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While deer are stunning animals, cattle farmers shouldn’t get too taken with them. They could potentially carry many risks to their herd.

Deer have been known to spreading diseases like TB and Schmallenberg virus which have ravaged Irish cattle herds in recent years.

TB is a notifiable disease and tests for it are compulsory on cattle farms. Schmallenberg virus isn’t a notifiable illness, but it can cause devastating deformities in calves.

When we think of the spread of bovine TB, more often than not we think of badgers. They are the most commonly infected wildlife species.

However deer can also carry the infection. Although bovine TB is less widespread in them, a cow is a lot more likely to interact with a deer if they happen to be near one another.

When a calf gets colostrum from their mother it kick starts their almost non-existent immune system and in the meantime it gives them some passive immunity.

It is a temporary boost until their immune system develops enough to do its job.

However, sometimes a calf doesn’t get enough from colostrum to protect them. This could be for a number of reasons either relating to the cow, or to the environment the calf is born into.

Even if the calf gets enough colostrum, there are blind spots. For example, there is one immediately after birth and before passive immunity begins.

Another exists at 4-7 weeks when the protection of passive immunity disappears but before the calf’s active immune system builds up