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The Vet Clinic Wairarapa Production Animal

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The Vet Clinic Wairarapa Production Animal

We’re a rural veterinary team supporting farmers to keep livestock healthy & productive.

From FE & FEC monitoring to on-farm visits & advice, we share practical tips, seasonal updates & real insights from vets & techs working alongside you.

04/09/2026

🦗 Ⓕⓤⓝ Ⓕⓐⓒⓣ Ⓕⓡⓘⓓⓐⓨ 🦗

Meet one of New Zealand's oldest and weirdest residents… the wētā!

These giant, flightless crickets have been around for more than 190 million years — meaning they've been stomping around New Zealand since the age of the dinosaurs. 🦖

And some wētā are absolute units. Certain species can weigh more than a mouse or even a sparrow, making them some of the heaviest insects in the world!

But that's not even the weirdest part…

👂 They have ears on their legs!
Wētā don't hear through their heads like we do. Their ears are actually located on their front legs, just below the knee.

🥶 Some can freeze solid!
Mountain stone wētā can survive being completely frozen during the freezing alpine winter, then thaw out in spring and carry on with life. Talk about tough!

🦷 Some males have tusks!
Male tusked wētā use their impressive curved jaw tusks to battle rival males — apparently wētā don't believe in settling things with a polite conversation.

🥕 They've got a thing for carrots.
Giant wētā are vegetarian and love fresh vegetation. Carrots are a particular favourite when people feed them.

And that scary-looking spike on the back of a female wētā?
Not a stinger! 😱

It's an ovipositor, which she uses to lay her eggs in the soil.

So where does their name come from?
Wētāpunga comes from te reo Māori and means “god of ugly things.”
Their scientific genus name, Deinacrida, translates roughly as “terrible grasshopper.”

So basically…
New Zealand gave this giant prehistoric cricket two names that both amount to: “Mate, you're damn ugly.” 😂
Another weird, wonderful piece of New Zealand wildlife!

On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!

03/09/2026

🐑 SCABBY MOUTH — PART 2! 🐑

Following on from our post yesterday about scabby mouth, today we’re showing you what the vaccination site can look like 7 days after vaccination.

The vaccine is given by scratching the skin and applying the vaccine directly to the scratch in one action. This introduces the vaccine into the skin and allows the lamb to develop immunity without the painful mouth lesions associated with scabby mouth.

🔎 So what are we looking for?

Around 7 days later, you should see the characteristic bubbling and reaction around the scratch. This shows that the vaccine has taken and the lamb is responding to it.

📸 Take a look at the photo below to see what a successful vaccine reaction can look like.

If you’re planning to vaccinate for scabby mouth and have any questions, give The Vet Clinic Farm Team a call. 🐑

On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!

02/09/2026

🐑 ORF OR SCABBY MOUTH — WHEN A LITTLE SCAB BECOMES A WHOLE LOT OF TROUBLE! 🐑

Scabby mouth is a common and painful viral infection affecting the mouths and noses of young lambs.

On farm, it can mean:
👉 Slower pre-weaning growth
👉 More infections of ewes’ udders, which can lead to mastitis and reduced milk production in future seasons.

For pet lambs, there’s another concern — Orf can spread to people through contact with the scabs and can be extremely painful and slow to clear.

💊 There’s no simple treatment for scabby mouth. Antibiotics won’t help because it’s a virus. There has been some overseas research into Trisolfen, so talk to your vet if you’re interested in this option.

💉 What about vaccination?
The scabby mouth vaccine works differently from many other vaccines. A small amount is applied to a scratch in the skin, usually on the inside of the hind leg, allowing immunity to develop while avoiding the painful mouth lesions.

🚨 And one of the biggest myths?
“Once you start vaccinating, you have to keep doing it.”

❌ Not true!

If scabby mouth isn’t a problem on your farm, there’s generally no reason to introduce the virus through vaccination.

Got questions about scabby mouth or vaccination? Give The Vet Clinic Farm Team a call on 📞 06 378 2662. 🐑

On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!

01/09/2026

🐑 “𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲!” — The hidden weaning threat

Weaning is a stressful time for lambs, and one of the biggest health challenges we see around this time is chronic pneumonia (often called “viral pneumonia”).

The tricky part? Lambs can look perfectly normal while damage is quietly happening inside their lungs.

Signs can include:
🐑 Panting
🐑 Coughing after exercise
🐑 Difficulty breathing
🐑 Poor growth rates
🐑 Sudden deaths (sometimes the first sign something is wrong)

Pneumonia can also lead to pleurisy and reduced growth, meaning affected lambs are more likely to be downgraded at the works.

What increases the risk?

Weaning stress combined with:
⚠️ Shearing or drenching at the same time
⚠️ Hot, humid weather
⚠️ Dust and poor ventilation
⚠️ Overcrowding
⚠️ Heavy parasite burdens
⚠️ Excessive running or stress during mustering

The effects can show up within 7–10 days after weaning and can impact growth for months.

✅ 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸:
✔️ Keep weaning as low stress as possible
✔️ Muster in the cooler parts of the day
✔️ Move lambs quietly and at their own pace
✔️ Avoid overcrowding in yards and sheds
✔️ Keep dust down where possible
✔️ Monitor lambs closely after weaning for coughing, panting, or poor growth
✔️ Make sure lambs are well fed and healthy going into weaning

❌ 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱:
❌ Shearing and drenching on the same day as weaning
❌ Working lambs hard in hot conditions
❌ Ignoring lambs that are falling behind

Remember — prevention is better than cure. Once pneumonia has taken hold, there’s no quick fix.
A bit of planning around weaning stress now can make a big difference to lamb health and growth later.

If something doesn’t look right, give the Farm Team a call 📞 06 378 2662.

On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!

31/08/2026

🐑🐄 THE RUMINANT RECOVERY POSITION — Time to change our old habits?

If you've been around lambing or calving for a while, you've probably seen it — or done it yourself.
A lamb swung around by its back legs.
A newborn calf hung over a gate after a difficult birth.

The idea was that we were helping drain fluid from the lungs and clear the airway.
But… the advice has changed.

That fluid you see coming out when a newborn is hung or swung is now thought to be more likely coming from the stomach rather than the lungs.
And swinging or hanging a newborn can actually increase the risk of stomach contents being inhaled into the lungs.

So what's the better option?
👉 Get the newborn onto its chest.

Sit the lamb or calf upright on its sternum, with all four legs pointing forwards.
This position allows the chest to expand properly and gives the newborn the best chance of breathing effectively.

You can also gently stimulate the calf or lamb by tickling inside the nostril with a piece of clean grass 🌱 to encourage it to take a breath.
And of course, make sure the airway is clear and get veterinary help if the newborn isn't breathing normally or isn't responding to stimulation.

So, if you've spent years swinging lambs or hanging calves over the gate…

Don't feel bad — we're always learning more.

Farming is full of things we've done because that's how Dad did it, and Dad did it because that's how Grandad did it! 😂
Sometimes the best thing we can do for our stock is be prepared to change the way we've always done things when better evidence comes along.

🐑 Chest down. Legs forward. Let them breathe.

On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!

28/08/2026

Ⓕⓤⓝ Ⓕⓐⓒⓣ Ⓕⓡⓘⓓⓐⓨ

Meet the Kererū — New Zealand’s very own feathered forest gardener! 🌿

You might know the kererū as our big, beautiful native pigeon… but these guys are actually pretty important to the health of our native forests.

🍒 They’re the only native New Zealand pigeon — and they have a seriously impressive appetite!

🌳 Kererū can swallow large native fruits whole, including fruit that’s too big for many of our other native birds. They then fly off and spread those seeds around the bush, helping new trees grow.

And if you’ve ever heard one flying overhead, you’ll know they’re not exactly the quiet type! Their wings make that unmistakable WHOOOOSH-WHOOOOSH sound.

😂 Then there’s the landing…

Let’s just say kererū aren’t exactly known for their elegant arrivals. There’s often alot of wobbling, flapping and general chaos before they finally park themselves on a branch, which is usually way too thin to hold their weight!

So next time you see one sitting in a tree looking like a very well-fed pigeon, remember…
You’re actually looking at one of NZ’s most important native forest gardeners. 🌿

On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!

27/08/2026

💉 🐑 5in1 Vaccines - Why and When? 🐑

Today Dr Sara and tech Nicki have headed out into the paddock to have a chat about 5in1 vaccinations - why we use it, and importantly, when we use it.

5in1 helps protect your sheep and ultimately your lambs, from several Clostridial diseases, including pulpy kidney and tetanus.
Getting your vaccination timing right is an important part of keeping your flock protected, particularly around key times of the year like lambing.

☕ So grab a cuppa and have a listen to Dr Sara as she talks you through the why and when of 5in1.
And as always, if you're unsure about your flocks vaccination programme, give The Vet Clinic Farm Team a call on 📞 06 378 2662.

On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!

26/08/2026

🐄 Meet Steak ❤️

This is Steak, and he’s one little calf who has certainly kept his owner on her toes!

Steak arrived at his new home after being raised on whole milk on the dairy farm. Unfortunately, the change from whole milk to powdered milk didn’t agree with his tummy, and the sudden diet change resulted in nutritional scours.

His gut was struggling to cope with the change, so Steak was put onto alternate milk and electrolyte feeds over a couple of days to give his digestive system a chance to settle.

Along with plenty of TLC and clean, dry bedding, this supportive care gave his gut the chance to recover and get him back on track. ❤️

Steak’s story is a good reminder that calves can be surprisingly sensitive to changes in their diet. A change that seems simple to us can upset that delicate balance in the calf’s gut and lead to nutritional scours.

Thankfully, Steak is heading in the right direction — and proving that with the right care, these little guys can bounce back!

🐄❤️ Go Steak!

If you have a calf that is scouring, off its milk, losing weight or just not looking quite right, give our Farm Team a call. Getting on top of the problem early can make all the difference.

On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!

25/08/2026

🌱 SPRING IS ALMOST HERE! 🐑☀️

Just 4 more sleeps until spring officially arrives! 🌱

And you can already feel it coming…

The days are getting longer, the grass is starting to wake up, lambs are bouncing around the paddocks and there’s a little more sunshine creeping into the day. ☀️

Of course, spring on the farm also means early mornings, muddy boots, plenty of jobs and a few surprises thrown in for good measure! 😂

But amongst all the hard work, there’s something pretty special about watching the farm come back to life.

So before spring gets properly underway, take a minute to look around and enjoy it.
Longer days. Green grass. New life.

Yep… spring is definitely on its way. ❤️

From all of us at The Vet Clinic Farm Team — bring on spring! 🌱🐑🐄

24/08/2026

🐄🐑 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦 — 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭!🐐🐖

When a newborn arrives, those first few hours really matter.

Colostrum is much more than just the first milk. It provides newborn calves and lambs with the antibodies, energy and essential nutrients they need to get life off to a strong start.

Unlike us, newborn calves and lambs are born with very little immunity of their own. They rely heavily on getting enough good-quality colostrum, and getting it early is critical because their ability to absorb those important antibodies drops rapidly after birth.

So when things don't go to plan — mum doesn't have enough colostrum, the newborn is struggling to get a feed, or you're dealing with a multiple birth — having a quality colostrum supplement on hand can be a very handy bit of insurance.

🥛 We've got you covered

Here at The Vet Clinic, we stock Jumpstart Full Cream Colostrum — a quality colostrum product for calves, lambs, kids and piglets when an extra helping hand is needed.

Because every newborn deserves the best start. ❤️

If you're heading into calving or lambing and want to know more about colostrum, give the farm team a call on (06) 378 2662.

On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!

#

Address

24 Lincoln Road
Masterton
5810

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 5:30pm
Thursday	8am - 5:30pm
Friday	8am - 5:30pm
Saturday	9am - 1pm

Telephone

+6463782662

Website

http://www.vetserviceswairarapa.co.nz/

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