We are sad to see Jonathon retire from practice this month. Jonathan has taken the difficult decision after struggling with his shoulder injury for some time and the need for surgery. He chose to leave quietly and without fuss, as was his way! We wish him well for his retirement and thank him for his service over the last 10 years. I realise quite a few of you didn’t have the opportunity to say goodbye and so, if you would like, I will leave some cards on which you can write a message for him in reception.
We need to start thinking about parasite and worm control. The recent wet conditions allow the emergence of gut worm larvae on the leaf of grass for the calves or lambs to ingest. We aim to turnaround dung samples on the same day and give you meaningful results and advice so please make use of this service. It is always better to know what you are treating rather than just worming willy nilly; if not for the cost saving then for the slowing of wormer resistance.
We are pleased to see the Blue tongue vaccine arrive last week, filling all back orders. I believe the supply is still good at the moment so it might be worth buying forward for lambs or replacement heifers that will be kept into the autumn. You have probably all read by now about the whole of England entering a Restriction Zone on the 1st July. This will simplify animal movements within England, however Wales and Scotland is yet to decide on their next step but hopefully we should know more this month. Those of you that pop across the Bridge for market or for slaughter etc will need to be careful of licensing going into Wales but should be fine coming home. Scotland is likely to allow entry of cattle that have been fully vaccinated with Bultavo 3 as this is the only vaccine shown to prevent viraemia, as such these animals are low risk for spread if entering Scotland.
We currently have supply of the 2 vaccines used for abortion in sheep (Enzootic abortion and Toxo), both vaccines provide immunity for the productive life of the ewe and so are a good investment for younger ewes. The single jabs for both need to be completed 4 weeks in advance of tupping.
As we enter the breeding window for Spring calving herds, I wanted to remind you about our ability to offer an AI service for synchronised heats. We are able to receive your chosen semen and store it, then bring it out to the farm when required. Please give us a call to talk through protocols etc.
You may have heard that the Farming Equipment & Technology Fund (FETF) 2025 has now opened for grant applications. Using this fund in previous years, many farms have invested in well-designed portable and fixed race/crush systems. Unfortunately, all too often we encounter unsafe handling systems where bailer twine is more prominent than hinges. This is all too apparent for those late night calvings where we are confronted with a poorly lit shed and no handling facility. I cannot urge you strongly enough to invest in a calving gate, these are very simple and effective as well as allowing safe handling and access to the flank should a caesarean be required and the udder to aid suckling. The whole experience is much less stressful for everyone! Don’t forget the AHWP grants that will give extra points if you are applying for equipment grants.
We were very proud to see Liv run the London Marathon last month. She ran in aid of the Farm Safety Charity ‘Yellow Wellies’. She achieved the 26miles in a little over 4 hours and has raised over £1500. If anyone would like to donate further then please go to her just giving page, https://www.justgiving.com/page/olivia-massey-3?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=015 .