173 BVD fact sheet by BVD Free England (Industry Innovation)

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173 Industry Innovation – BVD fact sheet by BVD Free England

Biosecurity \External biosecurity; Animals Biosecurity
Species targeted: Dairy; Beef;
Age: Different for different species;
Summary:
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea or BVD is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle. It is one of the biggest disease issues facing the UK cattle industry. This fact sheet outlines the costs of BVD in your herd, how the virus spreads, the problems with persistently infected (PI) animals, what you should do with PIs and step you can take to control and eradicate the disease. England has an industry led voluntary scheme to eradicate BVD called BVDFree.

Where to find the original material: https://bvdfree.org.uk/assets/pdf/bvdfree-factsheet;
Country: UK

172 The characteristics of high performing farms in the UK by AHDB (Farm Innovation)

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172 Farm Innovation – THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH PERFORMING FARMS IN THE UK by AHDB

Precision Livestock Farming & Early detection \
Species targeted: Pigs; Poultry; Dairy; Beef; Sheep; Other;
Age: Not stated;
Summary:
What are the top-performing farmers doing differently to the others? Why can two neighbouring equally sized farms on similar soils with the same fundamental farm systems make radically different amounts of money? This paper set out to find answers using three methods. First, a literature review explored published work from around the UK and beyond. Next, a novel analysis was undertaken interrogating the outputs of the Farm Business Survey matching pairs of similar farms from different performance quartiles (measured as farm income divided by costs associated with it; a return on turnover). Thirdly, six case stories were examined. They demonstrate five outstanding farms operating at a very high level and one farm working hard but not achieving good results.

Where to find the original material: https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/the-characteristics-of-high-performing-farms-in-the-uk;
Country: UK

171 Profitable Lifetime Index – £PLI An economic breeding index for UK all-year-round calving herds by AHDB Dairy (Industry Innovation)

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171 Industry Innovation – Profitable Lifetime Index – £PLI An economic breeding index for UK all-year-round calving herds by AHDB Dairy

Breeding for disease resistance or robustness \
Species targeted: Dairy;
Age: Different for different species;
Summary:
The national Profitable Lifetime Index (£PLI) is published by AHDB Dairy as part of its genetic evaluation service. The £PLI is a within-breed genetic ranking index developed for UK dairying conditions in consultation with industry partners and is expressed as a financial value. The £PLI is recommended for use by all-year-round calving UK farming operations . £PLI should be used as the initial screening tool in bull selection; then look within this group for the traits that most need improving in your herd. The £PLI value represents the additional profit a high £PLI bull is expected to return from each of its milking daughters over her lifetime compared with an average bull of £0 PLI. High £PLI will result in cows with improved udder conformation and feet, better calving performance and reduced costs because of improved milk quality and fertility.

Where to find the original material: https://projectblue.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/Dairy/Publications/Profitable%20Lifetime%20Factsheet_190121_WEB;
Country: UK

158 Dairy heifers – Lifetime value of respiratory health by Zoetis (Tools & Checklists)

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158 ToolsChecklists – DAIRY HEIFERS – LIFETIME VALUE OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH by Zoetis

SIG: Housing and Welfare \ Weaning age
Species targeted: Dairy; Beef;
Summary:
A UK study showed that on average, 14.5% of live born dairy heifers fail to reach their first lactation, with pneumonia the biggest known cause of mortality in calves aged 1 to 6 months. Another UK study examining calf lungs at slaughter showed that beef calves with healthy lungs gained 72g/day more than those with moderate lung damage, and 202g/day more than those with severe damage. The foundation of every calf’s lifetime performance begins at birth. The first two months are of particular importance – a direct link has been made between heifer growth rates during the first few months of life and age at first calving, first and second, lactation milk yield and longevity in the dairy herd. If a young reared calf does not grow effectively in the first months, it can be too late to simply ‘catch up later’. Therefore, careful, proactive management of the reared calf is critical to maximise future productivity.

Where to find the original material:

https://www.zoetis.co.uk/_locale-assets/pdf/rispoval-dairy-calves-leaflet-clean.pdf;
Country: United Kingdom;

156 Reducing antibiotic use in lameness cases using the Healthy Feet Programme by AHDB Dairy (Tools & Checklists)

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156 ToolsChecklists – Reducing antibiotic use in lameness cases using the Healthy Feet Programme by AHDB Dairy

SIG: AMU reduction strategies \ Monitoring and surveillance
Species targeted: Dairy;
Summary:
The aim of the UK Healthy Feet Programme and this checklist is to help you make the necessary changes to reduce lameness and improve your business performance. Rather than using antibiotics, it is better to treat certain forms of lameness, such as sole ulcers and white line disease with a foot trim, block and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. For infectious lesions, such as digital dermatitis, antibiotics may be entirely appropriate. Ensure all medicines used are licensed products and you have a discussion with your vet about treatments. Antibiotics for footbaths are not licensed and are inappropriate.

Where to find the original material:

https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/reducing-antibiotic-use-in-lameness-factsheet;

Country: United Kingdom;

155 Introduction to Johne s Disease by National Milk Recording UK (Tools & Checklists)

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155 ToolsChecklists – Introduction to Johne s Disease by National Milk Recording UK

SIG: Pathogen management \ Eradication
Species targeted: Dairy;
Summary:
Johne’s disease is a chronic intestinal disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). There is no treatment or cure for Johne’s disease and infected animals will scour, waste away and eventually die if not culled. The progression of the disease is usually very slow with most animals becoming infected as young calves (often in the first 24 hours of life) but not becoming clinically ill until they are adults. It is a disease that causes considerable economic losses through decreased productivity and increased wastage of adult cattle, as well as the cost of monitoring, diagnosis and control. There is a strong association between Johne’s disease and production problems – with Johne’s cows being much more likely to have poor yields, mastitis, lameness or high somatic cell counts, all of which lead to premature culling. This tool provides a guide to starting to understand and control the disease on dairy farms.

Where to find the original material: https://www.nmr.co.uk/uploads/files/files/johnesintro.pdf;
Country: United Kingdom;

154 Testing for Johne s Disease by National Milk Recording UK (Tools & Checklists)

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154 ToolsChecklists – Testing for Johne s Disease by National Milk Recording UK

SIG: Pathogen management \ Eradication
Species targeted: Dairy;
Summary:
Due to the nature of Johne’s disease, accurate identification of infected animals is often difficult, especially in the early stages of the disease. Infected animals in the early stage of the disease are unlikely to shed the MAP organism or produce a detectable antibody response. In the later stages of Johne’s disease, cows will often intermittently shed MAP and exhibit peaks and troughs of antibody production until reaching the clinical stage of the disease. This tool for understanding Johnes testing schemes focuses on two major principles: identifying the map organism itself and looking for the animal’s antibody response to the disease.

Where to find the original material: https://www.nmr.co.uk/uploads/files/files/testingforjohnes.pdf;
Country: United Kingdom;

153 Biosecurity Measures to Control Salmonella and Other Infectious Agents in Pig Farms – A Review (Research paper – Andres, 2015)

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153 Research paper – Andres – 2015 – Biosecurity Measures to Control Salmonella and Other Infectious Agents in Pig Farms_ A Review

In Significant Impact Groups: Biosecurity \ Pathogen management
Species targeted: Pigs;
Summary:
Salmonellosis is the 2nd most common cause of human bacterial food poisoning and can be acquired from eating both contaminated meat or eggs, either via direct consumption of the contaminated product or by cross-contamination with other food while preparing meals in the kitchen. Pork is considered, after eggs, the major source of infection in humans in the EU, mainly the S. typhymurium species. Good control measures at the farm level are likely to correspond with lower prevalence of infection and, subsequently, a reduction of cross-contamination of carcasses processed at the slaughterhouse. This review focuses on biosecurity measures in pig farms that can help to control important pig diseases at the same time as reducing the within-herd prevalence of Salmonella. This information is likely to provide an economic incentive for farmers to apply improved general standards of farm biosecurity and hygiene management that would have a positive impact in food safety.

Where to find the original material: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277725160_Biosecurity_Measures_to_Control_Salmonella_and_Other_Infectious_Agents_in_Pig_Farms_A_Review; https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12137

Country: UK

152 Rispoval IBR Marker vaccines by Zoetis (Tools & Checklists)

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152 ToolsChecklists – Rispoval IBR Marker vaccines by Zoetis

SIG: Pathogen management \ Vaccination
Species targeted: Dairy;
Summary:
Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) is caused by Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), a highly infectious virus which spreads both directly (animal to animal and over short distances through the air), and indirectly (e.g. on clothing and equipment). Infection in naïve animals can result in respiratory signs, fever, milk drop and abortion. Bulk milk antibody testing shows that many dairy herds in the UK are chronically infected. Animals exposed to the virus become lifelong carriers and in times of stress, e.g calving, can start shedding virus. They ma/may not show signs of disease at this time, but they can infect others in the herd. A single dose of Rispoval IBR Marker Live followed up to 6 months later with a single dose of Rispoval IBR Marker Inactivated, allows for an annual vaccination programme using a single dose of Rispoval IBR Marker Inactivated. This checklist details the protocol for vaccinating your herd against IBR.
152

Where to find the original material: https://www.zoetis.co.uk/livestock-farming/useful-resources/index.aspx;
Country: United Kingdom;

151 Selective Dry Cow Therapy A guide for farmers by Zoetis (Tools & Checklists)

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151 ToolsChecklists – Selective Dry Cow Therapy A guide for farmers by Zoetis

In Significant Impact Groups: Prudent use AB \ Farmer
Species targeted: Dairy;
Summary:
Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) is a decision made at dry off, about whether your cows receive antibiotic dry cow therapy (ADCT) in addition to an internal teat sealant, such as OrbeSeal®. Governments, human health agencies, consumer groups and food retailers are putting greater pressure on food producers to justify the use of antibiotics. Dairy companies such as Arla now require that farmers discuss SDCT with their vets and begin to dry some cows off selectively i.e. without antibiotic tubes and only with teat sealant. The benefits of SDCT are the potential for reducing antibiotics used on farm, a reduction in the amount and severity of mastitis cases and reduced medicine costs compared to blanket combination therapy (antibiotic tube and teat sealant). This checklist provides a step by step approach to starting SDCT.

Where to find the original material: https://www.zoetis.co.uk/livestock-farming/useful-resources/index.aspx;
Country: United Kingdom;