Naturaliste Veterinary Services - Farm Animal Service

11/10/2026

🐄🐑 Small herd? We’re visiting small stock properties this month! 🐐🦙

Have a few cattle, sheep, goats or alpacas, but can’t justify buying a whole bottle of vaccine or drench?

Throughout October, Naturaliste Veterinary Services is organising visits to small stock properties to help keep your animals’ preventative care up to date—without the cost and waste of buying more product than you need, and with the benefit of having an experienced farm vet go over your production system.

💉 Vaccinations, including 5-in-1, 7-in-1 and Glanvac, selected to suit your animals.
🪱 Worm control advice and drenching, where needed.
🩺 An opportunity to discuss your animals’ health, nutrition and other care needs.

We’ll help choose the appropriate products and plan any follow-up doses.

📞 Contact our team to book, letting us know your location, animal species and numbers so we can coordinate visits in your area.

🌿 Small herd, same great care.

Leaders in livestock veterinary services throughout the South West, with a dedicated farm vet team combining responsive emergency care with proactive herd health support.

For commercial producers, hobby farms and breeding operations.

07/10/2026

🌱 Does this weaner look familiar? Doesn't look too bad, but has a starry coat and loose manure.

In the South West of WA, our soils and pastures can be deficient in important trace elements, and copper, cobalt and selenium are among the minerals we consider when investigating poor growth or reproductive performance in cattle.

The tricky part? Cattle don't always look obviously deficient.

Sometimes the first signs are much less dramatic:

🐄 Weaners that aren't growing as well as expected
🐄 Heifers struggling to reach target joining weights
🐄 Lower-than-expected conception rates
🐄 Starry coat, loose manure or general “ill thrift”
🐄 Reduced immune function or increased susceptibility to disease

Trace element deficiencies are recognised in southern Australian cattle systems, and one of their important effects can be reduced growth, particularly when replacement heifers fail to reach their target joining weights.

So should we just give everything a mineral injection?

Not necessarily.

More isn't always better, and some trace elements can be toxic when oversupplied. Ideally, supplementation should be based on your property's risk factors, supplementation program, diet and, where appropriate, testing rather than simply treating every animal “just in case.”

💉 Injectable supplementation

Injections can be a useful way of rapidly correcting or supporting trace element status, particularly when we need coverage around a critical production period.

However, depending on the mineral and product used, that protection may be relatively short-lived. Some injectable products require repeat administration to maintain adequate levels.

That can work well strategically—but it may not be the most practical long-term solution for a herd with an ongoing deficiency.

🔵 Long-acting boluses/pellets

Where an ongoing deficiency has been identified, long-acting rumen boluses or pellets can provide a much longer supplementation period.

Rather than repeatedly yarding cattle for short-acting supplementation, we can incorporate long-acting supplementation into routine herd management—often around twice-yearly handling, depending on the product, mineral requirements and individual farm.

The goal isn't simply to “give minerals”.

It's to make sure cattle have adequate trace mineral status through the periods when performance matters most.

📈 Why does that matter financially?

For weaners, correcting a genuine deficiency can help them achieve their growth potential.

For replacement heifers, growth is particularly important because they need to reach an appropriate percentage of mature weight before joining. Poor trace mineral status can indirectly compromise reproductive performance when heifers simply don't grow well enough to reach those targets.

For the breeder herd, good nutrition and body condition underpin conception, calving and rebreeding performance.

That can ultimately mean:

✅ Better weaner growth
✅ More heifers reaching joining targets
✅ Improved reproductive efficiency
✅ Better utilisation of the feed you're already growing
✅ Fewer unnecessary treatments by targeting supplementation to what your herd actually needs

The important part is knowing what you're treating.

Not every South West property has the same deficiencies, and supplementing animals that are already adequate doesn't necessarily improve growth or fertility. Australian field work has demonstrated production responses in deficient animals, but little or no benefit in adequately supplied cattle.

If your weaner weights, heifer growth or pregnancy results aren't where you expect them to be, trace mineral status is one of the pieces of the puzzle worth investigating.

🩺 Talk to us about developing a trace mineral program for your herd — including testing, injectable supplementation and longer-acting options that can be incorporated into your routine cattle handling.

Leaders in livestock veterinary services throughout the South West, with a dedicated farm vet team combining responsive emergency care with proactive herd health support.

For commercial producers, hobby farms and breeding operations.

26/09/2026

🐄 Preg testing results lower than expected? Let’s find out why.

An empty cow tells us that she didn’t get in calf. Looking at the results across the herd can help us work out why.

As a guide for a well-managed beef herd:

• Heifers with bull access: around 85–95% pregnant after a defined joining period.
• Mature cows with bull access: around 90–95% pregnant is a useful target.

These figures depend on joining length, nutrition and the animals’ circumstances. First-calf cows deserve their own line in the results: rearing a calf while getting back in calf can be particularly demanding.

When results disappoint, we look at which animals are empty and when the pregnant animals conceived. We may investigate:

🔎 Bulls: fertility, soundness, serving ability, bull-to-cow ratio and whether a bull was injured during joining.

🔎 Females and feed: heifer joining weights, body condition, pasture availability, mineral nutrition and time since calving.

🔎 AI programs: heat detection or synchronisation, timing, semen handling and insemination technique.

🔎 Disease and pregnancy loss: reproductive disease, abortions and whether the pattern points to failure to conceive or loss after conception. Testing is chosen to fit the herd’s history and results.

The goal is a practical change that improves calves weaned per female joined. If your preg test figures are below your usual result, ask us to review them by age group and joining date.

20/09/2026

🐄 BVDV: when is testing or vaccination actually worth the money?

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV or pestivirus) is common in Australian cattle, but that does not mean every herd needs blanket testing or lifelong vaccination.

Our aim is not to sell the tests or vaccine. It is to identify whether BVDV presents a genuine financial risk to your herd and choose the lowest-cost strategy that protects your calf crop.

Most healthy cattle exposed to BVDV develop a short-lived infection, clear the virus and develop strong, long-lasting immunity. Many show few or no clinical signs.

The major financial risk occurs when BVDV reaches susceptible females around joining or during pregnancy. Depending on the timing, this may cause:

• Reduced conception or early embryonic loss
• Delayed pregnancies and a longer calving period
• Abortion, stillbirth or abnormal calves
• The birth of persistently infected (PI) calves

A PI calf was infected before birth and cannot clear the virus. Some are visibly ill-thrifty, but others initially appear normal. They continuously shed BVDV and can infect susceptible breeding females, potentially creating further PI calves.

However, finding BVDV antibodies does not automatically mean disease is costing your herd money. Antibodies commonly mean the animal has been exposed previously and is now immune.

🔒 CLOSED HERDS

A herd breeding its own replacements and introducing no cattle has a relatively low risk of BVDV entry.

If the herd has widespread natural immunity, routine vaccination may provide limited additional financial benefit. If the herd is BVDV-free but susceptible, the priority may be maintaining strong biosecurity rather than vaccinating every animal indefinitely.

Risks can still arise from:

• Purchased or leased bulls
• Cattle returning from agistment or shows
• Straying cattle or direct contact across fences
• Introduced pregnant females carrying PI calves

For a genuinely closed herd with good reproductive performance, routine whole-herd testing is unlikely to represent good value.

🔓 OPEN HERDS

The risk is higher when cattle are purchased regularly, mobs return from agistment, bulls are leased or neighbouring cattle have direct contact with the herd.

Practical risk reduction may include:

• Buying from herds with known health histories
• Requesting a National Cattle Health Declaration
• Antigen-testing introduced cattle where their status is unknown
• Managing purchased pregnant females separately until their calves can be tested
• Considering pre-joining vaccination for genuinely susceptible, high-risk breeding groups

Vaccination is most valuable when susceptible females face a realistic risk of exposure around mating or early pregnancy. It should not automatically be added to every herd program simply because BVDV exists in the district.

💰 TEST FIRST—or vaccinate?

Before committing to whole-herd vaccination, strategic antibody testing of a small group of appropriately aged, unvaccinated replacement heifers can help answer a more useful question:
Is this group already immune, currently experiencing viral circulation, or largely susceptible?

The answer may show that:

• The herd already has substantial natural immunity
• Biosecurity and monitoring are sufficient
• Recent transmission warrants investigation for PI animals
• A specific group would benefit from vaccination before joining

Antibody testing assesses previous exposure. It does not identify PI cattle. Antigen testing is used when we need to determine whether an animal is shedding virus.

BVDV management should be based on your herd.
A serious outbreak in a susceptible breeding mob can be expensive, but many exposed herds experience little measurable loss. The value of intervention depends on cattle movements, existing immunity, reproductive performance, neighbouring-herd exposure and the consequences of losing pregnancies in your particular enterprise.

For some farms, vaccination is a sound investment. For others, selective testing and strict biosecurity are more profitable. In a stable, naturally immune herd, doing nothing beyond monitoring may be entirely reasonable.

The best BVDV program is not the one that uses the most product. It is the one that produces the greatest net benefit for the farmer.

Picture of a healthy cow and calf, because why not.

Leaders in livestock veterinary services throughout the South West, with a dedicated farm vet team combining responsive emergency care with proactive herd health support.

For commercial producers, hobby farms and breeding operations.

05/09/2026

⚠️ This semen was about to be used in an artificial insemination program—but it was dead.

Before insemination, our veterinarian thawed and examined a sample under the microscope. The semen showed no viable progressive motility and was unsuitable for use.

Identifying the problem before insemination prevented a costly mistake for the owner: wasted semen, synchronisation drugs, labour and time, followed by an empty cow and another delayed breeding opportunity.

This is one of the advantages of having a veterinarian involved in your pregnancy-testing and artificial-insemination program. We do more than perform the procedure—we assess the whole reproductive system and investigate problems when something does not look right.

Veterinary involvement can include:
- examining semen quality before insemination;
- assessing ovarian structures and stage of cycle with ultrasound;
- confirming that insemination timing is appropriate;
- identifying uterine infection, reproductive-tract abnormalities and non-cycling females;
- designing or reviewing synchronisation protocols;
- accurately diagnosing pregnancy and estimating fetal age;
- assessing fetal viability and, where relevant, identifying twins;
- investigating disappointing conception rates; and
using reproductive records to identify where time and money are being lost.

No reproductive program can guarantee a pregnancy, but careful veterinary oversight can identify avoidable problems before they affect the entire breeding program.

In livestock production, every missed pregnancy has a cost. Early diagnosis, quality control and evidence-based reproductive management help improve conception rates, shorten calving intervals and protect the profitability of the enterprise.

This video is a powerful example: checking first prevented an expensive failure later.

Contact Naturaliste Veterinary Services to discuss pregnancy testing, artificial insemination or a veterinary review of your herd’s reproductive program.

15/08/2026

🐄 Why do we pregnancy test cows around 6 weeks after the bulls come out?

Pregnancy testing isn’t just about finding out which cows are in calf — it gives you valuable information to make better management decisions before you keep spending money on empty cows.

At around 6 weeks after bull removal, ultrasound pregnancy testing can help us:

🐮 Identify empty cows — so you can make early culling or rebreeding decisions rather than carrying unproductive cows through the year.

📅 Estimate pregnancy age — helping identify early vs late-calving cows and predict your calving spread.

🐂 Assess bull performance — a higher-than-expected empty rate or a late conception pattern can flag potential bull fertility, joining or nutrition problems.

🌱 Plan feed and stocking rates — particularly important heading into periods when feed availability may be limited.

💰 Improve herd profitability — every empty cow still eats, takes up pasture and requires management without producing a calf.
Preg testing is one of the simplest ways to turn your joining season into useful information for next year.

If your bulls have been out for around 6 weeks or more, now is a great time to book your herd pregnancy testing.

📞 Contact Naturaliste Veterinary Services to organise your preg testing

08/08/2026

🐄🐑 PEM in Livestock

A sheep or cow that suddenly becomes blind, starts staggering, separates from the mob or begins “star-gazing” needs prompt attention.
One important cause of these neurological signs is polioencephalomalacia (PEM) — a brain disorder commonly associated with disruption of thiamine (vitamin B1) availability or high sulphur intake.

🧠 Why is thiamine important?
Thiamine is essential for normal brain function. Adult cattle, sheep and goats usually rely heavily on microorganisms in the rumen to provide thiamine.
Changes to the rumen environment can interfere with this process and increase the risk of PEM.

⚠️ Common risk factors include:
• Sudden introduction of grain or high-concentrate diets
• Ruminal acidosis and poor rumen function
• Inadequate effective fibre/roughage
• Thiaminase-containing plants, including bracken fern
• Excessive sulphur intake from feed or water
• Rapid dietary changes, particularly in young, growing stock

🔎 Signs to watch for:
• Reduced appetite or separating from the mob
• Dullness or depression
• Staggering or loss of coordination
• Muscle tremors
• Apparent blindness despite normal-looking eyes
• Head pressing
• Circling
• “Star-gazing” — holding the head and neck abnormally upwards
• Seizures, recumbency or sudden death

PEM can progress very quickly, sometimes over only a few hours.
💉 The good news? Early treatment can be very effective.
PEM is an emergency. Animals treated with thiamine early in the disease can show a dramatic response, while delayed treatment may result in irreversible brain damage or death.

🌾 Prevention starts with good rumen management:
• Introduce grain gradually over 2–3 weeks
• Maintain adequate good-quality fibre in the diet
• Avoid abrupt feed changes
• Reduce the risk of ruminal acidosis
• Be aware of sulphur concentrations in feed and water

📞 If you notice sudden neurological signs in your livestock, contact your veterinarian promptly.

07/07/2026

🐑 Not every sheep needs drenching—and that's exactly how we slow drench resistance.

Internal parasites are one of the biggest hidden causes of lost productivity in sheep. Worm burdens can reduce growth rates, fertility, milk production and wool quality, while severe infections can cause anaemia, bottle jaw and death.

The challenge? Drench resistance is becoming increasingly common. Every unnecessary drench increases selection pressure for resistant worms, making our treatments less effective over time.

So how do we drench smarter?

🪱 1️⃣ Faecal Egg Count Reduction Tests (FECRT)
A FECRT is the gold standard for determining whether your drench is actually working on your property.
We collect faecal samples before drenching, repeat them after treatment, and calculate how effectively the worm burden has been reduced.
This tells us:
✅ Whether your drench is still effective
✅ Whether resistance is developing
✅ Which drench classes still work on your farm
✅ How to build a strategic parasite control program

🐏 2️⃣ FAMACHA Scoring
Not every animal carries the same worm burden.
FAMACHA scoring assesses the colour of the lower eyelid to estimate the degree of anaemia caused by blood-sucking worms, particularly Haemonchus contortus (Barber's Pole Worm).

By identifying the animals that genuinely need treatment, we can:
✔ Drench only those individuals carrying the heaviest parasite burdens.
✔ Leave healthier animals untreated, maintaining a population of susceptible worms (refugia) that helps slow the development of resistance.
✔ Reduce drench costs.
✔ Preserve the effectiveness of the drenches we rely on.

🐑 Smarter parasite management means:
✅ Better weight gain
✅ Improved fertility
✅ Healthier lambs
✅ Increased wool production
✅ Lower treatment costs
✅ Longer-lasting drench effectiveness

Every farm has a unique parasite challenge. Combining Faecal Egg Counts, FECRTs, FAMACHA scoring and strategic grazing management allows us to tailor a parasite control program that improves both animal health and long-term farm profitability.

📞 If you'd like to assess your flock's parasite status or test whether your drenches are still working, get in touch with the team at Naturaliste Veterinary Services. We'd be happy to help you build a sustainable worm control program.

30/06/2026

🐄 Can you spot the early signs of Bovine Respiratory Disease?

This calf was diagnosed with bovine respiratory disease (BRD), one of the most common and costly diseases affecting young cattle.

By the time calves are coughing or struggling to breathe, significant lung damage may already have occurred. Early recognition and treatment are key to improving recovery and reducing long-term production losses.

🔍 Watch for these early warning signs:
• Standing away from the mob
• Reduced milk intake or appetite
• Droopy ears or head down
• Depression or lethargy
• Increased respiratory rate or effort
• Coughing
• Nasal or eye discharge
• Fever

Several factors contribute to BRD, including viruses, bacteria, stress, transport, weaning, poor ventilation, cold weather, and mixing groups of calves. Often it's a combination of these factors that allows pneumonia to develop.

Prevention is always better than treatment.
✔️ Ensure calves receive adequate high-quality colostrum.
✔️ Minimise stress during weaning and transport.
✔️ Provide good ventilation while avoiding draughts.
✔️ Maintain appropriate nutrition.
✔️ Develop a strategic vaccination program for your herd.
✔️ Isolate and treat affected calves early.

The earlier pneumonia is recognised, the better the outcome. Delayed treatment can result in permanent lung damage, slower growth rates, and reduced lifetime productivity.

If you're noticing coughing calves or think pneumonia may be circulating through your herd, contact us early. We can help diagnose the cause, implement effective treatment, and develop a prevention plan tailored to your operation.

Servicing livestock producers from Busselton to Augusta.

28/06/2026

🐑🐄 Don't Guess When It Comes to Worms 🐄🐑

One of the biggest misconceptions in livestock production is that drenching equals worm control.

In reality, over-drenching can accelerate drench resistance, while under-drenching can impact growth rates, fertility and production.

So what does strategic drenching actually mean?

🔍 Perform faecal egg counts before making drenching decisions.

The most useful animals to test are:
• Weaner sheep
• Weaner cattle
• Yearlings
• Any group showing poor growth or body condition

Adult animals generally develop immunity to worms and often carry lower burdens, making youngstock the most valuable group to monitor.

📅 When should faecal egg counts be performed?
• Weaners: late autumn before the break of the season
• 2 weeks after drenching to assess drench efficacy
• Whenever poor growth, scouring or ill-thrift is observed
• Before implementing a drenching program on a new property

💉 Strategic drenching may include:
• Weaner drenching at weaning if burdens are significant
• Drenching before periods of high pasture contamination
• Quarantine drenching all introduced livestock
• Using faecal egg count reduction testing to ensure your drenches are still effective

Remember, the goal isn't to eliminate every worm. The goal is to maintain production while slowing the development of drench resistance.

A faecal egg count can often save hundreds or thousands of dollars in unnecessary drenches and lost production.

If you're unsure whether your drenching program is working, contact Naturaliste Veterinary Services about faecal egg count testing and parasite management plans tailored to your farm.

Sheep
FECs are most valuable in weaners (3–12 months).
Test 10–15 animals representative of the mob.
Sample in late summer/early autumn, then again during winter/spring if growth rates are disappointing.
Consider a drench resistance test (FECRT) every 2–3 years.

Beef cattle
Worms are mainly a problem in calves and weaners under 12 months.
Test weaners at weaning and again 8–12 weeks later.
Mature cows rarely require routine drenching unless body condition is poor or stocking density is high.

Dairy
Focus on replacement heifers and first-grazing calves.
FECs in autumn and spring can help determine whether a drench is actually required.

We offer a WormCheck Program where producers submit 10 fresh dung samples from a mob and receive:
• Faecal egg count results
• Interpretation
• Drench recommendation (or recommendation not to drench)
• Follow-up testing plan