Field & Farm Vets

14/10/2026

There's still time to get your horse booked in for a senior health check! Horses over 10 years old are eligible. Give the practice a call to get this booked in.

08/10/2026

Last chance!!

Last chance to join us to talk about Liver fluke on the 14th October! RSVP by tomorrow if you are interested in attending☎️

07/10/2026

Reminder that we are running a Paddock Club meeting on the 14th October. If you are interested in attending, please get in contact by the 9th October to reserve your space!

06/10/2026

Senior horse checks

As we go into winter, it's a good idea to give our senior horses a thorough examination before the cold weather sets in. Cushing’s and dental disease can make the already hard challenge of keeping condition on our seniors impossible, so diagnosing and controlling these conditions is imperative for continued health and welfare.

The Care about Cushing’s scheme is currently open for funded ACTH testing and will remain open until the 31st October 2026. Any horse over 10 years old suspected of having Cushing’s who has not been tested under the scheme in the preceding 12 months is eligible for free lab testing. For any horses and ponies who have had an ‘Equivocal’ result during the year, testing for Cushing’s at this time of year is more likely to identify disease if it is present.

This year, we’re putting on a couple of senior horse check deals running from now until the 31st October 2026 detailed in the poster attached.

05/10/2026

Shamonda Virus detected in Jersey

It must have been a good year for midges this year with Bluetongue rife and an emerging virus, known as Shamonda virus, making an appearance in Jersey.

Shamonda virus is spread by biting midges and primarily affects cattle but has been detected in sheep, goats, alpacas and horses in other European countries.

The full spectrum of clinical signs is yet to be defined but fever, diarrhoea, lethargy and milk drop and known features of infection. There are concerns that abortion and congenital deformities, like those seen in Schmallenberg virus could occur if cattle are infected during pregnancy, though this is yet to be determined. Shamonda Virus is not a notifiable disease, but it is recommended that reports of suspicion are investigated via blood sampling.

This is an emerging situation, and we will keep you updated as we learn more about it.

https://www.nfuonline.com/news/new-shamonda-virus-strain-essential-information/

02/10/2026

Our paddock club meeting has also been rearranged to the 14th October. Details can be found below⬇️

01/10/2026

Reminder❗️

Our fluke meeting has been rescheduled to the 14th October. Details can be found below.

Please give us a call to book on if you are interested in attending☎️

01/10/2026

This was going to be a topic in my next newsletter but SRUC have done this useful post so thought I’d share it…

🐑 Got thin ewes after weaning? Don't just put it down to poor grazing.

Most ewes will regain condition on good-quality grass. But if some are still thin 6-8 weeks later, they could be telling you something important about flock health.

⚠️ Persistently thin ewes can be an early sign of diseases such as:
• Johne's disease
• Maedi Visna (MV)
• OPA (Jaagsiekte)

🔍 Instead of simply culling these animals, investigating a few of them can provide valuable information about the health status of the wider flock. Post-mortem examination is often one of the most cost-effective ways to get answers.

✅ Understanding the cause now can help you:
• Protect flock productivity
• Improve future health planning
• Make informed management decisions

📖 Read the full blog here: https://buff.ly/5BpyVN7

🐑

30/09/2026

September 2026 BTV-3 update

So far in the Bluetongue Vector season a total of 2029 farms have been confirmed as affected by BTV-3 in the UK, with most cases in the South-West of the country.

Over the last few weeks, BTV-3 has been making its way across from the west and we are starting to see cases in our area. We have seen a number of confirmed cases in the recent weeks in the practice.

Our colleagues across the country are seeing prolonged infertility and subfertility in rams and bulls affected by BTV-3 this year. If there has ever been a time to fertility test, it's now. A ram or bull that fails to work is an economical nightmare, not to mention a huge inconvenience. Pricing for bull and ram breeding soundness exams stand at £77 and £40 respectively. Book them in so you don’t get a nasty surprise at scanning.

Thankfully, most of you have now vaccinated – remember to report vaccine use at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-your-use-of-the-bluetongue-serotype-3-btv-3-vaccine
Reporting vaccine usage is important to ensure BTV-3 vaccine supply remains consistent throughout 2027, to prevent the delays seen this year in getting your vaccine to you. Vaccination remains our best tool in the fight for BTV-3 control.

Please remain vigilant and continue reporting BTV-3 where it is suspected. BTV-3 is still a Notifiable disease in the UK which means we are legally obliged to report suspicion to APHA. Many of you have expressed concerns over restrictions you may face if your farm does test positive for BTV-3. Currently, the whole of England and Wales are in the Bluetongue Restricted zone, this means free movement of livestock within these areas, even if you have a BTV-3 positive case on your farm, is allowed under a general licence. Note that some areas of Scotland are outside the Restriction Zone and pre-movement testing in specific circumstances is still a requirement – please call the practice if you need any guidance on movements to Scotland.

We’d like to thank all of you who have come forward and vaccinated stock and those of you who have reported suspicion of BTV-3 on your farms. It is essential we continue to work together and remain vigilant over the coming weeks.

Attached below are just a few cases that we have seen personally. If you have any Bluetongue queries or concerns, please just pick up the phone.


29/09/2026

Autumn Farm Newsletter -

As part of Virbac’s ongoing commitment to offering a more comprehensive service than just providing the vaccines, we will be offering a free on farm visit this autumn to discuss all aspects of Calf Health on your farm.