News & Advice

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 […]

Injectable anthelmintics enable active to get into the bloodstream where it is distributed throughout the treated animal. This enables the drug to reach parasites that can be in various body tissues or organs of the host animal. It is extremely important to assess the bodyweight of the treated animal accurately, because these anthelmintics may have […]

Recent rain around Christmas will lead to unprecedented grass growth. Unfortunately, the conditions promoting good grass growth also promote parasite survival. Parasites like moisture, warmth and shade which are the conditions currently prevailing on most irrigated pasture and on a lot of unirrigated pasture. Lungworm reared its head last autumn on some properties, and the […]

  Whether there have been previous resistance issues on the farm or not, this testing is a worthwhile investment. This is the only way to know if the drenches that you are using are actually effective on your farm. Parasite resistance to drenches is a continual problem, and once resistance to a drench has developed, […]

With events, summer activities and domestic travel in full swing across New Zealand, we are currently experiencing an epidemic of canine cough, also known as ‘kennel cough’. This may occur frequently in New Zealand and is caused by disease agents that are commonly present in the country (ie it is not an exotic disease agent). […]

The results are in: Mating season is over, and the outcome should be appropriately considered – what went well and what did not? And, more importantly, why? Although these considerations affect next season’s approach to mating, another challenge is equally important – Dry-off. And the foundation for achieving top results next year is laid down […]