The Dog (Protection of Livestock) Act has been updated for the first time since 1953. Passed on 5 December 2025, the law will come into effect on 18 March 2026. These changes aim to protect livestock from dog attacks and […]
On behalf of the HNVG Farm Team, we want to extend our sincerest thanks to everyone who joined us, donated, and supported our first Harvest Supper charity event. Your generosity and community spirit made the evening truly special and took […]
The Christmas and New Year period is nearly here! While we’ll be enjoying some festive treats ourselves, our top priority is keeping your pets, horses and livestock safe, healthy, and well cared for. To help you plan ahead, here’s a […]
Cases of avian influenza continue to rise across the UK, and with sustained circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in both commercial and backyard settings, strict disease control measures are now in force. From 00:01 on 6 […]
What is FAMACHA? A quick on-farm tool to assess anaemia in sheep and goats by checking the colour of the lower eyelid. > Developed to detect barber’s pole worm (Haemonchus contortus), which causes blood loss. > In the UK, Haemonchus […]
Acorn Poisoning in Livestock: What You Need to Know This Autumn This autumn, vets across the UK are reporting an increase in cases of acorn poisoning in cattle and sheep, with several confirmed diagnoses from laboratories. The Animal & Plant […]
Sheep Abortion: Causes, Management and Prevention Sheep abortion is one of the most common causes of lost lambs in UK flocks. It reduces lambing percentages, impacts profitability, and can be stressful to manage. Our upcoming free flock health meeting will […]
Following a number of cases of slaughterhouse reports of receiving cattle that are shackled and unable to stand when arriving, APHA have asked for a reminder of the transport regulations in GB. In short, it is an offence to transport […]
It is not just the lack of grass that is a concern; the quality of the forage is also highly lacking. Support your livestock in their hardship by ensuring they have enough water, salt licks and trace elements. Not only […]
With tupping time just around the corner, no doubt you will be selecting your ewe lambs/shearlings or buying in replacements imminently. With a new crop of reproductive ewes on the scene, you’ll need to consider what cover they have against […]
With the perfect weather for the development of lungworm and cases rising simultaneously, it seems fitting that a new test has been validated for lungworm in cattle. A new PCR test is available on fresh faeces with the option to […]
Aside from the difficult harvest, hot, dry weather and limited grass mean animals will be grazing a lot closer to the soil. Followed by intermittent heavy rainfall washing the soil to the surface, the risk of Clostridial presence is higher […]
A new pheromone spray, FerAppease, can be utilised for its calming effect when animals are exposed to any management or physiological stressor. The decreased stress on the animals not only aids with handling but also in maintaining daily live weight […]
17.11.2025 A total of 180 cases of bluetongue have been reported in England during the 2025–2026 vector season, predominantly BTV-3, although BTV-8 (endemic in France) has also been detected. There have been cases where BTV-3 and BTV-8 have been diagnosed […]
Join our Farm Team at Chiltern Farms for our next Dairy Discussion Meeting, where we’ll be focusing on a key health challenge: Cryptosporidium. 🦠 Topic: Preventing Cryptosporidium – Planning Ahead to Protect Your Herd🚶♂️ What to Expect: A guided farm […]
Herbal Leys: Healthier Livestock and Sustainable Grazing Herbal leys are designed to: > Improve soil structure due to the combination of diverse growth habits of species, which enhances soil aeration and microbial activity, key for supporting healthy livestock pasture. > […]
Haemonchus The barber pole worm, haemonchus contortus, is an extremely nasty parasite that does not cause scours. It sits in the abomasum, where it latches onto the wall and feeds on the blood of the sheep. As a result, haemonchus […]
NEMATODIRUS Although we are now considered a low-risk area, geographically, young lambs are still naïve from around 6 weeks of age. It is a very rapid-acting parasite, which can cause severe black scours and death in worst cases or ill […]
We have been so lucky to have such a warm spring, but the weather conditions have inevitably led to a spike in worm egg counts. Coccidiosis Coccidiosis (Cocci) can be a problem in lambs and calves from around 3 weeks […]
As lambing season approaches, we’re excited to offer two tailored FarmSkills courses to help you develop the skills and knowledge you need—whether you’re new to lambing or looking to refine your expertise. 1️⃣ Practical Lambing Course – Ideal for Beginners […]
We are really excited to be able to offer a brand new course for 2025, an experienced lambing course! For those of you with more experience in lambing, we will be running an advanced course aimed at those who have […]
How are your alpaca’s feet looking? Overgrown toenails are very common in alpacas, particularly in white animals, as they grow faster than their black and brown field mates. Soft ground that is ever present in the winter reduces the natural […]
Beef Farmer Meeting – Neospora and Johnes On Thursday, 23rd January, we’ll be holding a free evening workshop for our beef clients to talk all about two important diseases, Neospora and Johnes. These diseases often lie undetected in herds, harming […]
On Saturday 14th December, we were proud to sponsor a tractor for the BRILLIANT Banbury Christmas Tractor Run in aid of Katharine House Hospice. A charity dear to our hearts. We’ve been raising funds all year for them and this was […]
Winter cattle management All cattle are now housed; below are some of the jobs that should have been done or will need to be completed soon. 1. Worm & Fluke Treatment It’s essential to administer a worm and fluke treatment […]
Winter sheep management. Most of the tupping is finished by now, so it is important to try and maintain healthy sheep and lambs throughout the pregnancy. As you are aware, Blue Tongue is in our area, so please take preventive […]
Improve Animal Health and Welfare (IAHW) Grants for sheep and beef farmers Have you had an Animal Health and Welfare Review in the last 10 months for cattle or sheep? If so, you will be eligible for an endemic disease […]
It’s that time of year again—the Christmas open hours are here! Of course, we are here for you 24/7 throughout the Christmas period as ever; please see the practice opening times below. 24/12 Christmas Eve, phones switch to out-of-hours […]
Vitamin D deficiency in Camelids South American camelids are susceptible to vitamin D deficiency. As we come into winter there is very little production of vitamin D in the skin since the UV light is greatly reduced at low altitude […]
LATEST UPDATE: Another case of bluetongue was identified in cattle on the Leicestershire and Warwickshire border. Following this, the restricted zone was extended on 1 November 2024 to include part of Warwickshire. The zone now covers Bedfordshire, Berkshire (part), Buckinghamshire, […]
Beef KPI Project up-date We would like to thank Kate for the excellent talk she gave at our client evening on 26 September, introducing our exciting new Beef KPI Project. We’d also like to say a big thank you to […]
No Foot, No Cow. Housing time is just round the corner, which is a good time to investigate any cattle that might not be moving perfectly. Even mild lameness can have a significant effect on fertility in suckler cows and […]
In the past, farmers had to base their ram choice entirely on what the animal looks like – conformation, length, flesh cover, muscularity etc, with the hope that a good-looking ram will pass these traits to his off-spring. However, we […]
BEEF KPI MEETING – 26th SEPTEMBER Ever wondered how your cows’ pregnancy rates stack up against other local herds? Whether it’s normal to have to pull as many calves as you do? Or what growth rates you can really expect from […]
Due to this year’s weather conditions, we anticipate seeing more lungworm cases than usual, and our Farm Vets have already diagnosed multiple cases of lungworm in cattle. While cases tend to peak around September, they are unpredictable and can occur […]
Our most recent farm newsletter made you aware of the batch failure of the abortion vaccine Cevac® Chlamydia. Our fantastic Pharmacy team has sourced a limited supply of the Hipra vaccine INMEVA®. INMEVA® Due to stock limitations, we are advising […]
Interview with Charlotte Harrison, Senior Farm Vet at HNVG Hi Charlotte! Thanks for chatting with me today. So how long have you been a Vet? So I graduated as a vet from University of Budapest in 2019, and I […]
The TB Advisory Service is a DEFRA-funded project that offers FREE, bespoke, practical, and cost-effective advice to all eligible farmers in England to help reduce the risks associated with TB. If you are a farmer of cattle, deer, goats, camelids, […]
We have now completed a year of helping you take advantage of the current funding for the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway for your farms. Funding is still available that will enable us to assist you with farm animal health […]
As show season approaches, we look forward to seeing the best of British livestock being paraded for all to admire. Agricultural shows are a fantastic opportunity for farmers to demonstrate the top-quality animals they work so hard to produce, meet […]
AHDB funds carbon-measuring project to back British farming Farmers are frequently the subject of public criticism around carbon emissions and environmental “damage”. This is amplified by the fact most farms do not have the means to accurately measure carbon output […]
Practical tips for controlling Johnes & Neosporosis in your dairy herd Join us on the 20th June for practical tips for controlling Johnes & Neosporosis On the 20th of June, we are holding a dedicated dairy farm client meeting, discussing […]
Small Holder Course 2024 Do you keep a small herd of goats or flock sheep? A couple of pigs and alpacas? Have a flock of chickens in your back garden? Or just want to know more about setting up a […]
Join us for our 2024 TB Knowledge Transfer Meeting Join our HNVG TB team looking at all aspects of TB testing along with a presentation from Keith Cutler with research on the bovine lump reactions and the traits this […]
Worming Sheep We are at the beginning of our summer grazing period, so it is important that we keep on top of worming sheep burdens to minimise production and life losses. Here are our top tips for a successful worming […]
We are delighted to announce this year’s Farm Client Meeting Dates for our Sheep & Cattle farmers, there are plenty, so please read through to see which ones best cover what you are after. For all meetings and courses, please […]
Don’t forget our Easter Opening Hours this weekend! Good Friday, 29th March – EMERGENCY SERVICE ONLY Saturday 30th March – Normal Saturday hours Sunday 31st March – EMERGENCY SERVICE ONLY Monday 1st April – EMERGENCY SERVICE ONLY Tuesday 2nd April […]
Schmallenberg Schmallenberg rears its ugly head again. This nasty virus is spread by midges and is usually seen in 4 yearly cycles, like most midge borne diseases. Unfortunately, ewes will have been infected in summer, just as, or before, they […]
Watery Mouth (E. coli) – Bovigen Scour As a practice we have been trialling the use of Bovigen Scour, a cattle vaccine, in pre-lambing ewes to aid in the fight against Watery Mouth (E. coli). Each ewe is given 1ml […]
Measuring Farm Stress – Do you have a spare 10 minutes? We have been contacted by a PHD student from Northumbria University, Newcastle. Her research concentrates on how we can try and build resilience in members of the farming […]
Lambing 2024 It’s the most wonderful time of the year… lambing! As lambing creeps closer (or has already begun for the early flocks) here’s a reminder of things to be done: • Vaccinate! Ewes should be vaccinated with a Clostridial […]
Scour in calves & lambs Milk matters to your young calves and lambs, it is the best source of energy and other essential nutrients. Withdrawing milk feeds has been shown to have NO IMPACT on the resolution of scour in […]
On Thursday 15th February, we will proudly be supporting this years The Big Farming Tea-break in conjunction with LEN’S LIGHT, a legacy for Len Eadon, shining a light on mental health issues in the rural community and raising funds to […]
Practical Lambing Dates: 28th February 2024 29th February 2024 1st March 2024 We are delighted to be running our Practical Lambing courses again this year. You will spend the day with one of our specialist Farm vets who will take […]
North Oxfordshire Cluster Pilot Scheme – New Dates As many of you may be aware, Amy Brant (TB tester) and Charlotte Harrison (Senior Farm Vet) are key members of the North Oxfordshire Cluster Pilot Scheme, sitting as chairs on the […]
Watery Mouth Update Over the last few years we have made great progress in reducing watery mouth incidence on farm. We have done this by working closely alongside our clients to look at alternative methods to prevent disease. Many of […]
Lambing List 2024 Please note: If you would like to take advantage of 5% off for payment on collection this MUST be stated on the form when it is completed. Also, a minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required to […]
Please note that our Christmas and New Years opening hours are as follows: Saturday 23rd December – Open as usual Christmas Eve – Sunday 24th December – Emergencies only Christmas Day – Monday 25th December – Emergencies only Boxing Day […]
FarmSkills dates for your diary: Charlotte has lined up the autumn/winter dates for FarmSkills courses. Contact us if you would like more information or to book one of the dates below. Mastering of Medicines – 06/12/2023, 17/01/2024, 21/02/2024 and 20/03/2024 […]
Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease Virus WHAT IS IT? This viral cause of bleeding and ulceration originated in North America but has been found recently in Southern France and Italy. It is spread by midges, so it is expected to become a […]
Cattle Worming – Waking up to gut worms in cattle Vets have been advocating the use of tests to monitor worm burdens in ruminants for years. Unfortunately, the big pharmaceutical companies have shouted louder, and many farmers are still under […]
Veterinary Health Attestation Many of you will sell finished stock at market or send animals directly to slaughter. These animals will then frequently be exported into the EU. Since leaving the EU, we must now certify that vets are regularly […]
We have had excellent uptake on our TB advisory visits on-farm and are consequently continuing to offer free TB Advisory Visits to all clients with Charlotte, Imogen, Juliet, Chloe & Amy. TB remains a prevalent and difficult issue, so we […]
The Oxfordshire Bovine TB Cluster Project steering group is working hard to lead initiatives and respond to local stakeholders’ concerns relating to bTB. A concern that has been raised is the potential increase in wild deer numbers. Wild deer have […]
Farmers are urged to beware, take action and be vigilant for a new strain of Bluetongue virus Following reports of a new strain of bluetongue virus (BTV-3) emerging and spreading rapidly in the Netherlands, there is increasing concern about the […]
On Sunday, 24th of September, 17 staff members of HNVG took part in the annual Dragon Boat Race hosted by The Shakespeare Hospice in Stratford Upon Avon. 24 teams took part during the day, each rowing 3x 250 meters, to […]
Hi! I’m Chloe, HNVG’s Vet Tech and one of the TB testers. My love for farming began after working on a family friend’s dairy farm, relief milking during holidays. I decided to study Bioveterinary Science at Harper Adams University, during […]
Many farm shoots will be buying in game bird poults this month and placing them in release pens. Here are a few tips to help you. 1. Prepare the pen well. Both pheasant and partridge pens should be vermin-proof with […]
As we head into the latter end of summer, many of you may be considering buying in replacement ewes for your flock. Here are some things you may want to consider before purchasing. Vaccination status. It is highly advisable to […]
Did you know that vaccinating for Enzootic Abortion of Ewes (EAE) can be done when it is most convenient for you? · EWE LAMBS – vaccination can be done from 5 months of age · SHEARLINGS (1 YR OLD +) […]
In a world where you can be anything, be kind. All the staff at Hook Norton Veterinary Group work hard to support our clients and the pets, horses and livestock in our care. Sadly, they are increasingly experiencing rudeness and […]
The final May bank holiday is upon us, and we hope you all enjoy a wonderful weekend with your families, pets/horses and livestock included (if you’re on-farm)! Here is a quick reminder of our hours this weekend: Saturday: 8.00 am […]
It’s time to swot up; the HNVG Charity Quiz Night is right around the corner! Get your friends together and join us as we raise money for the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance! WHEN: Wed 19th April 2023 WHERE: Sibford […]
The Animal Health & Welfare Pathway (AHWP) is a government initiative aimed at supporting the gradual and continual improvement of farm animal health and welfare. Through this pathway, DEFRA seeks to form a partnership with farmers and vets by providing […]
Lungworm (‘Husk’) What is it? Dictyocaulus viviparous is a parasitic roundworm which directly affects the lungs causing tissue damage and inflammation. It has a severe effect on both beef and dairy production, affecting welfare, BCS, impaired growth rates, milk production […]
Join the Oxfordshire TB Cluster Pilot on a Farm Walk to learn practical ways to improve on-farm biosecurity and better protect your herd from bTB. WHEN: Wednesday 22nd February WHERE: from 2 pm WHERE: Whistlow Farm, Middle Barton, Chipping Norton, […]
As you may know, some of our Farm Team are part of the TB Steering group covering the North-West Oxford Cluster Pilot Scheme. Charlotte Harrison (Senior Farm Vet) and Amy Brant (ATT) have been actively involved in the scheme’s steering […]
TB Deddington Cluster Pilot Progress As we’re sure many of you are aware, several pilot schemes are underway, and we are actively involved in the Deddington cluster pilot. The pilot program aims to trial new means of understanding TB in […]
We are raffling off not one, not two, but THREE Pupadoodle Pick n Mix advent calendars! The pawfect Christmas treat box for your dog. The winners will be announced on the 28th of November to give you time to collect […]
Join us as we find a new pathway to happier and healthier lambs without the use of antibiotics. • Discuss the new vaccine available for watery mouth, with testimonies from local farmers • How to get the best out of […]
Some of you may already be aware of other TB pilot schemes, such as the Thame/Chinnor pilot. The APHA has now identified the ‘Deddington Area’ as a new cluster area that may benefit from a similar scheme. The APHA has […]
Following the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II and the announcement of the State Funeral on Monday, 19th September, as a mark of respect, Hook Norton Veterinary Group will be closing all practice sites for routine appointments. Emergency appointments will […]
This time of the year is a good time to test the trace element status in sheep and cattle. We have diagnosed trace element deficiencies on several farms over recent months with a range of farmer concerns from general ill […]
Body condition scoring of adult sheep is a simple, effective and cheap management tool for all flock owners to use to evaluate the body reserves of adult sheep. It allows the adjustment of ewe nutrition to try to maximise productivity […]
Opening hours for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Our vets are on-call if you need us, 24-hours a day and only a phone call away. > Wednesday 1st June All departments, normal opening hours > Thursday 2nd June All departments, EMERGENCY […]
As of the 1st of May, we removed the requirement to wear masks at all HNVG sites. However, if you still wish to wear a mask, you are welcome to do so, and if you feel it necessary (in a […]
We are delighted to announce Tom Righton as the newest member of the Hook Norton Veterinary Group Partnership. Tom joined the Practice in 2014 and has developed key interests in lameness and equine sarcoids, including laser surgery. Tom is also […]
We have continued to welcome a large number of new Small Animal clients into the HNVG family, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have you – welcome! We take great pride in the gold-standard level of veterinary care we […]
Before Christmas, Aston and James, one of our brilliant suppliers, teamed up with Oxford Homeless Movement to reach the target of collecting #100coats to help the homeless of our community keep warm through the harshest season of the year. Whilst […]
Due to the recent news that the oral watery mouth antibiotic will have very limited availability this lambing season, we’ve highlighted other ways to mitigate the disease; so far, we have covered hygiene. So now, let’s look at vaccination. Watery […]
There is an increased risk of transmitting the bacteria that cause footrot and scald whenever we gather sheep. Reducing lameness prevalence on farms to 2% can save you on average £10 per ewe put to the ram due to increased […]
As of 4 am, 30th November, it is a legal requirement for the public to wear a face mask/covering unless you can provide proof of exemption. Farm & Equine For farm and equine clients, whilst you are not permitted back […]
Hosted by HNVG, with support from Boehringer Ingelheim, we will discuss all the factors surrounding pneumonia in calves: > sourcing > buildings > nutrition > bedding > stocking > vaccination & treatments The meeting will partly be a presentation, but […]
Unfortunately, the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) has removed the access PCHS had, which enabled them to produce barcoded labels and paperwork. So to grant PCHS access and make them an agent, you have to log onto BCMS and follow […]
Today, we have been made aware of a scam that targets the owners of missing cats that have been posted as missing online. Someone pretending to be from the PDSA has contacted the worried owner/s asking them to pay a […]
Do you want to know how The Five Point Plan can reduce lameness in your flock? Read on. Vaccinate animals to stimulate immunity. Vaccination forms part of a whole-flock approach to disease control, as raising flock immunity helps increase the […]
Over the past year, we’ve welcomed a large number of new Small Animal clients into the HNVG family, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have you. We take great pride in the gold-standard level of veterinary care we give […]
MKJ Group, which are completing works in Charlbury to bring the Gigaclear Ultrafast Broadband to the area, will be closing part of the Enstone road in Charlbury, delaying access to the branch from the 10th of April, for 8 days. […]
Hook Norton Veterinary Group has been crowned Best in Oxfordshire in the Best UK Vet 2021 Awards, after achieving the most top-rated client reviews over the past 12 months in this category. They have also been voted in the Top […]
