January 15, 2026 • 8 mins
Andrew Cochrane of NS Vets gives a timely reminder regarding barley grass and dogs.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
The Muster's Animal Health segment, with ns Vets adding value
through practical advice and service, no gimmicks, no potions, total
vet carew Andrew Cochrane of ny Vets joins us on
the Muster for the first time in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Get a Andrew, good Andy, how are you.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
You're going pretty good? Look, it's been an interesting start
to the year weatherwise. Firstly, the situation from your lens,
what's it like?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
The northern south Winders is cold and dry as how
I describe it, It's not very summer like. Other than
the dry aspect, we're getting showers in a bit of rain,
but this constant wind is taking any moisture straight back
out of the ground, and we haven't really had the
warmth to back up any growth. So I think in
a lot of cases people are reasonably short for pasture
(00:58):
and we'd all, I think, like to see some nice,
swarm summer days.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Some people in particular, I think around the Glenn you're,
for example, this rain that seems to be falling in
certain areas they're missing out on. Does that seem to
be a common thing that you're hearing.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, I think it's certain depending on who you talk
to around south and some people have had enough rain,
others haven't had near enough. Like I say, I think
this wind and the cold is the biggest problem. But yeah,
it would be nice to see some decent rain followed
it with some warm weather. That'd be nice.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Sat stuff seemed to be handling it regardless.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Makes certainly hearing people's lamb kills being back on normal,
and I don't imagine users are in a great condition yet.
That will be variable depending on who you talk to.
But I think there's a wee bit of work to
be done to get lambs away and get used back
to who we want them to come mating, and mating
is just around the corner now too. We're starting to
talk about toxo and campy with people already, so it
(01:53):
all sort of swings around pretty quickly. So yeah, and
then cows. I mean, I've been talking to some very
cockies recently who see cows are still producing quality Again.
There's lots of variables there, and some farms will be
coping better than others, But I think in general stock
aren't I'm doing too bad, but there's a better work
to do.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Still scanning going on around the place, regarding cows and
mirors as well.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yes, a flat out with the cow scanning and with
the mears at Mecca. The cow scanning is going okay,
probably early enough to say with any real confidence how
it's going to look. But the ones we've done to
date are sort of tracking similar to last year. And
if we remember, last year was actually quite a good
year for pregnancy rates despite the bad spring. So I
think in general, what's looking positive enough for reproductive success
(02:37):
in the dairy.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Sector rampew patients. That time of years come around quickly.
I can't believe we're talking about this already.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yeah. Well, like I say, we're talking about toxoi already,
so that means yeah, we're talking about in the rams
checked as well. So yes, we're in the process of
finalizing our RAM runs that will try to get done
over debris. And if you guys have had these done already,
so yep, in that sort of space, people will hopefully
have picked up their new rams for the coming mating,
and it's just making sure that we give everything a
(03:07):
good checkover and generally were recommending those new rams checked
as well. Often they're in their own mob when we arrive.
But it's not silly idea to swing them through and
it checked. We have often, we're not often. We do
at times find unusual things with a brand new ram
that's just been purchased of I have diagnosed around with
one testicle that was purchased only two weeks prior, so
(03:31):
were just double checking that nothing slipped through the gaps.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Absolutely. Regarding fly strike, what are you saying with the
season like this or was it a bit early to
tell yet properly?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Are we getting a few guys through the shot picking
up fly products. Yeah, probably hasn't been a really strong
season for fly I think predominantly because of the cold.
But we are getting that moisture and that sort of humidity.
I guess that that could create conditions for flies. I
imagine some people are betting a bit of fly strike
(04:02):
and others maybe have gotten away with it so far.
But something to definitely keep in the back of your mind.
If we get a wee bit of heat, we've had
enough sort of moisture that there will be fly conditions
out there. The wind I think probably is helping to
keep some of the flyaway.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
When you're doing your differ, are people looking at fly
strike as well as life's protection or just going for
one over the other.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Generally, historically they were more and more. Now people are
focusing on one or the other, and that's generally the recommendation.
Where we try to do both with one product. We
tend to do both poorly, whereas we focus on just
fly at this time of year and deal with life
a bit later, then we can do both. Don't do
both better? So but no, certainly people are still trying
(04:45):
to do a little bit of both, but generally at
the time of year, the focus is fly.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
So what you're saying is it doesn't pay the multitask
not always.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yeah, sometimes a shortcut is just that it's a shortcut.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Fair enough. Now, small animals, you want to comment, you're
based at the clinic this week. What's happening in that space.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Yes, it's becoming more of a rarity me spending time
when the clinic on small animals. But it's my rostered
week this week and they just thought it might be
worth touching on some of the things we've seen. We
do get quite busy at this time of year with
working dog injuries because they are doing a fair bit
of work in the yards and mustering, so fractures and
cruciate ligament repairs are reasonably common. We do see more
(05:26):
and more of them sort of over the summer months,
so again that's just probably a reminder to be wary
of that. The most common problem in that space is
often dogs getting their legs caught in the yards and
that the gap between the top rail and the next rail,
so it's not a star the idea, and we've seen
some farmers block that gap up and then there's less
(05:47):
chance of dogs getting back legs hocked on there and
breaking cruciate ligaments and things like that, and that can
help prevent a few injuries, but otherwise sometimes it's just
unavoidable and those things happen, but get them into the
clinic and habit chat with and make a plan. We've
got Sam doing a lot of those surgeries here and
doing a really good job and having some good success,
so worth getting them sorted. Also, barley grass season, I've
(06:11):
seen a run of spaniels this week with barley grasses
and ears, but we also see them between pores and
and other breeds as well, particularly long haired breeds, So
those spaniels and Golden retrievers are pretty high risk, so
keep that in mind if you've got a dog with
the shaking head or having problems with their ears or
are swelling between the toes. Barley grass are very common
(06:33):
at the time, at the summer year, and then the
other classics. I've seen a few cats in this week
with fight injuries, probably while far and away the most
common reason we'll see cats as injuries as a result
of fighting. I saw a couple of pig dogs on Monday,
which we do see from time to time, and a
dog with diabetes. And the cool thing in that space,
which I thought I mentioned was there's been a lot
(06:54):
of technology in terms of monitoring that I guess humans
have been out take advantage of, and in that space,
we can also put some of those monitoring senses on dogs.
So we actually did that this week on a dog
that we has long term diabetes that we're managing and monitoring,
and we were able to put one of those human
(07:14):
monitors under his into his skin and check how his
glucose was going over the course of a few days.
So that's cool.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Diabetes on a dog.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
That's interesting that dogs and cats can get it, and
so we do manage several patients at different times with diabetes.
It is quite intensive the treatment and so it's not
for everyone. For those dedicated owners, we can manage diseases
like that.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Very intriguing. Andrew, Now the best way for people to
get in team, get in touch with the team within
his fits.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, give us a call three two o two five
six three six here in Riversdale or into Yarnal three
two four nine seven zero three nine.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Good on you, Andrew. Always appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Goodness, Thank Andy, Andrew.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Cocktrine of Venice. There's animal health advices to the muster.
You talking about Meca Lodge as well. Get Britain Shari.
If you guys are listening a great outfit you're running
out there. Two regarding the horses, you're listening to the
Muster up next and the Country Crossover for a Friday.
Michelle Watt
The Muster's Animal Health segment, with ns Vets adding value
through practical advice and service, no gimmicks, no potions, total
vet carew Andrew Cochrane of ny Vets joins us on
the Muster for the first time in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Get a Andrew, good Andy, how are you.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
You're going pretty good? Look, it's been an interesting start
to the year weatherwise. Firstly, the situation from your lens,
what's it like?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
The northern south Winders is cold and dry as how
I describe it, It's not very summer like. Other than
the dry aspect, we're getting showers in a bit of rain,
but this constant wind is taking any moisture straight back
out of the ground, and we haven't really had the
warmth to back up any growth. So I think in
a lot of cases people are reasonably short for pasture
(00:58):
and we'd all, I think, like to see some nice,
swarm summer days.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Some people in particular, I think around the Glenn you're,
for example, this rain that seems to be falling in
certain areas they're missing out on. Does that seem to
be a common thing that you're hearing.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, I think it's certain depending on who you talk
to around south and some people have had enough rain,
others haven't had near enough. Like I say, I think
this wind and the cold is the biggest problem. But yeah,
it would be nice to see some decent rain followed
it with some warm weather. That'd be nice.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Sat stuff seemed to be handling it regardless.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Makes certainly hearing people's lamb kills being back on normal,
and I don't imagine users are in a great condition yet.
That will be variable depending on who you talk to.
But I think there's a wee bit of work to
be done to get lambs away and get used back
to who we want them to come mating, and mating
is just around the corner now too. We're starting to
talk about toxo and campy with people already, so it
(01:53):
all sort of swings around pretty quickly. So yeah, and
then cows. I mean, I've been talking to some very
cockies recently who see cows are still producing quality Again.
There's lots of variables there, and some farms will be
coping better than others, But I think in general stock
aren't I'm doing too bad, but there's a better work
to do.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Still scanning going on around the place, regarding cows and
mirors as well.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yes, a flat out with the cow scanning and with
the mears at Mecca. The cow scanning is going okay,
probably early enough to say with any real confidence how
it's going to look. But the ones we've done to
date are sort of tracking similar to last year. And
if we remember, last year was actually quite a good
year for pregnancy rates despite the bad spring. So I
think in general, what's looking positive enough for reproductive success
(02:37):
in the dairy.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Sector rampew patients. That time of years come around quickly.
I can't believe we're talking about this already.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yeah. Well, like I say, we're talking about toxoi already,
so that means yeah, we're talking about in the rams
checked as well. So yes, we're in the process of
finalizing our RAM runs that will try to get done
over debris. And if you guys have had these done already,
so yep, in that sort of space, people will hopefully
have picked up their new rams for the coming mating,
and it's just making sure that we give everything a
(03:07):
good checkover and generally were recommending those new rams checked
as well. Often they're in their own mob when we arrive.
But it's not silly idea to swing them through and
it checked. We have often, we're not often. We do
at times find unusual things with a brand new ram
that's just been purchased of I have diagnosed around with
one testicle that was purchased only two weeks prior, so
(03:31):
were just double checking that nothing slipped through the gaps.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Absolutely. Regarding fly strike, what are you saying with the
season like this or was it a bit early to
tell yet properly?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Are we getting a few guys through the shot picking
up fly products. Yeah, probably hasn't been a really strong
season for fly I think predominantly because of the cold.
But we are getting that moisture and that sort of humidity.
I guess that that could create conditions for flies. I
imagine some people are betting a bit of fly strike
(04:02):
and others maybe have gotten away with it so far.
But something to definitely keep in the back of your mind.
If we get a wee bit of heat, we've had
enough sort of moisture that there will be fly conditions
out there. The wind I think probably is helping to
keep some of the flyaway.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
When you're doing your differ, are people looking at fly
strike as well as life's protection or just going for
one over the other.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Generally, historically they were more and more. Now people are
focusing on one or the other, and that's generally the recommendation.
Where we try to do both with one product. We
tend to do both poorly, whereas we focus on just
fly at this time of year and deal with life
a bit later, then we can do both. Don't do
both better? So but no, certainly people are still trying
(04:45):
to do a little bit of both, but generally at
the time of year, the focus is fly.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
So what you're saying is it doesn't pay the multitask
not always.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yeah, sometimes a shortcut is just that it's a shortcut.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Fair enough. Now, small animals, you want to comment, you're
based at the clinic this week. What's happening in that space.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Yes, it's becoming more of a rarity me spending time
when the clinic on small animals. But it's my rostered
week this week and they just thought it might be
worth touching on some of the things we've seen. We
do get quite busy at this time of year with
working dog injuries because they are doing a fair bit
of work in the yards and mustering, so fractures and
cruciate ligament repairs are reasonably common. We do see more
(05:26):
and more of them sort of over the summer months,
so again that's just probably a reminder to be wary
of that. The most common problem in that space is
often dogs getting their legs caught in the yards and
that the gap between the top rail and the next rail,
so it's not a star the idea, and we've seen
some farmers block that gap up and then there's less
(05:47):
chance of dogs getting back legs hocked on there and
breaking cruciate ligaments and things like that, and that can
help prevent a few injuries, but otherwise sometimes it's just
unavoidable and those things happen, but get them into the
clinic and habit chat with and make a plan. We've
got Sam doing a lot of those surgeries here and
doing a really good job and having some good success,
so worth getting them sorted. Also, barley grass season, I've
(06:11):
seen a run of spaniels this week with barley grasses
and ears, but we also see them between pores and
and other breeds as well, particularly long haired breeds, So
those spaniels and Golden retrievers are pretty high risk, so
keep that in mind if you've got a dog with
the shaking head or having problems with their ears or
are swelling between the toes. Barley grass are very common
(06:33):
at the time, at the summer year, and then the
other classics. I've seen a few cats in this week
with fight injuries, probably while far and away the most
common reason we'll see cats as injuries as a result
of fighting. I saw a couple of pig dogs on Monday,
which we do see from time to time, and a
dog with diabetes. And the cool thing in that space,
which I thought I mentioned was there's been a lot
(06:54):
of technology in terms of monitoring that I guess humans
have been out take advantage of, and in that space,
we can also put some of those monitoring senses on dogs.
So we actually did that this week on a dog
that we has long term diabetes that we're managing and monitoring,
and we were able to put one of those human
(07:14):
monitors under his into his skin and check how his
glucose was going over the course of a few days.
So that's cool.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Diabetes on a dog.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
That's interesting that dogs and cats can get it, and
so we do manage several patients at different times with diabetes.
It is quite intensive the treatment and so it's not
for everyone. For those dedicated owners, we can manage diseases
like that.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Very intriguing. Andrew, Now the best way for people to
get in team, get in touch with the team within
his fits.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, give us a call three two o two five
six three six here in Riversdale or into Yarnal three
two four nine seven zero three nine.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Good on you, Andrew. Always appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Goodness, Thank Andy, Andrew.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Cocktrine of Venice. There's animal health advices to the muster.
You talking about Meca Lodge as well. Get Britain Shari.
If you guys are listening a great outfit you're running
out there. Two regarding the horses, you're listening to the
Muster up next and the Country Crossover for a Friday.
Michelle Watt
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