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XLVets
member practices
608 Farm and Equine Veterinary Surgeons
Allen and Partners
Ardene House Vet Practice
Armour Veterinary Group
Belmont Farm and Equine Vets
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
Torch Farm and Equine
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.
AUTUMN 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
ANIMAL HEALTH
05
Campylobacter
Keith Cutler from Endell Veterinary Group
talks us through this disease and its
effects on fertility in cattle.
07
Keeping your farm your fortress
Neil Laing, Clyde Veterinary Group
discusses the key parasites and diseases
of sheep during Autumn and Winter - and
how to prevent them arriving on your farm
with bought-in sheep.
14
Fertility
Owen Tunney, Willows Veterinary Group
discusses the challenges affecting fertility
in the modern dairy cow and how the use
of synchronisation programmes can assist
on farm.
FARMSKILLS
13
Calf rearing workshops
Successful calf production begins long
before the birth of the heifer calf. Even
before conception there are many things to
consider in order to maximise your chance
of making her life a success.
CONTENTS
FEATURE
09
Calf health
Improving calf growth weights from birth
to weaning has a positive impact on
long-term performance. As the XLVets Calf
Tracker initiative launches, Kirsty Ranson
from Westmorland Veterinary Group
discusses what can be achieved by
putting a focus on calf management.
GRADUATE DIARIES
21
‘All in a day’s work’ and ‘Go, Go, Go!’
Katherine Lumb and Matthew Hylands
give us the latest round-up of their work as
recent graduates working in farm animal
practice.
Welcome to the
‘Autumn’
issue of Livestock Matters
In this issue we go back-to-basics with
fertility – considering the causes of poor
fertility, particularly for the high-yielding dairy
cow with Owen Tunney from Willows
Veterinary Group. Owen discusses how the
management of dairy cows can be supported
by veterinary intervention to ensure good
fertility, leading to a healthy pregnancy.
We also take a look at Campylobacter, a
disease of cattle that Keith Cutler from Endell
Veterinary Group believes is often overlooked
and under-diagnosed. Keith talks us through
the dynamics of this bacterial disease and the
effects it can have on fertility in beef and
dairy cattle.
It is with much delight, that after over five
years of editing Livestock Matters we finally
feature an article from my brother’s farm. Kirsty
Ranson from Westmorland Veterinary Group
talks us through the importance of good calf
management from birth to weaning, which
impacts on life-time performance. Kirsty
explains how small management changes
have had a huge impact for two clients; my
brother Darren and James Robinson. This
knowledge is now being used to develop a
wider XLVets Calf Tracker initiative running this
Autumn and Winter.
We hear about the latest innovative research
work being undertaken by two XLVets member
practices, Bishopton Veterinary Group and
Synergy Farm Health in the area of semen
quality, which has led to the launch of a new
service ‘SemenRate’. We also find out the
latest news and views from our more recently
qualified vets in ‘Graduate Diaries’.
We hope you enjoy this issue of
Livestock Matters.
Joanne Sharpe
XLVets