New Plymouth Vet Group Farm and Lifestyle

12/12/2023

FLYSTRIKE - Have you treated your sheep? If the answer is no, then make sure you add it to the TOP of your to-do list!

🐑Flystrike season usually runs from December to March but in warm, humid weather can go right through to June. Prevention is the key!

Here are some tips to help with your management:
👉𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: This will prevent flystrike for a few weeks. Shearing during the start of the flystrike season in November/December will help ensure their wool is short coming into the risk period. By keeping their wool short especially around the back end, this helps to ensure they do not attract unnecessary flies.

👉𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚: Treating internal parasites helps to prevent scours.

👉𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: Chemical prevention can then be used 4-6 weeks later after shearing, so the wool is long enough to hold the insecticide.

And keep an eye out for any ‘dirty’ looking patches of wool on your sheep. That could indicate the flies have already been at work. If you notice flystrike in your flock, please call us for advice.

Want to order some treatment? Contact us on 7584006 so we can have your order prepared for collection.

23/10/2023

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸?
Have you got a drenching program in place and are your animals up to date?

If you need advice or would like to purchase a small dispensed amount of drench for your livestock, give us a call on 067584006 and we can arrange this for you.

🐑Now is the time to drench your sheep, lambs, goats, cattle. horses and donkeys.

👉Refer to our On Farm calendar of events for more information about what needs doing roughly and how to avoid most problems https://bit.ly/3tPMExM

05/09/2023

🐴🐮🐐🐑Mud fever problems?

Try our #1 recommended product for mud fever: KWILLOW POWDER - available from the clinic.

Kwillow Powder is an antimicrobial powder used for the treatment of:
☑️ mild mud fever (mud rash)
☑️ rainscald
☑️ greasy heel
☑️ wounds
☑️ warts
☑️ has also been helpful when treating some Sarquiods and Queensland Itch

Can be used in Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Goats. Kwillow Powder is also excellent on "thrush" in horses hooves.

Easy to use, animal and user friendly powder to help the healing process rapidly and painlessly. No burning or stinging on application and no hair discolouration - it just washes off clean.

Kwillow Powder is a must for all grooming / veterinary first aid kits / lifestyle blocks!

For more information, visit their website: https://kwillowproducts.com/ - Support Local - Made in NZ!

13/03/2023

Equi 7 insect repellent collar
$45.70

The Equi 7 insect repellent collar is a natural treatment for ticks and other insects for Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Miniature Horses.

🐴 The collars blend of natural ingredients is designed and formulated to repel external parasites: flies, horse flies, botflies, blow flies, midges, mosquitoes, and ticks.

🐴 The collar is effective for 3 to 5 weeks depending on climatic conditions, the warmer the temperature the more active ingredient is released.

🐴 When placed around the neck after a few hours the active ingredients are released from the collar onto the horse and migrate across the horse through the sebum covering the epidermis, this creates a repellent atmosphere that protects the horse and rider too.

🐴 Equi 7 Insect Repellent Collar is waterproof and is still effective when the horse sweats.

🐴 One size

Instruction for Use: Position one collar strip per horse around the horse’s neck, closest to the head. Adjust the collar length and attach the collars with the two parts provided; do not over-tighten. Cut the remaining collar piece you do not use.

👉Note: This cut-off section can be hung close by in the horse’s stable area.

06/03/2023

🌱Here are our latest spore counts for the week starting 27th February 2023. A significant rise around the Omata area with 390,000 and Frankley Road 170,000.
LOW: 5,000 – 15,000
MED: 20,000 – 45,000
HIGH: 50,000 – 100,000
EXT: >100,000
For more information refer to our website https://bit.ly/3DmMWx0

20/02/2023

🌱Here are our latest spore counts for the week starting 13th February 2023. Egmont Road and Hyrdo Road with the highest counts for this week.
LOW: 5,000 – 15,000
MED: 20,000 – 45,000
HIGH: 50,000 – 100,000
EXT: >100,000
For more information refer to our website https://bit.ly/3DmMWx0

14/02/2023

🌱Here are our latest spore counts for the week starting 6th February 2023
LOW: 5,000 – 15,000
MED: 20,000 – 45,000
HIGH: 50,000 – 100,000
EXT: >100,000

For more information refer to our website https://bit.ly/3DmMWx0

06/02/2023

Here are our latest spore counts for the week starting 30th Jan 2023.

LOW: 5,000 – 15,000
MED: 20,000 – 45,000
HIGH: 50,000 – 100,000
EXT: >100,000

For more information refer to our website https://bit.ly/3DmMWx0

03/01/2023

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗰𝘇𝗲𝗺𝗮 (𝗙𝗘) 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀.

There is no cure for FE so prevention is the only way of protecting animals. This preventative program needs to be in place at least 2-3 weeks before the spore count starts to rise. In our area, zinc treatment usually begins around Christmas time.

Farmers usually either dose animals with zinc or spray their pastures with a fungicide spray.

You can find out more here:

Zinc prevention for Facial Eczema (FE) There is no cure for FE so prevention is the only way of protecting animals. This preventative program needs to be in pla

29/11/2022

🐄𝗖𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀🐄
The most common vaccinations we use in cattle are used to protect against Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD), Leptospirosis, and the clostridial diseases.

𝗕𝗩𝗗 is a viral disease of cattle. It is transmitted either congenitally (the foetus being infected in utero) or after birth through faecal-oral or nose-to-nose contact. BVD infection can cause a range of symptoms depending on when an animal is infected. If a pregnant cow is infected she may abort, have a stillborn calf, or give birth to a calf who will persistently shed the virus throughout its life. Other animals who contract the disease may present with fever, nasal and ocular discharge, anorexia, oral lesions and diarrhoea. Treatment is only supportive for this disease, there is no cure. Therefore vaccination to prevent it is necessary. Biosecurity is also important. If you are buying in stock keep them quarantined (away from your own stock) for at least 7 days and monitor them for any signs of disease. You can ask if the animals have been vaccinated and when this occurred.

𝗟𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 is caused by a bacteria called Leptospira. There are many subgroups, or serovars of this bacteria. Cattle are the maintenance hosts of Leptospira hardjo-bovis. If infected they may not get ill but they will carry the bacteria and shed it in their urine. They can also become infertile. Other serovars can cause acute illness in calves. They can exhibit fever, anaemia, jaundice and red urine. This can lead to death in 3-5 days. If pregnant cows are infected with a non-host adapted serovar they can abort. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease. This means humans can be infected. Therefore it is very important for us to use preventative measures to control this. Vaccination is relied on to increase resistance to infection. Calves are vaccinated twice, 4 weeks apart, then they get yearly boosters. Pigs, dogs, rats and horses are also carriers of leptospira. It is important to control rats, fence cattle from potentially contaminated streams, separate cattle from pigs and wildlife, and vaccinate all stock on farm.

𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗮 are bacteria that commonly affect cattle. Infection normally results in sudden death. There are many diseases that are caused by clostridial infection, including tetanus, blackleg, malignant oedema and black disease. Many of these involve contamination of wounds with the bacteria. Since most animals die soon after infection, prevention is the only option. This is done by vaccination. We have a couple of vaccine options available, which can protect against up to 10 different clostridial bacteria. Calves are vaccinated twice, 4 weeks apart, then yearly after that.

📞Please contact us on (06) 7584006 if you would like to make a booking.

28/11/2022

Are you a lifestyle block owner planning a summer holiday? Here are some great tips and advice to help you get prepared from the NZVA.

Taking a holiday can pose a challenge for lifestyle block owners, but it's not impossible. If you're going out of town this summer, get a friend, family member or trusted house-sitter to look after your animals (and your property). Make sure they know:

✅ when, what and how much to feed each animal
✅ how the pump and water systems work
✅ how to turn off the electric fences
✅ the codes for any locks or alarms
✅ what to do in an emergency or natural disaster
✅ when they should call a vet if they're worried about an animal
✅ your vet's contact details

Make sure to talk to them about making decisions about your pet's care and treatment in the case of an emergency if they are unable to contact you.

Making a detailed list for your animal sitter will help reduce stress while you're away and ensure your animals are in safe hands until you return.

09/11/2022

Time Out Tour - in Hawera tonight 10th November - 7pm @ TSB Hub, Camberwell Road, Hawera.

TV presenter turned sheep and beef farmer, Matt Chisholm, has signed on to be the inaugural Ambassador for the Rural Support Trust. Now he's on a nationwide tour talking to rural communities on the topic of mental wellness and resilience. Through captivating storytelling, Matt shares the good, the bad, and the questionable experiences he’s faced on his unpredictable journey to date, and the little things he’s learnt along the way.

Click on the registration link below for more details and to book.

The Rural Support Trust, in proud partnership with ANZ, Bayleys, BDO, Datamars Livestock, Fonterra, and Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), are excited to bring the Time Out Tour to Hāwera in November! TV presenter turned sheep and beef farmer, Matt Chisholm, has signed on to be the inaugural Am...

25/09/2022

04/09/2022

Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads out there!
Nothing like a "dad" joke to brighten your day 😆

29/08/2022

KEEPING BACKYARD CHICKENS
Keeping your own hens and eating their nice fresh eggs for breakfast can be rewarding, but there are a few points to consider before you commit to purchasing chickens:

🥚Firstly, you need to decide whether your hens will be ‘free range’ or confined to a coop.

🐔All hens will need a safe place to roost for the night. A shed 2mx2mx2.5m high will be big enough for 8 hens. Obviously, it should be weather and predator proof. Water and grit needs to be available at all times. Provide plenty of perches as the ‘boss-hen’ will prevent others from roosting near her.

🥚Hens will begin laying at around 6 months of age. At this time the red bits on her head (the comb and wattles) will become bright red. She will lay one egg every 25 hours (usually in the mornings). Because of this, every so often she will miss one day and lay early the next morning. Provide a nice dry clean deep bed of shavings or hay for her to lay in, and leave 1 or 2 fake eggs there to encourage her.

🐔Hens usually lay eggs for about 9 months before they go through a moulting process. Egg production becomes irregular, then stops when this occurs. Her comb and wattles will shrivel and pale pink in colour. The hen can look quite miserable for 2-3 days then her feathers start to fall out. Over a few weeks, a new set of feathers will grow and she will begin laying again in approximately 12 weeks. She will need extra food over this time as she will be feeling cold and tired.

08/08/2022

Do you have a curious dog, horse or alpaca? Remember to keep them away from products containing ionophores, which can cause ionophore toxicity.

Ionophores may be found in calf and lamb meal or milk replacer. Many dogs love the taste of calf and lamb milk replacer and will jump at the chance to lick the containers or equipment! Make sure to keep your feeds away from , and so they won't be tempted.

You may not see the signs of ionophore toxicity straight away, as it affects the heart and skeletal muscle. Your animals may show signs of muscle weakness or staggering - but don't wait until these signs appear.

If you're concerned that one of these animals has gotten into a product containing ionophores, contact your local veterinarian.

29/06/2022

LIFESTYLE BLOCK OWNERS - Pre Lambing Reminders

If you have pregnant ewes now is the time to make sure the following is up to date:

🐑 Pre-lamb vaccination against clostridial disease
🐑 Vitamin ADE injection to help prevent prolapsing

If you need advice on anything Lifestyle Block related please touch base with one of our experienced and knowledgeable team - (06) 7584006.

29/05/2022

With 'Moving Day' just around the corner (June 1), it's a good time to review biosecurity practices while moving your animals.

GOOD BIOSECURITY PRACTICES
🐄Run cattle in management units that don't mix. Minimise introductions and keep any introductions low risk (for example, keep mobs separate for their duration on grazing blocks).

🐄Secure boundaries through fencing. Make sure nose-to-nose contact is not possible between cattle held on neighbouring properties.

🐄Keep NAIT updated. NAIT is a legal requirement and key to good biosecurity, as it makes it easier and faster to trace animals. More information on NAIT requirements over Moving Day – OSPRI
Remember the important NAIT timeframes to ensure you remain compliant.

🐄Ensure any equipment or biological products you bring on-farm are M. bovis free. Ensure equipment (such as borrowed milk feeding equipment) is clean and disinfected prior to use on your property. Avoid trading colostrum and milk – the lowest risk for spread of M. bovis is calf milk replacer. Make sure donor bulls have been tested for M. bovis and if you use artificial insemination ask your semen supplier what assurance they can provide that the semen is free of M. bovis.

These good on-farm biosecurity practices that help to control the spread of M. bovis will also help limit the spread of other diseases as well. For more info you can check out the MPI website here: https://bit.ly/3NI6T5n

10/05/2022

A metabolic disease refers to the symptoms seen when there is a change (usually a decrease) in the blood levels of energy and minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These changes occur during the transition period, which covers the time approximately 3 weeks before calving/lambing to 3 weeks afterwards.

Learn more about Metabolic Diseases: 👉https://bit.ly/3M2qRqS

02/05/2022

During the month of May receive $10 off Equest Horse Wormer - now $31.50!

The Key Benefits are:
🐴Controls tapeworm, bots and gastrointestinal roundworms including adult and encysted stages and benzimidazole resistant strains of small strongyles.
🐴Long acting: The Egg Reappearance Period (ERP) for Equest® Plus Tape is at least 14 weeks, which means that recontamination of the pasture by strongyle eggs is significantly reduced during this period.
🐴Unique gel formulation that dissolves rapidly on the tongue, aiding compliance.
🐴Equest® Plus Tape contains moxidectin and praziquantel, sufficient to treat a horse of up to 575 kg.

25/04/2022

Here is our latest spore counts for the week starting 18th April 2022.
For more information refer to our website https://bit.ly/3DmMWx0

11/04/2022

Latest spore counts for the week starting 4th April 2022.
For more information refer to our website https://bit.ly/3DmMWx0

06/04/2022

Lifestyle Block - Vet Bill Tips (save time, save money)!!!

🐄 Be prepared - having your animals restrained or in the yard ready prior to the vet's arrival. If our vet has to waste time trying to catch your animals this will result in additional charges.
🐄 Stockyards - Ensuring you have the correct setup e.g stockyards suitable for the animals you have.
🐄 Multiple jobs? If your need the vet for a variety of things, make sure you advise us when you book the vet visit so we can block out enough time and bring the right equipment with us.
🐄 Bucket of hot water - This tip won't save you money but it will make our vets day by providing a bucket of hot soapy water and a towel.
🐄 Book a vet visit - Our vets can provide assistance and advice on a variety of areas that can provide value to your lifestyle venture. Discussing your individual lifestyle needs with our vets and by developing an annual Animal Wellness Calendar can be invaluable in planning and organising your annual livestock programme.

You can contact us at (06) 7584006 or [email protected]

29/03/2022

For more information refer to our website https://bit.ly/3DmMWx0

09/03/2022

Do you have chickens?

It can be very satisfying to produce your own eggs either from free-range birds or from confined hens but make sure that you have done your homework before you start. https://www.npvet.co.nz/chickens/