increase font size
Leptospirosis is widespread on New Zealand livestock farms.
Leptospirosis is widespread on New Zealand livestock farms and a webinar hosted by Zoetis on March 19 will provide resources and insights into understanding and preventing the disease.
Recent findings indicate that 97% of sheep farms, 97% of beef farms and 76% of deer farms have Leptospirosis present. Humans primarily catch Leptospirosis from exposure to infected livestock or wild animals, so prevention of Leptospirosis in animals is central to protecting the health of both humans and animals.
The early symptoms of Leptospirosis often seem harmless enough, but the disease can cause severe illness, including liver damage, kidney failure, meningitis, heart failure, lung inflammation and pregnancy loss.
As a bacterial disease which affects both humans and animals (including farmed livestock), the effects of Leptospirosis on rural communities can be severe and wide-ranging.
Last year saw the largest number of people diagnosed with Leptospirosis for 20 years, which highlights the urgent need for education on safeguarding both human and animal health.
With over half of people diagnosed with Leptospirosis hospitalised and the detrimental effects on the health of livestock reported to be on the rise, Zoetis are set to host a webinar on Tuesday, 19 March at 12pm.
Hosted by Laura Beasley, veterinarian at Zoetis, the webinar will feature rural specialists including: Matt Wyeth, chief executive, chairman and general shepherd at Spring Valley Enterprises; Tim Scotland, director at Southern Rangitikei Veterinary Services, a production animal veterinarian with a specialisation in dairy cattle; and Jackie Benschop, Professor of Veterinary Public Health.
Wyeth will share his personal experience with Leptospirosis, underscoring the critical importance of awareness and prevention.
“Really I was quite lucky that it was a hospital used to treating rural cases and they picked it up that I most likely had Lepto.”
Intensive treatment with antibiotics and an eight day stay in hospital were needed before he could return home, but recovery was not rapid.
“It was really six months before I could get back into doing things on the farm properly.
“Even today, three years later, I can occasionally feel the aftereffects if I am getting a bit run down,” says Wyeth.
Scotland brings a wealth of real-world experience as a vet dealing with Leptospirosis outbreaks among livestock in the Lower North Island. As a veterinarian and epidemiologist, Benschop has become a renowned leader of Leptospirosis research within New Zealand and will highlight her knowledge, gained from her team’s research, as well as their ongoing efforts to understand this disease.
Farmers, veterinarians and anyone interested in the well-being of livestock and humans are encouraged to join this informative webinar to learn more about Leptospirosis, its impact, early symptoms, the importance of prompt diagnosis, and the potential severe consequences for humans and stock.
Event Details
Date: Tuesday 19th March, 2024
Time: 12pm - 1pm
Registrations: https://zoetis.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zllwPwUSoav7fjTeinJXQ
The team at Totally Vets, led by Dr Peter Aitken, have worked with Zoetis to test a new synchrony programme on Manawatu dairy farms, with their study finding real-world improvements in heifer reproductive performance.
Milton dairy farmer Chris Wills says he began using probiotics in spring 2023 to address somatic cell count (SCC) grades when cows transitioned from their winter barn to lush spring pasture.
Treat your farm boundary like a border. This was one of the messages delivered to farmers at a recent Beef + Lamb New Zealand Protect Your Patch workshop in Lincoln.
Feeding infected milk is high risk for spreading diseases such as M. bovis.
To ensure optimal growth, health, and wellbeing of calves, feeding strategies should be considered carefully.
Fonterra has unveiled the first refrigerated electric truck to deliver dairy products across Auckland.
Research and healthcare initiatives, leadership and dedication to the sector have been recognised in the 2025 Horticulture Industry Awards.
Virtual fencing and pasture management company Halter says its NZ operations has delivered a profit of $2.8 million after exclusion of notional items.
Manuka honey trader Comvita slumped to a $104 million net loss last financial year, reflecting prolonged market disruption, oversupply and pricing volatility.
The Government has struck a deal with New Zealand's poultry industry, agreeing how they will jointly prepare for and respond to exotic poultry diseases, including any possible outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI).
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
OPINION: Milking It reckons if you're National, looking at recent polls, the dream scenario is that the elusive economic recovery…
OPINION: Sydney has a $12 million milk disposal problem.
