headed out around the bog to the
right hand side so as to keep on the correct
side of the breeze to prevent any fox in the
bog scenting me, my father and Sean waited
just below the bog until I was in position
and then walked up the field and let Nettles
and Ranger in to hunt the bog that also held
plenty of briars and cover in pockets, I was
in a good position and could see the lads in
the distance beating the cover towards me,
then I could hear Ranger opening up with his
usual roar and nettles yapping away behind
him , it’s a great sound one of which I could
never tire of. The anticipation was really
starting to build now, I was sitting tight in
against an old fallen tree and was using its
branches as camouflage I could still see the
two dogs sporadically but couldn’t see the
fox they were pursuing. The fox could run
out of the bog and escape either side of the
bog but from experience I knew most foxes
we had hunted out of this bog always made
their escape at the bottom of the bog where
I had positioned myself, then all of a sudden
the fox appeared just below me ,I slowly
covered Fleas eyes and watched as the fox
cautiously stopped as he stepped out from
the bog before casually trotting out into the
open as he made a break for the old stone
wall, I waited until the fox was far enough
out from the cover that he could not turn
back then took my hand from in front of
Fleas eyes and let her loose after the fox s,
she was away from me fast and had made
good ground on the fox before he had even
heard her coming, the race was now on and
I could see the large red fox stretching out
in full flight with Flea doing likewise behind
him, Flea was now on terms with the fox
and as he went to wall she caught him and
tumbled over a great catch which she quickly
dispatched, Ranger and Nettles were still
howling away and were soon out of the bog
and over to see the large fox they had been
hunting so hard, Sean and my father were
still aways behind but when they did reach
me were happy to see the day had started off
so well and had a look at the footage of the
race on camera.
One fox down we started out across the
farm to try the earth, the scenery really is
stunning and as we paused to open and close
a gate we took a moment to appreciate the
surroundings of the Wicklow hills it really
is a beautiful landscape. We soon arrived at
the earth and Sean was glad of the chance
to stop and catch his breath, after securing
Flea and Ranger away from the possible dig
we entered Nettles but not before checking
her locator collar was working as it is an
essential piece of equipment for any terrier
or ferreting man nowadays , Nettles has a
great nose and we knew by her reaction on
the lead when we arrived at the earth that
their was a fox at home and this proved
through as not long after she had entered
the earth we could hear her sounding away
out in the field at what the locator said was
a depth of four foot, we find it is always a
little shallower than the depth shown on the
box and expected a dig of around two and
a half maybe three foot. We waited awhile
to let Nettles settle and checked again on
the locator box to see if her position and
depth were still the same, they were so me
and my father opened up the hole with the
spade and shovel all had gone quite below
ground as we were digging and we knew
that meant Nettles had got a grip of the fox,
for a small terrier she has accounted for a
lot of foxes below ground and had a knack
for dispatching them herself. The ground
was hard digging but we soon broke through
to find Nettles and the dead fox our second
fox of the day, we took Nettles and the fox
out of the hole before filling in the hole and
leaving the earth as we had found it. Sean
was very happy and said a friend of his had
seen a few foxes on his land a few miles
away if we fancied having a look around
someday he could give us the number ,this
was good news for us as it was the chance of
another piece of permission for , we buried
the fox as we had also done with the first
one , it was then we heard the rumbling of a
jeep coming up the field it was Sean’s wife
Sarah he had rang her to give us and him
more importantly a lift back to farm as he
didn’t fancy the walk, its not often you get
taxis when out in the fields bit we were glad
of this one as with the dark clouds rolling in
it looked as if a soaking would have been in
store for us while walking back to the farm.
It had been two very successful outings and
we had managed to do fox control which
was much appreciated by Sean as even do
we enjoy hunting it is nice to be able to help
out when asked as for sheep farmers their
livelihoods can be threatened by an on over
population of foxes in an area, but the fox
is a valuable part of the countryside and it
would be a lesser place without him in it ,
that is why fox control must be done in a
sensible manner the aim is not to wipe out
the fox but to control its numbers as any
hunter will agree respect for your quarry is
one of the most important things a hunter
needs to bring with him when heading out
across the fields.