News & Advice

Improving your lambing percentage is one of the keys to attaining higher sheep farm productivity and profit.  A successful mating period boils down to three essential elements: maximising the number of ewes mated in their first cycle minimising the number of ewes not mated maximising the twinning rate The trace element status of ewes in […]

It is the time of the year when we start to think about preparing for drying off the cows, and, in particular, what Dry Cow Therapy decisions need to be made this season. To make sure your cows are set up for a great milk quality season, there needs to be a meaningful discussion around […]

Planning for transitioning stock onto winter feed crops is of great importance in both preventing animal health issues and achieving intakes for maximum production. The goal, when transitioning stock onto a crop, is to give the rumen environment time to adjust to the new feed and prevent the development of problems such as acidosis on […]

Clostridial diseases are diseases caused by bacteria that are able to form resistant spores. These spores are resistant to extremes in temperature and can survive in soil for many years, with some clostridial bacteria also existing within the normal intestinal flora of healthy stock. Under the right conditions, such as when a spore is present […]

We have all heard the disaster stories of farms having up to 30%, and higher in some cases, of their heifers becoming acutely lame in a forelimb, resulting in them having to be euthanised. Often these are well- grown healthy heifers just walking around in the paddock. A “gunshot” noise can be heard, and the […]

When discussing tail scoring with clients, I find this is often a sensitive and sometimes taboo topic. This is possibly because several farmers have been prosecuted for permitting tail damage in their herds in recent years, and clients assume that, by scoring their cows, they may be implying their staff have a problem. Obviously, this […]

In-lamb ewe hoggets are a priority class over the winter because feed levels must meet the liveweight gain requirements of the hogget as well as the needs of the fetus and mammary gland. Management strategies must ensure maximum production of both hogget and offspring to weaning and not compromise two-tooth breeding. Feeding during pregnancy must […]

If any livestock agent offers a deal for the sale and export of your dairy or beef cattle – please remind them (the agent) and yourself that, until certain on-farm animal health export certificate conditions are met, those animals may not be going anywhere. In other words, until certain mandatory export conditions for the farm […]

Every now and again an incident occurs causing an accident requiring veterinary treatment with dogs where we, and the owners, think ‘if only….’ The injuries sustained from unrestrained dogs falling, or being thrown, from a moving vehicle can range from minor to severe with a long recovery time and, unfortunately, sometimes they can be fatal. […]

With the harvest season upon us, it is timely to remind ourselves of the potential dangers of grain overload (rumen acidosis). This usually occurs in sheep not being gradually introduced to a grain feeding regimen or being put onto stubble where there is substantial grain remaining or spills. Grain is sometimes used in late summer/autumn […]

The most serious and economically damaging ectoparasites facing the NZ sheep farmer are fly and lice. The cost to our farming industry runs into millions of dollars annually. There are over 15 million dollars spent each year on chemicals alone. The farmer must consider a range of factors when designing an integrated ectoparasite control programme. […]

Why worry about copper? Copper deficiency in cattle can have the following impacts: Ill thrift and poor growth Altered coat colour and condition Immunosuppression Anaemia Gait abnormalities – calves Fractured humerus issues (broken shoulders) – 1st and 2nd calvers Reduced reproductive performance. How to successfully ensure copper levels are good in your herd We cannot […]