Animals suffer in wet

Continual soggy conditions on livestock farms in some regions are affecting animal health, veterinarians say.

Vets in the Manawatu say sodden conditions underfoot and tightening supplies of feed are causing problems.

Ginny Dodunski, a veterinarian specialising in production animals, said foot problems and lameness were becoming increasingly evident in sheep and cattle and more cows were calving unobserved this season, meaning problems sometimes were not being recognised in time.

"We are seeing a lot of ewes with infections around their hooves from being in mud continuously," she said.

"And we are having to pull out quite a few dead calves because we didn't get to the cow in time."