When it comes to animal health and fertility Stabler and Howlett are well placed to ensure the success of your beef enterprise.
We have been working with local cattlemen and women for more than 40 years.
This means we understand the industry and how we can be partners in the viability and success of your beef enterprise, from small herd to stud production all the way to broad acre grazing.
We provide a variety of services to beef producers from Marlborough in the south, north to Collinsville and west to Clermont.
Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BBSE)
BBSE or "semen testing" of bulls is an essential management tool for all beef herds.
All bulls should be assessed annually.
Drs Bruce Howlett
and Megan Schofield are proud to be accredited with the Australian Cattle Vets BULLCHECK (VBBSE) Programme.
The BULLCHECK evaluation uses prescribed assessments and summarises the result into fertility components. If a bull meets all the minimum standards of the examination, he has a high probability of being fertile.
The evaluation includes:
- A general physical examination including conformation and the upper reproductive tract
- An examination of the testicles and measurement of scrotal size
- Collection and assessment of a semen sample (iSperm analysis & microscope)
- Laboratory assessment of sperm morphology
Bulls are a vital and expensive component of beef production. The BULLCHECK examination helps producers to select fertile bulls and protects against reproductive failure.
For more information on our Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BBSE) service, please contact your nearest Stabler & Howlett Veterinary Surgeons clinic today.
Custom Semen Collections
- Cleaning the bull’s prepuce
- Collecting semen via electro-ejaculation
- Microscopic examination of the ejaculate
- Dilution of the semen with egg/milk extender
- Packaging and dispatch to the processing centre
Upon receipt at the processing centre, the semen is assessed in detail. Semen of viable quality is then frozen into straws for storage and use in artificial insemination.
Increasingly our clients are using custom collection as a form of insurance against bull failure/death and for capturing genetics for use in the long term.
For more information on our cattle custom semen collections, please contact your nearest Stabler & Howlett Veterinary Surgeons clinic today.
Pregnancy Diagnosis
Accurate pregnancy diagnosis is a vital management tool for breeding herds.
Stabler and Howlett’s vets provide fast, accurate, and economical pregnancy diagnosis for herds of all sizes.
We offer both manual and ultrasound testing.
Ultrasound is quicker where a high percentage of pregnant cows is present, especially in Wagyu and bos Taurus breeds. Where early pregnancy detection is desirable, the ultrasound will comfortably detect pregnancies down to 30 days. This is particularly useful post embryo transfer or A.I.
For more information on our pregnancy diagnosis services, please contact your nearest Stabler & Howlett Veterinary Surgeons clinic today.
Vaccinations
Prevent life threatening diseases in your herd by vaccination.
Vaccination against infectious diseases of cattle is key to running a profitable beef enterprise. Vaccination also provides animal welfare and human health benefits.
We recommend vaccination against Pestivirus, Clostridial diseases including Botulism, Leptospirosis and Campylobacteriosis (Vibrio).
Please contact us for specific advice for your district.
Visit the Zoetis website for detailed advice on cattle diseases and vaccine programmes.
For more information on our cattle vaccination services, please contact your nearest Stabler & Howlett Veterinary Surgeons clinic today.