News

Good calf housing is key to having healthy calves 

Sudden death in cattle is a worrying but fortunately rare event on farm. However, it is important to be able to recognise, prevent and sometimes treat the causes of unexpected deaths.  

A short summary of our training courses from the farm team for the remainder of 2023

A smallholder visit includes discussions which include housing, nutrition, body condition scoring, vaccination planning, parasite control and other important things! 

Since running the BCVA Lantra Accredited foot trimming courses, Sarah shares a few tips for applying blocks which wil prove useful. 

We shed some light on what we at The George Farm Vets can offer our clients with the new Animal Health and Welfare Pathway Scheme, and how best to use the money from the government

What have we been up to, and what's ahead? Find out more in our latest newsletter along with articles on laminitis and cracked feet.

From 10th June 2024, it will be compulsory for all cats to have a microchip implanted by the time they reach 20 weeks of age. If a cat is found to not have a microchip, the owner will have 21 days to have one implanted or may face a fine of up to £500.

Ewes reach peak milk yield three to four weeks post lambing and so they need good quality grass to this point. If this isn't available, supplementation is necessary to meet the growing nutritional demands of the lambs at foot.  

The temperature comfort zone or 'thermoneutral zone' for a cow ranges from -15°C to +25°C. Outside this range, cows have to use coping mechanisms to maintain a stable core temperature. 

The last 12 months has seen more changes to the UK's TB policy and so here is a brief update on what the current state of 'TB' affairs looks like. 

It's Spring and so lambing and kidding is in full swing. We also take a look at poisonous plants and separately you will find a focus on pig vaccination.

The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway (AHWP) is a new government plan introduced as part of the Sustainable Farming Initiative.  

Round up of seasonal topics and events from the equine vets at The George

Now is the key time to be thinking about an effective and economic rearing plan to get the most return from the long hours spent getting lambs on the ground 

As you are all already aware, the quality of your bull or bull semen has a major impact on the fertility performance of your herd. 

As we head towards Spring and turning out cattle there are lots of things to think about pre-turnout. One of these is lungworm. 

Having a well balanced diet containing the right amount of energy, protein and mineral is a key part of having a productive and healthy herd, especially around calving. 

We all dread the day walking into the calf shed to find sick calves which are off their feed and showing signs of pneumonia. 

Our winter newsletter covers preparing for lambing, clostridial diseases, vitamin D deficiency in alpacas and chicken worming.

The cost of fuel, maintenance and the running of our vehicles has significantly increased over the last year. Whilst we have managed to honour our no-fee visits throughout, we have decided to review our daytime visit fees with effect from 1st January 2023.  

We are delighted to announce that we have now received our SILVER accreditation following our recent audit with Investors in the Environment, having been awarded bronze in 2021. 

As we have had one of the hottest and driest summers on record we are expecting a lower than normal, or possibly a delayed, liver fluke season. 

With increasing pressure to reduce antibiotic use, some farms are now opting not to treat clinical mastitis cases. There are situations where this would be a suitable approach but it will not be a good option for all farms. 

Find out what the team have been up to over the last few months as well as our thoughts on the coming season.

The most efficient period in a cow's life for converting feed to growth is during the first 2 months of life. This period is critical.

A quick update on all the services we provide to smallholders, with your own newsletter.

Our new Donkey Health Club is launching. An exclusive club with many benefits.  

With housing season approaching DD is a condition that is likely to rear its head after a hot dry spell and it would seem an apt time to revisit the mainstay of DD management.  

With housing around the corner, lots of farms are getting ready to fluke-dose all their cattle. But is this really necessary? 

September brings our focus back to the importance of biosecurity and how preventing new infections benefits health, welfare and production.

The challenging weather conditions experienced across the UK mean that, with tupping just around the corner, it is more important than ever to check the tups and ewes thoroughly before being put to work. 

As prices of feed and fertilizers become less predictable, making a business plan resilient is key.  

Our seasonal update from the equine clinic team with information on acupuncture, vaccinations and behaviour modification. 

Pain relief is an essential part of caring for any animal but production animals often mask signs of pain and discomfort. Knowing what to use, when to use it and if it has been effective can be a challenge. 

As the busy calving season winds down, now seems a good time to think about how we can make improvements for next year. Maximising calving ease should be a pnonty for any suckler herd as difficult calvings can be extremely costly. 

Blowfly strike is a major animal welfare concern: an average of 1.5% of ewes and 3% of lambs in the UK may be affected each year, despite preventative measures undertaken by most farmers.  

What is Ketosis - this is month's newsletter from the George Farm Vets covers Ketosis and the issues associated with it.

Herd health planning can be incredibly useful - it allows farm staff and vets the opportunity to review the past year, find potential issues and  implement a plan to try and improve welfare, productivity and in turn profitability.  

Bovine Tuberculosis update for you from The George Farm Vets as well as details on upcoming meetings and launching our inaugural Cow Convention.

As we emerge from winter into spring there is much we can be doing for our horses.

We are helping a local vet and friend of the practice who is organising help for two charities in south-east Poland to help those fleeing Ukraine.

We discuss the many changes dairy cattle go through from the day of drying off to reaching peak yield in the following lactation post-calving. 

Reducing the fly population through the spring and summer can be a time-consuming headache and the consequences of Summer Mastitis and New Forest Eye are expensive, and frustrating.

On paper, getting a cow in calf is a  simple three step process; bulling (estrus), service and conception. In practice, a multitude of factors commonly result in a frustrating barren cow.   

Our seasonal opening hours to take you through Christmas safely.

Staff updates, events, worming reminder, 2022 pub quiz, PPID and next year's Christmas card are all among the topics covered by the team in our latest edition.

A recent study suggested that only 5% of UK flocks routinely test for iceberg diseases and therefore a staggering 95% of flocks are not optimising productivity!

Have you ever considered how much water a cow requires?

We are pleased to confirm that we have a Red Tractor approved medicines training course. This course will enable you to meet the new requirement.

Yearling heifers - breeding the best. Heifers are a fundamental component of any breeding plan; they represent both the genetic foundation of future breeding stock and a significant investment in terms of rearing costs. 

The recent dry weather has brought with it a large variation in day and night temperatures and many still days; both of which can be a challenge to calf health.  

Read about Jo Gillingham's recent volunteering here and on our Facebook page.

Awareness, resilience and how to find help in our latest edition of the George Farm Vets newsletter                                  

Information correct at time of posting (September 2021) - always check the regulations prior to competitions & events

Feeding cattle indoors is a fine art and it is often discussed that there 3 possible diets a cow might be eating.

Are you coming along? We are joined this year by 4 speakers and a host of companies from the industry.  

Sudden death in cattle is a distressing event and always a cause of concern on farm.  

Following a consultation in 2018, DEFRA announced that default 6 monthly TB surveillance testing of cattle herds with Official Tuberculosis Free status (OTF) would replace annual testing in the High Risk Area (HRA) of England.

With the commitment both you and we have put in, we don't want to ruin it all by simply removing all restrictions.

Summer is upon us and with it our latest edition of the newsletter from the Equine Clinic team.  

I imagine that most of you would have had a conversation about shed ventilation with us at some point.  

You have counted up your lambs, and down your ewes. Now you have the pleasure of seeing the lambs out at grass looking strong.  

You may be aware of the recent outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus within Europe.

This month we are looking at Health Plans and why it is could be short-sighted to view them as another cost

We all love getting outdoors and enjoying the warmth with our pets but there are a few advisories as we approach summer.

Always a popular opportunity and we a now inviting interest and applications

A fully loaded newsletter this month with all our training and Zoom events listed too.

Spring has sprung! Our latest newsletter is now available with some excellent news for the team. 

We continue to deliver regular farm meetings via Zoom as we navigate our way out of lockdown

Join us for our upcoming Zoom clinical club and quiz

Many of you will be aware that we often take blood samples of young adult cattle within your herds to get an idea of which diseases are circulating.

Vaccination and medication are an integral part of pig production, allowing pig owners to deliver high welfare and high health pigs, whether in large scale production systems or as smaller scale producers.

Suckler herds are calving and most of our sheep flocks are preparing for lambing (except for those keen ones that have finished already!) 

Abortion in sheep is a major cause of loss in flocks around the UK, with serious welfare and financial implications.  

Whilst travel anywhere currently is restricted, there are now new rules relating to any travel to the EU or NI with your pets. 

Chris recently pulled together the data from caesareans done over the last 3 years to analyse which cases went on to do the best post-surgery.

If you are a pig keeper within a restriction zone and, have poultry on your holding, movements are automatically restricted for all other mammalian species on the holding. 

Here we are again with Christmas around the corner! Like most, I think we are looking forward with hope after a challenging year.  

The George Farm Vets have the necessary qualified vets to provide expertise and advice for all types of export to the EU and worldwide.  

It is vitally important that during the long winter months your stock is provided with an optimum environment in which to live, thrive and perform. 

We are absolutely committed to continue working in a Covid-secure way and assure you of our continued commitment to the welfare of your pets.

Significant gains have been made in reducing the new infection rate of herds with regards to TB.

Tour de France cyclist vs high yielding dairy cow - this month we look at the comparative requirements and efforts of each to produce optimum performance.  

There is a plethora of options when it comes to grazing, from what you offer your stock to graze, to the way in which you rotate them around your land.  

Flies! We look at the most common and the ways to control their numbers and the impact on your cattle

From Saturday 8th August Veterinary Services will be added to the list of places where the public will be required to wear a face covering or mask.

As the horse world gets going again with the competition season starting and the countryside looking amazing, we are really pleased to welcome Jenny Hindmarsh to our equine vet team.  

There is a relatively new blood test for cattle called the Enferplex test. It also looks for the antibody immune response to TB and it picks up more cows  

We are delivering a full range of services again and returning to normal hours.

Unfortunately, with the lockdown there are some milk processors asking farms to reduce their milk production. 

If pigs experience heat stress productivity suffers in all ages. 

If buying in replacement ewes, or bringing store lambs onto your ground, you do not want to risk buying in problems

From 1st June we are taking some steps to increase hours across our clinics.

Viruses - how they do what they do

A revision of advice from our governing body, the RCVS, means we are able again to offer vaccinations and dentals for your horses and ponies.

We've held off a little in publishing this to get a feel of how Covid-19 will impact all of us in terms of our equine lifestyles. 

These are certainly difficult and uncertain times for us all.  

Our latest update on the developing situation, following the Prime Minister's announcement yesterday

We are changing how we work currently to focus on emergency care and to limit social contact and travel