This is the first week of spore count testing for the season, with samples taken from four of the five monitoring areas (Matamata, Tirau, Walton and Waharoa). Te Poi was not tested this week. Spore counts across all monitored areas were minimal and based on current results there is no cause for concern at this stage . We will continue to monitor spore counts on a weekly basis. With the current combination of warm temperatures and recent rainfall, spore counts may increase ove

Quick reminder to book in your pregnancy testing if you haven’t already. To age all your pregnancies, you will generally have to do an early scan and a late recheck scan. The early scan should be done no later than 14 weeks after your start of mating , the final recheck scan can be done anytime following 6 weeks after the end of mating . Doing this early scan has the benefit of being able to identify your early calving cows, which will influence your dry off and springer tran

This year we’ve seen several outbreaks of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD)  across our clients’ farms. BVD is a serious disease that can cause poor growth in youngstock, infertility, abortions, and even death.   In 2025, we’ve had BVD cases ranging from just a single affected animal to outbreaks involving up to 40 calves. The most severe case was traced back to a persistently infected (PI) bull  used during mating last season. This one animal led to reduced in-calf rates, increas

Are your non-return rates too  good to be true? You could have phantom cows- cows that look like they’ve held but never actually got in-calf. Each one could cost you up to $1500 . The good news? There’s still time to act. Read our short article on phantom scanning and how prompt action can protect your herd and your bottom line this season. The difference in value between an in-calf cow ($3000) and an empty cow ($1500) can seriously affect your bottom line. Every cow we succe

Recently we have confirmed cases of botulism, a disease which causes paralysis, and generally leads to death. This is rare in NZ but much...

With your calves headed out into the big bad world this month, there are a few things you should consider before making the transition...

When it comes to running a profitable dairy farm, nothing hits the bottom line harder than an empty cow. Right now, the value difference...

Why it is Time to Focus on Microbiology Microbiology may become an important component of your milk quality consult as dry cow...

For a dairy cow, what happens in the three weeks prior to calving to the three weeks after calving is crucial to her success. The...

The risk of Salmonella is higher than previous years. The graph below shows the incidence of Salmonella cases in the Waikato diagnosed at...

We invite our clients in for a complementary ‘Plan To Mate’ consultation. This is short (normally 30 minutes max) sit-down with one of...

Good products are products that are backed by solid research and when it comes to Animal Health products, not all products are created...

Unsure about what supplements your herd needs this winter and going into calving? Concerned you might be wasting time and money on...

Good products are products that are backed by solid research and when it comes to animal health products, not all products are created...

105,785 tubes  of teat sealant have gone out the door at FVM this year. This is a record-breaking number for our clinic, and we want to...

As we make our way through the dry period, now is a great time to prepare for when calves hit the ground. When it comes to calf...

We are pleased to let you know that we have been restocked with a new batch of Salmonella vaccine, just in time for calving! If you...

Good products are backed by solid research and when it comes to animal health products, not all are created equal. For this reason, over...

Our autumn bulk milk BVD tests are in, and we have noticed that many farms in the district have seen a major jump in the level of...

There has recently been a nationwide batch failure of the Salmonella vaccine, Salvexin, meaning the vaccine is in very short supply...