District Insights No images? Click here We're loyal, not just local.Latest NewsLamb Post-MortemsIf you are seeing an increase in lamb losses compared to previous seasons, or numbers are just higher than you would like, it is worth bringing in some lambs for us to sample. We may be able to identify the cause of death from looking at internal organs on dead lambs. When out on lambing beats if you notice some dead lambs, keep them in a cool, shady spot. Once you have a reasonable number (approx. 10 or more) bring them down to the clinic and we can investigate these deaths for you. Faecal Egg CountsFaecal eggs counts (FEC) are a quick and easy tool to help us determine if a flock needs to be drenched and if the drench is working. · To check capsules and long-acting injectable drenches are working effectively, collect and bring in a FEC sample at approx. 60-80 days (from application or injection date). We will get the results back to you in 24 hours. This is called Leakage test and is very important to gauge drug resistance levels/capsule effectiveness. If you bought the capsules through us, this testing is free. · Bring in a FEC 10-14 days after an oral drench and we can see if your current drench is working. · Drop in a FEC 28 days after drenching and we can help you decide if another a drench is needed or if you can stretch drench intervals out safely. Scabby MouthA disease causing decreased growth in lambs and hoggets as they spend less time suckling and grazing. It can also easily be transmitted to humans, shearers may be reluctant to shear sheep that are heavily infected. · Vaccination is effective at preventing scabby mouth. This is a single dose at tailing using a wire applicator which is scratched firmly across the skin to cause skin damage, but not draw blood in the armpit or thigh. · Check 20x lambs 5-7 days after vaccination to ensure that a scab has formed and that vaccination has taken. · Reduce the risk of trauma to your animals through controlling thistle infection and avoiding grazing ewes and lambs in paddocks that are heavily infested with thistles. · Beware of self-injection, as the vaccine is a live strain it will lead to developing scabby mouth lesions. Good “take” from scabby mouth vaccination Ewe DeathsEwe wastage has direct effects on lambing percentages and thus profitability. It’s very difficult for a dead ewe to give birth to, or rear a lamb/s! · July and August have been identified as the greatest risk period for ewe losses. · To determine if we have a problem we need to know the number of losses that are occurring. · Carry a notebook or use your phone to record daily/weekly losses, which age group and which paddock etc. Vital info can give you an idea on trends. · Record changes in ewe numbers between each yarding i.e. for pre-lamb treatments, tailing or preferably checking ewe paddocks and recording deaths regularly, even daily. If you think that you are losing more ewes than usual, give us a call and we can do an investigation. This may range from a chat on the phone to doing some post-mortems on some fresh dead ewes. Rearing Orphan LambsRearing orphan lambs can reduce lamb deaths and does not have to be too intensive. Here are some key points: · Good housing is key. Lambs should be kept in a warm dry environment with shelter and water. · Ad lib feed of straw/hay and/or meal should be offered to promote rumen development · Assume all lambs have not had colostrum. In the first 24 hours the lamb should receive 15% of its body weight in at least 3 feeds or 600ml over 3-4 feeds for a 4kg lamb of cow colostrum or powdered colostrum formula. · Feed colostrum for the first 4-5 days before transitioning to milk replacer. · As lambs are susceptible to abomasal bloat, particularly if having bigger feeds less frequently, yoghurtising the milk can be beneficial. Weak or comatose lambs require immediate attention: - Draw up 20mls for a 4kg lamb (5ml/kg) from a dextrose 40% bag and dilute with the same volume of warm clean water (ideally sterilised and cooled). Sleepy SicknessPregnancy toxaemia (sleepy sickness, ketosis, twin lamb disease, lambing sickness) is a disease of ewes in late pregnancy. It occurs when the ewe does not have enough glucose to continue the growth of both the lamb and the ewe in the final stages of parturition. · Affected ewes look dull and depressed, stop eating, lie down, may show neurological signs or separate themselves from the flock. · If she is still eating she has a much better chance. Once the ewe is down and inappetant it can be very difficult to reverse the effects and death can occur. · Energy given in the form of oral Ketol and injectable Glucalphos can help in the early/moderate stages: · It is important to provide the ewe with high-quality feed pasture or baleage, and water that is easily accessible. Sometimes if they are too dull, it pays to drench them with fluids (approx. 2-4 litres). Prevention is key to dealing with sleepy sickness. · Keep ewes on a rising plane of nutrition, the requirements are greatest in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy where 70% of the fetal growth occurs. · Supplemental high quality baleage may need to be provided. · Preferentially feed lighter ewes or multiple bearing ewes. · Minimise stressful events/time off feed leading up to lambing. · Avoid sudden feed changes. 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 |