Given strong prices for both sheep and cattle, we are doing much more in the way of treating individual animals. This has primarily being the case in the beef industry but has also been reflected in high value individual sheep (rams/stud ewes). The crackdown on what is deemed fit to load and increased condemnations of animals at abattoirs has also led to an increase in cases in order to get animals fit for slaughter.

Issues affecting individual animals that we often attend include:

• Lameness - can be investigated either standing in the crush or lying down under the effects of a sedation for more involved hoof issues
• Mastitis
• Wound management
• Illnesses/infections
• Calvings
• Prolapses
• Lump removals
• Castrating older bulls - over 6 months of age we can use the calicrate bander which is more effective than normal rings and eliminates the risk of excessive bleeding