Cattle Vet AU

01/06/2026

Happy World Milk Day! 🥛🐄

Today we celebrate the incredible dairy farmers, cattle, and teams behind every litre of high-quality milk produced here in Australia and around the world. From pasture to plate, it’s a reminder of the care, science, and dedication that goes into maintaining healthy herds and producing nutritious milk for our communities.

As cattle vets, we’re proud to support herd health, welfare, and productivity every step of the way. Because healthy cows make great milk!!!

Here’s to our dairy producers and their cows today and every day! 🥛

25/04/2026

Today, April 25th 2026 we celebrate World Veterinary Day 🩺🐄🐂 — recognising the vital role veterinarians and veterinary professionals play in protecting animal health, human health, and the integrity of our food systems.

At Cattle Vet AU, I am proud to work on the front line of livestock production, supporting Australian farmers to maintain healthy, productive herds and sustainable farming systems.

This year’s theme, “Veterinarians: Guardians of Food and Health,” highlights the critical role our profession plays from paddock to plate. Ensuring animal welfare, food safety, and the long-term viability of our agricultural industries.

Every herd we support contributes to a bigger picture: safe, nutritious food and a resilient farming future.

To our veterinary colleagues, veterinary nurses and support staff and veterinary paraprofessionals, across Australia and around the world, thank you for your dedication, expertise, and commitment to the animals and communities we serve.

Here’s to healthy cattle, strong farms, and a sustainable future.

02/01/2026

The Veterinary Field Guide To Cattle Medicine

2nd Edition Available NOW!

This field guide has been constructed to provide a comprehensive and concise in-field reference for veterinary students and veterinarians on the health, management, and treatment of beef and dairy cattle.

First edition was published in 2023 and the second edition was published in 2025.

A brief outline of the field guide is outlined below:
Bovine Parameters
Welfare Standards
Biosecurity
Examination (Body Condition Scoring, 5-Station, Haematology, Biochemistry, UA, Neurological Exam)
Clinical Samples and Additional Diagnostic Tests
Additional Diagnostic Procedures
Post-Mortem Examination
Therapeutics (Antimicrobials, NSAID, Minerals, Vitamins, Vaccines, Sedatives and Tranquilizers, Local and Regional Anaesthesia)
Example animal health and husbandry calendars
Basic Overview of Nutrition
Approaches To Investigating Different Herd Problems (such as Transition Cow, Mastitis, Lameness, Reproduction, Sudden death, Ill-Thrift etc)
Metabolic Diseases, Electrolyte Disturbances, Common Trace Element Deficiencies And Toxicities
Parasitology and Anthelmintics
Disease and Management of Calves
Diseases of the Different Body Systems (Broken into the Different Systems)
Fracture Management
Wound Management
Overview of the Common Surgical Procedures Carried Out in the Field (LDA, RDA, Caesarean Section, Ocular Surgery, Digital Amputation, Digital Arthrodesis Hernia Surgery, Trocar Placement, Tail Amputation and Tracheostomy placement)
Euthanasia
Information on Veterinary Disbudding, Oesophageal Tubing Calves, Fluid Therapy (Adults and Calves) and much more

Many resources have been drawn upon to create this book and have been listed under the resource section itemised below the specific chapters.

Visit the Cattle Vet AU website to order your copy of the field guide!

31/12/2025

Happy Moo Year 2026! 🎇

Wishing our producers, fellow veterinarians, vet students, and cattle community a year of healthy herds, strong outcomes, and continued learning.

Here’s to nothing but positive moo-mentum and an udderly great year ahead from Cattle Vet AU.

13/07/2025

🎥 Surgical Correction of a Left Displaced Abomasum (LDA) in a Dairy Cow 🐄🔧

Left Displaced Abomasum is a common condition seen in high-producing dairy cows, particularly within the first 6 weeks post-calving. The condition is multifactorial, with contributing factors including:
⚠️ Decreased dry matter intake
⚠️ Increased gas from fermentation of concentrate feeds
⚠️ Abomasal atony from hypocalcaemia
⚠️ Concurrent disease (e.g., ketosis, metritis, mastitis)
⚠️ Management factors like time off feed or limited bunk space

📉 Clinical signs include:
• Drop in appetite and milk yield
• Decreased rumen motility
• A distinctive high-pitched “ping” on percussion of the left flank
• Fluid ‘tinkling’ sounds on ballottement
• Often seen with other fresh cow issues (ketosis, RFM, etc.)

🧠 Pathophysiology in brief:
The gas-filled abomasum becomes buoyant, floats left and dorsally, and gets trapped between the rumen and abdominal wall. Without correction, this can lead to progressive stasis, electrolyte imbalances, and worsening clinical condition.

🔧 Watch the surgical correction of this LDA in a mature Dairy Cow. The procedure is carried out with the cow standing under local aneasthetic and pain relief.

05/07/2025

I recently got an interesting clinical case i saw published in The Veterinarian, April 2025 Edition. The aim was to help vets make decisions around managing similar cases!

Hydrallantois in a cow and a calf with a polycystic kidney

Abstract
This report details the clinical finding of a Holstein cow with hydrallantois, the gross clinical findings of the affected cow’s calf and a brief discussion of hydrallantois in cattle. A multiparous 3.7-year-old Holstein cow was presented for veterinary attention with severe abdominal distension, reduced appetite and minimal udder development despite being 5 days from expected parturition. The cow was diagnosed with hydrallantois and was induced to calve. The cow required a caesarean section to deliver the calf. The calf was euthanised due to failure to achieve early life milestones and prolonged abdominal pain. On post mortem it was found that the calf had a grossly enlarged polycystic right kidney and an enlarged right adrenal gland. The cow died 48 hr post caesarean. The current case report describes a rare case of hydrallantois in a multiparous Holstein cow due to excessive accumulation of amniotic fluid, which may have been a result of foetal abnormalities of unilateral polycystic kidney disease and an enlarged adrenal gland. Early intervention is recommended to improve dam survival and the dam is the higher priority animal as the foetus is unlikely to be viable.

03/07/2025

🚨 New Podcast Alert! 🚨
The Australian Cattle Veterinarians have launched an exciting new podcast series! 🐄🐂🐮

Season 1, hosted by agricultural journalist Prue Adams, delivers 5 engaging episodes that dive deep into the ever-evolving world of cattle veterinary practice in Australia.

You’ll hear candid and insightful conversations with some of the most respected vets in the field—leaders who have shaped, and continue to shape, the future of animal health, welfare, and rural consultancy.

🎧 I’ve learned so much from these vets over the years, and it’s a privilege to see their knowledge shared in this format. Whether you're a fellow vet, producer, or just curious about cattle practice, this series is well worth a listen.

👉 Check it out on your favourite podcast platform!

In this debut episode, host Prue Adams chats with three trailblazing cattle vets—Dr. Alan Guilfoyle, Associate Professor Dr. John House, and Dr. Alison Gunn—about their remarkable journeys, career pivots, and the evolving role of veterinarians in Australia’s cattle industry. From solo bush pra...

26/04/2025

Today we celebrate World Veterinary Day 🩺🐄🐂 — a day to recognise the essential role veterinarians and veterinary professional play in protecting animal health, human health, and our shared environment.

As a cattle vet, I'm proud to work alongside our farmers, helping to ensure the health and welfare of their herds and the sustainability of our food systems.

This year's World Veterinary Day theme reminds us that veterinary care reaches far beyond the clinic — it's in every paddock, every pasture, every partnership between vets, animals, and the people who depend on them.

To all my veterinary colleagues across the country and around the world — thank you for your passion, your resilience, and your tireless care.

Here's to healthy herds, thriving farms, and a better future for all.

05/03/2025

Late last year Maddy, a final year CSU veterinary student attended our practice, and we saw an interesting clinical case in a dairy calf. We worked through our differential list and completed some clinical diagnostic tests and finally a genetic haplotype test to confirm the diagnosis of Early-onset muscle weakness syndrome (MW).

As this genetic disease had not been published before in Australian cattle, we decided to write the case up and present the manuscript (Titled: Early-onset muscle weakness syndrome (MW) in an Australian Holstein calf) for consideration for publication in the Australian Veterinary Journal.

We were fortunate to get the manuscript accepted and it has just been published!

Link below:

Early-onset muscle weakness syndrome (MW) is a recessive genetic disorder known to affect Holstein cattle. This report describes the clinical findings in an Australian Holstein calf diagnosed with MW...

07/11/2024

Clinical case : Fractured mandible in a Holstein calf

A 6-week-old Holstein calf was examined for a mouth injury. Presumed to be trauma from getting her mouth caught on wire or head butting the calfeteria. On examination it was determined that she had a rostral mandible fracture.

It was decided that the calf would be transport to the practice a couple days after the initial examination for radiographs and surgical management.

Under a general anaesthetic, radigraphs confirmed the calf had a rostral mandibular fracture and we subsequently placed a intramedullary bone pin. The calf was regularly checked on farm and the pin remained in place for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks the intramedullary bone pin was removed. The calf has coped well with the procedure and the her jaw appears to be aligned well for her to eat grass, grain and hay.