Hunterville Vet Club

25/05/2026

19/05/2026

Salmonella Outbreak

There appears to be a significant outbreak of Salmonella in the Mangaweka / Ohingaiti area. We have also diagnosed one outbreak in the Peep O Day / Pakihikura area.

To date, only unvaccinated flocks have been affected. We would advise all farmers to be alert for sudden, unexplained deaths in their ewe flocks, especially if ewes are not vaccinated.

Contact the clinic immediately if you have any concerns.

13/05/2026

New Calf Scour Vaccination

For dairy farmers it is time to think about the pros and cons of using
Bovillis Cryptium. This new vaccine, when given to cows, via their colostrum will protect calves from Cryptospirosis, the most common cause of calf scours in hand reared calves. Although Cryptospirosis is not as fatal as Rotovirus can be, it is still a real problem in calf rearing systems. Calves need to be taken off milk and treated with electrolytes. There are no drug treatments for crypto.

In the first year of treatment cows need 2 vaccinations 4 - 5 weeks apart, and the second no later than 3 weeks before calving. In future years a single vaccination is given 3 weeks before the start of calving. The vaccine can be given at the same time as calf scour vaccines for Rotovirus.

The cost of vaccination is $5.60 per dose.

If you are selling 4 day old calves you should be able to recoup some of this cost from the calf rearers. Talk to us about the merits of Bovillis Cryptium orplace your order.

11/05/2026

Campylobacteriosis In Dogs

We have been seeing a few cases of Campy in dogs. This is a bacterial
cause of diarrhoea and occasionally vomiting in dogs. Most adult dogs will get a mild, self-limiting bout of diarrhoea but some can get unwell and become dehydrated. The biggest risk is spread to puppies as they can suffer a much more severe form. It can also spread to humans so please use gloves and disinfectant when cleaning up diarrhoea! It generally comes from uncooked meat, chicken and raw milk but some dogs can be asymptomatic carriers. Treatment is in the form of injectable antibiotics
and electrolytes / fluids.

08/05/2026

Coughing Calves

In recent weeks we have investigated 2 cases of coughing calves / weaners
with poor weight gains. In both cases the problem was associated with
lungworm challenges.

Lungworm larvae love warm, moist conditions such as we have experienced
through February for much of summer. While older cattle develop resistance
to lungworm, young cattle can be very susceptible to lungworm challenges.
As a result we see problems most frequently on properties with high
stocking rates of young cattle and especially on properties where both
spring and autumn calves are farmed.

The good news is that timely drenching programs using the correct drench
will generally prevent most problems. Feel free to contact the clinic if you are
concerned about lungworm threats or have queries around appropriate
drenching programs.

08/05/2026

Nitrate Testing

Just a reminder to consider the possibility of high nitrates before grazing new grasses or green feed crops in the coming months. The current pattern of long dry spells followed by rain can see big swings in nitrate levels. At current cattle values, getting caught out with a high nitrate level can be very expensive!

At $15 a sample, testing is cheap and we can normally get results to you within a couple of hours of receiving samples, if they arrive before 1pm.

07/05/2026

May 2026 Newsletter

06/05/2026

Looking for a huntaway or handy dog, well mannered and family friendly for dairy dry stock duties. Something that is established, maybe ready to retire from the hill country or not quite good enough for the hill country would be my ideal.

Contact Anna Ash 0276556681.

21/04/2026

Phone Sally on 027 321 0352 for more information.

15/04/2026

Deer Farmer Reminder

For those of you whose velveting we supervise, your drug books need to be returned by the end of April at the latest. Please drop them off at the clinic and remember to return any unused drugs. Also ensure you fill out the pages which record the total of any drugs used and purchased, and sign page 9.

Thanks for your speedy attention to this matter. 😊