News & Advice

Understanding where lamb losses are occurring is very valuable information and, when utilised, can help improve future lamb survival. From scanning to tailing it is normal to see losses, but if you are seeing losses greater than 15% then there is room for improvement and an opportunity to increase efficiency. Losses tend to fall into […]

No matter how well the process of calving goes we always end up with a myriad downer cows, the bane of spring. They represent a lot of cost, effort and wastage. However, it is important to get the diagnosis right. Not all downer cows are due to metabolic issues. The list of downer cows includes […]

Cattle with horns are dangerous to both cattle and humans alike, and this leads to the disbudding of around two million calves every year in New Zealand.  Calves are ideally done between 2 and 6 weeks old as the procedure becomes more invasive, stressful and less reliable in older animals. It is essential to ensure […]

It is widely known that many areas in New Zealand are deficient or low in naturally available copper, and survey results show that nearly 80% of deer farms frequently supplement their herds with copper on a routine basis. However, we need to be aware that both too little and too much copper can cause health […]

The economic value of farm working dogs is hard to quantify. They are indispensable members of the staff on a farm (mainly sheep or beef, but sometimes dairy), and they take little pay in return. The cost of purchase, training and maintenance are set over a dog’s lifetime. The loss of a dog through illness […]