NCVC Lifestyle Farming

14/11/2024

05/11/2024

Selenium.
Are your horses getting the minerals they need from their diet?
Most soils in North Canterbury are deficient in several minerals. One of the most significant is the trace element selenium, a horse grazing selenium deficient soils without any additional supplementation will be selenium deficient.
Selenium deficiency can cause several health issues for your horse including:
- muscle soreness, stiffness and tying up
- poor skin and hoof condition
- Anxious or spooky behavoir
- reduced performance
- difficulty getting in foal
- white muscle disease.
Neonatal foals are particularly susceptible whilst developing in the womb and can be born with this potentially fatal condition.
Selenium levels can be easily measured by taking a blood sample and our vets can advise on the best course of action for supplementing your horse. It is important to assess a horse’s selenium status before starting supplementation as over-supplementing can lead to selenium toxicity.
If you would like to find out your horse’s selenium levels or have any further questions on selenium deficiency please get in touch, one of our vets would be happy to discuss this with you further.

31/10/2024

Cancer eye
Squamous cell carcinoma of the eye is a relatively common condition in New Zealand, often known as ‘cancer eye’. Cows can get cancerous lesions on their 3rd eyelid, conjunctiva and/or the eye itself. The disease is linked to exposure to UV light, with light faced breeds of cattle such as Herefords and Friesians most commonly affected.
Signs your cow may have cancer eye:
• Tear staining
• Closed eye
• Protruding reddened 3rd eyelid or conjunctiva
• Visible mass on the 3rd eyelid, conjunctiva or the eye
The condition is very painful. If untreated, the cancer will spread to the entire eye and lymph nodes. Early identification and prompt veterinary treatment are essential for managing these cases.

23/10/2024

Are you hatching chicks this spring?
Make sure your chicks have the best start to life by keeping your broody hen and hatching eggs somewhere isolated from the flock where they are warm and safe.
While your hen is broody she will only leave the nest once or twice a day and is at risk of malnutrition. Make sure she has close access to food.
Once the chicks hatch they need to be on a high quality chick starter feed to ensure they have an appropriate diet for growth and development. Layer pellets are not appropriate for chicks. Most chick starter feeds have a coccidiostat in them to reduce the risk of disease for the chicks. This does mean that if any laying birds have access to the chick starter their eggs cant be eaten as the coccidiostat is not safe for human consumption.
Make sure you check the bag of food to find out the egg withhold period.
Give your local clinic a call if you have any questions about raising chicks.

17/10/2024

Joint ill.

We have seen a few lambs and calves in the clinic and out on farm with swollen joints. Joint infections (or joint ill) are painful and can be difficult to resolve. Animals with joint ill may be lame and/or have swollen joints which may feel hot to the touch. They may have a fever which can in turn cause them to lose their appetite. Joint infections can occur from wounds, but more commonly the infection starts in the navel and travels through the bloodstream to the joints. For this reason, it is very important to ensure that navels are clean and free of infection. Spraying animals’ navels at birth with iodine and keeping a close eye for any infected navels can prevent joint infections from occurring. If you notice a lame calf or lamb or swelling of the joints, contact North Canterbury Vets so we can start prompt treatment.

10/10/2024

Horse Parasite Monitoring 🦄🪱💩

As we start moving into spring, it’s essential to focus on your horse’s health! 🌱 Bring in your manure samples for FEC (F***l Egg Count) testing. Fresh samples are best, but if you can’t drop them off at the clinic the same day, feel free to store them in the fridge overnight for drop-off the next day.

Simply pick up some poo, place it in a bag labelled with your horse’s name, and we’ll take care of the rest. Testing every 12 weeks helps you monitor worm burdens and make informed decisions about deworming, ensuring your horses stay healthy as they enjoy the warmer weather.

25/09/2024

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is a disease that can cause poor growth in calves as well as poor fertility in cows. It is able to infect the calf during pregnancy leading to permanently infected animals from birth. Despite the name, diarrhoea is not always a clinical sign and the disease weakens the animal’s immune system, making pneumonia and parasite infections more likely and serious. Any animals lagging behind the group should be tested. Testing can be performed using ear tags or blood so contact your local clinic to discuss investigating whether BVD is affecting your stock

17/09/2024

Mastitis.
Spring means newly born lambs and calves and hungry mouths to feed. Hopefully your ewes and cows are up to the task but mastitis can occur quite quickly. Tell tale signs include a visually swollen, red udder, not letting the newborn drink leading to them going hungry and kicking out! Infections can differ in their severity ranging from one teat affected to a systemic infection so any suspected animals require veterinary advice from your local clinic

14/09/2024

Vacancy #2 of 2 - Part-Time Receptionist - Amberley Clinic
Every 2nd Weekend - Saturday 8.30-4pm and Sunday 10am-4pm

We are looking for a part-time weekend receptionist for our busy mixed veterinary practice in Amberley. The role, which is every 2nd weekend, will involve a wide variety of reception duties and will provide an excellent first impression to clients both over the phone and in person, as well as a specific focus on sales for both companion animal and livestock products.

We are looking for someone who has:
• A ‘can do’ attitude
• Excellent communication skills
• Cool under pressure
• Team-player
• Ideally experience from a farming or rural background

There may be further opportunities to increase hours when covering leave. A full training programme will be provided. If this sounds like you, please email your CV and cover letter to:
Elaine McDuff
HR Manager
[email protected]

14/09/2024

Vacancy #1 of 2 - Part-Time Receptionist – Culverden Clinic
We have an opportunity for a part time receptionist in our busy mixed practice in Culverden. ur Culverden Clinic offers a wide range of services in the district, which covers sheep and beef, companion animal, Technician work, and a particularly strong focus with dairy. This is a 30 hour per week position Monday to Friday, with hours between 8am-5.30pm on a three weekly roster. There will be further opportunities for extra hours when covering for leave and seasonal peaks. A full training programme will be provided.

The successful candidate will have experience with:
• A positive and ‘can do’ attitude
• Excellent customer service and communication skills
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Being a team player
• Having a rural background, or direct farming experience with dairy or sheep and beef
•
If you feel you have what it takes to join our team, please email your CV and cover letter today to:
Elaine McDuff
HR Manager
[email protected]

11/09/2024

Spring has sprung, and with lambing season in full swing, it's time to ensure our new arrivals are well-cared for. One important task is tailing, which helps prevent potential health issues later on. This is often performed on lifestyle properties via the application of a rubber ring. The ring slowly constricts the blood supply and tissue, causing the tail to eventually die and fall off. Here’s some tips on how to correctly place a rubber ring:

• Dock no shorter than the distal end of the caudal fold (where the skin folds under the tail).
• Ensure enough tail is left to cover the v***a in ewes and be similar in length for rams.
• Use pain relief to enhance welfare and minimize growth impact.

06/09/2024

Have you noticed your senior pet moving a little slower or seeming stiff after a nap?Our Senior Pet Care Deal is here to help! Starting this September, we're focusing on the health and well-being of senior pets.

Take advantage of our Seniors Consult Package – NOW $390 (WAS $600):

✅Nurse Consult + FREE Flea Treatment Pack (Simparica for Dogs or Revolution
Plus for Cats)
✅Discounted Health Testing (Blood, Urine & Faecal)
✅10% off Vet-Recommended Procedures (X-rays, Dentistry, Surgery)
✅Injection Fee of $17 Waived (for Beransa and Solensia)

Plus, enjoy these offers during the campaign:
✅Buy 3, Get 1 Free on Rehab Sessions
✅Discounts on selected Senior Products & Pet Food:
• $10 off Synoquin 30’s/Aktivait 60’s
• 20% off Royal Canin Diets (Mobility C2p+, Satiety, and Early Renal)
• $25 off 12.5kg Hills Mobility j/d

Don’t wait!⏳ Book now by emailing [email protected] or calling your local clinic:
📍Amberley: 03 314 8612
📍Cheviot: 03 319 8677
📍Culverden: 03 315 8363
📍Waikari: 03 314 4102

You can also book online for the Amberley Clinic: https://ncvets.co.nz/online-bookings/

Terms and Conditions:
● The $390 for the Senior Care Package is payable at the first consult.
● Discounts on arthritis products and senior pet food are subject to availability and final confirmation.
● This offer is valid for a limited time and may be subject to additional terms as outlined by the clinic.

05/09/2024

Rumen development for pet lambs.
•The lamb has 4 stomachs – when a lamb is on milk the main stomach used for digestion is the abomasum. As the animal transitions to grass the rumen is the more important stomach.
•Rumen development is important to ensure the animals is ready to be transitioned from milk to grass.
•Ad-lib feed of hay/straw and/or meal should be offered from day one to ensure animals get used to the taste of feed.
•Keeping 100% indoors can delay rumen development.
•Intakes will be small at first but will increase as lambs get older
•Use a lamb specific feed such as lamb pellets/muesli
•Some calf ones have higher levels of copper which can be toxic to lambs
•Meal and milk powder are not safe for our pets! Keep dogs away!
•A small amount of fresh feed every day is best and increase the amount offered to match intake.
•After feeding they have a large desire to consume so placing some in their mouth will help with intake"