http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.wcvets.co.nz en-us Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:31:45 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/165564/transitioning-onto-and-off-a-winter-diet/ Over winter most of you will feed your cows a crop of some sort (kale, fodder beet, swedes, raphno, etc.) in combination with silage and/or grass.To change their diet from a pasture-based diet to a crop-based diet, cows need to transition. This means that the rumen bacteria need to adjust to be able to fully digest, absorb and utilise the new diet. Fully utilising the diet is essential if cows need to increase or maintain their body condition.Transitioning to a new diet takes time. For a winter ... Thu, 28 May 2026 15:12:49 +1200 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post165564 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/165563/repro-results-round-up/ The highlight of the evening was sharing the strong reproductive results achieved by our farms this season. I’ll briefly summarise some of the key data and a few of the take-home messages that I covered on the night...First of all, in the table below there's the average empty rates and 6-week in-calf rates (6WICR) from all of the farms we've pregnancy scanned at from the last dairy six seasons.This year, the average empty rate was 13% and the average 6WICR was 70% (the industry target is 78%, ... Thu, 28 May 2026 15:12:06 +1200 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post165563 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/165559/liver-fluke-popped-up-as-an-issue/ It's a parasite with a very complex life cycle and requires the mud snail as an intermediate host. Due to this, it's normally found in wet, humid environments, which is why it is only really prevalent in New Zealand here on the West Coast and up in Northland.Once the immature fluke leaves the snail it waits on vegetation (like grass) to be ingested by its final host. It then breaks out of the intestine and heads to the liver, where it finally matures into its adult form in the bile ducts – cau... Thu, 28 May 2026 14:15:16 +1200 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post165559 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/165558/new-crypto-vaccine-for-the-toolbox/ Calf scours are one of the most frustrating problems on-farm to manage. Not only do they result in reduced growth rates and more calf deaths, they also increase the workload of calf rearers and can be disheartening.There are many infectious causes of scours in calves. The most common one down here in the South, which most farmers will have experienced, is Rotavirus. Another nasty one that can crop up is Cryptosporidium parvum (Crypto), a gastrointestinal parasite that can cause watery diarrhoea... Thu, 28 May 2026 13:59:46 +1200 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post165558 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/161425/managing-high-cell-counts-ahead-of-dry-off/ One issue that we are seeing on quite a few farms is elevated cell counts, and an increase in clinical and sub-clinical mastitis. If this is happening to you, you are not alone!  Below are a few ideas to help deal with the wind down of this season and a safe transition into the dry period:Herd testing One of the key things we want to be able to do is identify those high cell count, sub-clinical mastitis cows. Herd testing gives us&... Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:17:55 +1300 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post161425 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/161418/cows-getting-ticked-off-this-season/ We’re seeing a noticeable increase in reports of ticks this season, particularly on locally grazed cattle around the top of the Grey Valley, in the generally warmer and drier microclimate.  Historically, ticks haven’t been common in our region. When we did see them, they were typically associated with stock recently brought in from other areas.  ... Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:32:14 +1300 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post161418 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/160841/seeing-more-with-ultrasound/ Ultrasound is a safe, radiation-free imaging tool that uses sound waves to create live images of your pet’s soft tissues and organs. It’s commonly used to investigate concerns such as vomiting or diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, difficulty urinating, to assess organ health, or to check trauma-related issues like internal bleeding or fluid build up in the chest or abdomen.Because ultrasound shows movement as it happens, it helps our vets understand not just w... Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:38:36 +1300 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post160841 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/160840/clear-answers-with-x-rays/ X-rays are a fast, non-invasive way for our vets to look inside your pet’s body and understand what might be causing pain, illness, or changes in behaviour. They’re commonly used to investigate things like internal injuries, tumours, fractures, dental disease, and swallowed foreign objects - especially when time matters. Because many problems can’t be seen or felt during a physical exam alone, X-rays help us get clearer answers sooner, so we can make the right deci... Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:29:44 +1300 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post160840 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/160836/why-an-in-house-laboratory-matters/ Our in-house labs allow us to run a wide range of tests without sending samples away. This includes blood, urine testing and cytology. Because these tests are done in-clinic, results are often available within minutes, not days. External labs can take from 24-72 hours. That speed really matters. In emergency situations, such as toxic ingestion, sudden collapse or serious injury, fast results help our vets make informed decisions and begin targeted, potentially life-saving tre... Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:16:29 +1300 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post160836 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/post/130855/arthritis-in-pets-how-we-can-help/ Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes chronic pain. It affects one in five adult dogs and is more common in older dogs. Cats can also develop arthritis as they get older, with around 90% of cats over 10 years of age developing arthritis in at least one joint!Many cases go undiagnosed because the gradual, initially subtle changes in their pet are often misinterpreted as "slowing down" or "getting old".Unfortunately, arthritis is a progressive condition with no cure. However, ... Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.wcvets.co.nz/blog/#post130855