Dairy Consultancy Now Available through LHVC!
Introducing Charlene Christensen as a Headlands Consultant for Levin and Horowhenua. Charlene has 10 years’ experience as a clinical vet, and has now moved into consultancy. She is married to a dairy farmer, so has an excellent practical understanding of the issues associated with the industry.
Dairy
As well as providing a full range of clinical services, much of our work, particularly in the dairy sector, is now associated with preventative herd health management programmes and maximizing farm production. This includes trace element monitoring, parasite control, herd vaccination programmes, mastitis control, facial eczema advice, lame cow management, pregnancy testing and reproductive performance programmes.
The clinic is equipped with 2 portable scanners and we are able to scan whole herds or individual cows as required. Pregnancies can be aged if they are between 5 and 17 weeks.
Currently, Keith and Jane are registered as trained
InCalf advisors and can work with you to assess your potential for improving your herd's reproductive performance and plan ways to achieve those aims.
Ashleigh, Steph and Tai (vet techs), and vets Charlene, Keith and Andrew are
all accredited
DairyNZ Body Condition Score Assessors.
Annual Farm Health Check
All of our farm clients have an annual farm health check consultation, where we can discuss your farm, any animal health or production issues that you are facing, and your current authorizations for prescription medicines. We are also involved with the
Leptosure Program, and will go through your Lepto risk management plan and vaccination regime with you during your consultation.
Lifestyle Properties
For lifestyle properties, we can come to you to look at one pet sheep or your whole animal family. If it is easier for you, you can always bring a pet lamb or kid to the clinic for examination. We also offer an Animal WOF programme, to help you manage your stock.
Equine
We offer visits for health checks for newly acquired or sick or injured horses, vaccinations, minor surgical procedures, castrations and lameness examinations. We can also perform horse dentals and upper airway endoscopy.
Please note that we do not do pre-purchase examinations for horses at this time.
We are lucky to have
Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital so close in Palmerston North and we will be happy to refer your horse to the
Equine Hospital for advanced equine diagnostics and treatment.
Sheep & Beef
We cater equally well for our non-dairy farming clients and their many diverse requirements, including animal health checks (sick or newly acquired animals), lameness examinations, dehorning/disbudding (with pain relief), castrations and assorted obstetrical interventions. No patient or problem is too large or too small!
Disease Alert!
Theileria in cattle remains a serious problem in our region. For information on this tick-borne disease and what to look out for, please have a look at the
Theileria Factsheet.
Farm Dog Worming Programme
LHVC has a worming programme for farm dogs/pets, and can mail the appropriate de-worming products out to you at regular intervals (usually every 3 months). Worming can easily be forgotten among the many other animal health concerns on the farm, so this can be very useful. If you are interested in this service, please do not hesitate to
contact us.
Ag Club
Levin & Horowhenua Vets is proud to be associated with Horowhenua Boys and Girls Ag Club. Please go to the Lifestyle Animals page for some hints, tips and guidelines.
Current Promotions
Congratulations to Carnig Farm, winners of the Bayer Face-Guard TV Promo 2019!
Pictured: Nigel Christensen from Carnig Farm
Animal Welfare Matters
On 1 October this year new animal welfare regulations came into effect. Whether you’re a commercial farmer or live on a lifestyle block, own a pet or run a petting zoo, transport livestock or ride horses; if you’re responsible for an animal – these regulations could apply to you.
All Animals
Collars
Poorly fitted collars can cause pain and distress. Check your animal’s collar regularly.
You’ll be OK if the collar you use meets these requirements:
- Right size and fit for each individual animal.
- Allows normal breathing, panting and drinking.
- Not so tight or heavy that it can cause skin abrasions, cuts or swelling.
- Not so loose that it can cause an injury, for example by getting a leg caught in the collar.
Otherwise, you can be fined $300.
Tethers
If you need to tether your animal, ensure that the tether you use:
- is an appropriate length and material to allow normal breathing, panting, and drinking
- keeps the animal from being caught up on nearby objects and injured.
Otherwise, you can be fined $300.
A tether is any form of restraint that secures any part of an animal to an object or the ground.
Use of electric prodders is restricted.
- In some limited circumstances, electric prodders can be used on the muscled hind or forequarters of:
- cattle over 150kg
- pigs, over 150kg, during loading or unloading for transport, or when loading into stunning pens
- deer, when loading into a stunning pen.
- If you use a prodder in these limited circumstances, the animal must be able to move away from the prodder.
- If you use an electric prodder for any other purpose, you can be fined $500.
- This regulation doesn’t cover situations where your personal safety is at risk.
Striking or prodding an animal in sensitive areas causes unreasonable pain and distress, and is prohibited.
- Do not strike or prod an animal with a goad in the udder, anus, genitals or eyes.
- If you don’t comply, you can be fined $500.
- A goad is an object used to make an animal move but doesn't include an electric prodder.
Pigs
- Pigs must have a:
- structure they can access at any time which is dry and ventilated – but not draughty – and protects them from extreme heat and cold
- dry area big enough for them to stand up, lie down, and turn around in easily (except when in a mating stall or farrowing crate).
- Don't allow droppings or urine to accumulate – either clear them away or cover with dry material.
- If you don't comply with this regulation, you can be fined $300.
Pigs like to have space and as they grow they need more. Piglets quickly grow into big pigs – they can get to 150kg or more in as little as 9 months. Unexpected piglets? You will need more space.
- Grower pigs need enough unobstructed space for them to lie down in. The formula used to determine the minimum lying space provided for each pig is now a regulation.
- If you don't comply with this regulation you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for a business.
- Note, this is the minimum lying space requirement, and may not be the ideal space for welfare requirements in all situations.
Unobstructed floor space
The regulation defines unobstructed floor space as including "unobstructed feeding or dunging floor space."
When calculating the area, you can include the:
- feed court
- dunging area
- wet area in front of troughs.
You can't include the:
- hospital area
- troughs
- any area a pig can't physically lie on.
MPI considers an area as obstructed if there is excessive mud or water pooling in the area. You can't include obstructed areas in the available space.
The formula for minimum lying space for grower pigs:
Minimum area (m
2) = 0.03 x (live weight (kg))
0.67
An online calculator is available to do the calculation for you.
Use the Pig Space Calculator
Note: This formula calculates the minimum space needed for all pigs to be able to lie down together at the same time. Providing more space than this allows pigs to keep cool more efficiently in warm weather.
- You must not keep a pig in a farrowing crate unless the crate allows the pig to avoid touching:
- both sides of the crate simultaneously, and
- the front and back of the crate simultaneously, and
- the top of the crate while standing.
- Check your equipment to make sure it meets these requirements.
- If you don't comply you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for a business.
- Stalls must only be used for mating and the sow must be:
- confined for no more than 7 days per reproductive cycle
- released as soon as practicable after mating.
- You must keep records to show compliance, such as weaning date, mating date(s), number of sows mated per week or per batch.
- If you don't comply, you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual, or $25,000 for the business.
For pigs under 7 days old
- Docking must only be done by a trained person.
- It must be done with a sharp clean cut with no tear.
- If done incorrectly you and the tail-docker can be fined $500.
For pigs 7 days old and over
- Docking is a vet procedure only, using pain relief.
- Failure to comply with this regulation could result in a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for a business.
- Tail docking is done in commercial piggeries to prevent tail-biting and is not necessary for all piglets.
- Consider other methods of managing tail biting before tail docking, such as providing straw, more food, and extra space.
Docking tails is painful and if improperly done can be fatal. Speak to your vet if you think your pigs have a tail-biting problem.
- Removing testicles is painful and is not normally necessary outside of commercial piggeries.
- Castration must only be done by a veterinarian using pain relief.
- If you don't comply, you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual, or $25,000 for the business.
Sheep
Ingrown horns are painful. An ingrown horn is when either the tip or the side of the horn pierces, inflames or causes abrasion to any part of the body. For sheep, this can happen when their curled horns press against the side of their face.
- If you allow horns to become ingrown, you can be fined $500.
- Traction isn't used by farmers for lambing; however, the regulations prohibit it to align with the regulations for calving.
- You are prohibited from lambing a ewe using a moving vehicle, or any instrument that doesn't allow for the immediate release of tension.
- If you lamb a ewe this way you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for the business.
- You must not castrate cattle and sheep:
- over 6 months old without using local anaesthetic
- at any age with a high tension band without using a local anaesthetic. A high tension band is one that is mechanically tightened during application (doesn't include a rubber ring).
- If you don't comply with this regulation you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for the business.
- Mulesing is prohibited.
- If you mules a sheep by any method you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for the business.
- Mulesing is the surgical or chemical removal of the breech, tail skin folds, or tail skin wrinkles of a sheep.
Calves
The young calf regulations, issued in 2016, are still in effect but are now incorporated in the Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018. Because of this, some:
- titles and numbers for the young calf regulations have changed
- regulations have been split to better reflect transporter and farmer responsibilities.
Where a regulation specifically refers to 'young calves', it means calves up to 14 days old that have been separated from their mother.
- Calves (not just young calves) must not be killed using blunt force to the head except in an emergency situation.
- Calf means any bovine that hasn't had milk (or milk replacer) permanently removed from its diet.
- Young calves must be slaughtered as soon as possible after arrival at the slaughter premises.
- There are also feeding requirements if it isn't possible to slaughter the calf within 24 hours of the last feed on farm.
Suitable shelter must be provided for young calves:
- before transportation off the farm for the purpose of sale or slaughter, or as a result of sale
- at points of sale and slaughter.
- Young calves must be at least 4 full days (96 hours) old before being transported.
- They must also have certain physical characteristics, including:
- no injury, disease or impairment that could affect the calf's welfare during the journey
- the ability to rise from lying, stand evenly on all 4 limbs, move freely, and protect itself from being trampled or injured
- firm, worn flat hooves and a shrivelled navel cord.
- The total journey time for young calves mustn't be more than 12 hours.
- Loading and unloading facilities must be provided when young calves are transported for sale or slaughter, or as a result of sale, so that they can walk onto and off vehicles.
- You must take all reasonable and practicable steps to use these facilities.
- Suitable shelter must be provided for young calves during transport.
- Transport of young calves by sea across Cook Strait is prohibited.
Disbudding is painful.
- From 1 October 2019, you must use local anaesthetic when disbudding and dehorning.
- If you disbud without local anaesthetic you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for the business.
- This procedure isn't limited to veterinarians – talk to your vet clinic or disbudding contractor about training and providing anaesthetic.
Find out more
Read more about the regulations, some commonly asked questions, and actions people in charge of calves need to take to meet the requirements under the Care and Procedures Regulations.
Further information on the regulations that apply to young calves [PDF, 841 KB]
Guidance on preparing, selecting and transporting calves
Bobby calf season reports
Reports highlighting progress made to improve bobby calf welfare.
Cattle
Ingrown horns are painful. An ingrown horn is when either the tip or the side of the horn pierces, inflames or causes abrasion to any part of the body.
- If you allow horns to become ingrown, you can be fined $500.
- The outdated practice of inserting objects into cows to stimulate milk let-down is prohibited.
- If you stimulate milk let-down in this way you can be fined $300.
- You are prohibited from calving a cow using a moving vehicle, or any instrument that doesn't allow for the immediate release of tension.
- If you calve a cow this way, you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for the business.
- You are prohibited from removing any part of a cow's tail.
- If a cow's tail needs to be docked due to injury, talk to your veterinarian as it needs to be done using pain relief.
- If you dock a cow’s tail you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for the business.
Find out how to manage tails without docking – DairyNZ website
- You must not castrate cattle and sheep over 6 months old, without using local anaesthetic.
- You must not castrate cattle and sheep at any age with a high tension band, without using local anaesthetic.
- Failure to comply with this regulation could result in a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for the business.
- A high tension band is one that is mechanically tightened during application (doesn't include a rubber ring).
57,58 . Disbudding and dehorning cattle
Disbudding and dehorning are painful.
- From 1 October 2019, you must use a local anaesthetic when disbudding and dehorning.
- If you disbud without local anaesthetic you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $3,000 for an individual, or $15,000 for the business.
- If you dehorn without local anaesthetic you could face a criminal conviction and a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual, or $25,000 for the business.
- This procedure isn't limited to veterinarians – talk to your vet clinic about training and providing anaesthetic.
Stock Transport
A number of regulations relate to both:
- supply of animals for transport
- how animals are transported.
Supplying stock for transport
Regulations around the supply of stock apply to the owner of, and every person in charge of, an animal.
Regulations 33(1), 35(2) and 38 to 43 don't apply to transporters. However, they still have responsibilities under the:
- codes of welfare
- Animal Welfare Act 1999
- instructions on any veterinary certificate.
Where a breach of a regulation has a severe impact on an animal, any owner or person in charge (including transporters) can be prosecuted directly under the Animal Welfare Act.
- Transporters must comply with all of the conditions on a veterinary certificate. If they don’t they can be fined $500.
- Farmers (or the person who selects stock for transport) can be fined $500 for transporting animals with ingrown horns, injured horns or antlers, lameness, injured or diseased udders, eye cancer, or in late pregnancy, without a veterinary certificate. Check the sections below for more information.
- Transporters must make sure young deer (spikers) arrive at the meat processors no later than 72 hours after having their velvet removed, and the rubber rings must still be in place. If you don’t get spikers to the meat processors on time, you can be fined $500.
- Transporters must reject stock that isn't fit for transport (under the Animal Welfare Act).
Ingrown horns are painful. An ingrown horn is when either the tip or the side of the horn pierces, inflames or causes abrasion to any part of the body. For sheep, this can happen when their curled horns press against the side of their face.
- If you allow horns to become ingrown, you can be fined $500.
- Do not transport an animal with ingrown horns. If you do, you can be fined $500.
- The only time you can transport an animal with an ingrown horn is if it's a short distance for treatment, and the horn is only touching the skin, eyelid or surface of the eye.
- Check with your veterinarian if you are unsure if your animal is fit for transport.
Injured horns and antlers are painful and the injury can worsen during transport.
- Don't transport an animal with an injured horn or antler, including pedicle (the structure that the antler grows from).
- Young deer (spikers) can be transported to the works within 72 hours of having their first velvet removed when the rubber rings are still attached.
- If you transport animals with injured horns or antlers you can be fined $500.
- The only time you can transport an animal with an injured horn or antler is a short distance, for treatment.
- Check with your veterinarian if you are unsure if your animal is fit for transport.
Lameness is painful and can worsen during transport.
- Don't select lame cattle, sheep, deer, pigs or goats for transport.
- You can be fined $500 if you transport cattle, pigs or deer that can't bear weight on one or more limbs when moving or standing still, or with a definite limp.
- You can be fined $500 if you transport sheep or goats that:
- can't bear weight on one or more limbs when moving or standing still, or
- have difficulty walking and hold their head below their backline almost continuously.
- The only time you can transport a lame animal is a short distance for treatment.
- Check with your veterinarian if you are unsure if your animal is fit for transport.
- Manage and treat lameness on-farm.
- Don't transport cattle, sheep, deer, pigs or goats in late pregnancy.
- If you transport an animal in late pregnancy, and she gives birth on the truck, or within 24 hours of arrival at the meat processors or sale yards, you can be fined $500.
- Don't transport hinds (female deer) within 21 days of their estimated fawning/calving date. You need to have a system in place to make sure you comply with this.
- Don't transport an animal with an injured or diseased udder (mastitis), or lesions on her udder.
- If your animal has signs of mastitis that include inflammation or discharge, she is not fit for transport.
- If you transport an animal with an injured or diseased udder, you can be fined $500.
- The only time you can transport an animal with an injured or diseased udder is a short distance for treatment.
- Check with your veterinarian if you are unsure if your animal is fit for transport.
- Manage and treat mastitis on-farm.
The transport of animals with eye cancer is restricted.
- Don't transport an animal with eye cancer that:
- is larger than 2cm in diameter, or
- isn't confined to the eye or eyelid, or
- has any bleeding or discharge.
- If you transport cattle, sheep or goats in this condition you can be fined $500.
- The only time you can transport an animal in this condition is a short distance for treatment.
- Check with your veterinarian if you are unsure if your animal is fit for transport.
Preventing injuries during transport, loading or unloading
30 , 32 . Prevention of injury and back rub
- Transporters – don't load, unload, or transport an animal in a manner that causes injury, including backrub. If you do, you can be fined $500.
- Farmers – if you have large stock, make sure you let your stock agent and transporter know, so they can plan for it.
- Transporting animals with horns or antlers increases the risk of injury and should be avoided where possible.
- If you select or transport an animal with horns or antlers, and it is transported in a manner that causes injury to itself or others, you can be fined $500.
- Farmers - if you have animals with horns, make sure you let your stock agent and transporter know, so they can plan appropriately. From 1 October 2019, you must use local anaesthetic if you dehorn cattle before transport. Check regulation 58 for more information.
Transporting calves less than 14 days old
Specific requirements apply when transporting young calves (less than 14 days old) for:
- fitness for transport
- maximum transport time
- shelter requirements
- loading and unloading facilities
- prohibited transport across the Cook Strait.
More information is in the 'Calves' section.
Stock transport resources
• Check! Are you doing it right? Encourage others to check too
www.mpi.govt.nz/animalregs • Ask! Email us your questions – animalwelfare@mpi.govt.nz • Tell! Call us about an animal welfare issue – 0800 00 83 33
Feeling Down on the Farm?
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LHVC has been an integral part of the rural community in the Horowhenua since its inception as a Vet Club. We provide veterinary services for a large number of farming clients from Waikanae to Foxton and further afield.
We have an enthusiastic team of dedicated farm and mixed veterinarians with fully-equipped vehicles that are able to make farm visits at relatively short notice for scheduled work, as well as having a quick response to emergency calls. 
