Post Flood Paddock Issues

Grazing animals on previously flooded paddocks

After next wave of floods have just hit many areas once again this year.

Paddocks are often a NO GO zone for good 8-12 weeks after .

*I thought I’d just jot down a few points as many ppl have a lot to deal with or sort out after floods and often we forget or busy and overlook some key things

Dirty flood waters with many pollutants. Salty water, acid sulphate run off from soils , chemicals, raw sewerage animals has been large contamination source for lot of areas.

If paddocks have been poor minerals nutritional health before floods, had fertiliser or large synthetics added to system including herbicides like glyphosate, dicamba.

Water has sat for long periods of time on saturated compacted soils. No oxygen moving through the profile. Soil microbiome is very unhappy

It’s a pathogen breeding ground

Salmonella and E.coli an array of nasty bugs that will be out of balance and bad guys are high in numbers , these make your animals incredibly sick. Salmonella can be present in paddocks for up to * 4-7mths after exposure. shorter exposure periods when high temp. Cooler / damp poor soil health /environment the longer time.

We have all seen more than we need to with these floods and devastation on horses and livestock.

We often see increase in external parasites

And internal worms high egg counts (FEC) after floods

Other clostridium bacteria in livestock raise their head -import to vaccinate with 7in1 if needed.

Withholding periods may also apply to you for animals entering affected areas that are to be processed for human consumption.

Both external skin /hoof issues, but also digestive upsets. I’ll thrift -poor weight gains.

Fertility and pregnant livestock may be effected calving issues or slipped calves ( and issues with nutrition and energy needs if they have stressed this close to calving / birth yes animal are tough but the forecasts are not looking great for next month or so)

Are all common occurrence in months after floods. Keep immune and gut health with good feed sources is important here. Many animals are sick/recovering/ stressed / dealing with trauma.

Seek veterinary help immediately for help with these animals. many services from vets in flood areas working on this.

Keep close eye on horses and livestock's vitals and clinical symptoms they may present with. And monitor feed source for mould -

Food- Much hay has been donated or is only source of dry matter available, with increased moisture around it is going “off” in a matter of days and any hay should be added to your compost manure piles for short hot or long cold compost processes.

mycotoxins will be another issues of "stress” in pasture to be aware off for untreated paddocks post flood recovery.

Seeding out paddocks and stacking plant nutrition & boosting biology along with natural bio stimulant to prep paddocks for grazing in 3 months time while they are fenced off is a. Proactive steps forward.

Systems Have been stalled and lower succession pasture should be where you start nothing over top or fancy . Work on this once functional soil health and improved pasture nutrition has returned.

Always stay on side of caution our horses and livestock mean so much to us all. And last thing you want is your favorite to be sick from the paddock .

Take care reach out if you need to talk 

Farm visits - Rotations and catch up appointments will start back soon