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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 Farm Vets
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
Kernow 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 Vets
Tyndale Vets
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
ANIMAL HEALTH
05
Dairy unit efficiency improves further
with holistic approach
James Marsden from Shropshire Farm
Vets describes the challenge of reducing
calving intervals and improving
pregnancy rates with a new dairy farm
client. An approach that included
metabolic profiling and written protocols
has produced outstanding results.
07
Footbathing tips to help keep digital
dermatitis under control
Once digital dermatitis is present in a
herd, it will be never be removed.
Effective control requires a comprehensive
footbathing programme for all stock.
Synergy Farm Health’s Jon Reader
discusses the disease, footbath design
and footbathing solutions.
09
A pressing issue – vaginal prolapses in
sheep
Victoria Fisher of Farm First Veterinary
Services details the problem of prolapse
in breeding ewes. As well as describing
a choice of treatments, she identifies
the causes and options for improved
prevention and control.
CONTENTS
11
Monitoring transition cows has reduced
LDAs and improved herd fertility.
Hannah Batty from Lambert, Leonard &
May explains how close monitoring of
dairy cows pre- and post-calving is
delivering significant health benefits in
one Shropshire dairy herd.
13
New breeding technologies speed herd
improvements.
David Black, Neil Eastham and Mark
Burnell introduce us to some cutting edge
advances in breeding that are designed
to help farmers significantly accelerate
the pace of genetic improvement in their
livestock.
FARMSKILLS
15
Entropion in lambs
Katharine Blease describes this
common condition seen in young lambs.
GRADUATE DIARY
17
A review of 2016
Matt Raine, Wright & Morten, talks about
his highlights of 2016 and his new focus
on sheep veterinary work.
Welcome to the
‘Winter’
issue of Livestock Matters
Hi, I’m Gemma and I’m the Farm Brand
Manager for XLVets, and the new editor of
Livestock Matters. Farming is in my blood; my
family farm in North Devon, I’m a graduate
of Harper Adams and I now live with my
partner Simon, also a Harper Adams
graduate, on a dairy farm in Cumbria. I’m
looking forward to my new role as Editor.
The purpose of our magazine is to
demonstrate the benefits of successful
partnerships between vets and their clients.
Our XLVets veterinary practices want nothing
more than happy, healthy animals. Healthy
animals are easier to manage, more
productive and more profitable.
In this issue we discuss various aspects of
fertility; we examine the benefits of using
written protocols and thorough pre- and
post-calving checks to reduce calving
intervals. We discuss the problem of vaginal
prolapse in ewes and consider some of the
innovative breeding technologies now
available to help farmers improve the genetic
capability of their stock. We also provide
some practical advice on the control of
entropion in young lambs and digital
dermatitis in dairy herds.
I hope you enjoy our Winter issue of
Livestock Matters.
Gemma Ayre
Editor