Parasite management roadshow tours Yea & Euroa offering key insights on weaner management best practice.
Announcement posted by Virbac Australia Pty Ltd 11 Sep 2019
With weaner parasite control being one of the most crucial management interventions for beef operations, leading animal health company Virbac has partnered with Elders Rural Services to run a week-long educational roadshow through country Victoria and South Australia.
Hosted by Virbac Australia Technical Services Manager Dr Matthew Ball and Elders Livestock Production Manager Rob Inglis, the roadshow visited Yea and Euroa in Victoria on Tuesday 10th September.
The roadshows mission has been to highlight strategic parasite management and product usage for optimal cattle production. According to Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), internal parasite infestation is one of the most significant diseases faced by red meat producers in Australia. Calves are highly susceptible to worms, being yet to develop immunity – so burdens will typically be at their peak during this time. As Rob explains, the roadshow is “a great opportunity for cattle producers and veterinarians to improve their knowledge and understanding of best practice weaner management and product usage, to help control these highly damaging parasites.”
The Yea and Euroa event presentations covered topics including the latest industry research and findings relating to weaner health and wellbeing, along with optimal drenching product strategies and end benefits. Presenting alongside Rob, Dr Matthew Ball revealed some valuable insights, explaining that the way a young heifer is cared for in both parasite control and nutrition will determine fertility during its lifespan. “Young cattle are much more prone to parasites than adult cattle, so we need to focus our best and most persistent drench treatments on these younger animals,” he explained.
“We also need to use drenches at strategic times,” he added, “because that helps to not only remove parasites from the animal, but also reduces contamination from the paddock.”
Attendee Raelene Mold from “Barina”, Yea described her local event as “a good reminder of the importance of using the right products at the right time to get my weaners to their target weights quicker, and the importance of mineral supplementation with vaccinations. Keeping up with new product developments and having access to experts at these types of events is key to me getting the right information, ensuring I have the correct protocols in place to continue to produce a quality product to the market. Sometimes just having the reassurance that I am doing the right thing is all that is needed, you can never stop learning in this industry and that's why these events are so crucial to my learning.”
“Ultimately, it’s this type of information that will make a real difference in enhancing the productivity and profitability of a producer’s herd,” concludes Rob. “We’re pleased to be able to contribute our knowledge in this area, to help drive successful weaner management practices for Australia’s cattle producers.”
To find out more about best practice weaner management, please visit au.virbac.com
About the speakers:
Rob Inglis
Rob Inglis is the Livestock Production Manager at Elders Rural Services and has been with Elders for 10 years in Livestock Production. Rob spent 8 years as an Animal Nutritionist with NSW DPI, Charles Sturt University and Livestock Central.
Dr Matthew Ball
Dr Ball has 19 years experience helping cattle farmers in a range of clinical, advisory and research roles. His employment includes jobs in clinical practice, government and industry, and he’s also undertaken postgraduate qualifications in disease surveillance and education. Based on the northern rivers of NSW, Matthew is passionate about helping cattle farmers develop practical and profitable preventative health programs, helping them to understand how medicines work and the scientific differences between animal health products.
Ends
Media Enquiries:
Kate Munsie - C7EVEN COMMUNICATIONS
(02) 6766 4513 / 0421 935 843
kate.munsie@c7even.com.au
Photo captions:
Hosted by Virbac Australia Technical Services Manager Dr Matthew Ball and Elders Livestock Production Manager Rob Inglis, the roadshow visited Yea and Euroa in Victoria on Tuesday 10th September.
The roadshows mission has been to highlight strategic parasite management and product usage for optimal cattle production. According to Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), internal parasite infestation is one of the most significant diseases faced by red meat producers in Australia. Calves are highly susceptible to worms, being yet to develop immunity – so burdens will typically be at their peak during this time. As Rob explains, the roadshow is “a great opportunity for cattle producers and veterinarians to improve their knowledge and understanding of best practice weaner management and product usage, to help control these highly damaging parasites.”
The Yea and Euroa event presentations covered topics including the latest industry research and findings relating to weaner health and wellbeing, along with optimal drenching product strategies and end benefits. Presenting alongside Rob, Dr Matthew Ball revealed some valuable insights, explaining that the way a young heifer is cared for in both parasite control and nutrition will determine fertility during its lifespan. “Young cattle are much more prone to parasites than adult cattle, so we need to focus our best and most persistent drench treatments on these younger animals,” he explained.
“We also need to use drenches at strategic times,” he added, “because that helps to not only remove parasites from the animal, but also reduces contamination from the paddock.”
Attendee Raelene Mold from “Barina”, Yea described her local event as “a good reminder of the importance of using the right products at the right time to get my weaners to their target weights quicker, and the importance of mineral supplementation with vaccinations. Keeping up with new product developments and having access to experts at these types of events is key to me getting the right information, ensuring I have the correct protocols in place to continue to produce a quality product to the market. Sometimes just having the reassurance that I am doing the right thing is all that is needed, you can never stop learning in this industry and that's why these events are so crucial to my learning.”
“Ultimately, it’s this type of information that will make a real difference in enhancing the productivity and profitability of a producer’s herd,” concludes Rob. “We’re pleased to be able to contribute our knowledge in this area, to help drive successful weaner management practices for Australia’s cattle producers.”
To find out more about best practice weaner management, please visit au.virbac.com
About the speakers:
Rob Inglis
Rob Inglis is the Livestock Production Manager at Elders Rural Services and has been with Elders for 10 years in Livestock Production. Rob spent 8 years as an Animal Nutritionist with NSW DPI, Charles Sturt University and Livestock Central.
Dr Matthew Ball
Dr Ball has 19 years experience helping cattle farmers in a range of clinical, advisory and research roles. His employment includes jobs in clinical practice, government and industry, and he’s also undertaken postgraduate qualifications in disease surveillance and education. Based on the northern rivers of NSW, Matthew is passionate about helping cattle farmers develop practical and profitable preventative health programs, helping them to understand how medicines work and the scientific differences between animal health products.
Ends
Media Enquiries:
Kate Munsie - C7EVEN COMMUNICATIONS
(02) 6766 4513 / 0421 935 843
kate.munsie@c7even.com.au
Photo captions:
- Yea event: Matthew Grylls from Virbac, Dr Matthew Ball from Virbac, Raelene Mold from Yea, Rob Inglis from Elders and John Purvis from Elders.