What's Up in the District - December 2018 No Images? Click here We're loyal, not just local.Christmas HoursOver the Christmas period our clinics will be closed on the following days: Tues 25 December & Wed 26 December If you have an emergency please call your local clinic for the phone number of the on-call Vet. Latest NewsHurunui BarnardosJust 7 sleeps until Christmas! Let's help make all families enjoy this time. Pregnancy Testing Rates - 1st Round- A mixed bag - some farms having good mid-50’s conception rates, others in late 40’s. Sick CalvesWe have been seeing mixed problems in calves this December: 1. Coccidia and larvae/worms tend to flourish in these warm humid moist conditions. Watch your paddock contamination levels, stick strictly to your monthly drenching plan and always drench to the heaviest animal. Sudden Gut 'Accidents' in CowsWe do see these occasionally throughout the season. Some good tips to look out for if you think you have a cow with a ‘twisted gut’ of any type: - Sudden severe drop in milk production Remember - the earlier we see these, the better the outcome. Surgery can be successful when done early. Sending Cull Cows to SlaughterNew Animal welfare regulations effective 1st October 2018 stipulate that any cull cow requiring a veterinary certificate for transport must go the nearest plant (i.e SFF Belfast or Affco Malvern). To avoid any issues when certifying these, it may pay to get the works booked initially. Vet certificates can now only be issued for a week’s duration, so important to plan ahead to avoid multiple certifying visits. Lastly, large pendulous udders in cows that have lost their suspensory ligament are considered to be at risk of damaging their udders in transit. Advice from MPI Vets at slaughter plants are suggesting we advise our farmers to preferably dry these cows off and allow the udder to ‘shrink’ to some degree before trucking. Photo below is a cow with a pendulous udder which has been dry for some months and therefore less of a risk for damage. Hernias in CalvesIf you have noticed any calves with umbilical hernias over spring that haven’t reduced on their own, surgical correction can be done (especially if the hernia ‘hole’ is more than 3 fingers big). It is best to get these done before the calves get too big to reduce sedation costs and post-surgical complications. Mycoplasma Bovis Update- This week there was a good media announcement by the Minister and head of the MPI Eradication team, stating how well the eradication plan is progressing. · MPI Biosecurity number = 0800 80 99 66 if you any concerns or queries Great Christmas presents - Free to Good HomeContact the Culverden Clinic for these adorable kittens Merry ChristmasWe would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for your business for the year of 2018. We think we are fortunate to have a great bunch of Farmers to work with, in a fantastic community so we hope we have delivered our best to you all over 2018. Remember to take time to enjoy family and friends this Christmas season and we’ll catch up with you all through 2019 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all! From the Vet and Tech Team - Trish, Alistair, John, Rob, Ian, Ana, Keira, Mara, Sarah W, Alana, Sam, Nathan, Catherine S, Sarah McP, Martina, Jamie. We're loyal, not just local.www.ncvets.co.nz | enquiries@ncvets.co.nz Amberley 1 Osborne Rd Cheviot 14 Hall St Culverden 26 Mouse Point Rd Waikari 16 Karaka Road |