Key points from the famous Wairarapa capsule study
This large scale piece of research (14 separate trials on commercial farms) was going to give us the answers we needed to make better informed decisions on the need (or otherwise) for ewes to be treated with long acting (LA) anthelmintic products pre-lamb.
Theileria. Theileria has recently been diagnosed on a dairy farm in Takaka. The Tasman has been classed as a moderate risk area for the disease but with warmer weather and an increase in the tick population we will start to…
Ryegrass Staggers is a neurological impairment of cattle - particularly of weaned calves and heifers - as well as sheep, deer, horses and alpacas. Horses can be permanently impaired. It is caused by a naturally occurring ryegrass endophyte (fungus). The…
Treating calf scours is a time consuming, frustrating business and the first thing to remember is that even though you will do your best you may not save them all. One of the first questions to ask when a calf…
Both these diseases are common around the time of calving or the onset of lactation. They are emergency conditions requiring urgent medical attention. Milk Fever or Hypocalcaemia Most common in cattle but seen in all species. In cattle this…
Clostridial diseases include Pulpy Kidney, Tetanus, Malignant Oedema, Black disease and Black Leg. It is a little concerning that there are some farms that do not vaccinate against these diseases. A comment I get when talking about clostridial vaccines is…
Caring for your pet lamb may seem simple, but there are a few things you need to aware of ... It is absolutely vital that the lamb has at least one feed of colostrum (milk from a ewe lambed within…
Diseases of farm animals include and are not limited to, Yersiniosis and Leptospirosis. Yersiniosis This disease is most seen in deer but can be found in other species such as calves and goats. In deer it is often a fatal…
FACIAL ECZEMA At times spore counts will exceed 500,000, and even over a million in many areas, usually only in the North Island which is considered as "high risk". That risk may continue into June in some areas. Prevention…
The feeding of colostrum is vital to successful calf rearing and studies estimate that over 40% of dairy calves do not get enough during the first day of their life. Here are a few points about colostrum feeding. • Newborn…