So far we have discussed various health issues. Farm assurance schemes are requiring health plans as part of the auditing procedure. Many farmers are fearful of the task and then do not have a plan detailed enough to pass the audit. We offered to help prepare a health plan for a customer supplying Joseph Heler and audited by Freedom Foods. This involved liasing with the vet and the farmer. As you know this is an RSPCA scheme and the RSPCA check a certain number of farms to check the standard. The RSPCA auditor commented that the health plan that we had done (and the nutrition plan as well) was the best they had seen in all their countrywide audits. An example of the Mastitis health plan is shown below.
It is important that you liase with your vet in the production of these health plans especially where prescription drugs are involved.
Below is an example of one of Tony's plans. Please contact Tony or the office if you would like further information.
Condition: Mastitis
| Preventative Measures | Treatments | Outcomes/Records/ Targets |
|
Pre Milking Cow housing kept clean with regular scraping, bedding and sterilisation. Cow cleanliness monitored. Milking Routine Udder preparation, foremilking and teat dipping. Discarding of non conforming milk. Cows ID and problem cows milked last or units disinfected. Routine liner change and annual equipment check. DCT as per vet advice |
Routine sampling of clinical cases. Treatment strategy agreed with vet e.g. 3 tubes product A intermammary @ 24 hour intervals. Milk withdrawal 60 hours or 9 milkings. Treatment for severe cases established. Cow ID, treatment protocol displayed for all milkers DCT according to cell count. Milk withdrawal noted on records |
Cell counts, clinical cases and incidence rates kept via NMR and health records including medicine book Interference targets:- Monthly cell counts >180000 Individual cell counts>800000 >30 clinical cases per year Culling rate >10 % Culling policy >3 cases per lactation or cell count >1 mil for 3 months |