AFBI Cattle Health Scheme - testing and sampling guidelines

Guidelines for testing and sampling

Herd sampling requirements:

follow the links below to view a summary of the sampling requirements

• Monitoring (dairy only)
• Screening and Eradication
• Accredited free
• Vaccinated monitored free (BVDV-only)
• BVDV testing using PCR

Full details are given in the Technical document.
CHeCS Technical Document

Biosecurity

• Biosecurity is an important part of all except the monitoring program, to prevent accidental introduction of infection into herds.
• General guidelines are given in the Biosecurity Code for Northern Ireland Farms (DARD 2004).
• The CHeCS technical document gives full details of the rules of the scheme, including the biosecurity requirements
• Accredited status is specific to each disease
• The main requirements relate to:

1. Double fencing (3m) at boundaries for BVD and IBR
2. Isolation facility required for quarantine procedures for:
3. The addition of bought cattle (from herds of lower status)
4. The reintroduction of cattle that have had contact with non-accredited cattle requires a dedicated building or separate paddock.
5. Test on farm of origin and 28 days post-arrival, or:
6. Test on arrival and 28 days later (4 months for Johne’s result)

• Testing of sick cattle that may have a disease that is the target of a scheme
• For Johne’s/Leptospirosis, preferable to use mains water or have no cattle/sheep grazing upstream
• Sheep and cattle ideally should not graze together (2 month interval for Leptospirosis before cattle follow sheep)
• Farm equipment, transport, handling facilities etc disinfected before use if shared with non-health scheme cattle/herds
• Surgical equipment sterilized between herds
• No sharing of needles between herds
• Delivery and pickup points isolated from other cattle
• Good hygiene/disinfection of visitors
• Caution when buying feed and bedding to avoid introduction of infection
• Feed and bedding protected from vermin
• Colostrum from lower status herds not used