Westpoint Farm Vets

20/10/2026

🐂🐄Knock-down Disbuds 🐄🐂

Sedating calves allows for a quicker procedure, reduced stress to the calves (and clients!) and multimodal pain management.

Performed by our vets & vet tech, our aim is to improve animal welfare and reduce the time the calves needs to get back drinking! 🐮

As you can see, the calves loved the chance to have a good nap in the sunshine after their procedure 😴

14/10/2026

🐄Cattle Pneumonia🫁

Come join the us at Selby Livestock Auction Mart for a talk on the prevention of pneumonia on 28th October from 5:30pm.

Hipra will be joining us to discuss their new vaccine and we will cover the importance of BVD when tackling disease on farm. 💉

Virbac will also be joining us to discuss the benefits of trace elements when supporting immunity.

Call the office on 01904 486712 to book your place 📲

Dinner provided so numbers will be needed. 🥧

25/09/2026

We are thrilled that two of our Chelmsford clients are FINALISTS in the British Farming Awards!

We will be rooting for the Sells in the 'Beef Farmer of the Year' category, and Chloe Lucas in the 'New Entrant to Agriculture Award'

The absolute best of luck to you for the awards on the 15th October.

To read more about their incredible achievements that got them there, or learn more about the awards in general, follow the link!

British Farming Awards 2026 - 2026 BFA shortlist

21/09/2026

🚨FLYSTRIKE - We have had an influx of recent flystike cases.

Flystrike is a rapidly progressing, painful and potentially life-threatening condition that can affect any animal - regardless of whether it has a wool or hair coat.

Flies lay their eggs in wool or fibre because it provides the ideal warm and moist environment for the eggs to hatch. Soiled wool or fibre, as well as wool or fibre that has become damp from rain or morning dew, is particularly vulnerable to infestation.

Once the eggs hatch, the maggots feed on the animal’s flesh. Initially, the animal may experience intense itching, but this can quickly progress to an excruciatingly painful condition as the maggots burrow deeper into the tissue.

Under suitable conditions, the maggot life cycle can be completed in less than 10 days. The first maggots can appear within just 12 hours of eggs being laid, highlighting how rapidly flystrike can develop. If left untreated, an animal suffering from flystrike can die rapidly.

With increasingly warmer temperatures associated with climate change, we are sadly seeing more cases occurring well into the autumn.

🪰Look out for:

· Animals separating themselves from the flock or herd

· Tail twitching

· Reduced appetite or inappetence

· Discoloured or wet-looking wool/fibre

· Intense, repetitive itching or nibbling

· Agitation or restlessness

· An unusual ‘yeasty’ smell

· An animal appearing generally ‘off-colour’

Eggs can be laid anywhere on the body, however the flies prefer to lay in moist and warm areas such as:

· The rump area (where there tends to be soiled wool), including the tail

· The neck (front and back)

· Back and sides

· Can affect feet where footrot/foot infections are present

· Ge****ls

· Underside of abdomen

🔎What should you do if you spot flystrike?

If you suspect an animal has flystrike, prompt treatment is essential.

· Clip the affected area and remove as many maggots as possible.

· Carefully check the rest of the fleece for any other affected areas, including the underside of the animal.

· Bathe the affected area with dilute Hibiscrub/chlorhexidine and rinse thoroughly.

· Ensure the area is dry before applying a topical insecticide following the instructions on the product datasheet - bear min mind these may be off license for goats or alpacas - please call for any advice.

· Provide appropriate pain relief, such as an NSAID.

· If the lesions are severe, please contact your vet. A systemic or topical antibiotic may be required.

❓How can flystrike be prevented?

Prevention and regular monitoring are key to protecting your animals from this painful condition.

· Shear regularly. This may need to be more frequently than you think. With rising temperatures, shearing once may not be sufficient. Where possible, consider shearing areas prone to soiling, such as the rump, more frequently.

· Use preventative fly treatments appropriately at the correct intervals - we can advise you on which products prevent, treat or do both.

· Keep a record of when they were treated to ensure they remain up to date with preventative treatment

· Check your flock regularly. Stay vigilant, particularly during periods of warm weather.

· Know the signs. Early recognition and treatment can make a significant difference.

If you have any concerns:

Flystrike can progress extremely quickly, so if you are concerned that an animal may be affected, or if you have concerns or questions, please contact us.

14/09/2026

☎️ Our amazing admin team at Ashford will be covering the phones for all four practices on the 15th and 16th of September as all teams attend a training event. ☎️

Please bear with us if it takes a little longer to receive and direct your call- we will get to you as quickly as possible.

All of our travelling team members would like to extend their thanks for Ashford’s Admins for their support- and to you for your patience.

08/09/2026

When you book your scanning in with a vet, you can get more than just a 'yes or no' - we can help with diagnosis of reproductive issues and suggest appropriate treatment to ensure that your herd remains productive and your calving period more predictable. By identifying patterns in your herd data, we can look deeper into issues that affect performance and cost you time and money.

Speak to us about arranging proactive fertility visits, and let's make scanning so much more than a snapshot!

02/09/2026

Pre-breeding fertility assessment can go further than body condition and freedom from infectious disease. Micro-nutrients (including trace elements and vitamins) drive heat expression, conception, and embryo survival in cattle, sheep, and even camelids but blind supplementation presents a risk of toxicity.

Toxicity and blockages of uptake from antagonists in forage mean generic supplementation plans aren’t effective or efficient.

In light of this year’s heat, food scarcity and recent disease challenges, it is more important than ever to understand the patterns in fertility (especially if you have higher barren rates or returns to service). Blood sampling for trace elements can help to determine the presence and extent of deficiencies that could be hindering productivity and welfare, and help us to deliver a targeted plan for your herd or flock.

Speak to the practice today to arrange your trace element screening, which could even be covered by the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway funding.

24/08/2026

Our theory course for overseas graduates is running this Friday from 8.30am, and this is the last call for participants!

We will be closing applications on Wednesday at midnight - please register via our form now. You will then receive a payment link, and you will secure your place on the course once your payment is confirmed.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/qbzc9C4C1Z

To those registered - the meeting link will be released on Thursday evening for a prompt 8.30 start on Friday.

Our 2026 Online Farm THEORY day for overseas graduates is moving online.

On the 28th August, you can join our farm team for bitesize lectures to help you prepare for the RCVS admissions exam for overseas graduates.

Priced at £125, the course offers teaching from front line farm vets to help with your revision. You can register your interest here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/qbzc9C4C1Z

Please note, our Practical OSCE Prep course is FULL.

21/08/2026

Open to all - we are running a castration clinic day at our Chelmsford clinic. Please give us a call to book your spot and get a big job off your husbandry list.

Prices include VAT, medications and surgery (but exclude sedation - we do not anticipate sedating unless absolutely necessary), and the clinic will be run by RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Camelid Practice, Ami Sawran.

Call the Chelmsford practice directly on 01306 628 489 to book.

This service is open to non-clients, but will only be confirmed if we receive written permission from your regular vet practice to prescribe for your animals on the day, as per RCVS code of conduct and VMR legislation.

Happy Snipping!

15/08/2026

Your BTV-3 questions answered with the most up to date advice in August 2026. You have been looking out for signs of bluetongue for a while now, but want to know how best to support infected animals- we are here with some supportive care advice. If you have any urgent BTV concerns - please either report directly to APHA or call us and we can guide you through it. And if you’re wanting to vaccinate, it’s not too late- call us during office hours to be placed on our waiting list.

15/08/2026

Worried about finding reliable vaccine advice online? We gotchu! If you haven’t already vaccinating for BTV-3 and want to- please make sure you get on our vaccine list. We are helping to organise bottle splits for small herds/flocks where possible. It’s NOT too late to vaccinate.

13/08/2026

A very good news story, as Winchester's Matt helped this lovely replacement heifer into the world with the aid of a Gyn Stick.

This piece of equipment can assist us in the untwisting of a uterine torsion - and in this case, helped avoid a caesarean.

As you can see, the dam is happily tucking in to some restorative feed and is rehydrating herself - a great outcome all round!

12/08/2026

💉Bluetongue Vaccines💉

We are currently trying to source stock as quickly as possible however, due to nationwide demand, stock is not meeting the current demand. We hope that more stock will arrive by the end of this week.

If you would like to place an order, we would encourage you to email the practice [email protected]. You will be placed on a waiting list and we will contact you when the order can be fulfilled.
Please specify the account name and farm name, the number of animals you intend to vaccinate, and the species of animal, this is important as cattle, goats, and alpacas require two doses three weeks apart (of Bultavo-3).

15/06/2026

28/05/2026

Fantastic to see our clients’ hard work paying off in the ring!

Some great prices out of the ring yesterday🥳

💥WEDNESDAY 27TH MAY💥

307 CATTLE,249 SHEEP ,250 PIGS

92 HEIFERS to 476p/kg & £2958 avg 382p/kg
41 STEERS to 428p/kg & £2988 avg 363p/kg
168 BULLS to 404p/kg & £3777 avg 352p/kg

TOP PRICE CATTLE

HEIFERS PER KG:
Lim 534kg 475.5,530kg 451.5,578kg 447.5 SR Atkinson
Lim 524kg 472.5,550kg & 538kg 445.5,
Lim 574kg 433.5 J & R Waind
Lim 530kg 467.5,550kg 455.5 DE & M Brooke
Lim 568kg 446.5,BB 576kg 443.5 RM Cornforth & Son
BB 580kg 444.5 East Grange
Lim 580kg 444.5 JW Wake
Lim 600kg 437.5 Ian Swales
Lim 630kg 436.5 T Ogg
Lim 596kg 435.5 Manor Farm

HEIFERS PER HEAD:
Lim 788kg £2958,728kg £2850
Lim 700kg £2796,676kg £2774 CJ Brownbridge & Sons
Lim 630kg £2749 T Ogg
Lim 714kg £2709,666kg £2707,BB 696kg £2690 Ian Swales
BB 758kg £2679 WA Chappell
Lim 680kg £2675 J & R Waind
Lim 674kg £2618 JW Wake
Lim 638kg £2612 Manor Farm

STEERS PER KG:
BB 590kg 427.5 DE & M Brooke
Lim 602kg 397.5 RM Cornforth & Son
Lim 606kg 397.5 Hazeldine Farms
Lim 630kg 393.5 RC & W Groves
Lim 730kg 393.5,BB 710kg 392.5 Hallam Farms
Lim 730kg 391.5,702kg 388.5 CJ Brownbridge & Sons

STEERS PER HEAD
Lim 820kg £2988,Charx 756kg £2899
Lim 730kg £2872,738kg £2867 Hallam Farms
Lim 730kg £2857,826kg £2754 CJ Brownbridge & Sons
Lim 748kg £2831, Manor Farm
Lim 690kg £2570 F Hairsine & Son

BULLS PER KG:
Lim 790kg 403.5,720kg 398.5,718kg 395.5 JR & DM Roe
Lim 806kg 400.5 ER Hyde & Sons
Lim 860kg 399.5 G Booth & Sons
Lim 754kg 399.5,786kg 398.5,
Lim 790kg & 748kg 392.5 David Screeton
Lim 746kg 398.5 S & CR Battye
Char 744kg 394.5,Lim 788kg 393.5 AP & RA Dunn
Lim 844kg 394.5 AS & SM Kemp & Son
Lim 824kg 394.5,914kg & 930kg 391.5 RC Reed & sons

BULLS PER HEAD:
Lim 980kg £3777,930kg £3640
Lim 914kg £3578,942kg £3574 RC Reed & Sons
Lim 934kg £3600,876kg £3368 M & CM Addy
Lim 924kg £3574,922kg £3545,864kg £3356
Lim 880kg £3322 ER Hyde & Sons
Lim 894kg £3437,860kg £3435 G Booth & Sons
Lim 844kg £3329 AS & SM Kemp & Son
Lim 860kg £3306 CN Patchett

B & Ws
HF 686kg £2047,298.5 AH Grant & Sons

COWS/OTMS
Lim cow 864kg,306.5,£2648 A & F Moore
Blonde stock bull 1060kg £3068 W Seels

SHEEP

💥LAMBS TO £276💥
165 LAMBS avg 465p/kg & £207

TOP PER HEAD:
Blue Texel 49kg £276,BTexx 47kg £224 A & P Davey
Texx 57kg £266,50kg £256,48kg £228 ME Walgate & Son
Texel 49kg £260,57kg £252,51kg £250,
Texel 47kg £230 S Beachell & Son
Texx 46kg £254,47kg £258 A Gregory & Son
Rougex 43kg £254,42kg £241,Texx 42kg £229
Texx 39kg £228,42kg £225 De & M Brooke
Texx 48kg £248,45kg £233,46kg £229 J Cawthorne
Texx 47kg £234,44kg £224 JW Woodall & Son

TOP PER KG:
Rougex 43kg 590,39kg 584,Texx 42kg 573
Texx 42kg 545,42kg 535 DE & M Brooke
Blue Texel 49kg 563 A & P Davey
Texx 46kg 552,47kg 506,42kg 498 A Gregory & Son
Texel 49kg 530,51kg 490,47kg 489 S Beachell & Son
Texx 45kg 517,48kg 516,46kg 498 J Cawthorne
Texx 50kg 512 ME Walgate & Son
Teex 44kg 509,47kg 498,44kg 497 JW Woodall & Son

HOGGS
Texel 75kg £230 S Beachell & Son
Gritx 50kg £216,432p/kg C & A Morton
Beltxx 44kg 341p/kg,£150

EWES
Texel £315 S Beachell & Son
Texx £275 ME Walgate & Son
Blue Texels £250 & 3230 A & P Davey
Contx £236 G Kay
Mule £170 RQ Richmond

PIGS
169 AVG 134p/kg & £143

TOP PER KG:
164,160,158 A Brankley
162 J Hickman
158,156 C & J Creaser
156 PL Robinson

SOWS
71 avg 24p/kg tooping at 34p/kg & £92

26/05/2026

Unhappy with your scanning results ?
More losses in the lambing shed than you expected ?

Enzootic abortion and toxoplasmosis could have been an undiagnosed issue.

MSD are still offering subsidised testing for these two disease. Contact the office today to arrange a visit if you are interested, 01904 486712

🐑 Claim your subsidised tests for exposure to toxoplasmosis & enzootic abortion 🐑

There’s still time to join MSD Animal Health’s FlockCheck scheme.

The scheme helps farmers identify potential causes of lamb losses via subsidised testing, provided through veterinary practices.

With last year’s results revealing 79% of 400 tested flocks had been exposed to Toxoplasma gondii and 35% tested positive for exposure to Chlamydia abortus*, can you afford not to be involved?

To get involved with FlockCheck 2026, speak to your vet before 30 June.



*Source: MSD 2025 FlockCheck results from 400 farms. Data on file.

02/04/2026

🐣We hope you get the chance to enjoy your Easter but, if you do need us over the weekend we’ll be available 24/7 for emergencies only. 🚑

⛔️Our office will now be closed until 8am Tuesday 7th April.

01/04/2026

It is with heavy hearts that we share the loss of our dear former colleague and good friend, Laurentiu.

Laurentiu, was not only a valued member of our team, but also a kind, generous, and inspiring presence to all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him. His dedication and ways will always remain a part of Westpoint Vets.

Our thoughts are with Laurentiu’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.

He will always be remembered here at Westpoint York.

04/02/2026

Come and join us for our next lambing meeting at the end of the month!

Practical learning, with lunch provided and limited spaces.

Call on 01904 486712 or email [email protected] to book your place🐑

17/12/2025

Christmas is just round the corner and we’re getting ready for all the festivities too! Our office opening hours will be a little different from usual but, we will always be available for emergencies throughout the holidays🚑