Veld fires and livestock: advice on animal treatment decisions

Dr Claudia Cardoso, lecturer in Ruminant Health and Production, and Dr Rhoda Leask, senior lecturer in Ruminant Health and Production, both of the Department of Production Animal Studies in the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Veterinary Science, offer some advice on treating livestock affected by veld fires.

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Veld fires are common in South Africa and according to local studies will increase in frequency over the next three decades. Farmers are emotionally and financially affected by fires, sustaining losses including feed, facilities, livestock, and future performance of surviving livestock exposed to smoke.

The decision-making process about treating animals affected by fires therefore needs to integrate several factors, including the severity of the burn and its clinical prognosis; availability of skilled personnel to care for the animals; adequate shelter, feed and water; cost of treatment; and long-term consequences for reproductive performance due to smoke exposure. Offering prognostic hope for moderately burned animals without neglecting their welfare, as contemplated in local legislation, can help mitigate the sense of loss that farmers experience in these situations.

BURN INJURIES

Live tissue burns are the most common lesion observed on livestock victims of veld fires. These lesions occur due to direct contact with flames or due to heat radiation from flames. Management of severe burn lesions is difficult due to the type of care and resources needed, costs involved, and the length of the healing time.

Massive loss of fluid and electrolytes leads to shock in animals with partial-thickness burns (second degree) of more than 15% total body surface area (TBSA) and/or more than 5% TBSA full-thickness burns (third degree). Hence, life-saving intravenous fluid therapy (resuscitation) is necessary in these cases. Moreover, smoke inhalation can severely affect the respiratory system and increase the severity of the burn injury, although it may not be detectable during the first seven to 10 days.

ASSESSING THE ANIMALS AND ASSIGNING PRIORITIES