Member consultation
The NZVA Te Pae Kīrehe is your voice. It's important that NZVA members provide feedback on our positioning to ensure our position statements align with your views.
We encourage you to engage with each consultation and provide feedback.
The Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians Branch of the NZVA is seeking feedback on current pain relief prescribing practices for lambs, particularly for castration and tail docking.
Pain relief for these procedures is an area of increasing focus from industry bodies, processors, animal welfare groups, and the public. At the same time, veterinarians have professional obligations to consider the safety, efficacy, and compliance aspects of any medication before prescribing it. In some cases, this professional judgement may lead to a decision that a product is unsuitable for a particular situation.
There is also active discussion at both national and international levels about standards and expectations for pain relief use in sheep, including the role of veterinarians in assessing suitability rather than simply availability. To ensure that any NZVA position or guidance reflects the reality of on-farm practice, it is essential to have current, representative data from veterinarians working with sheep.
This survey aims to:
- understand current prescribing patterns for pain relief in lambs undergoing castration and tail docking
- identify the products most commonly used, preferred methods, and timing of administration
- capture experiences with training, client communication, and adverse events
- gauge members’ views on the suitability and safety of currently available products
- identify research gaps and priorities for the future.
Survey responses will be collated and analysed by the NZVA Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians Committee. Findings will inform the NZVA’s policy discussions, position statements, and advocacy with industry and regulators. Individual responses will remain confidential, and results will only be reported in aggregated form.
Estimated time to complete: 10–12 minutes
Thank you for taking the time to contribute your expertise—your input is essential to ensuring NZVA positions are evidence-based, practical, and supportive of veterinarians in the field.
The Petitions Committee has invited the NZVA to make a submission on three petitions relating to the public sale and use of fireworks. These petitions raise issues around animal welfare, public safety, environmental impacts, and cultural or community enjoyment.
To ensure our submission reflects the full range of views held by our members, we are inviting you to share your perspective on fireworks regulation and on our current position statement. Your responses will directly inform the NZVA submission.
The survey should take around 5–10 minutes to complete. Responses are confidential and will only be used to guide NZVA’s submission.
Please complete the survey by 10am on Monday 29 September 2025.
