sheep, beEf cattle & deer programme
| 7am | Registration opens | Level 3 |
| 8am | Welcome | Rob Mills (NZVA President) | Theatre A Level 5 |
| 8.10am | Plenary: Learning through times of disruption: navigating AI | Sir
Ashley Bloomfield | Theatre A Level 5 |
| 9am | Morning tea | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| 9.30am | Pain relief use and tailing weights in merino lambs | Jamie Foxley As increasing demand for pain relief at tailing/docking is faced, a variety of approaches have been trialed and adopted on fine-wool farms. Injectable and oral analgesics are weight dependent. There is a lack of data detailing merino lambs' weights at tailing. In 2025 Vetlife practitioners surveyed a number of Otago high-country farms at tailing and collected information on weights, ages and pain relief practices used. We also collected coarse-bred lamb weights in South Canterbury. We will discuss the results of this survey and observations from tailing visits and analgesic use. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 9.50am | Lamb survival and naval health | Peter Blaikie | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 10.25am | Season sets the baseline, pregnancy changes the outcome | Ella Wilson Seasonal conditions create predictable variation in nutrition in grazing systems, yet reproductive physiology may alter how animals respond to these environments. This study examines seasonal and physiological influences on digestion, metabolic status, and energy balance in red deer hinds across key reproductive stages. Rumen fermentation and plasma metabolites are used to characterise patterns in nutrient utilisation, with additional measures including rumen CT imaging, behavioural activity data, and faecal fermentation indicators where available. Together these datasets provide a multi-scale view of how seasonal conditions and pregnancy interact to shape digestive function and body reserve dynamics in grazing. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 11am | Deer Veterinarians Branch AGM | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 12pm | Lunch | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| 1pm | Evidence-based approaches for improving disbudding practices for dairy goat kids | Melissa Hempstead This presentation draws on my research to date on approaches for improving disbudding practices for goat kids. It will present key findings on optimal iron application timing and the associated risks of brain injury, factors influencing horn regrowth and scur formation, alternative disbudding methods, and practical strategies for effective pain mitigation. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 1.30pm | Cashmere NZ | Andy May | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 2pm | Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians Branch AGM | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 3pm | Afternoon tea | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| 3.30pm | Goat farming NZ | Andy May | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 4.10pm | Cattle FECs - limitations, opportunities and changing the conversation | Ryan Luckman and Garth Riddle Drench resistance in New Zealand cattle is real, significantly under-diagnosed, and accelerated by unnecessary calendar-based drenching. The question is: what would give vets the confidence to disrupt this practice? In sheep, FEC monitoring was transformative - shifting practice away from the calendar and driving better treatment decisions. In cattle, FEC adoption remains low, shaped by an industry narrative that "FECs aren't useful in cattle." We unpack that narrative - exploring genuine limitations and real opportunities - and examine how FEC alongside GIN PCR species identification and on-farm monitoring can give vets the tools and science to start having different conversations. And where that monitoring journey ultimately leads. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 5.30pm | Happy hour | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| 7pm | Sheep, Beef Cattle & Deer Veterinarians Dinner Please note: You must register for this breakfast to attend | Harbourside Ocean Bar & Grill |
| 7am | Registration opens | Level 3 |
| 8am | Plenary: Thriving and striving at work - the ultimate win win |
Charlotte Cantley | Theatre A Level 5 |
| 8.45am | NZVA AGM | Theatre A Level 5 |
| 9.30am | Morning tea | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| 10am | The impact of immune responses to CarLA on livestock production | Richard Shaw Carbohydrate larval antigen or “CarLA” for short, is a lipoglycan found on the surface of ex-sheathed third stage larvae (L3s) of gastrointestinal nematodes. Immune responses to CarLA at the mucosa surface, principally IgA antibody, appear important in limiting the establishment of L3 in livestock hosts. Measurement of IgA to CarLA in saliva samples appears to be a good proxy for the inaccessible intestinal mucosa antibody response. CarLA specific IgA antibody in saliva has been shown to be heritable in sheep, Angora goats and red deer/wapiti crosses and favorably related to measures of parasite burden in these animals. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 10.25am | Further investigation into rear rub injuries in deer at slaughter | Jane Morgan This study investigates risk factors for rear rub injuries in deer. It was undertaken using data from all the deer slaughtered at a single plant during the period of January to May 2024 that corresponded to the highest incidence of injuries in the previous study. The findings indicate that further investigation is needed into the management of the transport phase of deer to processing premises, particularly of stags, to identify modifiable management factors to aid in control of deer rear rub injuries. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 10.45am | Rickets in deer | Euan Tait | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 11.10am | Faecal qPCR: simultaneously detecting bacterial shedding and parasite burdens | Sara Ferguson DRL has used faecal qPCR to detect and quantify shedding of the bacteria Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), to measure on-farm risk from Johne’s Disease. Now, adding the identification of parasite DNA from faecal samples allows us to apply faecal qPCR as a diagnostic assay for animals of ill-thrift. This allows animal health professionals to target drench use based on real time parasite burden, measure the efficacy of drenching, and target species currently challenging to diagnose, such as lungworm. Further validation is ongoing to confirm the robustness of these assays across various species and optimize the results against production. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 11.40am | Synopsis on FARMAX to compare deer operations | Anyika Scotland | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 12.05pm | Lamb wastage | Kim Kelly | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 12.30pm | Lunch | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| 1.30pm | The effect of prenatal anthelmintic drugs on the behaviour of ewes and their new-born lambs | Melissa Hempstead Persistent macrocyclic lactone (ML) anthelmintics are commonly administered to pregnant ewes, yet their effects on neonatal lamb behaviour are poorly understood. This study investigated the behavioural effects of prenatal exposure to persistent MLs. Sixty twin-bearing ewes were assigned to moxidectin, a controlled-release abamectin/albendazole treatment, or untreated controls. Ewe and lamb behaviours were monitored for three hours post-parturition. Abamectin/albendazole had no detectable effects, whereas lambs born to moxidectin-treated ewes tended to show delayed head shaking and attempts to stand. These findings suggest prenatal moxidectin exposure may influence early neonatal behaviour, with potential implications for lamb vigour and survival. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 2pm | Control of Haemonchus in ruminants through vaccination | Saleh Umair Haemonchus contortus is one of the most significant and pathogenic gastrointestinal nematode parasites infecting ruminants worldwide, and the rapid emergence of anthelmintic resistance poses a major challenge to its control. The present study investigates the biological control of H. contortus through vaccination. Young lambs and calves were immunised with a recombinant vaccine, resulting in a significant reduction in faecal egg output and adult worm burdens in vaccinated animals compared with controls. Vaccine efficacy was evaluated under both controlled indoor conditions and field-based trials, demonstrating consistent protective effects across experimental settings. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 2.30pm | Larval heat mapping and resistance risk in the real world | Ryan Luckman The DAGI (Drench And Grazing Integration) tool launched in December 2025, providing New Zealand sheep farmers with paddock-level heat maps predicting larval contamination and anthelmintic resistance risk. Adapted from Australia's Turned Worm lifecycle model and integrated with AgResearch's Q-Graze intake predictions, DAGI models four nematode species across susceptible and resistant populations. This presentation reports on the first six months of field use across beta farms, comparing model predictions against farmer-inputted faecal egg count results and documenting changes in grazing and drenching decisions. Findings assess model accuracy under real-world conditions and the tool's influence on parasite management behaviour. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 2.45pm | Behaviour identification in farmed red deer (Cervus Elaphus) using
wearable activity collars | Bryan Thompson Custom-built wearable activity collars were developed and validated to identify and range of behaviours in farmed red deer. Accelerometer data were paired with ~11,000 observed behavioural records collected over five days. Simple, interpretable decision-tree classifiers using a single feature and temporal smoothing achieved strong accuracy across key behaviour categories, including grazing/ruminating, standing/lying, and head position. The results show wearable sensors can reliably monitor deer behaviour, supporting their use in welfare and production research on farm. Shared talk with Large Animal Veterinary Technician stream | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 3.30pm | Afternoon tea | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| 4pm | From fungus to faeces: new insights into facial eczema | Cara Brosnahan Facial eczema is a major welfare and productivity challenge for New Zealand livestock. The Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts programme is investing in practical, farmer focused solutions. The disease is caused by a toxin producing fungus that is spreading into new regions as the climate warms. A three-year epidemiological study has just been completed, showing FE spores are consistently found as far south as Otago. Through research, diagnostics, risk mapping, and new tools, the programme aims to support farmers, vets, and rural professionals to better manage FE and reduce its long term impacts. Shared talk with Large Animal Veterinary Technician stream | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 4.30pm | Spore counting methods. How, when and why? | Sarah Hurst We have many diagnostic tools at our disposal for evaluating the the potential risk of Facial Eczema and the damage being caused by the sporidesmin toxin when ruminants ingest the Pithomyces chartarum Fungus. I'd like to take some time to remind our technicians of the importance of timing with this disease, how to use which diagnostics and when. How can we best support or clinics, vets and farmers to add value for each stakeholder while also supporting and helping to improve the welfare of the animals we work so closely with? Shared talk with Large Animal Veterinary Technician stream | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 4.55pm | FE what’s the deal anyway? | Emma Cuttance Shared talk with Large Animal Veterinary Technician stream | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 5.45pm | NZVA Awards | Theatre A Level 5 |
| 6.30pm | Networking dinner | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
Thursday 25 June 2026
| 7am | Registration opens | Level 3 |
| 8am | Modern diagnostics for modern parasite challenges | Cara Brosnahan Gastrointestinal nematodes are becoming harder to manage as drench resistance rises - making fast, accurate diagnostics essential. New multiplex real time PCR tests have been developed to identify species within three working days, replacing slow larval cultures and giving farmers clearer, earlier information for treatment decisions. In parallel, molecular research is targeting resistance biomarkers in key Trichostrongylus species to understand how resistance develops and how it can be detected on farm. Together, these tools aim to improve parasite control, reduce ineffective drenching, and support vets and farmers with sharper, evidence based decisions in an increasingly challenging parasite landscape. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 8.45am | StockStore | Becks Smith | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 9.20am | 25 years of pasture growth records in the Ruapehu Region | David Seifert | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 10am | Morning tea | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| 10.30am | A BVD conundrum - where procedure failure becomes liability | Susan Geddes | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 10.50am | Improving information flow from processors to producers benefits the industry | Stephen Yearwood | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 11.10am | Unwanted pregnancies in lambs | Rajiv Balbharan Unwanted pregnancies in ewe lambs/hoggets occur every season in New Zealand. This talk is presented from the perspective of a veterinarian based at the meat works. The presentation includes a look into the animal welfare consequences of these pregnancies, a survey with sheep farmers and their thoughts, and a preliminary insight into some production data collected from four different meat works in the South Island. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 11.40am | What New Zealand dairy sheep farms are like | Greg Chambers New Zealand’s sheep-milking sector is young. This paper gives you a high-level overview of 20 commercial NZ farms (~50% of the industry) in the 2022–2023 season. In-person interviews with owners/managers captured information on farm scale, staffing, lambing and lamb management, milk harvesting, milking facilities/procedures, and animal health practices. We now have useful background information on NZ farms which vets can keep in mind when engaging with dairy sheep farmers, such as labour and resource challenges and constraints, common management practices, and where the biggest opportunities to help are. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 12pm | Bulk milk SCC and APC on dairy sheep farms | Greg Chambers This is the first systematic description of bulk milk somatic cell count (SCC) and aerobic plate count (APC) on New Zealand dairy sheep farms. We now know what average bulk milk SCC and APC values are, their ranges, and how much they vary between farms. We also know the link between bulk milk SCC and APC. Finally, farm-level aspirational targets were set for SCC and APC. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 12.30pm | Lunch | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| 1.30pm | The scoop on the poop | Cara Brosnahan Facial eczema remains a major livestock health issue, and this national study is clarifying how widespread the risk is. Over three seasons, up to 350 farms a year are providing samples to measure FE spore prevalence and identify key risk factors. Early results show spores consistently present from Otago to Northland, with clinical cases in both traditional and emerging regions. Spore levels often persisted into June, affecting protection strategies. This work is building a clearer national picture of FE risk, supporting better evidence based management for farmers and veterinarians, and generating data to develop a predictive risk model for the livestock sector. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 2pm | Spore Wars: The Worm Front | Kristin Kirkpatrick and Cara Brosnahan Managing FE and internal parasites requires more than diagnostics, it requires system‑wide thinking. Using a real farm case study, this workshop explores how spore counts, faecal egg counts, pasture growth dynamics, forage choices, grazing management, and farm‑level risk indicators can be combined into practical action plans. Attendees will work through scenarios, strengthen their consultative approach, and practise turning on‑farm observations into clear recommendations. This session equips participants with practical, farm‑ready strategies to help farmers navigate FE seasons with confidence and build long‑term resilience into their systems. | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 3.05pm | Massey Grand Rounds Winner | To be confirmed | Room 503 Level 5 |
| 3.30pm | Afternoon tea | Exhibition Hall Level 3 |
| Combined session with another stream. |
This programme was correct at the time of publication. Speakers and titles are subject to change. |