Lepto Pacifica – New Information
Lepto Pacifica – New Information The increasing number of human cases of leptospirosis (lepto) is currently being highlighted by medical professionals. This increase is being attributed to wetter conditions, additional species becoming clinically affected (we have seen severe cases in lambs over the last 12 months) and the changing species of lepto that are infecting […]
Managing calf scours
Managing calf scours Calf scours is the most common disease of neonatal calves in New Zealand and is responsible for the greatest economic losses. Scours result from a variety of causes including nutrition, stress events, and pathogens such as rotavirus, E.coli, cryptosporidium, salmonella, and coccidia. Irrespective of the cause, diarrhoea results from damage to the […]
Vaccine storage
Vaccine storage For vaccines to be effective when injected they must be stored correctly including when you collect them from the clinic as well as how they are handled when you are on farm. There is no sense going to all the trouble of vaccinating if the vaccine has been degraded by how we have […]
Scabby mouth
Scabby mouth Scabby mouth is a viral infection that causes painful lesions in affected animals. Infection occurs through breaks in the skin and can occur anywhere on the body. Areas commonly affected are the mouth, feet, udders, and the poll of rams. Thistles and fibrous feed often predispose animals to the mouth lesions. The infection […]
BVD – Bovine Viral Diarrhoea
BVD – Bovine Viral Diarrhoea BVD is a common but complicated disease. The production and reproductive costs of the disease are insidious and difficult to calculate. Eradicating BVD often comes with significant productive and reproductive improvements. Hopefully most farmers have some familiarity with the disease process by now. Transmission occurs faeco-orally and nose to nose […]
Lameness in dairy cattle
Lameness in dairy cattle Early spring often brings about the onset of lame cows and on some properties the problem can be severe. Lameness poses a real challenge and affects cows in many ways. These include slowness of movement, depressed feed intake, decreased milk production, weight loss and decreased fertility. Additionally, there is an increased […]
Getting the timing of trace elements right in your calf
Getting the timing of trace elements right in your calf In New Zealand (NZ) we often have deficiencies of key trace elements in the soil, which can result in deficiencies in cattle. These trace elements are essential for normal growth, fertility and immune function. But what many people may not know is that the cow […]
B12 supplementation in lambs
B12 supplementation in lambs Over the last couple of seasons, we are observing significant growth responses in lambs where they have received Vitamin B12 supplementation. In the rumen, dietary cobalt is converted into Vitamin B12 by the ruminal micro-organisms. Young, growing lambs are most susceptible to deficiency as they have the highest B12 requirements of […]
The ongoing benefits of good calf nutrition
The ongoing benefits of good calf nutrition New Zealand data shows that only 36% of our heifers meet pre-calving weight targets. This is significant as there is an approximate 2kgMS production loss per year for every 1% they are behind this target, and poorly grown heifers are unlikely to survive to the end of their […]
Kennel Cough – causes, symptoms. treatment
Kennel Cough – causes, symptoms, treatment What is kennel cough and how do I know if my dog has it? Kennel cough or (acute) canine infectious tracheobronchitis, is a common, infectious upper respiratory disease seen in dogs. It is not usually a serious disease in most otherwise healthy dogs. However, it is very contagious and […]