Goorambat Livestock Vet Services

10/09/2025

Poddy lamb season!

03/08/2025

Well done to those who suggested a diagnosis for my old ewe. My top differentials were hypocalcaemia, pregnancy toxaemia and polioencephalomalacia (thiamine/Vit B1 deficiency). Blood tests confirmed low calcium. There were some other mild changes but given her rapid reponse to treatment, hypocalcaemia is the assumed cause for recumbency. The conditions mentioned above all present in a similar way which highlights the importance of blood tests in making a definitive diagnosis and for informed decisions around treatment and management.

31/07/2025

And for today's sheep drama, I found this old ewe of ours down and not very responsive. She is due to lamb and carrying twins. She was with the flock this morning so she deteriorated quite quickly. I gave her treatment for the most likely differentials and when I returned from dropping her blood samples at the lab she was walking around the paddock. Who wants to guess the diagnosis?

30/07/2025

Never a dull moment in farming. She was so grateful to be extricated from the feeder that she went me twice before returning to her flock...

16/06/2025

For a little bit of light hearted relief from the challenges of livestock farming and vetting in a drought. Found in an Irish pub in Melbourne while having a much needed afternoon/evening off work.

06/06/2025

It is incredibly tough in the farming industry just now with the effects of the prolonged drought, feed shortages and increased animal health challenges.

Some useful resources for farmers, or those supporting farmers, can be found via these links:

https://ifarmwell.com.au/practical-tips-to-improve-your-wellbeing
https://farmerhealth.org.au/farmer-wellbeing-toolkit

For those needing guidance on drought feeding livestock, these resources from Agriculture Victoria are comprehensive. Please also get in touch with me for animal health advice.

https://www.feedinglivestock.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Beef-cattle-drought-feeding-guide.pdf

https://www.feedinglivestock.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Sheep-drought-feeding-guide.pdf

ifarmwell is a free online tool kit to help farmers cope effectively with life’s challenges and get the most out of every day, regardless of the circumstances they face.

22/05/2025

Today was the day for calf misadventure. One with leg lacerations from getting caught in wire, one with a fractured hindlimb and this young fellow with a very painful injury to his mouth. His owner and I would love to know how he did it.
In 23 years of vet practice, this is the first oral surgery I have performed on a bovine. It came together quite well and he was back drinking from him mother within a couple of hours.
Rarely a dull day in the life of a livestock vet!

11/05/2025

Happy Mother's Day to all those caring for children and animals. An important role that can be joyful and satisfying but also demanding and heartbreaking.

05/05/2025

Knackery Service
Many clients will be aware of recent limitations to the knackery service in our area. I have confirmation that Aulds (Stanhope) are no longer able to collect animals from our area (dead or alive). Please ensure that you have a plan for how your farm will dispose of dead stock or those unfit for transport to the abattoir.
Please contact me if you need advice around this. I have a couple of alternative contacts for collecting live animals however same day service cannot be guaranteed and may incur a collection fee.

04/04/2025

Casper, Goorambat Livestock Vet’s office assistant. His typing skills need some refinement and he keeps chewing on the pencils…

25/02/2025

For all my clients that have breeding cattle this would be well worth signing up for. I have worked with Rob Bonanno and have a lot of respect for his knowledge and experience.

New to calving? Wanting to learn more? Maybe you just need a quick refresher!

Our two-part webinar series hosted by the Stock Sense team and Dr Rob Bonnano will discuss 101 Essentials, with a Q&A Session.

Check out our website for more information and to register!

12/01/2025

This is a sad post but I am sharing because it might be of interest. Our farm was in the eye of a thunderstorm this afternoon. We had a lightning strike to our shed and when I checked our stock after it passed I found our beautiful 12mo steer lying dead under a tree. In the photos you can see the lightning burn marks on his limbs. Ironically his name was Storm (due to his grey colouring when he was born).