March 15

March
2015
Tirau Veterinary Centre Ltd
(07)8831667
tirauvets.co.nz
Special Points
of Interest
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WINNER WINNER
WINE FOR DINNER.
The winning caption:
“That bloody pooh is
gonna get it when I
get out, there’s no
honey in here”.
Congrats Paul Hanna
and thanks to the
other contributors it
was a great laugh
reading your
captions!
Spore Counts are still
high, zinc dosing
rates should be at
the maximum. Note:
If drenching with
Zinc Oxide this is
best drenched daily
rather than every
second day. Second
day drenching will
cause ups and
downs in blood
calcium often
resulting in milk
fever.
Calf Lepto
vaccination
reminder: Any
unvaccinated
animals are at high
risk of picking up
lifelong infections,
please get these
done as early as
possible if not
Copper Complications on the Increase
We are seeing more and more
cases of extreme copper levels in
both herds and young stock. From
insidious toxicities to severe
fracture related deficiencies.
As you know the liver is the storage
organ for Copper, when there is too
much copper in the system the
liver becomes overloaded causing
damage to the liver cells with
extensive liver degeneration. The
released copper then floods the
bloodstream annihilating red blood
cells resulting in the following
clinical signs: Anorexia, milk drop,
downer, red urine, jaundice
(yellowness) and often death.
Copper is important for bone
development, hair and muscle
growth, red blood cell and enzyme
formation. Clinical deficiency may
present itself with poor hair coats,
bone fractures, scouring, anaemia.
Subclinical effects are poor weight
gain, reduced milk yields and
reproductive problems.
The greatest complicating factor
involved in increasing copper
issues is the feeding of PKE. PKE
is relatively high in Copper
therefore it goes without saying
that farms feeding a lot of it may
need to reduce other sources of
copper supplementation.
However not all cows are
consuming the same amount of
supplement. Most of the
deficiency related fractures we are
seeing are in the first and second
lactation cows. Not only is this class
of stock down the pecking order and
not eating as much PKE as their
older herd mates but on
investigating the history, some
farmers are not supplementing R1
and R2 heifers with copper every
year as they used to. Young stock
need a lot of copper for growth and
also for the growing foetus in the
last trimester therefore these
animals are entering the herd
already on the back foot copper
wise. They then have a high
demand for copper in early lactation
and a low supply of copper
compared to the older cows.
Variations in copper levels are also
seen elsewhere in the herd relating
to varying copper supply/demand.
Unfortunately this means that
Copper supplementation is no
longer as simple as it used to be.
Adequate testing is essential and
recommended at least once per year
in autumn. We are recommending a
selection of R3s are tested as well
as a main herd sample mob.
Liver biopsies are by far and away
the most informative sampling
method. Biopsies can be taken at
the works on cull cows if you pick up
a form from us prior to
transportation. We can also easily
take a biopsy on live cows on
farm.
Please give us a call to discuss the
best Copper plan for your whole
herd.
Teatsealing Open Day
On April the 9th we will be hosting an
on-farm practical Teat sealant and dry
cow demonstration day.
We will run through correct
administration techniques and answer
any questions you may have followed by
a BBQ lunch.
This will be an excellent opportunity to
ensure all staff are up to play with the
importance of correct technique and
gain a few tips on making the job run
smoothly.
Specially designed Swandri’s are up for
grabs with Merial-Ancare purchases!!
Available with certain size ERINEX,
GENESIS, ECLIPSE and MATRIX
Please register your interest in
attending. Also let us know if you are
interested in hosting the session—yes
that is right you have us administering
your dry cow and teat sealant plus lunch
for free!!
A Beretta Jetfire Testimonial
“Woman stops gator attack with a small
Beretta pistol”
This is the story of self control and
marksmanship by a brave, cool headed
woman with a small pistol against a fierce
predator. What is the smallest caliber that
you would trust to protect yourself?
Here is her story:
While out walking along the edge of a bayou
just below Houma, Louisiana with my soon to
be ex-husband discussing property
settlement and other divorce issues, we were
surprised by a huge 12 foot alligator suddenly
emerging from the murky water and charging
us with its large jaws wide open.
She must have been protecting her nest because
she was extremely aggressive.
If I had not had my little palm-sized Beretta
Jetfire .25 caliber pistol with me I would not be
here today!
Just one shot to my estranged husbands knee
cap was all it took. The gator got him easily and I
was able to escape by just walking away at a
brisk pace.
It’s one of the best pistols in my collection!
Plus….the amount I saved in lawyers fees was
more than worth the purchase price of the gun.