Ark Vet Centre - Farm

28/05/2026

Today we said 'Happy Retirement' to one of our long serving team Linda Callander.
Linda has seen many changes during her 13 years with us and we have all loved working along side her. Now onto new adventures, free time, chasing her grandchild and holidays, we wish her all the best for the fun times to come. 🍾🍹✈️🛳 enjoy your free time xx

28/05/2026

Are you up to date with your Red Tractor medicines course? It is now required by farm assurance that the course be completed every 5 years.

💉Medicines Matter Course, Ark Vet Centre, Lockerbie
📅Friday 26th June, 11am
➡️£50 excluding VAT includes certificate

Contact the practice on 01576 202552 to book your place! 📞

26/05/2026

Join us for an informative evening dedicated to understanding the hidden dangers of Q Fever and what it means for dairy farming businesses, livestock and family health. 🐄

Hosted by Ark Vet Centre, this meeting is open to all dairy clients and will provide practical guidance on:
• What Q Fever is
• How it spreads among livestock and humans
• Signs to look out for on farm
• Reducing risk and protecting your herd and staff

Q Fever is a disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, which can infect cattle, sheep, goats and humans. It is commonly associated with livestock and can pose serious health risks if not properly managed.

📅 Tuesday 2nd June 2026
🕡 6:30pm for 7pm start
📍 Ark Vet Centre, Lockerbie Practice
🍽 Hot food will be provided

☎️ To book your place, please phone the practice on 01576 202552.

We look forward to welcoming you for what promises to be a valuable and informative evening for local dairy farmers. While the talk will be focussed on dairy farming, any beef or sheep clients interested in the topic are more than welcome! 🐑🐂

25/05/2026

🐑 Sheep Parasite Update – Eskdale, Annandale & Dumfries | 25th May 2026 🐑

The latest SCOPS Nematodirus forecast shows a HIGH RISK period for many lambs across our area, particularly lambs aged 6–10 weeks old grazing higher-risk pastures.

📍 Current local risk status:
• Eskdalemuir – Hatching in progress
• Dundrennan – Hatching in progress
• Carlisle / lower Annandale areas – Past peak hatch, but challenge may still remain

⚠️ Fields grazed by ewes and lambs last year remain the highest risk. Where possible, move young lambs onto:
✅ Cattle grazed ground
✅ Reseeds
✅ Silage aftermaths

Mixed worm burdens are also becoming more common, so regular faecal egg count (FEC) testing is now important to monitor what’s happening on farm and guide treatment decisions.

🌦️ Remember:
• Altitude matters — every 100m higher can delay peak hatch by around 7 days
• South-facing fields often hatch earlier
• Forecasts should always be used alongside lamb age, grazing history and clinical signs

The SCOPS forecast is updated daily and can be viewed here:

https://www.scops.org.uk/forecasts/nematodirus-forecast

If you are seeing scour, poor thrive or have concerns about worm challenge in lambs, speak to your vet team for advice tailored to your farm. 🐑

Nematodirus Forecast Preview

12/05/2026

📣🐑 Calling All Sheep Farmers! 🐑📣

Join us for a great day out at NSA Scotsheep on Wednesday, 10th June at Wedderlie Farm, Berwickshire!

We are organising a free bus trip for all our sheep clients — it’s a perfect chance to catch up with fellow farmers, see the latest in sheep farming, and enjoy everything the event has to offer.

Spaces are limited, so please get in touch with us at the practice to book your seat. We will be leaving the Lockerbie practice at 8am and returning at 5pm. Event tickets and refreshments included!

We look forward to seeing you there! 🐑🚌

01/05/2026

🚨 Nematodirus Alert 🚨

We’ve recently seen several cases of Nematodirus in lambs across the area, so it’s important to stay vigilant this spring.

Watch for:
➡️ Sudden watery diarrhoea
➡️ Lethargy & dehydration
➡️ Rapid weight loss

Lambs aged 6–12 weeks are most at risk, and disease can progress quickly.

💊 If you’re concerned, don’t wait—early treatment with the correct wormer is key.

🌱 Consider grazing management and keep an eye on forecast risk levels to help protect your flock.

If you have any concerns or need advice, get in touch with the team at Ark Vet Centre.

04/04/2026

🌟New service available🌟

We are now the proud owners of an ATP meter,📳 a device that allows us to instantly measure the cleanliness of surfaces.🧼
This is a useful tool to help us when investigating issues around hygiene. This can include calf health (feeding equipment and housing) as well as mastitis and high SSC.🍼
Using the ATP meter can help us identify the issue and then implement changes and new protocols tailored to your farm and set up.💦

The video demonstrates how the ATP meter can be used to check appropriate cleaning protocols are in place for lamb and calf feeding equiptment🐮🐑

Please contact us and chat to one of our vets if you would like further information on how we can help you📞

03/04/2026

🐾 Meet Our New Vet – Chloe Pattie! 🐾

We’re delighted to welcome Chloe to the team here at Ark Vet Centre!

Chloe graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2023 and has since gained valuable experience working in mixed animal practice in the south west of Scotland. She brings a real passion for animal care and a friendly, dedicated approach to her work.

Outside of the clinic, Chloe loves spending time with her dogs—especially walking and training them in agility. In fact, she’s currently part of the Scotland Agility Team! 🐕✨

Please join us in giving Chloe a warm welcome to the team! 🐮

31/03/2026

Proud to support Dumfries Saints RFC - Ark Vet Centre is now looking after animal welfare… and the welfare of the Saints subs too! 🐾🏉

Congratulations on the 1st XV’s win at the weekend! ⚫️⚪️🔴