HERD HEALTH - Herd Health Flashcards
What is herd health?
Herd health is the maintenance of animal health and production at the most efficient level which provides competetive economic returns to the animal’s owner, promoting profitability and sustainability
What are the main causes of herd health problems on a farm?
The main causes of herd health problems on a farm are imperfect husbandry and management systems
What is the systematic approach to investigating and managing herd health problems on a farm?
Understand the farm
Investigate the problem
Relate your findings to the farmer
Facilitate decision making
Establish monitoring
What should you do to ‘understand the farm’ when investigating herd health?
- Take a ‘farm history’, establishing the plan for the farm and staffing of the farm, make sure to ask open questions
- Walk around and observe the buildings, animals and the land
- Walk around and observe the husbandry and management
What are the three broad categories of animal husbandry?
Breed of animal
Environment the animals are kept in
Nutrition
How should you ‘investigate the problem’ when investigating herd health?
- Define the problem
- Identify groups for comparison
- Identify and evaluate potential risk factors
- Develop your plan for treatment, prevention and follow up to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention(s), whilst promoting realistic expectations for the results of these interventions
What should you do to ‘define the problem’ when investigating heard health?
Establish a clear, specific case definition and measure the extent of the problem and compare with published key performance indicators (KPIs) and farmer expectations to set a target
What should you do to ‘identify groups for comparison’ when investigating herd health?
To identify groups for comparison when investigating a herd health problem, gather relevant data and information on affected and non-affected groups of animals within the herd
How should you ‘identify and evaluate potential risk factors’ when investigating herd health?
Identify risk factors which could be contributing to the problem within the herd and supplement your evaluation by collecting additional data which supports your hypotheses. This could be done through clinical examination, sample collection and/or post-mortems
What is the most essential part of sampling when investigating herd and flock health?
It is really important to get a representative sample, which is a subset of a population that seeks to accurately reflect the characteristics of the larger group
What is a farm assurance scheme?
A farm assurance scheme is a certification system that ensures farms adhere to the minimal standards to assure consumers that the products are produced to a certain standard. All farms must be inspected and re-certified annually by an independent inspector
e.g. the Red Tractor Scheme
Be aware that a farm assurance scheme is NOT the same as a herd health plan
What is a herd health plan?
A herd health plan is a specific, tailored plan which outlines the strategies for managing and optimising herd health. The plan focuses on preventing and controlling clinical and subclinical disease, ensuring good management, optimising food production and safety, promoting efficient and sustainable production and farmer collaboration to optimise the economic success of the farm
Plan, Do, Review system
What are the components of a successful herd health plan?
Active involvement from both vet and farmer
Tailored to the farm, farmer and herd
Contains accurate and current data
Key information should be frequently appraised
Clients should be charged appropriately
What is the Plan, Do, Review process for establishing herd health plans?
- Assess the current heard health, identify the problems and set a case definition
- Compare with published, benchmark key performance indicators (KPIs) to set a target
- Identify shortfalls and risk factors contributing to the problem and select the factor which will provide ‘the most bang for the farmers buck’
- Develop and implement interventions
- Regularly review the effectiveness of these interventions and adjust as necessary
Define the SMART approach to writing report for a herd health plan
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely
What are the eight key management components of herd fertility?
Calving pattern
Heifer management
Body condition score and nutrition
Oestrus detection
Dealing with non-cycling cows
Genetics
Bull management
Cow health
What is the main thing you should understand before investigating flock health?
You need to understand the flock objectives for that specific farm
Which records should be kept at lambing?
Number of lambs born alive/dead
Number of ewes lambed
Number of twins, singles etc.
Number of lambs dying within the first week
Prolapses
Abortions
Caesarians
What are the roles of the vets in regards to flock health on grass?
Preventative anthelmintics
Record growth rates
Investigate animal losses
What are the roles of the vets in regards to flock health during pre-breeding?
Body condition score (BCS) ewes
Assess tup health
Assess biosecurity for buying tups and replacement ewes
What are the roles of the vets in regards to ultrasound scanning flocks?
Divide flock based on number of foetuses being carried for feeding
Investigate causes of low pregnancy rate at scanning
Keep scanning records
