Animal Health

With mating season underway farmers will be considering how to make their herds more efficient, through breeding. Fonterra have been around the country on their Efficiency Evolution Strategy Roadshow, and two of their presenters share the tools they encourage farmers to think about when it comes to getting the most from your herd. Also hear from two LIC Agri Managers on their MINDA tool, and how they’re using it to make bespoke plans for their farmers on what efficiency means to them.

Salmonella outbreaks in herds can be devastating, and given the wet spring across the country, it is a grim reality for some farmers at the moment.
In this episode, hear from a vet managing Salmonella outbreaks in Southland; two Veterinary Technical Advisors from MSD Animal Health about how to prevent a Salmonella outbreak on your farm; and a Waikato dairy farmer about how she managed an outbreak on her farm during the dry period, and what she’s doing now to prevent it happening again.

The health of the herd is front of mind for dairy farmers, especially with the calving season well underway. Issues like lameness can be costly and disruptive for a herd, so how do farmers keep ahead of the problem in the first place?
We talk to those who know animal health best, including vets and researchers, to discuss what proactive solutions are out there to either minimise or prevent lameness in the first place.

“Setting the table” in a novel way that allows cows to choose what they eat, may be resulting in milk that contains more health-giving nutrients for its human consumers. Words Anne Lee.

Now’s the time to stay on top of animal health.

You’ve already made great genetic gains. You’ve improved your milk production, built a better herd, and are on track for further improvements.

The window for facial eczema is often misconstrued. With El Nino conditions forecast to last well into the end of autumn this year, hot dry conditions followed by warm rain, could see increases in fungal growth and spore production be a risk over an extended period.

Rex and Sharon Butterworth are focused on running a system that remains profitable regardless of the payout as they make the most of their home-grown feed, which sets their stock up for optimal production. Claire Ashton reports.

Practices that dramatically lower ingested worm numbers in cattle are vital if the reliance on drench is to be reduced. The rapid rise in triple drench resistance in the national sheep flock is a warning. Anne Lee reports.

Lungworm is an underestimated and often forgotten parasite in New Zealand, Dr Lisa Whitfield writes.