WOLF TEETH IN HORSES

Wolf teeth are technically known as the first premolar teeth in horses.  They usually erupt into the mouth at between five and twelve months of age, but do not continue to grow or erupt into the mouth as do the rest of the cheek teeth.  It has been estimated that approximately seventy percent of horses…

EQUINE INSURANCE – SHOULD I BOTHER?

It’s a question that’s come up time and time again for me over the last year or two. Often, clients will explain that their horses or ponies are not worth very much money, and so they don’t think it’s worthwhile. I thought I’d put together some of the aspects to consider, and some of the…

COUGHING AND WHEEZY HORSES

The classic ‘coughing horse’ is a common sight and sound at this time of year, and often transient viral respiratory disease is to blame. But as much as we love to blame a virus, they are not always the cause! This year has seen an influx of allergy associated disease in all classes of stock…

ENCYSTED STRONGYLES – SMALL WORMS, BIG PROBLEMS

Johnny Atkins BVSc Vet Services Dannevirke ‘Small Strongyles’ or ‘Cyathostomes’ are the terms used for a group of over forty different species of parasites affecting horses. They tend to be the most prevalent parasite within the horses’ gastrointestinal tract and although small, heavy burdens can result in big problems! Unlike their cousins the ‘large strongyles’,…

Lice in Sheep

A common winter issue, lice are prevalent at this time of year due to their preference for cooler, darker and drier weather conditions. Infestations develop as a slow burn on healthy animals, with numbers gradually increasing on individuals. The entire lifecycle of lice is spent on sheep, so transmission between individual animals can only occur…

Feeding Stock this Winter – Greg Tattersfield

Feeding Stock this Winter – What Stock This season has been extremely challenging for all farmers in the Hawke’s Bay, the prolonged dry spell and lack of Autumn growth, difficulty in finding supplementary feed, delays in killing space, and cancellation of sales have all had a massive impact. The feed requirements of livestock are well…

brown cattle on green grass at daytime

Parasite Control in Young Stock – Simon Marshall

Growing young stock to their full potential involves many factors. The main focus should be great nutrition with all animal health considerations including trace minerals, vaccinations and parasite control covered. Even with all of that considered, aside from poor nutrition, parasites can often be the most growth limiting factor of young stock on pastoral farms…