It was with deep sorrow that we said a final goodbye to Andrew in late June - former partner, skilled vet, business principal, mentor and much respected work colleague. Orange Veterinary Hospital is what it is today in large part due to Andrew's work ethic and foresight - together with Bob Garvin they were at the helm of OVH from the early 70's. A constant thought at OVH that persists to this day is to continue the legacy they created from that time. 

Andrew retired from veterinary practice in 2005 but remained active in the profession by serving for many years as a member of the NSW Veterinary Practioners Board and the Central West branch of the AVA, as well as being heavily involved within the deer industry. He kept in touch with us often popping in to collect supplies for his deer herd and enjoying a chat. 

Andrew will be missed by many - his cheerful demeanour and great banter, his insight and zest for life, his love for his family, friends and animals (especially Jimmy). He enriched our lives and he left the world a better place. Our heartfelt sympathy to Judith, Penny, Josh and Tim and their families.

The MLA has put together a very interesting report outlining the most economically damaging endemic diseases and conditions for the red meat industry (cattle, sheep and goats). One outstanding estimate is that sheep diseases are costing Australian agriculture almost three times the amount cattle diseases do in lost production.

The Priority List of Endemic Diseases for the Red Meat Industries estimates that $2 billion a year is lost in the sheep industry, mainly in lost production. The largest cost for the industry is neonatal mortalities, estimated at $540 million alone, followed by internal parasites and dystocia.

The cattle industry is most afflicted by cattle tick costing $161 million, followed by $114 million lost to Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus and another $99 million to buffalo fly. Obviously, there are regional differences in disease prevalence, and if you read the report there is further breakdown by region.

It's a good time to assess the diseases below and work out which diseases are a risk to your enterprise. Hopefully you have most of these diseases under control - if not, there is no time like the present! 

It has been recognised many times throughout all animal species that captive animals live healthier, less stressful lives if they have opportunities to spend time doing things they would normally do in the wild. 

Even though horses are not wild animals anymore, they still need physical and mental stimulation, otherwise they tend to become a little crazy! If we think about some of the things wild horses did, they spent 60-80% of their waking hours grazing outdoors with their herd. In comparison, many modern-day companion horses are now confined and eat quite concentrated foods in a short space of time. Any wonder they tend to go a little crazy and develop habits like cribbing and weaving?

Here’s few ways to spice up your horse's environment so they can live a healthier, less stressful life:

Edible enrichment

This is one of the best ways to keep horses entertained. Just like giving a dog a bone, horses like things to chew on. One great invention is the Porta-Grazer which is a slow-feeding system for hay. It mimics natural grazing by making horses work for their meal, and also extends out the hay bale for hours rather than minutes of grazing.

There are other fun feeding toys for horses on the market. Many of them are designed to dispense small amounts of grain at a time so horses play and eat at the same time.

Social enrichment & companionship

Horses are social creatures. Therefore they prefer to live among other horses for comfort, play, access to food and shelter as an anti-predator strategy. Therefore, horses would rather be hanging out in groups. If this is not possible, horses will bond with other species such as goats, dogs and humans - isolation is very stressful for horses.

Exercise

It probably goes without saying that athletic animals need regular exercise to stay happy and healthy.

If you are in the mood to be distracted by YouTube, we were amused by this video! Ross is six years old, and he is trying to tame Ed the naughty horse. Ross’s dedication to staying on Ed is admirable, as is his ability to bounce when he takes a dive! Click here to watch the video