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Updated tetanus vaccination guidelines

Tetanus is a life-threatening disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. The bacteria can gain access to the body through 'risk events', such as wounds, hoof abscesses and surgical incisions. All ages of horses can be affected and it is recommended that all horses in New Zealand are vaccinated against tetanus....

The dangers of cross-species substance use

Over the last few years, we have seen sporadic cases of horses developing adverse reactions following the administration of drugs that were intended for use in other species. These have included:severe, potentially life threatening, myositis reactions from injectable vitamin and mineral supplementations (such as B12 and selenium injections),skin reactions from off label use of cattle pour-ons,abscesses developing on the neck from contaminated medication that had been stored incorrectly.&nbs...

The Lameness Detective

Lameness is one of the most common reasons our equine veterinarians are called to look at your horse. It can be a significant cause of pain or distress and may even be life threatening. Meanwhile, more subtle lameness can be performance-limiting, causing gait irregularities, affecting speed, or contributing to behavioural abnormalities. Fully investigating lameness in your horse requires some detective work, involving a combination of:a full clinical examination,palpation of the limbs ...

Advances in AI with frozen semen

The use of frozen semen when breeding compared to fresh and chilled semen has many advantages. The most obvious being the ability to pick and choose the sire from just about anywhere and access his semen before mating.However, there are also disadvantages. Frozen semen typically involves intensive reproductive management and expensive logistics for its storage and distribution. It is more fragile than chilled or fresh semen and needs to be inseminated close to ovulation, requiring a more in...

How to use a colostrometer

Good quality colostrum is vital for passive transfer of immunity to your foal (read more here).The first step to ensure your mare has good colostrum is to test it immediately after she foals. The easiest way to do this is with a colostrometer, or Brix Refractometer, which you can get from any of our clinics.Below is a handy guide on how to use the Brix Refractometer and how to interpret the results:Step 1: Collect a small amount of colostrum from the mare....

Colostrum: Liquid GOLD

Did you know that, hands down, the single most important thing you can do for your foal is to ensure it gets colostrum from its mother (or another mare)?The importance of colostrum to the foal's health and its ability to fight disease can't be understated. Newborn foals, like calves and lambs, get all their immunity from colostrum, which tides them through until they are able to produce their own antibodies at around six months of age....

Is ketosis robbing your herd?

One of the most widespread diseases preventing cows getting in calf in New Zealand is subclinical ketosis. There is no doubt it is impacting farms across our region, with 75% of cows within our herds falling victim in spring*.Subclinical ketosis is a ‘silent disease’ that cannot be seen visually but quietly exists, robbing cows of energy and compromising their performance and health.Recent NZ studies of subclinical ketosis revealed a staggering 7% reduction in 6-week in-calf rates**.Through ...

Why keep your cows “metri” clean?

With spring nearly in full swing, the small window of time for your cows to recover from calving and prepare for mating is upon us After calving, most cows’ uteruses will become contaminated with bacteria. While the majority of cows will clear these infections naturally, around 10-20% won’t and these cows will develop endometritis. Endometritis can delay the cycling of a cow, which will reduce conception rates. Sometimes, these infections can spread deeper into the tissues and cause me...

Cow wearables at repro season

Repro season is a critical period in dairy farming as it significantly impacts the productivity and profitability of the entire operation. As farmers approach this critical time, cow wearable technology becomes increasingly important for several reasons:...

Tech Talk: Disbudding

Believe it or not, it's that time of year again - the calves have arrived and it's time to disbud. This is my favourite time of year, as it's always great catching up on how calving has been going and checking out the future of the herd....

Mastering mastitis with Mastatest

Mastitis is the most common disease in New Zealand dairy cattle and it is known that the two weeks either side of calving is when a cow is most at risk.DairyNZ agrees that rapidly finding and treating clinical cases in the calving period reduces the likelihood of infections being passed to other cows and the development of chronic infections.The cost of mastitis across the New Zealand dairy industry is estimated to be around $180 million per year. So, being able to test milk samples, identi...

Keep an eye out for pink eye

Pink eye is the most common eye condition in cattle, affecting all breeds and ages, with calves being especially vulnerable. Although most animals recover, serious cases can lead to permanent blindness. Pink eye is also economically important to cattle farmers as disease incurs significant costs, including:treatments costs;disruptions to seasonal management of stock;production losses through reduced growth rates in young animals, and losses of milk production, weight gain and mating perform...

Slips: How many is too many?

You’ve probably all experienced the odd cow that slips once she gets to the runoff after a truck ride and maybe a couple who slip over winter, but how many is too many and what should you do about it?The short answer: Slips are very frustrating, not only for you, but for us as vets. As a general rule of thumb, if you have greater than 2% slips from when you dried off, then you should be concerned. It can be hard to assess how bad the problem is, especially when slips are just tr...

Improving cow fertility with Multimin

The pioneer multiple trace element injection in New Zealand, MULTIMIN is a unique concept of supplementation for cattle, used by farmers throughout the country.Contains copper, selenium, zinc and manganese for immune support.Chelated formulation that is safe and tissue friendly.Absorbed into blood within 8 hours and transferred to the liver within 24 hours.Scientifically proven in New Zealand conditions to enhance reproductive performance....

Successful repro takes a team approach

Establishing a pregnancy is a step-by-step process that begins in the previous lactation. Fresh cows are uniquely challenged by the stress of calving and a suppressed immune system, at a time when their energy intake cannot keep up with demands. The result is a negative energy balance and a greater risk of metabolic and reproductive diseases such as metritis.Transition cow management is critical to prepare cows for calving, as well as providing the nutrients they need to improve their ...

A tech’s guide to calf rearing

Winton tech Alice shares her many years of experience with calf rearing.Many of you will recognise Alice as one of our techs from the Winton clinic, but she's also got 9 years of calf rearing experience under her belt. Now contract milking on a local Winton farm with her partner, she raises 200 replacements each year, as well as 50-60 beefies. We caught up with her to find out her top tips and tricks for a successful season....

Johne's disease in ewes

Vet Emily looks at ways to reduce the threat of this chronic wasting disease.Johne's disease is an important cause of ewe wastage on sheep farms. It is a bacterial disease of domestic ruminant species, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. In sheep, it results in a chronic wasting disease....

Calf rearing Q&A

You asked, we answered. Vet Keryn tackles your calf rearing questions....

Winter nutrition for working dogs

Some key points for looking after your team through the winter and having them ready in the spring for another busy season.With another busy spring looming large in the farming calendar, your working dog team will need to be in optimum condition. Here is some key nutritional information to help you look after your dogs through the winter months, so they are ready for action when you need them....

A case of nitrate toxicity

Last winter, we were called out to a farm in Southland after a farmer found several dead sheep and others staggering around, as if drunk, on a kale crop.Suspecting nitrate toxicity, the farmer moved the rest of the mob off the kale and onto grass. Unfortunately, as they were being shifted, the ataxic (uncoordinated) ewes all proceeded to pass away within minutes.The 700-strong mob was made up of two tooths scanned with triplets and twins and they had been transitioned onto the crop a week before...

Liquid gold

Find out how good colostrum management can set your calves up, with lifetime benefits.Good colostrum management is the NUMBER ONE factor in your calves' health. This is your best opportunity to prevent the nightmare that is a shed of scouring or sick calves, and the amount of work and devotion that goes into their care.Its benefits extend well beyond the first week of life, bringing reduced risk of pre- and post-weaning mortality, scours and disease, improved weight gain, and even greater milk p...

Hate that feeling of food stuck in your teeth? So does your horse!

Just like us, horses can have gaps in their teeth and, just like us, food can get stuck in them! It is so important for horses to have a complete, sedated oral examination at least once a year to identify problems and remove any nasty, smelly grass or feed that has gotten stuck.Why? When food is left stuck between your horse’s teeth, known as diastema, it packs in over time and creates painful pressure on their gums. It also acts as a great breeding ground for bacteria!  Once th...

Meet the equine team: Anna

Anna Smillie is the latest new graduate to join our Invercargill clinic as a mixed animal vet, looking after our equine and small animal clients.Whilst she was born and raised in urban Dunedin, she spent all the time she could out in the paddocks riding horses.Anna originally studied at Otago University and gained a BSc in Microbiology, before deciding to change direction and apply for vet school. She has since spent the last 5 years studying Veterinary Science at Massey University; graduating i...

Triple drench resistance remains high

Another faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) season has come to a close and we have had some interesting and concerning results, showing continued high levels of resistance to triple combination drenches.We performed 11 reduction tests in 2023 - three from the west and 8 from the east. Below is a graph showing the results:...

Barber’s Pole worm found in Southland

Haemonchus contortus, also known as Barber’s Pole worm, has been found in sheep in Southland this autumn. Previously, it was believed that the region was Haemonchus-free, until I headed out to visit a group of sick mixed age ewes back in March....