Advice, management and solutions for your beef farm.
Beef Disease Management
Milk Fever
Milk Fever is the most common metabolic condition that usually occurs around three days either side of calving. It is caused by a high demand for calcium while a cow adjusts to starting milk production.
Grass Staggers
Grass Staggers is the common name for low magnesium in cows. This is most common in spring, when lush green grass is low in magnesium, and breeding cows are close to calving or producing milk.
Facial Eczema
Facial Eczema is caused by fungal spores that occur on pasture during warm moist conditions, usually from late summer through to autumn. When eaten by cattle or sheep, these fungal spores release a toxin that damages the liver and may result in secondary skin damage.
Internal Parasites
Young cattle are particularly susceptible to parasitism. Due to the type of parasites involved and the increase in drench resistance in NZ, combination drenches (available as oral, pour on or injectable) are often required for calves and yearling animals.
Ryegrass Staggers
Ryegrass staggers is not to be confused with grass staggers. Ryegrass staggers is caused by toxins produced by the endophyte fungus which naturally lives in perennial ryegrass. Levels of these toxins are usually highest during summer months.
Ticks
Ticks are common throughout the Franklin Vets area. Ticks are generally present all the year but are most easily seen during the summer months. This is when the large adult ticks are likely to be found on livestock in large numbers.
Vaccinations
The risk of many diseases in cattle can be reduced or prevented with vaccination. Not all vaccines discussed on the linked page may be necessary for your farm. Contact your Franklin Vets Team to discuss what options best suit your farm and farming system.
Yersinia
Yersinia is a bacteria that often causes diarrhoea in calves between 4 to 12 months of age. It is common after weaning followed by times of stress like adverse weather condition, transport, feed shortages and internal parasite infection.
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