XLVets
member practices
608 Farm and Equine Veterinary Surgeons
Allen and Partners
Alnorthumbria Veterinary Group
Ardene House Vet Practice
Armour Veterinary Group
Belmont Veterinary Centre
Bishopton Veterinary Group
Cain Veterinary Centre
Calweton Veterinary Group
Capontree Veterinary Centre
Chapelfield Veterinary Partnership
Cliffe Veterinary Group
Clyde Vets
Donald S McGregor & Partners
Drove Veterinary Hospital
Dunmuir Veterinary Group
Endell Veterinary Group
Farm First Veterinary Services
Fenton Vets
Fenwold Veterinary Practice
Friars Moor Veterinary Clinic
Glenthorne Veterinary Group
Hook Norton Veterinary Group
Kingsway Veterinary Group
Lambert, Leonard & May
Larkmead Veterinary Group
Midshire Veterinary Group
Millcroft Veterinary Group
Northvet Veterinary Group
Paragon Veterinary Group
Parklands Veterinary Group
Penbode Veterinary Group
ProStock Vets
Rosevean Veterinary Practice
Rutland Veterinary Centre
Scarsdale Veterinary Group
Scott Mitchell Associates
Severn Edge Veterinary Group
Shepton Veterinary Group
Shropshire Farm Vets
St Boniface Veterinary Clinic
Synergy Farm Health
Thrums Veterinary Group
Tyndale Vets
Wensum Valley Veterinary Surgeons
Westmorland Veterinary Group
Willows Veterinary Group
Wright & Morten
XLVets
is a novel and exciting initiative
conceived from within the veterinary profession.
We are all independently owned, progressive
veterinary practices located throughout the
United Kingdom committed to working together
for the benefit of our clients.
WINTER EDITION
C O N T E N T S
Livestock Matters
is published by:
XLVet UK Ltd, Carlisle House
Townhead Road, Dalston
Carlisle CA5 7JF
Tel: (01228) 711788
*This publication is supplied free of charge to
farm clients of XLVets member practices.
© XLVet UK Ltd
No part of this publication may be reproduced
without prior permission of the publisher.
Disclaimer:
XLVets does not necessarily share the views of
contributors. No responsibility can be accepted
for opinions expressed by contributors, or claims
made by advertisers within this publication.
THE ED I TOR
Welcome to the
‘Winter’
issue of Livestock Matters
As I write, the first lamb has just been born
on my parents farm, admittedly a little
earlier than it should be, but a sure sign
that we will soon be in the full throwe of
lambing time. For our sheep farmers, in
this issue we look at flock performance and
how the use of blood tests, worm egg
counts and lameness investigation can all
identify specific problems, leading to the
most appropriate course of action.
We also take a look behind the scenes
of this year's winner of NMR Gold Cup,
Glastonbury's Michael Eavis and see how
NMR Gold Cup finalists the Harveys of
Drum Farm take an evidence-based
approach to monitoring and managing
herd performance.
As the XLVets BVD Check Tag scheme
gains momentum, we see how one farmer
in your region has tackled BVD and learn
how important the removal of persistently
infected (PI) animals from the herd is in the
control of the disease. If you want to take
a look at the case studies from the other
XLVets regions, do visit the new farm pages
on the XLVets website
,
where all the BVD articles, and more, can
be found. And, next time you're speaking
with your XLVets practice, if you are not
already involved, do ask about the BVD
Check Tag scheme and how it can help
ensure BVD is not a problem on your farm.
Finally we have our last update from our
two students in the popular Student Diaries
column; it's been great following Antonia
and Alice through a year of their studies
and I am sure you will join me in thanking
them for giving us all an insight into life
as a vet student and wishing them every
success with their veterinary careers.
We hope you enjoy this issue.
Joanne Sharpe
XLVets
ANIMAL HEALTH
06
Good transition management includes
proactive care for twin-bearing cows:
Will Sheppard, Endell Veterinary Group
explains how he has helped improve
fertility and cow health by ensuring that
cows transition well into milking.
09
Poor flock performance is improving
thanks to an action plan for health:
Bryony Williams, Calweton Veterinary
Group reports on how she has helped a
sheep farmer who recognised his flock
was under-performing.
11
Always looking to improve and to keep
monitoring progress:
Roddy Dunse, Dunmuir Veterinary Group
reports on how NMR Gold Cup finalists
the Harveys take an evidence-based
approach to monitoring and managing
herd performance.
13
A look behind the scenes of this year’s
NMR/RABDF Gold Cup winning herd:
Peter Edmondson, Shepton Veterinary
Group looks behind the scenes of this
year’s winner of the NMR Gold Cup.
CONTENTS
15
Ensuring the good health and growth
of calves in early life will pay
dividends later:
Kat Bazely, Synergy Farm Health focuses
on some of the key points she made at
recent farmer meetings on the aspects of
successful calf rearing.
FARMSKILLS TRAINING
19
Setting the scene for a successful lambing
time:
A report on how taking the time to prepare
and plan thoroughly for this hectic period
can pay dividends for profits and stress
levels for the year ahead.
INDUSTRY FEATURE
21
Student Diaries:
Our final reports from veterinary students
Alice McLeish and Antonia Matthews.
