Meet the Team
posted on Mon, 2 Oct 2023
Introducing Sonny Vinton! Originally from Northamptonshire, Sonny graduated this year from the University of Surrey - School of Medicine and joined the FVS team September 2023 as a farm veterinary surgeon. Following a very exciting placement spent with us over Easter, Sonny knew farm veterinary was the career for him! He is very excited to experience the busy spring period again, but this time as a qualified vet!
Outside of work, Sonny likes to watch the F1, he enjoys DIY and carrying out maintenance and modifications on his car, walking, camping and spending time with his cat. He...
Haemonchus Infection Warning
posted on Fri, 4 Aug 2023
Warning : Haemonchus Infection
Over the last week, we have diagnosed a number of cases of Haemonchus Contortus (Barber’s pole worm) in sheep flocks across the county.
This worm acts differently to most gut worms – it attaches itself to the stomach lining and sucks the blood from sheep, causing anaemia. In most cases, no scouring is seen but sheep become thin, weak, bottle jawed and collapse when stressed. Sudden death can also occur. Older sheep are just as susceptible as lambs.
Faecal egg counts can be used to diagnose a high worm egg count. This could indicate a...
Lungworm Risk Alert
posted on Tue, 1 Aug 2023
Stay vigilant for signs of lungworm in cattle at grass!!
Outbreaks can be difficult to predict, but with the current changes in weather from wet to dry and warm to wet again, it may result in greater infection pressure in a short space of time.
Unvaccinated livestock and those in their first and second grazing...
Tip of The Iceberg – Sheep Zoom Meeting 24th July 2023
posted on Mon, 3 Jul 2023
Have you had more ewes struggling to hold condition and wasting to nothing? Or maybe a higher incidence of mastitis or lameness this year? Join our vet Rebecca, to learn more about the possible iceberg diseases that could be affecting your flock.
So what is an iceberg disease?
There...
Orbeseal On Farm Training Session 12th July 2023
posted on Mon, 3 Jul 2023
Do you want some hands on practice with drying off and teat sealants for yourself or your farm workers?
Andrew Tyrer, veterinary surgeon from Zoetis, the makers of Orbeseal Teat Sealant, will be leading a training session on the correct administration of your dry cow therapy programme. FVS vets, Max and Freddie will also be attending to catch up and answer any farm specific questions....
Is your Bull up to the Job?
posted on Mon, 22 May 2023
A bull’s fertility is crucial to your herd’s performance and can be very costly if it goes wrong. Infertile bulls are rare and often easily discovered, however sub-fertile bulls are much more common, harder to identify and can be much more costly. Having a sub-fertile bull can lead to an elongated breeding period and a greater number of barren cows. This leads to a stretched calving period which in turn increases labour costs and causes a variation of calf ages within the group, leading to greater levels of disease such as pneumonia and...
Have you seen our recent Special Edition Newsletters?
posted on Mon, 22 May 2023
We have created three species specific newsletters focusing on the parasites that may affect your flock/herd this Spring/Summer. We have editions for sheep, dairy and beef cattle so you can get the most accurate information based on the livestock you keep. We cover some of the most common parasites and their associating diseases that you should be aware and cautious of as well as the steps we should all be taking to support the appropriate use of anthelmintics. It is important to remember every farm is different. You may have different species and populations of parasites to even your...
Fly Control – Don’t Delay!
posted on Tue, 4 Apr 2023
Why Treat?
Although we may just see flies as a nuisance, uncontrolled fly populations can significantly affect your livestock:
- Reduced milk yield by up to 20%
- Increased incidence of summer mastitis
- Reduced calf weaning weights by up to 9kg
- Reduced reproductive potential in sheep
- Downgraded quality of wool clip
- Welfare issues in both species
When to Treat?
Different species of flies are active at varying times of the year. This means a summer long threat is present with...
Are you prepared for lambing?
posted on Thu, 16 Feb 2023
With lambing just around the corner, it is important to ensure you are as prepared as possible. Make sure to have all of the necessary equipment, but also have the ability to recognise signs of disease. This is essential to ensure lambing runs smoothly and effectively. Even with the best planning, some things can still go wrong. It is important to recognise and know how to treat common conditions.
Common conditions in ewes include: Twin Lamb Disease; Low Calcium; Low Magnesium; Abortions; Prolapse.
Common conditions in lambs include: Hypothermia; Watery Mouth; Diarrhoea;...
Meet the team!
posted on Thu, 16 Feb 2023
David Mendez graduated from the University of Santiago, Spain in 2016 and joined our FVS team as a farm animal vet in November 2022. After graduating, David worked as a farm vet for 4 years in Spain. Argentina and Chile are among other countries in which he studied and worked. David came to work in the UK as a farm animal vet in 2020.
Alongside work, David is also studying a postgraduate degree in Msc International Animal Health with the University of Edinburgh. He also enjoys travelling, photography and walking with his dog.