BESKERM JOU VEE TEEN VELDBRANDE
Veldbrande kan dikwels groot gebiede raak en honderde of duisende lewendehawe kan ernstig beseer word of hul lewens verloor.
Tydens die nadraai is spoedeisende en gepaste verstandige optrede noodsaaklik om beide verliese en dierelyding tot ‘n minimum te beperk. Diegene wat boere behulpsaam is en vee-eienaars moet as ‘n span saamwerk om die beste uitkomste te behaal. Indien die betrokke gebied ‘n rampbestuursplan en -span in plek het, is dit die beste manier om reaksies te koördineer. Indien daar nie so ‘n plan is nie, behoort ‘n rampbestuursplan vir die gebied ingestel te word vir toekomstige gebruik.
Vir vee hang die prognose af van die erns van die brandwonde en dit is noodsaaklik om die assessering van die betrokke diere op ‘n sistematiese wyse te doen. Gebaseer op navorsing wat in Australië gedoen is, behoort diere in drie groepe ingedeel te word.
Diere wat lig of matig geraak is
Dié diere sal maklik en normaal asemhaal, met min of geen hoes of kortasemheid nie. Die diere sal maklik kan loop en normaal kan eet en drink. Hare of wol mag geskroei wees en die vel mag slegs liggies geskroei wees (eerstegraadse brandwonde) oor beperkte gedeeltes van die liggaam. Dié matige, oppervlakkige brandwonde kan behandel word en indien diere goeie sorg, skuiling, voer en water kry, is die prognose baie goed.
Matig geaffekteerde gevalle
Dié diere mag kortasem wees, swaar asemhaal en hoes, maar nog steeds daartoe in staat wees om te loop, te staan en te vreet en te drink. Hulle mag meer ernstige wonde (tweedegraadse wonde) oor groter gedeeltes en reaktiewe onderhuidse swelling toon. Die vel op die diere se pote mag matig geaffekteer wees of glad nie. Hoewe kan moontlik ‘n mate van skade toon. As dié diere behoorlik behandel en versorg word tot hul op die pad na volkome herstel is, is hul prognose goed. Die besluit om diere meer intensief te behandel moet geneem word met inagneming van sekere faktore. Die getal diere, die beskikbaarheid van gepaste medikasie, die aantal verantwoordelike persone wat beskikbaar is om daaglikse evaluasies en behandelings uit te voer, die koste wat betrokke is en die waarde van die diere is alles faktore wat in ag geneem moet word. Skade aan speenopenings kan daartoe lei dat vroulike diere in die toekoms nie daartoe in staat sal wees om kalwers, lammers of boklammers te voed nie.
Diere wat ernstig geraak is
Dié groep sal gewoonlik ernstige asemhalingsprobleme toon en hoes weens die inasem van rook en/of nie kan loop, vreet of drink nie. Daar mag ernstige (derdegraadse) brandwonde oor verspreide areas wees, terwyl ernstige brandwonde op die laer bene ‘n besonder slegte teken is.
Aangesien die prognoses in dié gevalle swak is, selfs met besonder goeie behandeling, word rasionale en menswaardige genadedood aanbeveel om ‘n einde aan lyding te bring.
Behandeling
Die toewysing van gevalle aan dié drie kategorieë is noodwendig ietwat subjektief en dit moet gemaak word met inagneming van die diere sowel as die eienaars se beste belange.
Die getal diere, die beskikbaarheid van gepaste medikasie, die aantal verantwoordelike persone wat beskikbaar is om daaglikse evaluasies en behandelings uit te voer, die koste wat betrokke is en die waarde van die diere is alles faktore wat in ag geneem moet word. Diere wat nie op behandeling reageer nie moet moontlik na ‘n laer kategorie toegewys word.
Behandelings sal onderhewig wees aan die besluite van veeartse, maar die volgende mag van hulp wees:
- Vir ligte tot matige brandwonde moet aktuele versagmiddels, rome, wondsalf of antiseptiese middels oorweeg word. Vir ernstige wonde in baie waardevolle diere word geregistreerde produkte aanbeveel.
- Sistemiese antibiotika word sterk aanbeveel vir alle gevalle waar die longe beskadig is, of waar ‘n sekondêre infeksie ‘n gevaar is. Baie lewens kan so gespaar word. Analgetika kan waar moontlik ingespan word om die ernstige pyn wat deur brandwonde veroorsaak word, te verlig. As ‘n dier wat met analgetika behandel is doodgaan, kan die karkas egter ‘n bedreiding vir aasvoëls inhou en daarom moet daar op ‘n veilige manier van die karkas ontslae geraak word.
Ondanks oënskynlike swak prognoses, kan sommige van die diere herstel as hulle goed versorg word en die gepaste behandeling ontvang. Dit sluit beskermde verbande, antiseptiese middels, beddegoed, kos en water in. Die hoef kan weer binne ‘n paar weke vorm, hoewel dit tot ‘n mate misvorm mag wees.
Noodslagting
Slegs lewendehawe wat aan die Vleisveiligheidsregulasies voldoen in terme van die vereistes vir die aanvaarding van diere vir noodslagtings, mag vervoer word. Erg beseerde en onvanpaste diere mag onder geen omstandighede na abattoirs vervoer word nie, aangesien dit tot onnodige lyding en verwerping by die abattoir sal lei. Konsulteer vooraf met die naaste abattoir om te bepaal of lewendehawe gepas is vir slagting.
PROTECT YOUR STOCK AGAINST VELD FIRES
Veld fires can often affect large areas and hundreds or thousands of livestock can be severely injured or killed.
In the aftermath, quick and appropriate sensible action is needed to both limit losses and minimise animal suffering. All involved must work together as a team to achieve the best outcomes. If there is a disaster management plan and team for the area, this should be the preferred way to co-ordinate responses. If not, a disaster management plan should be introduced for the area for use in the future.
For livestock, the prognosis depends on the severity of the burns and other injuries and it is essential to make assessments of affected animals in a systematic way. Based on investigations undertaken in Australia, animals should be categorised into three groups.
Mildly or lightly affected animals
These animals would be breathing easily and normally, with little or no coughing or breathing difficulty. They walk easily and are able to eat and drink normally. Hair or wool may be scorched and the skin only lightly scalded (first degree burns) over limited areas of the body. These mild, superficial burns may be treated, and provided that animals are given good care, shelter, food and water, the prognosis for them is very good.
Moderately affected cases
These animals may have some difficult or heavy breathing and coughing, but are able to walk, stand, eat and drink. They may have more severe burns (second degree) over more extensive areas and reactive subcutaneous oedema. Skin on the legs could be mildly affected or not involved. Hooves may show some sloughing. If these animals are properly treated and cared for until they are well on the road to full recovery, their prognosis is good.
Damage to the teat openings can result in a later inability to suckle calves, lambs or kids.
Severely affected animals
This group will usually exhibit severe breathing difficulties and coughing due to smoke inhalation; in addition, or alternately, they cannot walk, eat or drink. There may be severe (third degree) burns over extensive areas, and any severe burns on the lower legs are a particularly bad sign. Since the prognosis in these cases is poor, even with heroic treatment, it is rational and humane in many cases to advise euthanasia to end suffering.
Allocation of cases to these three categories is of necessity somewhat subjective and must be made considering the best interests of the animals as well as the owners.
Treatment
The decision to treat animals more intensively has to be taken while keeping several factors in mind. The number of animals, the availability of appropriate medication, responsible people to carry out daily evaluations and treatments, the costs involved and the value of the animals must all be considered. Animals failing to respond may have to be reassigned to a lower category.
Treatments used will depend on the decisions of veterinarians, but the following should be of use as a guideline:
- For mild to moderate burns consider using topical emollients, creams, wound remedies or antiseptics. Some may have to be used off-label. For severe burns in very valuable animals, registered products are indicated.
- Systemic antibiotics are strongly recommended in all cases where the lungs may be compromised, or secondary infection is a danger. This can save many lives.
- Analgesics should always be used wherever possible because of the severe pain that results from burns. However, if an animal that has been treated with some analgesics dies, its carcass can pose a danger to vultures and therefore the carcass must be disposed of safely.
In spite of an apparently poor prognosis some animals can recover, provided proper care and treatments are given. Sloughed hooves are not a death sentence, provided proper daily care can be given. This included protective bandaging, antiseptics, bedding, food and water. The hoof can form again within a few weeks although it may be deformed to some extent.
Emergency slaughter
Only livestock that comply with the Meat Safety Act Regulations that specify the criteria required for acceptance of animals for emergency slaughter at abattoirs may be transported. On no account can badly injured and unsuitable animals be dispatched to abattoirs as this will lead to further needless suffering and rejection at the abattoir. Consult with the nearest abattoir on the suitability of livestock for emergency slaughter beforehand.