FARMnewsTHE NEWSLETTER OF WILLOWS FARM ANIMAL VETERINARY PRACTICE

APR IL 2018

Dairy farmers may have heard of this new initiative led by Dairy UK in

conjunction with the British Cattle Veterinary Society and supported by

Arla, Muller and Dairy Crest.

It’s mission is to safeguard the production of wholesome milk which is free of medicines residues (above legal limits) and it consists

of an on-farm training session with a quiz at the end. Farmers will be asked to take up the MilkSure training programme in the event of a bulk tank failure and once the course has

been completed farms will be provided with certification which is valid for 6 months.

Ben Pedley, Partner, said ‘so far this scheme has proved to be far more than a box-tick, the training sessions we have run have all been really interesting and enabled plenty

of good discussion about the way medicines are used on farm’.

MEET THE TEAM

Richard has joined the team to deliver medicines to some areas of the practice

on some days of the week, on a trial basis. This should mean that we can get

your medicines to you more reliably and earlier in the day.

Livestock Supplies OPEN DAYThere was a good turnout on the 21st March for the Livestock Supplies open day which we supported alongside feed companies, pharmaceutical companies and other farm equipment suppliers. It was an opportunity to discuss youngstock health, talk to suppliers and enjoy some delicious beef rolls. Congratulations to Diane Kinsey who won a calf jacket for correctly guessing the weight of the calf.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO ORDER ANY MEDICINES YOU NEED BY 9.45 ON THE DAY AT THE LATEST. You can order by calling the practice, or using our dedicated email address: orders@willowsvetgroup.co.uk

Choldmondeley Charity Clay Pigeon Shoot

Sunday 22nd April 2018 10am - 2pm

at Park Farm Cholmondeley SY14 8HNby kind permission of Andy Latham

CASH PRIZES

COME ALONG AND HAVE A GO TRAP

All proceeds to Air Ambulance and Hope House Childrens Hospice

REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE

For more info please call

Kit 07803 267789 or Phil 07971 088245

CARTRIDGES AVAILABLEPLEASE USE FIBRE WAD ONLY

Teams of 4 £40/100 ClaysIndividual 4 £20/50 Clays

WVH3123 2PP FARM NEWSLETTER APRIL 18.indd 1 29/03/2018 14:52

HARTFORD OFFICE267 Chester Road, Hartford,

Northwich, Cheshire CW8 1LPTel: 01606 723200

ALSAGER OFFICEThe Point, Crewe Road,

Alsager, Stoke-on-Trent ST7 2GPTel: 01606 723200

MOLD OFFICEUnit 16, Mold Business Park,

Wrexham Road, Mold, Flintshire CH7 1XPTel: 01352 748525

HAMPTON VETSPost Office Lane, Hampton Heath,

Malpas SY14 8JQ Tel: 01948 820345

MANOR COURT VETSChurch St, Tarvin, Chester,

Cheshire CH3 8EBTel: 01829 740216

CHARTER FARM VETS16 West Road, Congleton,

Cheshire CW12 4ERTel: 01260 291037

www.hamptonvetcentre.co.uk

HAMPTONFARM ANIMALVETERINARY CENTRE

www.manorcourtvets.co.uk

MANOR COURTVETERINARYCENTRE

The Last Word!As Ian Robinson prepares to hang up his Wellington boots for good, he took some time to reflect on his time in the profession...It was the summer of 79 and fresh out of college (contrary to what some people thought I did actually qualify to be a vet), I was proud to hold a piece of paper in my hand with the words:

Your salary is £4500 to include house rent and rate free. For this you will be expected to work full weeks with one full weekend on and one-half weekend on. Three weeks holiday.

Signed: F W Sims

Now that’s what I call a highly complicated job contract!!

I was to join a four-man mixed practice established in 1958 by my true great mentor F W Sims. As was the general case, it was primarily large animal based with a fledgling small sector (Frank, like me, being a local farmer’s son). Before the merger with Willows it had grown to 13 vets BUT only 3/4 were now large animal only - one of the many changes I’ve witnessed over the years.

In the early years we would typically service perhaps 150 holdings where the vast majority had 10-30 cows and a few sheep, pigs (what are they?) and beef cattle. Again, what a change; we probably now service 50 farms but the sizes are huge in comparison and the vast majority are purely dairy.

Farm work was then as you might expect; very busy and typically “James Herriot-like” with the bulk of the work treating sick cows as well as calvings and MILK FEVERS (can’t think when I last did one of these!!) not to mention most of the disbudding, dehorning (don’t forget many cows still had horns in those days) and worst of all, BAD FEET! (Thank heaven for foot trimmers).

Now most of this is done in house by you very capable farmers and HERD HEALTH PLANNING is the buzz word (and quite right too). Easy calving bulls; dietary management; top equipment and, of course, record keeping all lead to the nearly “couch vet” and the advent of evidence based veterinary medicine; don’t knock it but a computer screen is not for me!

I’ve served my time on call outs at all times of the day and night and in extremes of weather; I’ve felt equally the clients’ upsets when things did not always go to plan (funny? IT WAS ALWAYS THE BEST COW THAT DIED!!) and have most certainly stretched my body to the limit. I think it’s time to hang my wellingtons up!!

A small practice was unsustainable both from a “manpower” and a competitive aspect; the merger with Willows not only ensured the clients had expert veterinary attention by dedicated large animal vets but also were able to draw upon their huge buying discounts.

So, in nearly 40 years, I’ve seen endemic diseases eradicated (eg Brucellosis) and unfortunately others get a bigger hold (TB). I’ve seen new disease challenges appear and now largely controlled with vaccination (IBR, BVD, Leptospirosis). We had two outbreaks of foot and mouth and the awful business of B S E. On top of all this we’ve had quotas and the harsh factor of market constraints to battle with. Yet you all keep going because that’s a farmers lot! And that is why I have so much respect for all of you.

So, the fire brigade vet is almost redundant being replaced by the health advisor; but you know I do believe that this must be the way forward. Good luck to you all; I shall be thinking of you whilst lying in the sun on that magnificent Costa Almeria coast!!

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:What was your first job?I remember being dropped off at probably our largest farm then (some 200 milkers and followers) by the great Edgar Hockenhull (cos my car hadn’t arrived) to blood test the whole herd for Brucellosis. His parting words were “I’ll pick thee up surree about 5!”

What has had the most influence on the profession?Well I’d like to think it was the working times directives! Unfortunately vets were exempt!! Seriously, I often say the invention of a lungworm vaccine, discovery of ivomectins and the use of Orbeseal. This being coupled with veterinary initiatives such as the routine visits and the 5 point plan.

Will you miss it?Yes and no: I’ll miss the banter and great camaraderie I’ve had over the years; however my knowledge retention is fast going and if I can’t offer the service you demand then it time I left it for a younger keener and dedicated follower!

What do you want the profession to have achieved in the next 30 odd years?Wow that’s difficult! First and foremost it must allow the sustainability of our great agricultural heritage. I suspect it will involve more demands on you with more disease eradication programmes eg BVD free England and Johnes will also be on the hit list; but for me the scourge of TB must be dealt with either by effective sampling or vaccination or both along with controlling wildlife carriers.

What was your most memorable experience?It must have been one of those “while your here would you” moments. Having done a couple of bad feet I get the immortal words “whoud’s just feel in this heifer, just been messing about all morning.” Consider my surprise when I pulled out 4 live heifer calves! They all went on to have calves themselves within 4 weeks of each other! Short term survival of all four quads is unrecorded!

WVH3123 2PP FARM NEWSLETTER APRIL 18.indd 2 29/03/2018 14:52