North Canterbury News: August 03, 2023

RURAL LIFE
28 The North Canterbury News, August 3, 2023
Scanner reaches milestone
By ROBYN BRISTOW
Daniel Wheeler Livestock
has reached an impressive
milestone.
The Amberley­based
contractor pregnancy scans
ewes in the North Canterbury
area and beyond, and last
week scanned his seven
millionth ewe.
While it is ajob that has
taken him from New Zealand
to Mexico, England, Wales
and Scotland, the milestone
came at Ikamatu, on the
South Island’s West Coast.
He was scanning at
Waipuna Farm, farmed by
brothers Ken and Mark
Ferguson.
Waipuna is one of the
oldest farms on the coast,
having been in the care of the
Ferguson family since the
1860s.
Daniel began scanning in
1992, deciding to try his hand
at using the pregnancy testing
tool, after assisting with a
scanning run while on his OE.
He had not come across
scanning in New Zealand,
even while studying at
Massey University, and
decided to give it ago.
He became one of three in
New Zealand at the time to
start scanning as a
profession.
Daniel says little has
changed technologically in
the passing decades, but
scanning has become much
more efficient as the years
have passed, and much
quicker.
He recalls long days in the
early years, scanning 80 to
100 sheep an hour.
‘‘Today really experienced
scanners can put through up
to 700 an hour, with tallies up
to 5000 per day on the odd
occasion.’’
Daniel says when averaged
out, scanners are putting
through 450 to 500 ewes an
hour —scanning between
2500 to 3000 on an average
day.
He says the biggest
improvements over the years
has been in handling
equipment and on farm
conditions.
However, the scanning
probe he uses has remained
the same.
Farmers now also know the
ropes and sheep are being
presented well, making
scanning faster, and yards
are now often concreted and
have ahigh pressure hose in
the area where sheep were
presented for scanning. This
avoided mud splashing about
making the job easier and
more efficient.
This years scanning is
‘‘generally up dramatically’’
because of having good feed
available, he says.
But for afew percentages
are down abit, possibly due
to worms causing abit of an
issue, Daniel says.
Milestone ... Daniel Wheeler
with the seven millionth sheep
he has scanned.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Easing vets
workload
Increasing the use of veterinary
nurses and techniciansisbeing
encouraged by the VeterinaryCouncil
of New Zealand (VCNZ) to help ease
pressure as the vet shortage in New
Zealand continues.
VCNZ chief executive and registrar
Iain McLachlan says,spreading the
workloadamongvariousmembers of
veterinary teams,within their scope of
practice,isessential in responding to
the shortage.
He says this may mean when an
appointment is made for aminor
routine procedure, animalsmay be
seen by someone other thantheir
usualvet.
Allied Veterinary Professionals
(AVPs), which includeveterinary
nurses, technicians, and technologists,
are trained professionals working in
clinics alongside veterinarians.
‘‘In any case where an animal
requires specialised care and
treatment, veterinarians will still be
the first port of call.
‘‘Very much likehuman health,
whereyou mightsee aGPpractice
nurse, seeingaveterinary nurse or
techniciancan safelyhappen at
veterinary clinics,’’ Iain says.
AVPs have their own set of
standards, ethicsand guidelines, so
are trusted specialists in their fields.
VCNZ wants to empower veterinary
professionals to use theirskills to the
full extent.
Allied Veterinary Professional
Regulatory Council of New
Zealand(AVPRC)ChairJennifer
Hamlin says,Veterinary nursesand
AVPs learn anumber of leadership
skills in theirformal qualifications.
Big picture solutions to
match big
Innovation isatthe root of everything we do. Talk to your local Zimmatic ZIMMATIC dealer today
www.zimmaticanz.com Built for today to
Talk to your local Zimmatic irrigation dealer today to find
keep pace with tomorrow.
out how they can help make every drop count.
Zimmatic ® is aregistered trademark ofthe Lindsay Corporation. ©2021 Lindsay. All Rights Reserved
www.lindsay.com/irrigateanz