District Insights No images? Click here We're loyal, not just local.Spring & Calving NewsNon Return RatesGeneral numbers are varying from 75% to 60%. These are simply cows not seen to return, so they are either truly pregnant / gone anoestrus again / missed heat / or losing the young pregnancy. So where to from here: - Check that herd numbers on MINDA are reasonably accurate. Please keep in touch with us and avoid making uninformed decisions about Bull removal and getting a surprise in January/February. Post Mortem ServiceWe are offering a new standardised Post-mortem service for cows, calves and yearlings that will be particularly helpful and important in future when quantifying cow mortality levels and causes for your ‘Fonterra Cooperative difference' data. Please call any of us to discuss logistics, timing and costs. Mastitis Culturing UpdatesRecently there is has been an increased incidence of environmental bugs causing mastitis, the majority being Strep. uberis. A reminder to ensure that your teat sprayer is working properly and getting good coverage on all four teats at the correct concentration. Here is some kiwi ingenuity that ensures your teat sprayer doesn't get clogged during miking with mud or faeces. Calf Weighing and Vaccinating Reminders- Please remember to weigh to the heaviest calf in the mob, and check your drench guns are fully effective. Don’t forget we have our highly efficient Tech team happy to help or do the calf weighing work for you. Getting these procedures done on time is important. Tail Scoring- This is becoming increasingly necessary and requested by farm owners as another measure of animal welfare to be checked annually. Please call us to discuss. This is an important area going forward for your herd records. Some Quick RemindersBucket testing of Pivots: Sarah McPhee and her team are booking pivot tests in now, and particularly ahead of upcoming Farm Audits. ‘Red’ drugs on your RVM sheets: Red Drugs are classed as critically important antibiotics or CIA’s and can only be authorised for a 4 month period at any time. They include drugs such as Excede LA / Excenel / Mastalone / Tylan. If you are continuing to use these drugs or have them in your RVM drug cabinets ready for use, you MUST have a current updated RVM. Please check the date on your RVM sheets and if it is more than 4 months since it was last signed off, and you want to use these drugs you need to call us ASAP to discuss ongoing use this season. Calf Rearer of the Year AwardsThis year’s NCVC Calf Rearer of the Year winners are: We had an outstanding group of calf rearers nominated, who all worked hard to ensure their calves are well looked after. This made it very difficult for our judge Kim Kelly, of MSD, to decide on a winner. A big thanks to MSD for helping to organise and sponsor the event that recognises all of the hard work done by calf rearers in this crucial role, raising the future of their herds. The evening was well received, food was great and lots of support of farm owners/managers of their nominated calf rearers this year. A quote from our judge, Kim; “If I needed to use a few key phrases to describe the calf rearers we visited it would be attention to detail, hard work, patience and dedication.” From left: Kate Boyd and Kim Kelly from MSD, Baylea McDonald from Kenmare Dairy, as Calf Rearer of the Year 2020, Mara Elton. All nominated calf rearers that attended the Calf Rearer of the Year Awards event 2020. Christmas Best wishes to all. What a year!So much upheaval and changes to the way we do things, has certainly challenged us all. A massive shout-out to the Rural sector as a whole, you’ve done NZ proud! Thanks so very much for your support and custom throughout 2020. Here’s to a healthy, fulfilling and prosperous 2021. From all of us here at NCVC, have a happy and healthy Festive season. ENJOY. As always, any queries just keep in touch with us. From the Vet and Tech Team - Trish, Alistair, Rob, Ian, Keira, Mara, Sarah W, Alana, Ingrid, Sam, Justin, Julia, Nathan, Brooke, Sarah McP, Hannah and Ben. We're loyal, not just local.Amberley 1 Osborne Rd Cheviot 14 Hall St Culverden 26 Mouse Point Rd Waikari 16 Karaka Road |