With very changeable weather at foot, those of you with livestock need to be on guard! Temperatures randomly bouncing up and down can sometimes lead to the development of pneumonia in young livestock. The rapid changes of humidity and dampness provides the ideal conditions in the respiratory tract for the disease to develop.
With a sudden cold snap on the door step, some of you may feel tempted to make the accommodation as warm as possible, by blocking up vents and shutting doors. This will restrict air flow, providing poor quality air, sometimes elevating the likelihood of pneumonia. Try finding a balance of keeping air flow moving in the shelter without allowing a notherly breeze flying directly through the door… Provide extra bedding, but don,t go over board “you get my point”. In doing so, you will find that the shelter will have a better temperature balance, reducing the risk of a call to the vet!
The first signs of pneumonia are generally, a heavy clear discharge from the nose, erratic breathing patterns and regular coughing. If you feel you may have early signs developing, call your vet! This condition can kill…