Wrinkles, Crinkles and odd-ball shells – What’s going on with my eggs?1 month
Oh, the ‘Green Dream’. We all long for the countryside cottage with a handful of lazy chooks hanging about, laying eggs for the family table. But what happens when those eggs start arriving warped, wrinkled or looking generally odd. Are …Read More
Flystrike – All creatures great and small2 months
Flystrike is a serious disease that affects approximately 2 million sheep yearly in NZ, and any sheep farmer knows this game well. Ironically, the large culprit is the Australian Green Blow Fly. Classic. They get Phar Lap, pavlova and Russell …Read More
How many animals can I run on my property?2 months
Spring time, that beautiful season where the grass grows lush. But don’t let it lure you into a false sense of bountiful feed! Come mid-summer, grass growth falls off and if you’re not careful you may find yourself having to …Read More
Fluffy the lamb’s recovery from milk rumenitis4 months
This is “Fluffy-bum” (another child-anointed name). Let’s call him Fluffy. Fluffy had always seemed shy, quiet and pensive. According to his foster mum, he had never bleated, jumped or played with the other lambs, and just seemed, all-round, unenthusiastic. Which …Read More
Mr Waffles’ blocked urethra5 months
Mr Waffles lives with his best friend Lola… And he is the boss. But everything changed the day he developed crystals in his urine, which formed a blockage in the urethra (the tube that carries urine to the outside world). …Read More
Chloe the ewe’s hammock therapy for nerve damage5 months
Chloe the ewe was another victim to Sleepy Sickness, where her energy intake could not meet the demands of her multiple lambs during pregnancy. However, this was not her only hurdle. Feeling unwell, Chloe found herself nestled up in a …Read More
Caesarean for ewe with sleepy sickness6 months
Pregnancy ketosis, or “sleepy sickness” is an illness that affects pregnant ewes in the third trimester of pregnancy. The illness is caused by excessive fat breakdown to meet the ewe’s energy requirements and, as such, those carrying multiple lambs are …Read More
The tiniest warrior you’ve ever seen!6 months
Tiny Bruno, weighing in at just 1.03 kg, and big brother Baxter, at 3 kg, came to stay at Franklin Vets after a rough first few days left them on the brink. Bruno and Baxter are the only surviving siblings …Read More
Salmonella – What is it and what can you do about it?6 months
Let’s be honest here, we’ve all had or have had someone close to you experience a bout of salmonella. In humans, it’s a bad version of an Indian spicy vindaloo running out the back end on a Friday night. …Read More
Latest Mycoplasma bovis update6 months
There is a large amount of valuable information being created around Mycoplasma bovis. At present the three best reads are: Mycoplasma bovis response, Stakeholder update 100, 20 July 2018. Guidance for Beef Cattle farmers from Beef & Lamb NZ The MPI …Read More
Daisy and friends lose their horn buds7 months
What a picturesque morning for a snooze in the sun. Daisy and her friends slept the morning away as we removed their wee horn buds, (known as debudding) so they can grow up safely, without the risk of accidentally hurting …Read More
Franklin Vets Sheep & Beef Update June 20187 months
The latest Sheep & Beef newsletter from the large animal team at Franklin Vets with articles from our vets, including the latest on Mycoplasma bovis, plus all the good deals going at the moment.