News & Advice

Mating is just around the corner for our beef cattle. It is a super quick turnaround for these girls to maintain a 12-month calving pattern, so they must be set up for success. Feeding is a huge factor, but with calves at foot and a cold, wet spring, we have few options. Just keep in […]

Tailing is underway already for some, and demand for pain relief at painful procedures keeps growing, not just for merino contracts. Best practice is for all lambs to get some form of pain relief. As an industry we are working through what methods are both effective and safe, and there is no one easy answer […]

Guest author Frances Coles is a South Canterbury farmer and long-time supporter of Meet the Need, with first-hand experience of the difference food donations make to Kiwi families. Is there anything more satisfying than being able to help someone out without having to go out of your way or do something extra special? If you’re […]

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 […]