Publication Date
1993
Description
Facial eczema (FE) is a hepatogenous photosensitization disease of ruminants which causes severe losses in agricultural revenue in New Zealand. It is caused by sprophytic, a myotoxin produced by the saprophytic pastoral fungus Pilllomyces chartarum. Zinc (Zn) salts, given to animals before exposure to the toxin, protect against the harmful effects of sporidesmin. Large amounts of Zn are required and dosing must be continued, at regular intervals, throughout the period when animals are exposed to the fungus. While practicable for dairy cattle, these requirements preclude the routine use of Zn for FB prophylaxis in sheep. For these animals, a slow-release device would be ideal, A prototype intra-ruminal device which releases Zn over a 12-week period has been developed and shown to give good protection to sheep against experimental challenge with sporidesmin. If large-scale production is possible, this device may offer a practical solution to the problem of FE in sheep.
Citation
Munday, R; Fowke, E A.; Thompson, A M.; Wesselink, C; and Towers, N R., "A Slow Release Intra-Ruminal Device for Protection against Facial Eczema in Sheep" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 13.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1993/session39/13
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
A Slow Release Intra-Ruminal Device for Protection against Facial Eczema in Sheep
Facial eczema (FE) is a hepatogenous photosensitization disease of ruminants which causes severe losses in agricultural revenue in New Zealand. It is caused by sprophytic, a myotoxin produced by the saprophytic pastoral fungus Pilllomyces chartarum. Zinc (Zn) salts, given to animals before exposure to the toxin, protect against the harmful effects of sporidesmin. Large amounts of Zn are required and dosing must be continued, at regular intervals, throughout the period when animals are exposed to the fungus. While practicable for dairy cattle, these requirements preclude the routine use of Zn for FB prophylaxis in sheep. For these animals, a slow-release device would be ideal, A prototype intra-ruminal device which releases Zn over a 12-week period has been developed and shown to give good protection to sheep against experimental challenge with sporidesmin. If large-scale production is possible, this device may offer a practical solution to the problem of FE in sheep.
