Lamb preferred Christmas Day meat!
Lamb has claimed victory as the preferred Christmas Day meat of choice, according to a new survey.
Now is the time for sheep farmers to start warning their Christmas visitors that dogs need to be dosed for sheep measles or be left behind says Dan Lynch, project manager of Ovis Management Ltd.
The Christmas holidays are a period when throughout the country many farms play host to visitors or family members, many with dogs.
Unless farmers know the sheep measles treatment status of the dogs an unpleasant surprise might be waiting for them in a few months when lambs going to processing show up with infection.
Lynch says that while the national prevalence for the past season remained low at 0.66% in line with the previous season, significant infection levels among lambs from a small number of suppliers has resulted in meat inspection staff condemning stock at processing.
One line of lambs had 155 infected with eight condemned while another line had 120 infected and 16 condemned.
While many farms are dosing dogs monthly and farms are tightening their on-farm biosecurity, maintaining downward pressure on this parasite, the influx of external dogs over the holiday period is a significant risk, which must be addressed before dogs arrive on farm, says Lynch.
“Sheep measles’ eggs spread in the wind and can survive 4-6 months on pasture so ask about dogs being treated now,” stresses Lynch.
Reducing the risk
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.
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