Farm assurance and herd health

Question 1

What is the difference between herd health planning and farm assurance?

Answer 1

Herd health planning is an active involvement

Farm assurance - herd health plan, this is a passive statement

Question 2

what is the primary objective of a health and production management plan?

Answer 2

maintenance of animal and production at the most efficient level that provides economic returns for the animal owner

Question 3

What is the impact on welfare of a herd health plan?

Answer 3

Increased. Increased welfare –> increased production, fertility etc.

Question 4

Who is responsible for implementing DEFRA’s health and welfare strategy?

Answer 4

Local vets

Question 5

What do you need for an effective herd health program?

Answer 5

Forward thinking/progressive farmer
Enthusiastic and competent vet
Good data information systems - record keeping
Reports/meetings with the producer - where we are at and where we want to be - teamwork!

Question 6

How do we reduce the need for firebrigade work?

Answer 6

Preventative medicine
Advisory work
Disease monitoring

Question 7

What data is available from MNR?

Answer 7

Bulk SCC
Milk quality data
Individual cow SCC
Individual cow milk yield, fat protein

Recorded once a month in standardised way, can compare your farm to others

Question 8

Why might the data you get from the milk buyer be different to the data from NMD?

Answer 8

Different lab, milk buyer does test on fresh milk

Question 9

What is the target rate for mastitis?

Answer 9

Less than 30 cases per 100 cows per year

Question 10

What is the current UK average prevalence of mastitis?

Answer 10

40%

Question 11

What is the aimed for incidence of lameness in UK dairy farms?

Question 12

What is the current UK average prevalence of lameness in dairy cows?

Answer 12

35%

Question 13

Why are lame cows a bad thing?

Answer 13

Welfare and economic - produce less milk

Question 14

What is the assured food standards? (red tractor)

Answer 14

Umbrella that covers most of the farm assurance schemes e.g. assured dairy farms, assured British meat etc

Question 15

What assurance schemes are above the red tractor scheme?

Answer 15

RSPCA Freedom Foods - higher welfare

Organic e.g. soil association

Question 16

What do farm assurance schemes assure?

Answer 16

Quality of the product
Safety of the product
Husbandry on farm
Welfare 
Environmental issues?

Question 17

What is the general feeding space required per cow?

Answer 17

60cm

Question 18

When should farmers do BCS?

Answer 18

0 and 60 days after calving

100 days before and at drying off

Question 19

How often should records of health and welfare be monitored and by who?

Answer 19

Annually, by the vet

NB not the same as herd health planning which you look at every few weeks to drive improvement

Question 20

A livestock health plan should be…

Answer 20

Farm specific
Accessible to all staff
Updated when changes occur

Question 21

What things should farmers keep records of in terms of health and performance?

Answer 21

Lameness,
Mastitis,
Mortality records (including reason for)
Culling records and reasons for cull
Medicine records 
Abattoir feedback

Question 22

What measures should farms be taking to improve/maintain biosecurity?

Answer 22

Biosecurity policy
Dog worming policy
Disinfectant
Livestock movements

Question 23

What are the three parts of the herd health plan and review?

Answer 23

a) herd health plan
b) monitor the issues that occur on the farm
c) annual herd health and performance review

Question 24

Read through hand out…

Answer 24

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