Farm Assurance Flashcards
Describe three ways in which customer confidence was restored post BSE outbreak
Eradication of BSE
Compliance with regulation
Increased enforcement and audit
Describe three ways in which the BSE outbreak affected farming
Collapse of export markets
Reduced value and prices for meat which has only just returned
Reduced beef production within UK
More imports of beef
Describe the transmission of BSE
Caused by consumption of BSE infected brain material
No horizontal transmission in herds
High cross species transmission etc
How do cattle become infected with BSE? (describe infection process)
Cattle infected by oral ingestion of contaminated feed
Enters lymphoid tissue
Affects brain
Clinical disease develops ~5 years after exposure
Lymphoid tissues, brain spinal cord high risk tissues
How is BSE controlled in cows and humans
Cows
Prevent consumption of BSE infected material in food
People
Prevent consumption of BSE infected cattle and/or high risk tissues
Why was the ruminant feed not fully effective against BSE?
Unaware of how small infective dose
Cross contamination in feed mills
Farmers fed food destined for other species
No recall of food so food fed after date on farms.
Describe the BSE surveillance protocols in the UK as of 2013
Testing of carcasses introduced as the main method to protect consumers
Since March 2013 healthy animals no longer tested
Testing restricted to “fallen” stock over 48 months
What factors increase risk of campylobacter spread in chickens
Process of overstocking and subsequent thinning out
Describe the National Dairy Farm assured Scheme
- Set up post BSE
- Farms assessed and given non compliances
- 90 days to rectify
- Health plan is part of the process
Describe the focus of new management models in farms
Based on risk rather than a history of activities
Farmer and vet interactions allowing the reduction of risk and improve health.
Describe and give examples of bespoke health schemes
Certain major retailer or first purchaser have sought to strengthen the health planning process to provide stronger assurances to their consumers
Higher milk prices are paid to certain groups dependent on them following certain procedures eg mobility scoring, etc
Majority of emphasis currently is welfare assurance as these are most topical concerns for consumers
e.g. Sainsburys EBVC
and Tesco requiring Red Tractor standards, mobility score and milk record
Now extended to targets for Johne’s results, antibiotic controls, Health Outcomes and Health Index
Priorities are driven by consumer concerns
What are the aims of tesco standards?
‘To satisfy consumers expectations with regard to high standards of animal welfare, food safety, food quality, environmental concerns and value for money.’
Give three qualities of good bespoke farm standards
Simple to understand and measure
Expressed, where possible, as a positive measure to help communication to farmer, Tesco and consumer.
Relevant in terms of following themes
consumer expectations, (brand protection)
Milk quality (product quality, brand protection)
Health and welfare ( farm business performance)
Describe the Tesco health indec
- Farm scored in 5 categories (consumer welfare, cow health, calf health, milk quality) to creat a positive health score
- Antibiotic treatments will trigger a negative score
Describe LISA
Longitudinal Integrated Food Assurance
- Risk reduction through proactive management of risk at all points of the food chain
- Traceability thruought the whole system required
- Responsibility assigned to all areas of the food chain to minimise risks to the consumer
