With ewes and lambs coming to the yards at tail docking, it's tempting to drench the ewes 'while they're here'. Wormwise vet Mary Bowron urges farmers to consider the variables before getting out the drench gun. Do ewes actually need a drench at tail docking? Well, it depends.
Farmers with high-quality feed available in late spring could consider weaning at least a proportion of their lamb crop early to benefit both lambs and ewes.
A major move is about to get underway to improve the quality and viability of dairy beef and cattle in NZ.
Veterinarians say changes to the code of welfare for dairy cattle provides a positive foundation for improved cattle welfare across the country.
For years, New Zealand’s dairy sector has been moving towards more selective use of antibiotics at dry-off, yet blanket dry cow therapy (DCT) – treating every cow in the herd with antibiotics, regardless of her individual infection status – has persisted on some farms.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
For Canterbury dairy farmers Sian Meijer and Rick Wobben, wearable technology has become one of their most valuable on-farm tools - helping manage 1850 cows across an expansive, high-performing dairy operation while improving efficiency, mating outcomes and day-to-day decision making.
Leptospirosis is one of the most significant health threats to New Zealand dairy herds and the families who work with them.
Drench Options are become increasingly limited for sheep farmers, highlighting the importance of proactive parasite management planning within the wider farm system to stretch the longevity of drench as a tool.
As farmers begin thinking about establishing next year’s winter forage crops, Beef + Lamb NZ is encouraging farmers to carefully consider what crops they are planting and where.
Good Calf shed hygiene has always been about providing clean, dry bedding.
Animal health company Bovonic is gearing up for its next stage of growth after increasing New Zealand sales of QuadSense by more than 50% in the last 12 months, including a record quarter for the business this year.
B+LNZ's Wormwise veterinarian Mary Bowron has won the Best Sheep and Beef Vet of the Year Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to New Zealand’s sheep and beef sector.
With lambing underway in many regions, Beef + Lamb New Zealand is encouraging farmers to put together a wellequipped lambing kit to help minimise lamb losses, particularly in bad weather.
Matt Collier, Probiotic Revolution, says calves will drink a lot of milk once-a-day with their probiotic Calf Xtreme.
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) remains one of the most significant infectious diseases affecting New Zealand dairy herds.
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is sometimes viewed as a dairy industry issue, but the reality is that the disease can have serious consequences for beef breeding herds as well.
When Fraser Hasnip returned to his family farm in Pirongia, Waikato, he saw an opportunity to do things differently.
Body Condition Score (BCS) is a critical element in managing the health and reproduction of the dairy herd.
Bull management involves ensuring the right number of healthy bulls for your herd, minimising stress and reducing injury risks.
I've written a series of articles for Rural News, starting with 'The Basics of Grazing', then 'Stock Handling', followed up by 'Evaluating Stock Condition'.
Rearing facilities should be set up and maintained well to ensure calves stay healthy.
Solid biosecurity practices, regular monitoring and timely vaccination are the three key pillars of effective Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) control on New Zealand farms. Zoetis veterinary technical advisor, Karley DeFrees, explains BVD is a costly but preventative disease that impacts a significant number of dairy farms in New Zealand. Implementation of a BVD control plan can help protect your herd from this avoidable disease.
A new app designed in New Zealand aims to help sheep, beef and deer farmers capture, analyse and use body condition score data more effectively.
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