October 9, 2025 • 7 mins
Sam Lee of NS Vets gives some tips around the prevention of bloat.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
The Muster's Animal Health segment, brought to you by ns Vets,
adding value through practical advice and service.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
No gimmicks, no patience, total bet care.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Sam Lee from any S Vets in Riversdale, joins us
this afternoon on the Muster, making his Muster debut. Actually, Sam,
good afternoon, great to chat.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Thank you Andy. How are you today?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Look blue sky. It's a little bit windy, but it's
certainly better than having five.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Degrees absolutely and not too wet today at least anyway,
I think some rain is perhaps forecast, but at least
the wind.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Might be drying out some of those wet paddocks.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Yeah, there's the thing, Sam, on your travels when you're
going around the farms at the moment, how do you
find the situation quite interesting?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I think everyone is still a little bit shell shocks
from last year's spring where it seems to be you know,
you'll recall sort of rain pretty much for most of
September and October. So certainly a big improvement on last year,
but it is still perhaps grass is a little bit slow.
I think there's a lot of there has still been
quite a bit of rain in October. A lot of
surface water around and soil temperatures probably still not really
(01:11):
where farmers would like them to be. So most farmers,
both dairy and sheep farmers I've been talking to.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Are okay, but they're sort of just.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Getting a little bit tight perhaps on grass, so they
weld hoping for some warmer temperatures and a bit more
grass growth.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Metro checking it's in full swing at the moment, Sam.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yes, we've been doing a lot of metri checking on
the dairy farms. Often we'll do sort of an initial
first round of metro checking back in September, and now
we're certainly doing sort of second round pre mating, so
a lot of dairy farmers are gearing up to start
mating sort of the last week of October or the
first week in November. Initial results have been pretty promising.
(01:53):
Last spring, again comparing to last year, there was a
lot of probably poor conditioned cows, a very difficult chain
ranging spring, and so we had a lot of dirty
cows at metro checking time, and we're curing a lot
of animals this year. We always have a certain percentage
on every farm that requires antibodic treatment, but the numbers
have been better, so hopefully leading into mating this year.
(02:16):
On dairy farm systems, the cows are looking in pretty
good condition, with lower percentages requiring treatment at metrochecking.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, i's got to say as far as body school
condition wise, animals looking pretty good or things considered pretty good.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
I think people have a tendency to you know, we
naturally always compare to the previous season. So I would
definitely say on average body condition score is better than
where we were this time last year, with the knowledge
that last year was a challenging season, and then there's
still variation in between farms. But most farmers I've been
speaking to and observing myself looking like they're in a
(02:54):
fairly good position leading into mating.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
So I think cows have sort of got through the
wind relatively well, and.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
They've still had enough sort of in front of them
now just to keep that condition on them, and so
hopefully that sort of leads to a good, good start
to mating in the coming weeks.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
In as far as carving is pretty much just late
carver is now late carvers.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Again, every farm I've talked too they still sort of
have that annoying mob of maybe you know, fifteen to
thirty cows that heaven yet carved, and we often get
called out as vets to go and pregnancy test those
last few, because I think some farmers almost hope that
they're empty. They think, oh, maybe this mob is empty,
and then I can shift them off, But inevitably most
of them are still pregnant and they sort of just
(03:37):
have to wait a little and be patient and get
those last few carves. So I guess it's that mind
shift where people are now sort of transitioning thinking, right,
I want to be focusing on mating, and you almost
don't then really want to be dealing with carve and
cows still, So there's just sort of that last little
mob who's still need to carve, But give it another
couple of weeks and I think pretty much most calves,
(03:58):
most cows would have carved and will be right into mating.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Something to think about from a dairying viewpoint, But also
beef farmers as well as blot notorious for pecking itself
up from the remnants, and no, we're and poking its
head through the ground at the moment, are we seeing
much of that?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
We indeed are actually in Bloat can be really challenging
to predict when our risk period is and try and
put in some mitigating factors to minimize it.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
So just earlier this.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Week, I'll speaking to a farmer who was battling with
bloat and you'd lost a few beef animals and that
particular scenario. He said, I haven't dealt with bloat, you know,
in the previous four or five years, and so you
start to try and think, oh, what factors are different
now on that farm that haven't been there in the past.
And sometimes it can be really challenging to really predict
when bloat's going to be an issue.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So the same.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Old sort of factors apply that often young spring growth,
especially if it's got a high amount of clover in it,
can be a sort of higher risk pasture full bloat.
That being said, sometimes you know farmers will be grazing
that year on year and never have issues, and then
other years you sort of run into a problem.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
So quite stressful.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
So sort of now right through to Christmas time is
definitely a risk period.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Four bloat.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Different prevention strategies are for dairy farms. Is often set
of products you can put in in the water system
so animals are accessing it and getting that through the
drinking water a little bit more difficult. In beef systems,
there are you know, bloat preventative capsules you can give
orally to cattle. That too can be a bit problematic
(05:34):
because it means obviously a lot of sort of work
running them through and head bailing them and giving them
those products. There's also products you can put in tross,
but sometimes it's just come down to pasture management as well,
sort of identifying, you know, identifying a float as a risk,
or if you're seeing some animals with early times of
bloat and maybe just getting them off that particular pasture
or adding in some more sort of hay or ruffage
(05:57):
into the diet. So it's just sort of decreasing that
risk of bloat.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Is that time of year on the sheep farm as well,
Sam seeing Prattley's going through gore at daylight this morning.
Tailing's in full swing.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
It sure is.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
So early reports from sheep farmers that lambing has been
pretty good. We've had a few little bad spells of weather,
but touch Wood haven't had an absolute snow blast come through,
so I think lambing has on all accounts gone reasonably
well and just starting to get some sort of lambing
(06:30):
percentages come back from farmers now as they do the
tailing and they get a bit of an idea of
how things have gone. So still early days, I definitely
think lambing. I think tailing is just kicking off now.
And yes that initially initial people have spoken to have said, yep,
I think they're sort of lambing percentages based off tailing.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Tellies have looked pretty good.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So hopefully positive there and looking at a decent crop
of sort of winged lambs coming through by Christmas hopefully.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Sam, what's the best way to get in touch with
the team, and in his face.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Any yes, just sort of you can stop into a clinic.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
We've got obviously the clinics at Riversdale, Lumson, Mossburn and
Tiarn Now call us on two O two five six
three six to have a talk to us here at Riversdale,
and or hopefully you just see us out and about
amongst the farms and communities and so you're always happy
to just have a catch up and hear how you
go in and provide some advice if required.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Hopefully you can't miss a sustinctive vehicles on the road.
Sam always appreciate the time.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Excellent, Thank you Andy, and yep, all the best for
the rest of the month.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Sam Lee of Any as Fits based in Riversdale, Michelle,
what we catch up next in the country crossover and
before the end of the Yell of Paul Miller talking
MPC
The Muster's Animal Health segment, brought to you by ns Vets,
adding value through practical advice and service.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
No gimmicks, no patience, total bet care.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Sam Lee from any S Vets in Riversdale, joins us
this afternoon on the Muster, making his Muster debut. Actually, Sam,
good afternoon, great to chat.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Thank you Andy. How are you today?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Look blue sky. It's a little bit windy, but it's
certainly better than having five.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Degrees absolutely and not too wet today at least anyway,
I think some rain is perhaps forecast, but at least
the wind.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Might be drying out some of those wet paddocks.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Yeah, there's the thing, Sam, on your travels when you're
going around the farms at the moment, how do you
find the situation quite interesting?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I think everyone is still a little bit shell shocks
from last year's spring where it seems to be you know,
you'll recall sort of rain pretty much for most of
September and October. So certainly a big improvement on last year,
but it is still perhaps grass is a little bit slow.
I think there's a lot of there has still been
quite a bit of rain in October. A lot of
surface water around and soil temperatures probably still not really
(01:11):
where farmers would like them to be. So most farmers,
both dairy and sheep farmers I've been talking to.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Are okay, but they're sort of just.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Getting a little bit tight perhaps on grass, so they
weld hoping for some warmer temperatures and a bit more
grass growth.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Metro checking it's in full swing at the moment, Sam.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yes, we've been doing a lot of metri checking on
the dairy farms. Often we'll do sort of an initial
first round of metro checking back in September, and now
we're certainly doing sort of second round pre mating, so
a lot of dairy farmers are gearing up to start
mating sort of the last week of October or the
first week in November. Initial results have been pretty promising.
(01:53):
Last spring, again comparing to last year, there was a
lot of probably poor conditioned cows, a very difficult chain
ranging spring, and so we had a lot of dirty
cows at metro checking time, and we're curing a lot
of animals this year. We always have a certain percentage
on every farm that requires antibodic treatment, but the numbers
have been better, so hopefully leading into mating this year.
(02:16):
On dairy farm systems, the cows are looking in pretty
good condition, with lower percentages requiring treatment at metrochecking.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, i's got to say as far as body school
condition wise, animals looking pretty good or things considered pretty good.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
I think people have a tendency to you know, we
naturally always compare to the previous season. So I would
definitely say on average body condition score is better than
where we were this time last year, with the knowledge
that last year was a challenging season, and then there's
still variation in between farms. But most farmers I've been
speaking to and observing myself looking like they're in a
(02:54):
fairly good position leading into mating.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
So I think cows have sort of got through the
wind relatively well, and.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
They've still had enough sort of in front of them
now just to keep that condition on them, and so
hopefully that sort of leads to a good, good start
to mating in the coming weeks.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
In as far as carving is pretty much just late
carver is now late carvers.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Again, every farm I've talked too they still sort of
have that annoying mob of maybe you know, fifteen to
thirty cows that heaven yet carved, and we often get
called out as vets to go and pregnancy test those
last few, because I think some farmers almost hope that
they're empty. They think, oh, maybe this mob is empty,
and then I can shift them off, But inevitably most
of them are still pregnant and they sort of just
(03:37):
have to wait a little and be patient and get
those last few carves. So I guess it's that mind
shift where people are now sort of transitioning thinking, right,
I want to be focusing on mating, and you almost
don't then really want to be dealing with carve and
cows still, So there's just sort of that last little
mob who's still need to carve, But give it another
couple of weeks and I think pretty much most calves,
(03:58):
most cows would have carved and will be right into mating.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Something to think about from a dairying viewpoint, But also
beef farmers as well as blot notorious for pecking itself
up from the remnants, and no, we're and poking its
head through the ground at the moment, are we seeing
much of that?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
We indeed are actually in Bloat can be really challenging
to predict when our risk period is and try and
put in some mitigating factors to minimize it.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
So just earlier this.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Week, I'll speaking to a farmer who was battling with
bloat and you'd lost a few beef animals and that
particular scenario. He said, I haven't dealt with bloat, you know,
in the previous four or five years, and so you
start to try and think, oh, what factors are different
now on that farm that haven't been there in the past.
And sometimes it can be really challenging to really predict
when bloat's going to be an issue.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So the same.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Old sort of factors apply that often young spring growth,
especially if it's got a high amount of clover in it,
can be a sort of higher risk pasture full bloat.
That being said, sometimes you know farmers will be grazing
that year on year and never have issues, and then
other years you sort of run into a problem.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
So quite stressful.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
So sort of now right through to Christmas time is
definitely a risk period.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Four bloat.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Different prevention strategies are for dairy farms. Is often set
of products you can put in in the water system
so animals are accessing it and getting that through the
drinking water a little bit more difficult. In beef systems,
there are you know, bloat preventative capsules you can give
orally to cattle. That too can be a bit problematic
(05:34):
because it means obviously a lot of sort of work
running them through and head bailing them and giving them
those products. There's also products you can put in tross,
but sometimes it's just come down to pasture management as well,
sort of identifying, you know, identifying a float as a risk,
or if you're seeing some animals with early times of
bloat and maybe just getting them off that particular pasture
or adding in some more sort of hay or ruffage
(05:57):
into the diet. So it's just sort of decreasing that
risk of bloat.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Is that time of year on the sheep farm as well,
Sam seeing Prattley's going through gore at daylight this morning.
Tailing's in full swing.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
It sure is.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
So early reports from sheep farmers that lambing has been
pretty good. We've had a few little bad spells of weather,
but touch Wood haven't had an absolute snow blast come through,
so I think lambing has on all accounts gone reasonably
well and just starting to get some sort of lambing
(06:30):
percentages come back from farmers now as they do the
tailing and they get a bit of an idea of
how things have gone. So still early days, I definitely
think lambing. I think tailing is just kicking off now.
And yes that initially initial people have spoken to have said, yep,
I think they're sort of lambing percentages based off tailing.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Tellies have looked pretty good.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So hopefully positive there and looking at a decent crop
of sort of winged lambs coming through by Christmas hopefully.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Sam, what's the best way to get in touch with
the team, and in his face.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Any yes, just sort of you can stop into a clinic.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
We've got obviously the clinics at Riversdale, Lumson, Mossburn and
Tiarn Now call us on two O two five six
three six to have a talk to us here at Riversdale,
and or hopefully you just see us out and about
amongst the farms and communities and so you're always happy
to just have a catch up and hear how you
go in and provide some advice if required.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Hopefully you can't miss a sustinctive vehicles on the road.
Sam always appreciate the time.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Excellent, Thank you Andy, and yep, all the best for
the rest of the month.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Sam Lee of Any as Fits based in Riversdale, Michelle,
what we catch up next in the country crossover and
before the end of the Yell of Paul Miller talking
MPC
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