News & Advice

A 2024 Manawatū trial across six farms found that lambs treated with SMARTShot B12 generally grew faster than untreated lambs, with measurable responses on five farms and growth differences of 0.4 kg to 1.4 kg by the second weigh event. The findings suggest SMARTShot B12 may help finish more lambs earlier, reduce parasite pressure and […]

Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) can quietly reduce herd fertility, productivity, and profitability long before obvious clinical signs appear. Regular monitoring, strategic vaccination, robust biosecurity, and early identification of persistently infected (PI) animals are key to preventing losses and protecting herd performance. BVD is a common but complicated disease. The production and reproductive costs of the […]

What is it costing your business? Johne’s disease remains one of the most significant and costly diseases affecting New Zealand dairy herds. While DairyNZ estimates the national cost at $44–80 million annually, the real question is: what is it costing your own business? The challenge is that many of the losses caused by Johne’s disease […]

BE IN TO WIN A GALLAGHER™ ENERGIZER MBS100 MULTIMAINS, BATTERY AND SOLAR UNIT* Purchase your seasonal pre-lamb clostridial vaccines and go in the draw* •Ultravac® 5 in 1 – 500 ml •Ultravac® 5 in 1 Sel – 500 ml •Ultravac® 5+1 B12 – 500 ml •Ultravac® 5+1 Se B12 – 500 ml. Protect your flock […]

Quarantine drenching is not a new concept, but with ever-changing populations of worms and an increase in drench resistance (even against novel drenches), the products we use and how we use them must evolve. It is estimated that the overall industry impact of drench resistance equates to $110 million, and on a typical 4,000 sheep […]

In the context of increasing drench resistance, the adoption of more advanced diagnostic tools has become essential. You may be familiar with the Parasight Systems we have been using in clinic over the past several years; we are now in a position to share key findings from real world data collected from our client base. […]

Preparing ewes for mating involves several key factors. Ewe body condition (BCS) is the major driver of ovulation and conception, while flushing and good trace element levels follow closely behind. Hind body condition score (BCS) is critical to good milk production and early conception at mating. Hind BCS should be maintained around score 3.5 (BCS […]

Clostridial diseases remain one of the most significant preventable causes of sudden death in cattle. Conditions such as tetanus, pulpy kidney (enterotoxemia), and blackleg are widely recognised, but lesser-known diseases (including malignant oedema and sudden death syndrome) can be just as devastating. Unfortunately, treatment is rarely successful, due to the rapid onset of disease and […]

We all know drench resistance is now widespread on New Zealand sheep properties. While drenches remain an important tool, long-term parasite control and farm profitability increasingly depend on nutrition, grazing management, and the strategic use of forage crops. When used well, forage crops not only reduce worm challenge but also significantly lift lamb growth rates […]

Vetlife veterinarians have been testing bulls for breeding soundness for some years now, using jump tests and/or semen analysis under the microscope following electroejaculation. To advance our capabilities at Vetlife, we have recently purchased an iSperm machine. This cutting-edge device analyses sperm motility using a computer-assisted programme. Not only can iSperm assess bulls, but it […]

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top global public health and development threats identified by the World Health Organisation. It is estimated that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths(1). By now most farmers will be familiar with the traffic light classification of […]

The number of newborn lambs that survive to weaning is the single biggest driver of profitability on most sheep farms in NZ (fine wool farms being the obvious exception). Yet, so often, we leave the outcome to chance, and we fail to protect our investment by neglecting to use the very good available sheep performance […]