Owner`s manual

Maintaining Livestock Health After a Flood
ISSUES OF DISEASE CONTROL AND SANITATION
If your fields or farm buildings
have been flooded, take special
precautions against flood-related
accidents or diseases in poultry
and livestock. Give animals extra
care, particularly if they have
been stranded by floodwater,
and have been off regular
feeding schedules. Keep fields
clear of harmful debris, and
clean buildings as soon as
possible. In addition, watch for
signs of flood-related diseases,
such as lameness, fever,
difficulty breathing, muscle
contractions or swelling of
shoulder, chest, back, neck or
throat. Be prepared to contact a
veterinarian if you spot trouble.
DISEASE CONTROL
Following a flood there may be danger of infectious diseases in livestock,
but unless serious outbreaks of infection have occurred recently, the
situation should not be alarming. Observe these precautions:
♦ Where large numbers of animals are assembled, watch for any
indication of infectious diseases such as pneumonia, foot rot or
leptospirosis. These diseases are more likely to occur where cattle are
crowded on wet ground and where horn flies and houseflies are
abundant.
♦ Promptly report any sign of disease to a local, state or federal
veterinarian.
♦ Contact a veterinarian about vaccinating animals for immunity from
flood-related diseases such as anthrax, blackleg and swine erysipelas.
FEED AND WATER
♦ Provide clean, uncontaminated water.
♦ Inspect feeds such as corn, wheat and hay. Do not feed
flood-damaged or moldy hay unless it has been tested for mycotoxins,
toxic substances produced by fungi.
♦ Do not use any feed or forage that may have been contaminated by
chemicals or pesticides.
PASTURELAND
♦ Standing water may have ruined some pastures. Lack of adequate
forage could force animals to eat poisonous plants. Remove fallen
wild cherry limbs from pastures to prevent livestock poisoning.
♦ Before restocking flooded pastures, remove debris, especially along
fence lines and in corners. Livestock could be injured from pieces of
barbed wire, sharp metal and trash.
PROTECTING DAIRY COWS
♦ Try to milk at regular times. It is better to lose the milk from one
milking than to stress high producing cows.
♦ If you must use a neighbor's milking parlor, try to keep the two herds
separate.
University of Wisconsin-Extension • Cooperative Extension FLOOD-FARM RECOVERY
more information