Have you been wondering how smoke and ash might affect your animals, especially your livestock? Here, Dr Fiona McPhail from Yass Valley Veterinary gives some advice...
Smoke and ash fallout is usually well tolerated by livestock.
Horses may exhibit minor respiratory issues including coughing and high respiratory rates due to the respiratory irritation.
They may also suffer from eye irritation and increased tear production.
Moderate ash fallout may impact pasture palatability.
If possible, place livestock on pastures that have the lowest ash burden.
If this is not possible, increasing bail feeding or supplementing with hay or silage will be important to maintain production.
But make sure to change ratios slowly to allow your livestock to adjust.
Providing animals haven't been burnt, studies to date have not found long-term effects for animals being exposed to smoke and ash from fires.
Providing animals haven't been burnt, studies to date have not found long-term effects for animals being exposed to smoke and ash from fires.
Further, there are no known food safety issues which arise from exposure to smoke and ash during bushfires.
If you are worried about your livestock during this bushfire season, please give us a call on (02) 6226 4444.
- Yass Valley Veterinary can be found at: Yass Veterinary Hospital, 72 Laidlaw St, Yass and Murrumbateman Veterinary Hospital, 8 Hillview Dr, Murrumbateman.
