46 | Pro tability key to good environmental Piopio farmer John Reeves says sensible grazing management is a big part of mitigating sediment runoff and reducing ecoli and nitrogen in our waterways.” RURAL PEOPLE » John Reeves John Bernau, director of King Country Vets Ltd, says the two practices, at Te Kuiti and Pio Pio, service a diverse community with a wide range of veterinarian needs. "We extend fromWaitomo and Te Kuiti, through to Benneydale, Ohura and along the west coast up to Kawhia." While the Te Kuiti branch takes care mainly of the needs of small animals, the team at both clinics are experienced and have the resources to take care of all productive farm animals, including the equine sector. John, Anna, Michael and Hannah took over in April 2020, right in the throes of the initial management of COVID, so a great deal of thought went into enabling the practices, public and sta to operate safely. “As much as possible we managed to ensure the safety of our sta which was really important. For the most part, our vets could work from home and make necessary farm visits as an essential service.” Six full-time vets, along with clinical and administrative support sta bring the number of sta engaged at King Country Vets to 18 full-time equivalents. Orthopaedic and pig dog emergency surgery are particular specialties but John says the two Essential service, through and through centres are well set up to cater for most emergencies. “If it’s major then we can send the animal to Hamilton where there are full-scale emergency facilities.” “We have 50+ dairy farms in our district, alongside 250 dry stock farms, so sta spend a lot of time on farm at all hours of the day. We have a 24/7 roster so sta are always available. We know how important it is to ensure our farmers get animal care quickly.” Veterinary students also visit and work at the practice as a valuable part of their training. John says they become important members of the team and have the chance to engage in real-life veterinary work, where no two days are the same. “These periods of hands-on experience really add value for trainee veterinarians and provide us with important additional sta to lend a hand.” Asked what makes King Country Vets tick, John immediately says it’s the team culture. “It’s vital that people pull together because emergencies and stressful situations can crop up very quickly. All our sta carry the same attitude, that by supporting each other, everything works really well, bene iting our valued clients and their animals.” Proud to support John & Kirsty Reeves
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