Monday Masterclasses

 

Investigating Reproductive Problems to Improve Business Performance

Kindly sponsored by Zoetis

Date: Monday 23 March 2026 

Time: 8.30am - 4.30pm

Location: Meeting Room 7, Royal International Convention Centre

Facilitators:

  • Led by Dr Lee Taylor | Zoetis Australia




Overview:

Are you confident connecting herd fertility to business performance?

Do you sometimes struggle to pinpoint why herd fertility is underperforming?

Would you like to deliver greater value to clients by linking data-driven reproductive insights to real business outcomes?

Join us for a practical, case-based workshop that will help you build confidence and competence in diagnosing and addressing suboptimal reproductive performance in beef and dairy herds.
Discover a Systematic Approach
Learn how to apply the Guidelines for the Investigation of Reproductive Problems in Beef and Dairy Herds — developed by a panel including Michael McGowan, John House and Mark Hazelton — to real-world cases.

What You’ll Gain:
  • A clear, step-by-step framework to define, diagnose, and investigate herd fertility problems
  • Strategies to interpret pregnancy testing and performance data with confidence
  • Tools to communicate reproductive findings in a business-focused, value-adding way
  • Insights into sample collection, diagnostic testing, and integrating lab results into herd management decisions
  • Note: this workshop builds on but is similar to the workshop held in 2025, please email us if you want to understand if it is worthwhile attending again.
     
Includes: Catering
Number of delegates: 30 delegates (small groups of 6 per table for enhanced learning)
VetEd points: 8

Sponsored by

 

Foundations of Cattle Reproduction for the Early-Career Vet




Date: Monday 23 March 2026
 
Time: 8:30am - 5:00pm

Location: Meeting Room 6, Royal International Convention Centre

Facilitators:

  • Dr Becky Dickinson | Veterinary Support Services 
  • Dr Chelsea Hair | Herd Solutions
  • Dr Gemma Chuck

Overview:

Perfecting common obstetric and reproduction skills and managing complex reproductive investigations can feel overwhelming to a graduate vet. This not-to-be-missed workshop will provide practical insights into managing common obstetric and reproductive cases, taking a tour through management of bull reproductive diseases, approaching challenging caesareans and identifying and managing fetal malformations.

Participants will learn how to successfully launch and hone their manual and ultrasound pregnancy testing including the ‘how to’s’, ‘how not to’s’ of these hard-to-master essential bovine skills.

To wrap up the day, we’ll problem solve some complex whole-farm reproductive challenges in small groups in a ‘speed-solve and discuss’ format to help develop frameworks to approach complex cases.

This workshop is led by Dr Becky Dickinson BVetMed (Hons), MVSc

Becky emigrated to Australia after graduating from the Royal Veterinary College, London, in 2006. She has since worked across regional Australia, specialising in dairy cattle practice. After completing a Dairy Residency in 2013, Becky developed a strong passion for veterinary education and graduate support. Recognising the challenges faced by early-career ambulatory rural veterinarians, she founded Veterinary Support Services in 2022. Through VSS, Becky has secured several grants to deliver programs which strategically support rural mixed practice veterinarians. The Victorian Livestock Veterinary Scholarship and FarmVet Connect programs ensure a postgraduate veterinary pathway that strengthens skills, builds confidence, provides mentorship and networks and promotes long-term retention of rural vets.


Includes: Catering
Number of delegates: 20 delegates  
VetEd points: 8