We invite all our members to join us for our AGM, this year will be held on the 5th of October at 7.30pm. Join us at the Rangatira Golf Club to hear something a little different from our guest speaker Myles Fothergill, the man who created Q West Boat Builders from very little. By all […]
Thinking about bulls
The breeding season is not far away. It is time to tick off a few management issues/questions; Have the breeding bulls wintered okay? Check for lame bulls or bulls that may have health issues. Do bulls need copper, selenium or both (these elements are important for good semen production and bull fertility). Do you need […]
Hygiene at docking/ calf marking
Tools used at this time of the year eg. elastrators, ear markers and taggers, have often been forgotten about since this time last year!! Take the time to give them a good clean up and disinfect them. Get your ear markers sharpened if necessary. Dirty gear will lead to infections at docking and calf marking. […]
At risk cows
Checking cows for signs of endometritis and treating those identified has been shown to significantly affect how fast cows get back in calf. Cows that have been calved for more than 1 month, can now be metrichecked and treated if required. You may like to check all cows or alternatively those that are most likely […]
Calf scours
This year scours have been an issue on some dairy farm, where they have not been an issue in the past. The calf scour syndrome is normally one or a combination of either Rotavirus or Cryptosporidia, occasionally e-coli, corona virus or even salmonella can be involved. Rotavirus and Crypto are extremely infectious and can be […]
Sheep measles
On all sheep farms the chances of dogs getting access to raw sheep meat, membranes etc. is much higher at this time of the year. If you have had issues with increased rates of sheep measles in lines of lambs or just don’t want to, it can be a good idea to go onto a […]
Low Blood Calcium in Calving Cows
Every dairy farmer knows that low blood calcium will result in “milk fever” in a dairy cow round calving time. What is less commonly understood is all the other side effects of low blood calcium (LBC) at this time. These issues include; Calving difficulties, LBC results in poor muscle contraction in the uterus and poor […]
Pet Lamb deaths
Each year we hear about the ‘pet lamb disasters’. Normally deaths occur just before pet day or after $100 worth of milk powder!! Here are a few suggestions that might help in avoiding the problem. Make sure your pet lamb gets sufficient colostrum in the first 12 hours of life. Follow milk feeding guidelines. Don’t […]
Magnesium in dairy and beef cows
For dairy farmers who have not already checked mineral levels especially magnesium, it is not too late to do so. Low magnesium will contribute to increased metabolic problems and lost milk production in early lactation. If your cows have grazed fodder beet it would also be a good idea to check phosphorus levels. With regard […]
Happy with your feed cover??
I have been on a number of sheep and beef properties in the last 4-5 weeks. While stock condition is generally quite good, feed covers are variable, from good to challenging!! (The situation is not helped by how wet things are!) On many properties scanning percentages have been very good, so the demand for feed […]