Farm Services

We provide veterinary services to a wide range of dairy enterprises at Trefaldwyn Vets, from larger, more intensive units to Spring and Autumn-block calving systems and some organic farms too. By providing a dedicated vet to each individual farm we can tailor our service specifically to each method of milk production and to each farm’s needs. We encourage each farm to have a routine visit weekly, fortnightly or monthly depending on their size and production to enable us to monitor and detect any health issues or herd health problems. We strongly believe in a whole-farm holistic approach, working alongside AI companies, nutritionists and foot trimmers to achieve the best outcome for our dairy farms.

Routine visits

We actively encourage regular routine visits which are at a discounted rate:

A routine visit with your vet helps improve fertility which in turn drives business efficiency. It is our aim to provide each farm with a regular vet and a back-up vet in case of holidays etc.

A routine visit may include but is not limited to any of the following:

• Pregnancy diagnosis >28 days.
• Non-cycling or Not see bulling (NSB) cows.
• Post-natal checks (PNCs) >21d calved.
• Cow or heifer synchronisation.
• Pre-service checks.
• Any other sick cow checks.
• Youngstock screening.

Emergency work and on farm surgery

Our team of dedicated farm vets are here to provide 24/7 emergency cover 365 days a year to all our farmers and small holders. By calling the practice on 01686 668234 you will be put through to a call handler who will pass on your name, number, type of emergency and exact location to the duty vet.

On farm surgery may include any of the following:

• Caesarean section.
• Displaced abomasum: left or right.
• Caecal dilatation/torsion.
• Exploratory laparotomy.

Preventative herd healthcare/ HHPs / Reviews

We can carry out the following herd monitoring on farm as part of prevalence screening, HHP or milk buyer information or for more in depth herd data analysis.

• Mobility scoring.
• Body condition scoring.
• Mastitis control plans including general parlour audit and teat scoring.
• BHB/ketone monitoring as part of nutrition investigations.
• Calf audits.

Calf audits:

• With increasing costs, consumer pressure and changes to regulations there is more and more focus on calves and their welfare. We offer a comprehensive calf audit which we offer as a monthly service. We look at colostral take up, liveweight gains and infectious diseases as well as providing an unbiased eye to see where improvements can be made or encourage when things are spot on.

On the back of working with dairy farmers Oli Hodgkinson was awarded the farmers weekly farm advisor of the year in 2018.

Please call the surgery if you need a HHP or review. These offer a great opportunity to sit down and review key elements of herd health and production that may otherwise not come to light.

Bull testing:

We encourage bull fertility MOTs especially in the systems that rely solely on the bull.

With the cost per day of in excess of £5 every day a cow goes over her calving interval of 365 days, the financial implications of having a subfertile bull soon adds up.

This service has been offered at Trefaldwyn Vets for over 15 years.

TB testing:

Unfortunately there is currently no getting away from this. We recognize that this is a highly stressful event for farmer, vet and animal.

We try to make this as stress free as possible, working with the clients but encouraging best practice both with regards to carry out the process as well as the health and safety aspect. We have our own crush which we are able to loan out which can speed the job up.

We endevour to keep the same vet during a breakdown so that a good relationship can be built up which hopefully reduces the stress to all.

We have cymorth trained vets which not only helps in Wales!!

Export

We have 3 farm vets that are trained and qualified in completing export paperwork. Please get in touch if you have any questions about exporting animals to the EU or non-EU countries.

BVD Wales:

We actively encourage all our farmers to know their BVD status. The saving from eradicating the disease is huge not only in terms of finance.

A member of our team also sits on the BVD Wales BVD board.

Beef Services

At Trefaldwyn Vets we can provide a wide range of services for beef farmers, to help you get the best out of your herd.

Routine and Emergency Work

• Calvings
• Caesareans
• Castrations
• Dehorning/disbudding
• Sick calf hospitalisation facilities

Herd health planning

– encompassing requirements for assurance schemes
– including antibiotic and anthelminthic planning and audits

• Incorporating young stock disease prevention and management
• Housing assessments for appropriate ventilation systems – including “smoke bomb” shed by shed assessments with tailored advice.
• BVD eradication schemes
• Mobility and condition recording
• Evidence led nutritional and trace element monitoring and corrections (especially necessitated in this area of Powys and the Borders)

Fertility examination and pregnancy diagnosis; including controlled breeding programs plus vasectomies to assist with heat detection

• Bull fertility viability assessment including semen assessment
• Pelvic scoring for maiden heifers
• Breeding planning to suit your farms specific needs

Parasite (internal and external) control assessment

• Worm egg counts with same day results
• Mange mite microscope assessment
• Advice on when to treat and what to use

Infectious diseases; assessment for control measures as part of a Herd Health Plan – most could be done at TB testing time

• TB testing

• Whole herd as well as Pre and Post movement testing
• Advisory Cymorth assessments (Wales only and Welsh Government funded)

• Johnes blood and faeces sampling (Day 1 of TB test)
• BVD

• BVD Wales Scheme (Wales only)

• Leptovirus
• Neospora
• IBR
• Salmonella
• Schmallenberg
• E.Coli, Coronavirus, Rotavirus
  Colostrum Antibody Transfer assessment with a view to using vaccine rather than antibiotics to treat neonatal calf scour

Sheep

We are a mixed practice in a very sheep dense part of the world.

We have a sheep certificate holder in sheep health and production who has given talks throughout the UK on matters pertaining to sheep production.
We actively encourage our farmers to carry out regular tests on their sheep which are very time dependent on the year for example:

Small Holder Services

Here at Trefaldwyn Vets we are aware of the need for greater sustainability and the benefits to keeping a wide range of stock. As such we offer a range of services to cater for all your small holding needs.
No matter the species or your level of experience, we are happy to provide advice and address any concerns you may have regarding your herd, flock, team or gaggle!

Main Services we offer

• 24hr emergency care and treatment to all species
• Animal handling and husbandry advice
• Disease investigation
• Herd health plans:

• Nutritional advice
• Vaccination protocols and assistance implementing
• Responsible use of antibiotics

• Tailored external and internal parasite control:

• Faecal worm counts
• Louse, mite and fly control

• Foot trimming:

• Lameness investigation

• Reproductive support:

• Assistance with animals from conception to neonate
• Synchronisation of stock
• Castration of male stock

Workshops

As a practice we aim to provide an excellent service for our clients and their pets- we believe an important aspect of this is education. Workshops and talks provide an excellent opportunity for clients to get involved and interact with our team in order to improve their knowledge and understanding of animal health and welfare.
Some work shops are run in association with organisations such as Farming connect, Lantra and NADIS whereas others are based on topics we have chosen as a team to work on. Some of these sessions will run in the daytime and others will be evening talks.

Please enquire if you are interested or have a particular topic you would like us to cover.