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Rounding up repro results across the region

Thanks to all our dairy farmers who came out to help celebrate the wrap-up of the reproduction season at our two recent Repro Round-Up events in Gore and Winton. These evenings give us a chance to show our appreciation to our local farmers for using our services and being fantastic partners in the dairy industry. It was one of the best seasons we’ve had in a while, so it was great to highlight the results and come together for an awesome night off the farm ­– everyone scrubs up well!A key f...

Preventing zoonotic illnesses

They can be bacterial, viral, parasitical, or fungal. Below are some of the main ones to watch out for and ways to help protect yourself against them: ...

The importance of the transition period over calving

In my opinion, this is something that has traditionally been not well considered, and there are significant animal health and production benefits if prioritised!  Conversely, if done poorly, cows will enter into a negative energy balance, lose excessive condition and often enter a state of subclinical ketosis (SCK). Recent data has shown that, on average, 75% of cows within New Zealand are affected by subclinical ketosis at some stage during the calving period. There can be large ...

Could your pet have kidney disease?

Unfortunately, symptoms are often overlooked and put down to normal ageing. However, if kidney disease is diagnosed early, it can be treated, and its progression managed. The kidneys filter waste products from the blood and remove them from your pet’s body in urine. Their other functions include conserving water, releasing various hormones, controlling blood pressure, and regulating mineral levels, such as sodium and potassium. Some symptoms of kidney disease are very subtle, while o...

'Twisted gut' in working dogs

Gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV), commonly called “twisted gut”, is one of the most important reasons that proven, hard working dogs are lost from your farm team. It has long been reported to be more common in deep chested, large breeds of dogs. It frequently happens in Huntaway dogs, but only occasionally in Heading dogs.Across all dog breeds, there is a higher incidence of GDV in male dogs than in females. Other predisposing factors leading to the condition include:Being underweight;...

Ovine embryo transfer (E.T.)

Ovine embryo transfer (E.T.) has been around for a while now and creates a fast way of improving the genetic gains of a sheep flock.The process provides the possibility for a top ewe, with prime genetics, to reproduce a lot more lambs than what she would be able to naturally. There are two options available:You can buy embryos to introduce new genetics to your flock and implant them in your recipient ewes: 'Embryo Transfer' (E.T.).You can use your own donor ewes with exc...

Life without drench capsules – it is possible!

Long-acting drench capsules have been part of sheep farming history on some southern farms, and now we face a future without them. Some drench capsules are currently under review and we expect this to take some time. But, don’t despair - this change may save your bacon when it comes to drench resistance!There is no doubt that providing parasite control for 100 days during lambing and lactation supports ewes to make more milk, maintain their condition and grow bigger lambs. However, we can...

Lambs: The final push to the gate!

It's the time of year when most farmers will not have too many lambs left, but, we do still see some around. What’s the plan for them and what do you need to consider?If you're wanting to hold onto them to get some heavier lambs late in the season, just make sure that they are NOT eating feed that your ewes need!Ewe feeding through the winter and late gestation is super important for next year's lamb crop, so just be careful not to jeopardise this.If you don't have enough feed for your lambs, ...

Are your hinds hitting in-calf targets?

Just as with sheep and cattle, scanning your hinds can give you valuable information for the season ahead and also allow for some short-term decisions to be made.Ideally, you are aiming for a 99% in-calf rate for mixed-age hinds, and at least 95% for two year-olds. If you are not hitting these targets, then it is important to look into your mating plan, trace elements and hind condition. Having a discussion with your vet will also be hugely valuable.With any empty hinds, a decision nee...

Avoiding parasites – all stock classes

If we can be successful at avoiding parasites, we will be able to farm into the future without the need to rely so heavily on drenches to keep our stock healthy! If you're farming with resistance, or wanting to avoid resistance, AVOID THE PARASITES. No matter where you are on the journey, it's important!Here are some tips on how to achieve this over the next few months:Getting rid of young stockHopefully your works stock is all gone, or leaving very soon. Getting rid of young stock early wi...

Making the most of winter shearing

Every farmer is continually assessing risk vs opportunity and shearing decisions are no different.We see many shearing decisions being tweaked in the current farming climate. It's all part of the reassessment process that we go through to assist with maximum production from minimal cost.Shearing ewes during the winter must be well planned out - feed and shelter are essentials that must be available....

Meet the vet flock: James

Hey, I’m James, a mixed animal vet based in Winton, with the odd few days in the Invercargill clinic....

Treatment and care of haematomas

A sudden large lump discovered on your horse can be quite distressing when first noticed. This is probably going to be a haematoma. A haematoma is a solid swelling of clotted blood within the tissues. They occur from trauma to an area (often a kick from another horse) and are commonly found on the chest (between the front legs) and also on the hindquarters (down the back legs).The swelling that follows the trauma can vary from firm to fluctuant and localised pain and heat may also...

Preventing dental disease

Horse’s teeth continually erupt throughout their lifetime, which means that regular dentistry is essential to prevent and identify problems....

Bent-legged foals

Each year we see several foals born with limb deformities, or ‘bent’ legs. Sometimes, these can be quite a challenge to correct.Limb deformities come in two types:Angular limb deformities (bends), Rotational limb deformities (twists). The majority of limb deformities are angular (as shown in the photo) and, fortuitously, they are easier to correct than a rotated leg.*Limb angulation in foals is different to contracture of legs, which is a disorder that causes the tendons to be real...

Managing Johne's disease

Johne's disease is a commonly accepted and costly problem in Southland, causing large losses from drops in production and premature culling.The disease is caused by a bacteria (mycobacterium paratuburculosis) that targets and damages the gut lining, leading to the 2 main signs of Johne's: Watery ‘hose-pipe’ diarrhoea. Progressive weight loss.What makes Johne's so unique (and frustrating to identify/treat) is the long period between infection and clinical signs....

Do you know how to recognise Equine Cushing’s syndrome (PPID)?

PPID is the most common endocrine disorder in horses and ponies, with as many as one in seven over the age of 15 affected. It can occasionally be seen in younger horses as well. As such, it is something that many horse owners have heard about or will know of a horse or pony that has suffered from it. However, without first-hand experience of this condition, recognising clinical signs can be difficult and they can sometimes be put down to the horse 'just getting old'.  ...

Senior horses: Optimising their health and happiness

They help us chase our dreams, provide us with stress relief, teach our children responsibility and willingly offer to work for us. In return, all they ask is that we care for them, keep them fed, sheltered, healthy and happy. As they get older, their health needs change, so once your beloved equine enters his mid-late teens, you may need to start thinking about how their bodies are changing. For example, they may:  lose muscle condition, through no longer being in work or age-rel...

Regular grooming helps keep your dog in tip-top shape!

No matter the weather, our furry friends love to get outside, have some fun and make an absolute mess of themselves (and the garden)!  As a responsible pet owner, our matted and unruly-haired companions need our help to manage their coats. Well maintained coats provide numerous benefits for our animals’ health, comfort and overall wellbeing.  Clipping is required for several breeds of dogs for many reasons: Temperature control Dogs with thick or long coats may str...

A vet tech's take on teat sealing

Teat sealing preparations begin well before the season starts.There are so many moving parts to make teat sealing a success and we are so lucky to have such a well-oiled machine. From vets consulting with clients; retail and inventory staff ensuring the correct stock is ordered and delivered; the operations team triple-checking trucks and trailers for any maintenance that needs completed; HR hiring new staff and ensuring we all have the correct PPE (personal protective equipment) and traini...

Be wary of weeds!

At the start of January, I went out to a farm to look at two down cows who were found recumbent in the paddock during morning milking. On examination, they presented with classic milk fever signs: S-bend in the neck, increased but quiet heart rate, dried faeces and a reduced rectal temperature of 36.5°C. The cows were given metabolic bags containing calcium borogluconate into the vein and under the skin, and responded shortly after....

Catching cancer eye early

We see a lot of cancer eye (otherwise known as squamous cell carcinoma). As the name suggests, it's a cancer of the eye, which can affect the eyelids, eyeball or 'third eyelid' (the eyelid that slides across the eye) and it is as bad as it sounds....

Tips for transporting cull cows

Unfortunately, there comes that day when you need to send your cull cows to the works. Just getting these animals out of the paddock and putting them straight onto the truck isn't enough and can cause health and animal welfare issues. This isn't something you want for girls that have served you well for years (and you probably don’t want to pay any fines either)!Despite everyone's efforts to ensure animals don’t have to wait too long at the works, cows can end up waiting in lairage for ...

Are cow wearables benefitting our repro season?

With the rising popularity of wearable technologies in dairy herds, it is opening a wealth of data for analysis that can be of benefit to both the farms using it and non-users.In particular, collars/tags record when a cow experiences a heat, enabling us to track how well the herd is cycling in the lead up to mating. This year, I tried to look at the reproductive performance of some of our technology-using farms that gave us access to their data and compared this back to their cycling rates ...

The changing face of the East retail team

You might have noticed a few new faces in the East clinics in recent months, along with some folk behind the desks that you may have previously seen out on-farm, or in other clinics. In a bid to make the most of our staff’s skills and provide you with the best service and product knowledge possible, we have shuffled things around a bit....