Thiamine deficiency in calves
Thiamine deficiency in calves Thiamine deficiency in young stock. What it is, why does it happen, signs to look for and options for treatment and prevention. The disease is known by many names, but alas are all the same. You may have heard of – thiamine deficiency, Vitamin B1 deficiency, Polio, PEM (polioencephalomalacia), or CNN […]
Vaccinating horses in New Zealand
Vaccinating horses in New Zealand There are multiple diseases that horses can catch in New Zealand, that we have vaccinations for. What vaccines your horse requires depends on what activities the horse is involved in and its level of social interaction with other horses: Low interaction – Individual horses, or horses in a small, closed […]
Pig husbandry
Pig husbandry Pigs are omnivores which means they are happy to eat a wide range of foods (plant and animal products). Despite this, pigs also have specific nutritional needs that are unlikely to be met by only feeding household scraps. In a commercial setting pig diets are finely tuned to maximise growth at different life […]
Looking after dairy weaners
Looking after dairy weaners Getting calves through to weaning is a major milestone and now we need to protect that initial investment. The percentage of dairy farms on which coccidia is resident has steadily increased and it would be safe to assume that coccidia is on all farms. While the calves are on milk and […]
Feeding for a successful mating
Feeding for a successful mating The reproductive performance of your herd is greatly influenced by the difference between energy inputs (nutrition – energy, protein, fibre etc) and energy outputs (milk production, walking, inflammation etc) during the mating period. Getting a cow to cycle (have a heat) and for the resultant egg to get fertilised (conception) […]
Repro Efficiency in Dairy Herds
Repro Efficiency in Dairy Herds A key influencer of next year’s performance. For Spring calving herds, the work of getting cows back in calf during October, strongly determines their performance in 2025 and these endeavours are either made easier or more difficult by a multitude of factors that precede this period. Herd “performance” has a […]
Is your pet safe to swim in our local rivers?
Is your pet safe to swim in our local rivers? During the warm weather, the river becomes one of the most popular places for people and their canine companions to cool down. Unfortunately, many waterways have toxic algae (cyanobacteria) lingering. It is important to actively consider if your favourite swimming spot is a safe place […]
Keeping our pets safe at Christmas
Keeping our pets safe at Christmas Here are some tips to keep your Christmas festive and fun but vet-free… Many common foods and snacks we humans enjoy can be dangerous to our pets. Animals digest and metabolise food differently to humans which means what might be perfectly fine for us can be poisonous to them. […]
How to give electrolytes to young stock
How to give electrolytes to young stock There are many different electrolytes on the market, and it can be difficult to know what product is right for your stock. What to use: For lambs and calves with scours, we recommend using Totally Hydrated electrolytes, or the Revive and Diarrest sachets. Not only do they replace […]
Food for thought: What should I feed my goat?
Food for thought: What should I feed my goat? Goats are full of personality and make awesome pets. However, they are often treated the same as sheep which can cause a few issues. We are often called out to see sick goats who have eaten something that they shouldn’t have or have developed health issues […]