Farming at Capontree Vets

27/08/2026

🐑Have you heard about our Flock Health Group?🐑

The Flock Health group is a package of tools to help sheep farmers plan for the health of their flock. The scheme is designed to promote the best ways to keep livestock healthy and focuses on the areas that will provide the greatest economic return.

Membership of the group includes:
🐑3 meetings per year for 2 family members (combination of evening meetings and on farm meetings with practical workshops)
🐑Trip to Scotsheep or Northsheep, including bus and entry for 1 family member
🐑2 x free sheep post mortems per year
🐑3 x free worm egg counts
🐑Free annual flock health review which you can be used to comply with farm assurance inspection
🐑Regular sheep specific newsletter/emails – information on current or new products
🐑Free visit and sampling for trace element/abortion testing and possible subsidised laboratory fees
🐑15% off all tup semen testing

📞Contact the practice if you are interested in joining!

21/08/2026

Blue Tongue Movement Update❗️

‼𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲‼️ 📣

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭𝟭.𝟰𝟱𝗽𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟭 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

There are now three areas:
◾️𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 (𝗥𝗭):England and Wales
◾️𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 (𝗧𝗖𝗭): the designated area of south-west Scotland
◾️𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲: the rest of Scotland outside the TCZ

𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱’𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗭 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗖𝗭

🐑Sheep
◾️Must have a negative PCR test
◾️The sample must be taken within seven days before movement

🐂Cattle
Cattle must meet one of the following requirements:
◾️Fully vaccinated with Bultavo-3, with at least 21 days having passed since the final dose – no PCR test required; or
◾️Unvaccinated or vaccinated with another vaccine – a negative PCR test within seven days before movement is required.

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗭 𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗖𝗭

Scottish cattle and sheep can travel from the Free Zone to a market in either:
◾️The Restricted Zone; or
◾️The Scottish Temporary Control Zone
No pre-movement test is required, provided:
◾️The animals travel to the market and return to the Free Zone on the same day
◾️The visit takes place during daylight hours only
◾️Animals are unloaded after sunrise and loaded before sunset
When the animals return to the Free Zone:
◾️Isolation is strongly advised
◾️A post-movement PCR test is recommended
If the animals remain in the Restricted Zone or Scottish Temporary Control Zone for longer than one day:
◾️A negative PCR test must be completed before they can return to the Free Zone
◾️Cattle fully vaccinated with Bultavo-3 are exempt from the testing requirement
Movement licences

The correct licence must accompany the movement, and all conditions within it must be followed:

🔷𝗘𝗫𝗗𝟲𝟳𝟳(𝗦): 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗖𝗭 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/regulation-directive-order/2026/08/bluetongue-general-licence-to-move-animals-from-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone-tcz-to-a-restricted-zone-rz/documents/bluetongue-general-licence-to-move-animals-from-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone-tcz-to-a-restricted-zone-rz/bluetongue-general-licence-to-move-animals-from-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone-tcz-to-a-restricted-zone-rz/govscot%3Adocument/Bluetongue%2BVirus%2B%2528BTV%2529%2B-%2BLicensing%2B-%2BGeneral%2Blicence%2Bto%2Bmove%2Banimals%2Bfrom%2Ba%2Bbluetongue%2Btemporary%2Bcontrol%2Bzone%2Bto%2Ba%2Brestricted%2Bzone%2B210826.pdf
🔷𝗘𝗫𝗗𝟲𝟳𝟱(𝗦): 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗧𝗖𝗭
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/regulation-directive-order/2026/08/bluetongue-general-licence-for-movements-of-animals-between-premises-inside-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone/documents/bluetongue-general-licence-for-movements-of-animals-between-premises-inside-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone/bluetongue-general-licence-for-movements-of-animals-between-premises-inside-a-bluetongue-temporary-control-zone/govscot%3Adocument/Bluetongue%2BVirus%2B%2528BTV%2529%2B-%2BLicensing%2B-%2BGeneral%2Blicence%2Bto%2Bmove%2Banimals%2Bwithin%2Ba%2Bbluetongue%2Btemporary%2Bcontrol%2Bzone%2B.pdf
🔷𝗘𝗫𝗗𝟲𝟰𝟱: 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a0c4c8afcae986635db91c3/Bluetongue__BTV__-_Licensing_-_2026_controls_-_EXD645__EW__Scotland.pdf

Customers should check the location of both the departure holding and the destination before arranging any movement.

The latest information is available on the Scottish Government Bluetongue movement restrictions page.

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀.

𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 🌎➡https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/4867f4e1f680415898482df7aabb703d/page/Page?fbclid=IwY2xjawT1VSJwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMW5kcGVqbXhVYzhhZ3V4cXRzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEenrj4juAU2KVnos-YOnXY35fJN3N_mUOACy33cQ1E5hX8TMtFjyv2Poy8iGU_aem_VtWdtyh1z4iEcJNt2iBByw

20/08/2026

❗️Blue Tongue❗️

The first case of BTV has been diagnosed in Cumbria. We believe in 2 sheep.
We advise all owners to remain aware and vigilant and think about vaccinating all stock.
signs:
❗️Lameness
❗️Nasal discharge
❗️Lethargic
❗️ulcers in mouth and around nose.
❗️Fever

Vaccine supply remains incredibly difficult but we are collecting orders and expect a delivery of some European stock in the coming weeks.

📞If you still want to be placed on the waiting list please contact a surgery📞

18/08/2026

🌱Preventing Milk Fever in Fresh cows at grass

Each lactation the risk of milk fever increases by 9%.
This is a combination of factors including
🩺increased milk production
🩺 less ability to mobilise calcium from bones as they get older.
🩺Body condition is also a factor, with cows BCS >4 at a 3 times higher risk of developing milk fever.

High Mg pre-calving helps get the body used to mobilising calcium before the significant increase in demand.
❗️Keep in mind that a period of rain and flush of grass will reduce Mg levels and increase risk❗️

So what can you do to reduce the risk of milk fever?
🐮Regular BCS. Cows should be 2.5-3 at calving
🐮Potassium locks up Magnesium in the soil. If you can, avoid grazing dry cows on fields that have had slurry or fertiliser applied
🐮Supplementing minerals at grazing
🐮High Mg lick buckets
🐮Rumbol boluses give 3 weeks of Mg supplementation
🐮Calcium boluses at calving for higher risk (older/fitter cows)

15/08/2026

🪰Fly control 🪰

Fly numbers are currently on the rise, and we have already heard some reports of blowfly strike in sheep.
Significant fly populations can have a negative impact on an animal’s ability to graze leading to reduced milk production and growth rates.

❗️One adult fly can lay up to 1,000 eggs in her lifetime meaning populations can quickly multiply.❗️

There are a wide range of products available on the market; it is important that you are aware which products you are using, at what interval they should be repeated for maximum effect and ensure they have a suitable withdrawal period.

• Ectofly -(sheep) - 6-8 weeks protection
• Clik Extra (sheep) up to 19 weeks protection
• Spotinor (Sheep and Cattle) 4-8 weeks protection

❗️Remember❗️
Check repeat-treatment intervals and withdrawal periods before use.

12/08/2026

🌟Bluetongue Vaccination Update🌟

We have been closely monitoring the developing bluetongue situation.

In addition to the significant impact of BTV in the southwest of England, where severe disease and mortality are being seen in sheep, cases are continuing to move north. Cases have now been confirmed near York and Preston, and yesterday a case was diagnosed in Dumfries and Galloway.

we are recommending vaccination of breeding ewes and replacement females, in addition to vaccination of tups and bulls.

Auctioneers are also stressing the importance of vaccinating breeding sheep intended for sale.

‼️Vaccine orders — deadline Thursday afternoon‼️
In order to secure supplies of Bultavo vaccine, we need to place our order by Thursday afternoon.

If you would like to discuss vaccination further, please get in touch with one of our vets. Please place your vaccine order before the Thursday afternoon deadline.

11/08/2026

🪱Haemonchus (AKA barber pole worm) 🪱
In the last few years we have seen a lot more problems with Haemonchus in this area

What is different about Haemonchus?
❗️Adult worms feed on blood from the stomach, each worm can take up to 0.5ml blood/day
❗️Sheep don’t develop immunity to this worm so adult ewes are at risk as well as lambs
❗️Worms produce high numbers of eggs often in the thousands
❗️Some Flukicides containing Closantel and Nitroxynil are effective against Haemonchus

🩺Clinical signs🩺
Very high worm egg counts,
poor condition,
lethargy – ewes/lambs not keeping up with the flock,
pale mucous membranes (eyes),
scour is not always a feature especially in ewes.

Please speak to a vet if you are seeing any of these signs in your flock.

07/08/2026

Important Information about Blue tongue from David.

07/08/2026

🐑Teaser Tups 🐑

Now is the ideal time to be thinking of giving your teasers the snip.
Teasers (vasectomised tups) help tighten the lambing period by stimulating ewes to cycle earlier. The procedure should be done 6-8 weeks before the teasers are introduced to the ewes.

Things to think about when selecting a teaser:
🩺Ideally homebred to reduce disease risk
🩺Shearlings are preferred to tup lambs
🩺Good feet & teeth
🩺Easily identified, consider a different breed to stock tups

Getting the best from your teaser:
🐏Ewes should have no contact with any males (including teasers) for at least 2 weeks before the teaser is introduced
🐏Keep the teaser with the ewes for 14 days
🐏When introducing the breeding tups, consider a greater tup to ewe ratio i.e. 1:30
🐏Teasers become less effective overtime, so they should be replaced every 2-3 years

Vets Mark, Laura and Charlotte were busy last week vasectomising 5 tups.

📞Please contact the surgery to book in.

03/08/2026

🐏🐄 Blue Tongue🐏🐄
You will have all seen and heard lots of information about bluetongue recently.
❗️Lots of cases have been confirmed down south which may seem far away but movement of sheep north for sales could pose a risk❗️

🦟 What is bluetongue?
Bluetongue is a viral disease, transmitted by midges. Sheep, Cattle and goats can be affected

🩺 Clinical signs include, lethargy, drooling, sores and ulcers of the mouth and nose, facial swelling, fever, lameness.

☎️ What do I do if is suspect bluetongue?
• Report the suspected case to
APHA 03000 200 301
• Isolate the animal inside as soon as possible, use fly spot on treatment to keep flies away from open wounds.
• Await testing - apha will decide what tests are required.
• ⁠Call the practice to arrange the visit for our vets to take the samples.

🕰️ Is it too late to vaccinate?
• ⁠It is NOT too late to vaccinate
• ⁠Sheep require a single dose and cattle 2 doses 3 weeks apart.
• ⁠The vaccine is safe to use in lactating and pregnant animals
❗️If you vaccinated last year it is only 1 single booster this year for sheep and cattle❗️
📞 Contact the practice to secure your vaccine

💉 Our vets are on hand should you want to discuss any of this further.