increase font size
Horowhenua veterinarian Keith Christensen.
Facial eczema (FE) has hit Horowhenua much earlier than normal due to lots of rain and high temperatures.
Speaking at a DairyNZ discussion group in the region, Horowhenua veterinarian Keith Christensen says spore counts in the area are the highest seen at this time of year for several years.
He says the region had a dry summer and then suddenly a lot of rain and heat. Once the rain hit, the dry matter on the ground was ideal for spores to grow.
Facial eczema is caused by the toxin sporidesmin, produced by the fungus Pithomyces chartarum which grows rapidly in warm wet pastures mainly from January to April, although FE has been known to occur in May.
The sporidesmin damages the liver of an animal and makes them sensitive to light, causing severe inflammation on parts of the skin especially around ears, eyes and udder. Soil temperature also gives a push to the disease.
"The conditions will vary from farm to farm and will depend on how individual farmers have managed their grazing and how much dead matter they have around," says Christensen. "In general you feel the air is rotting as you drive around. Sometimes it's very tropical and so the spore counts across the district are high."
He says many people spray their paddocks to ward off FE but this year in Horowhenua it has caught many farmers unawares and the best way of dealing with it is to put zinc in the water lines.
This reactive approach is cost effective because it allows farmers to wait until there is a problem before they use zinc. And the zinc can stay in the shed for use next year.
Another option is to put stock onto a crop where there is not the same risk of spore build-up.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
The dairy sector is in a relatively stable position, with strong milk price payout forecasts continuing to offset ongoing high farm costs, according to DairyNZ.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown says history shows that when New Zealand needs an economic lift, dairy delivers.
There is nothing more important to New Zealand than agriculture, says Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Reecently Beef + Lamb New Zealand hosted a webinar giving farmers an update on findings from the Sheep Poo study, featuring Dr Cara Brosnahan and vet Ginny Dodunski. This study, which is entering its final year, is a key part of the Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts (EFEI) programme and is helping build a clearer picture of how FE affects farms nationwide.
Like many manufacturers around the world, European agricultural machinery and tractor manufacturers are currently operating in a difficult market environment. But they are heading to the world’s largest agricultural machinery event in Hanover next month with a degree of cautious optimism.
Established in 2021, the John Deere Technician of the Year Awards champion the important contribution parts and service technicians make to the Australian and New Zealand agriculture, construction and forestry industries.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
New Zealand is closer to eradicating bovine TB than ever before, but possums remain a threat, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.
The ACT Party says media reports that global dairy giant Nestle has withdrawn from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance shows why New Zealand needs to rethink its approach to climate.
OPINION: Dairy industry players are also falling by the wayside as the economic downturn bites around the country.
OPINION: Methane Science Accord, a farmer-led organisation advocating for zero tax on ruminant methane, will be quietly celebrating its first…
