Handling sheep with care
I wrote an article in the May 6th issue of Rural News about how when set-stocking ewes for lambing, they need spreading lightly - and topped up with cattle after the lambs have dropped.
A vaccine, claimed to be the first specific product against Streptococcus uberis, the most common cause of environmental mastitis in New Zealand, was launched here last month.
UBAC, developed by leading Spanish pharmaceutical manufacturer Hipra, is now available exclusively from Agilis Vet Ltd.
This follows a successful release in Europe in 2018 across 50 countries.
At the recent launch, Dr Marga Penelas, global product manager at HIPRA, spoke about the global increase in the incidence of mastitis caused by Streptococcus uberis and the frustration caused by the lack of response to conventional treatments.
It is an exciting step towards reducing the need to treat mastitis with antibiotics and working towards maximising milk production, he said.
Agilis Vet general manager Ben Lee says those present at the launch showed their enthusiasm for the idea of having new tools for the control of this pathogen.
“They also understood that with the launch of UBAC and the consolidation of STARTVAC – a mastitis vaccine registered in NZ for Staphlococcus aureus – Agilis affirms its commitment to new tools for the control and prevention of mastitis in dairy cows.
“Furthermore, this product – like others in our portfolio – supports our determination to move animal health towards preventative care as good standard practice.”
Questions are being raised about just how good the state of the dairy industry is - especially given that the average farmgate payout for the coming season is set to exceed $10/kgMS.
A leading financial and banking advisor says he doubts if most dairy farmers fully understand the dynamics of banking.
Dairy farmers are shoring up their balance sheets, with almost $1.7 billion of debt repaid in the six months to March 2025.
Virtual fencing company Halter is going global but for founder Craig Piggott, New Zealand farmers will always remain their main partners.
A former Fonterra executive is the new chair of the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ).
New Federated Farmers national dairy chair Karl Dean is looking forward to tackling the issues facing the sector.
OPINION: A last-minute compromise ensured that the election of the new Federated Farmers national dairy chair wasn't a repeat of…
OPINION: Just as it's healthy for cockies to get out of the shed and off the farm occasionally to get…