Blackdown Farm Vets

17/08/2024

Thursday 29th August 🐄

14/08/2024

Axminster YFC
Brave the shave 🪒
Saturday 24th August 2024

Axminster YFC are once again raising money for a fantastic cause - go along and support them if you can! Charity auction, head shaving, TOW and disco 🎉

You might even win a place on one of our medicine courses in the charity auction!

13/08/2024

First Aid For feet

LANTRA accredited , One day course

Where: Cotley Farm, Whimple, Exeter EX5 2QR
When: Thursday 19th September 9am-4:30pm

LANTRA accredited first aid for feet, delivered by BCVA accredited Foot Health Trainer Sam Bowker, in partnership with CHCSB accredited instructor and foot trimmer Andrew Fry.

Topics covered:
🐄Basic anatomy of the foot
🐄Recognition of main lesions causing lameness
🐄Overview of mobility scoring and detecting lameness
🐄Handling, lifting and safe examination of feet
🐄Tools required for the job (Including knife sharpening)
🐄Introduction to the 5 step trimming method
🐄Treatment protocols: Using blocks and NSAIDs
🐄Practical lesion treatment and blocking

This will be a very hands on course, useful for complete novices to those with plenty of experience dealing with lame cows. The course is LANTRA approved and accredited for those doing lame cow trims on aligned milk contracts.

Lunch and refreshments provided.

To Book, contact the office on:
01404 819150 or
[email protected]

30/07/2024

It’s Honiton Show time!

Come and see us on the stand this year where we will have our Hog roast kindly supplied by Hilltop Wood Fired Hog Roasts, Drinks, freebies, chat, shade (or cover from the rain, depending on which forecast you’re looking at!) and will announce the results of our photography competition! You can also enter our draw for a cow or sheep themed bucket of goodies!

Find us on Stand 132, Avenue B by the cattle lines, near brown gate - look for the Blackdown flags 🏴🏴

Look forward to seeing everyone who can make it for what should be a lovely day and wish all our clients showing the best of luck🐄🐑🐖🐐🦙☀️

Blackdown Farm Vets are an independent, farm only practice, strongly committed to providing you with

23/07/2024

Enter now 📸🐄🐑🐖🐐🦙

📸Photo Competition time📸

‘Farming in all weathers’

The weather this year has been very up and down but has provided some interesting photo opportunities!

The Overall winner will have their choice of two tickets to either Exeter chiefs Rugby, Exeter City Football Club or Somerset County Cricket Club.

Small prizes for the best cow, sheep, Pig, goat & alpaca pictures.

To enter, please email your pictures to [email protected] or you can add them in the comment section of this post.

Entries close: 5pm Friday 26th July 2024

Winners announced at Honiton show, Thursday 1st August 2024.

🐄🐑🐂🐖🦙🐐🦌

23/07/2024

Don’t forget - Tomorrow 🐄🐄

Come and join us for a farm walk and series of discussions about improving mobility on farm, including the outcomes of a Ketofen study at Gateshayes Farm with Mobility Mentor Sam Bowker MRCVS, advice from foot health consultant Dr James Wilson on EDPET and a trimming demonstration from Level 4 Trimmer Andrew Fry.

Where: Gateshayes Farm, Whimple, Exeter EX5 2PA.

When: 10:30 - 14:00 on 24th July 2024

Lunch provided - please RSVP for catering purposes to 01404 819150

22/07/2024

Have you lost a sheep?

Lost sheep found on the A58 in musbury over the weekend, a concerned member of the public has taken it in - please contact the practice if you believe it may be yours.

01404 819150

21/07/2024

“Farrowing Fun! Sam was called to help this Saddleback sow deliver her piglets early this morning. She had been pushing well but had a slight obstruction at the cervix which was causing an issue. With a bit of gentle help, all piglets were delivered safely - 15 in all! Happy Sunday!”

15/07/2024

Next week 🐄

Come and join us for a farm walk and series of discussions about improving mobility on farm, including the outcomes of a Ketofen study at Gateshayes Farm with Mobility Mentor Sam Bowker MRCVS, advice from foot health consultant Dr James Wilson on EDPET and a trimming demonstration from Level 4 Trimmer Andrew Fry.

Where: Gateshayes Farm, Whimple, Exeter EX5 2PA.

When: 10:30 - 14:00 on 24th July 2024

Lunch provided - please RSVP for catering purposes to 01404 819150

11/07/2024

📸Photo Competition time📸

‘Farming in all weathers’

The weather this year has been very up and down but has provided some interesting photo opportunities!

The Overall winner will have their choice of two tickets to either Exeter chiefs Rugby, Exeter City Football Club or Somerset County Cricket Club.

Small prizes for the best cow, sheep, Pig, goat & alpaca pictures.

To enter, please email your pictures to [email protected] or you can add them in the comment section of this post.

Entries close: 5pm Friday 26th July 2024

Winners announced at Honiton show, Thursday 1st August 2024.

🐄🐑🐂🐖🦙🐐🦌

08/07/2024

Come and join us for a farm walk and series of discussions about improving mobility on farm, including the outcomes of a Ketofen study at Gateshayes Farm with Mobility Mentor Sam Bowker MRCVS, advice from foot health consultant Dr James Wilson on EDPET and a trimming demonstration from Level 4 Trimmer Andrew Fry.

Where: Gateshayes Farm, Whimple, Exeter EX5 2PA.

When: 10:30 - 14:00 on 24th July 2024

Lunch provided - please RSVP for catering purposes to 01404 819150

13/06/2024

How to get the best results from worm egg counts: Taking the best samples.

When monitoring a herd or flock, take faeces samples from a minimum of 10 animals. We will use these to create a correctly pooled sample at the practice, which has shown to be much more reliable.

Fresh faeces directly from an animal will always get a much more accurate result than any faeces taken from the ground, as it can easily become contaminated with worm eggs.

Faeces for testing should be as fresh as possible – If taken in the evening, keep in the fridge overnight and get it to us first thing in the morning.

Plan faecal egg counts around worming. If you have any suspicions on treatments not working, take a sample post treatment too. How long this sample should be taken post treatment will depend on the drugs used so please talk to us for this information.

Any questions, please talk to the blackdown team. Anthelmintic resistance is a real threat and we want these drugs to be available to us and effective for as long as possible.

11/06/2024

This Wednesday 12th June (Tomorrow) At 7pm, the Beehive in Honiton (EX14 1LZ)

Business information Point are holding one of the last free-to-farmer workshops in the East Devon area. It will be covering all the latest announcements from Defra regarding farm grants and farm funding schemes such as SFI. As such, the workshop information is critical for all farmers considering their next steps in this post-BPS world.

Join to discuss:

-How funding is changing and what farmers can do to mitigate these changes
-What DEFRA’s Environmental Land Management Schemes, including SFI, offer
-What other grant schemes are available
-Succession: how to start planning for the next generation
-Where to go next: getting ongoing support and information

with hot drinks and snacks beforehand.

Sign up here:

https://businessinfopoint.co.uk/workshops/farm-grants-update-navigating-the-agricultural-transition-139/

23/05/2024

We spent Tuesday with Marshwood young farmers, with Lucy talking about the advantages and disadvantages of robot farming, and a farm walk around Cardsmill Farm, an amazing set up, thanks to the kind permission of the Johnson family.

Young farmers has always been important to the farming community, and now more than ever to stop isolation and improve mental health. We may be biased with two old young farmers in our team but we think it’s vitally important to show them support where we can 🐄

06/05/2024

Call 01404 819150 if you need us 🐄🐂🐑🐐🐖

01/05/2024

30/04/2024

Tomorrow 🐄🐂

Crediton Milling, along with Blackdown Farm Vets and Britmilk, request the pleasure of your company at a practical meeting to discuss calf milk replacers, maximising feed efficiency and the benefits of a proactive approach to calf health (Including lung scanning and weighing).

Wednesday 1st May 2024
10 am for 10:15am prompt start, aiming to finish at 2pm

By kind permission of the Parris family, Blackhayes Farm, Stockland, Honiton, Devon EX14 9DY (What3words/// sometime.gone.charts)

To book your place, please call or email the CMC office on:
01363 772212
[email protected]

A light lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please note that spaces are limited so booking is essential.

*by attending this event you are agreeing to the inclusion of photos, taken at this event, in future marketing material e.g. social media posts and posters. If you do not wish to be included in these photos please inform us at the time of booking.

25/04/2024

So proud of Lorna Burdge of Daisy’s Dairy/ Waterhayne cows who is a finalist for the Addington Fund Devon Farm businesses awards!

Lorna was nominated by Herdwatch for all her hard work in educating the next generation - school visits and online video calls. As well as this, and being a full time dairy farmer, she is a facilitator for Devon Women in Dairy and has a very positive online presence. The woman never stops and we can’t think of a better person to win this award - Good luck Lorna!

We are very pleased to be announcing the finalists for the Devon Farm Business Awards 2024! 🏆

In the Farming Champion category, sponsored by NFU Online and Crediton Dairy Ltd, the finalists are:

⭐ Stephen Dennis ARAgS, Regional Lead South West for the The Farming Community Network

⭐ Lorna Burdge, Waterhayne Cows

⭐ Justine Colton, Dartmoor Hill Farm and Honey Bee'zzz

Three individuals who are making a real, positive difference to farming in Devon and showcasing the industry to the public.

There is still time to join us on 15 May to celebrate these amazing people. Get your tickets here: https://www.farmbusinessawards.org.uk/devon-farm-awards

23/04/2024

Crediton Milling, along with Blackdown Farm Vets and Britmilk, request the pleasure of your company at a practical meeting to discuss calf milk replacers, maximising feed efficiency and the benefits of a proactive approach to calf health (Including lung scanning and weighing).

Wednesday 1st May 2024
10 am for 10:15am prompt start, aiming to finish at 2pm

By kind permission of the Parris family, Blackhayes Farm, Stockland, Honiton, Devon EX14 9DY (What3words/// sometime.gone.charts)

To book your place, please call or email the CMC office on:
01363 772212
[email protected]

A light lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please note that spaces are limited so booking is essential.

*by attending this event you are agreeing to the inclusion of photos, taken at this event, in future marketing material e.g. social media posts and posters. If you do not wish to be included in these photos please inform us at the time of booking.

17/04/2024

Blackdown Farm Vets, in collaboration with AHDB Beef and Lamb warmly invite you to a farm walk to discuss grassland management, as well as testing and supplementing, if necessary, for trace element deficiencies and toxicities. All welcome.

🐑🐂11am - 2pm, Thursday 2nd May 2024🐂🐑

With talks from grassland expert Luppo Diepenbroek, Agrimin and Blackdown Farm Vets.

Godworthy Farm, Membury, EX13 7UA (What3words///shadowed.guru.itself )

by kind permission of the Burrough family

Please contact Blackdown Farm Vets on 01404 819150 to book your place and allow for catering.

10/04/2024

We can’t do much about the rain - but our kettles always on (and there’s usually cake about somewhere) and we are always here to listen. We know how hard you all work - summers on the way (it has to be!!), keep going ☀️🤞

09/04/2024

Tomorrow 🎉

5 DAYS TO GO before one of the biggest events in the YFC calendar! 🐮

Courtesy of Kivells Agriculture, our Devon YFC County Show & Sale is next Wednesday 10th April at Exeter Livestock Market. It’s set to be an incredible showcase of YFC stock from across the county.

With lots of trade stands too, this event is always a great day out, whether your club is showing stock or not! Everyone is welcome - see you there from 9am!

28/03/2024

Our office is closed this Easter but there is a vet on call 24/7 on 01404 819150.

Whether you are enjoying an Easter egg (Or 5...) or some nice British lamb, remember to thank a farmer for their continuous hard work. We hope you all have a wonderful Easter.

The Blackdown Team

27/03/2024

‼️Taking place TONIGHT‼️

What to do in a sheep worrying incident 🐑🐕

Join us during NSA Sheep Worrying by Dogs Awareness Week for a practical webinar on what to do in a sheep worrying incident.

📆Wednesday 27th March
⏰7.30pm

Register to attend⤵
https://go.nationalsheep.org.uk/0ZNZUB

21/03/2024

At Blackdown we are very passionate about supporting our next generation of Farmers, like our Vet Wills adorable nephew, modelling the Blackdown winter hat.

18/03/2024

ALERT - HIGH RISK FOR NEMATODIRUS IN OUR AREA.

We are now seeing nematodirus on our clients farms. The recent prolonged period of warm weather has caused nematodirus larvae to emerge. As lambs are infected by ingesting the larvae on pasture, often large numbers, a lot of damage can be done before eggs are seen in the faeces (So worm egg counts (WECs) are not useful for monitoring this worm) and sudden death in lambs is often the first symptom we see.

The best way to manage this parasite is to treat lambs based on ambient temperature, grazing history and lamb age.

Firstly, Look at your local weather station for ambient temperatures in your area (the SCOPS nematodirus forecast: https://www.scops.org.uk/forecasts/nematodirus-forecast/). As you see in the last picture, the SCOPS forecast gives you an idea of the risk to your animals at present.

Next look at your pasture. Did you have lambs on this ground last year? Altitude is also important. As a guide, every 100m increase in altitude will delay hatching by about 7 days (for example if the nearest station is at 200m a.s.l and the farm is at 300m a.s.l, hatching should be delayed by around 7 days beyond the NADIS forecast).

If you had lambs on the same pasture last year and the SCOPS forecast is at moderate, high risk or very high risk, it is prudent to treat your lambs.

Lambs are most at risk 6 weeks old and onwards as this is when they generally start to graze. A white wormer is the best to use for this parasite as there is very little resistance reported.

Do you need to worm your lambs now? For any questions or reassurance, give us a ring on 01404 819150 for more information.

07/03/2024

Two weeks ago on the 22nd February, Vet Nikki from Blackdown attended the Devon Holstein Club Winter Herd competition 2024 results presentation, Kindly judged by Andrew Birkle of the Whinchat herd.

It was a very entertaining, well attended night with Blackdown clients doing extremely well against some fierce competition (18 herds entered from all over Devon) and we are extremely proud of them:

🐄 Nick and Jane Bond of the Birchwood herd won best 100 ton cow and reserve champion exhibit with Birchwood Shottle Jewel 15, a fantastic nearly 12 year old cow (third picture).
🐄 Chris and Connie Creeper of Frontline Holsteins won best group of 5 heifers with their group of homebred animals (fourth picture).
🐄 Phil Bird of Bartonwood Holsteins won best 50 ton cow with Bartonwood Ramsay Nellie (fifth picture) and best group of 5 home bred cows (sixth picture).

A special mention also to M & A Saunders of Bolham Valley Holsteins who, while not our clients, won the Blackdown sponsored Champion exhibit with their fantastic bought in Cow, Pinksmoor Stalwart Pinkie (second picture). A very deserved win.