Botulism is a serious and often fatal disease affecting livestock. It is caused by toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which is commonly found in soil and decaying material. These toxins affect the nervous system, leading to weakness, paralysis, and in many cases, death. While rare, outbreaks in the […]
By Lucas Hearle
We both joined LLM in February for two weeks as part of the innovative placement scheme run by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) Vet School. This unique program allows students to return to the same practice each academic year, helping us build strong relationships and trust with […]
By Mark Marcello
With the end of summer and autumn around the corner, it’s a good time to discuss a few tips and tricks on how to stay ahead of the curve in managing respiratory disease. Regardless of the management system, calves are most at risk for respiratory disease.
What is pneumonia?
While […]
By Rob Hall
We know that stress and stress hormones like cortisol have a huge negative impact on cattle (and farmers!). Stress can be caused by physical issues like calves getting caught in a draft, adult cows getting too hot, and disease outbreaks. Physiological stresses can also create problems – things […]
At the beginning of the year I spent a month in Australia as part of a Holstein UK and Holstein Australia exchange programme, travelling across Victoria, parts of New South Wales, and a little of South Australia. I visited 15 pedigree dairy farms, took part in two major shows, and […]
With temperatures rising and movement restrictions easing across England, the risk of new Bluetongue cases this summer is increasing. There have also been important updates to movement rules and control measures across England, Scotland and Wales. Read on for a summary of what’s changed, and what it means for you […]
You may have heard on the grapevine that BVD testing is to become mandatory in England from 2027 – we have seen this coming for a while. Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) leads to significant economic losses for farmers due to reduced productivity, poor reproductive performance, and increased susceptibility to other […]
Laura Chesters and myself are midway through our MBR, and our recent module raised some important issues around the involvement of nutrition in fertility management.
As farm vets we’re not often approached for nutrition advice, however, it is useful to get us involved when thinking about the wider picture. You’ll be […]
Navel ill can lead to serious infections in newborn calves and lambs. The key to prevention? Smart management and proactive treatment at birth.
What Is Navel Ill?
To understand why good navel care is vital, it helps to remember what the navel actually is – or was.
During pregnancy, the umbilical cord connects […]
In July 2024, I left LLM and the UK’s warm, bright summer for the colder climes of New Zealand’s winter and early spring. Swapping shorts and t-shirts for thermals and overalls, I embarked on a 3.5-month calving season in the Waikato region on the North Island. It was a complete […]
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