T B Testing

[Pushdyke]

Now Then

We've got a tb test in 2 weeks time
have to get extra help to do it . Also have family members in the high risk group for Coronaviras . Have contacted the vets today they say if we cancel then restrictions will apply
It seems that animal health is higher priority than humans.

Just wondering what the health and safety folk reckon when you are told to do something when you know that there is a risk.

 

[Tarw Coch]

As I understand it you can postpone a Tb test at the moment without penalties to bps etc if you can not get help to safely do the test in current circumstances.
You will however be placed under movement restrictions once your test is overdue.

 

[v8willy]

TB testing is suspended here in N.I since Monday, so maybe check it out first.

Thankfully we were tested last week & got a 2 clear test so we are good to go again......even though we have nowhere to go now.

 

[Thick Farmer]

As I understand it you can postpone a Tb test at the moment without penalties to bps etc if you can not get help to safely do the test in current circumstances.
You will however be placed under movement restrictions once your test is overdue.

This is correct.

 

[Barleycorn]

But you are not allowed a group of more than 2 people together?

 

[Tarw Coch]

But you are not allowed a group of more than 2 people together?

Need to be at least 2m apart, vet could operate the yoke on crush themselves or maybe stand back whilst someone else does then they stand back whilst vet jabs. There isn’t any real need for particularly close contact between vet and farm staff, I would think social distancing would be much easier Tb testing than say working on a supermarket till.

 

[v8willy]

Need to be at least 2m apart, vet could operate the yoke on crush themselves or maybe stand back whilst someone else does then they stand back whilst vet jabs. There isn’t any real need for particularly close contact between vet and farm staff, I would think social distancing would be much easier Tb testing than say working on a supermarket till.

 

[Thick Farmer]

How do you manage to catch and tb test a calf?

 

[Dave79]

The calf thing is the issue. Our vet was here pd’ing heifers for batching at grass, and I commented we could test if we needed to and he brought up youngstock. If you follow the guidance you can’t do them. You either don’t follow the social distancing guidance or your vet fudges the paperwork. He said he wished the dept hadn’t given any leeway, just said no testing, cos some guys are getting really pee'd off with them saying no.

 

[Tarw Coch]

As I’m sure many do we usually catch/hold younger calves for Tb testing but we do have a race with an adjustable yoke that can be wound down to hold a calf. Biggest problem is calf’s can turn in the race so we would have to send one down at a time which would add considerably to the time it would take but I’m sure it would be possible here.
Luckily we tested a few weeks ago so not a problem here for another year.

 

[v8willy]

How do you manage to catch and tb test a calf?

The way we did the last test the cows were taken out of the pen & run round to the crush, the calves were put in the corner behind a gate, I helped him with 1 pen but the other he did on his own, depends on the stock & the vet too but dooable, plenty may not approve of the method but it works for us & them.

 

[worker]

The way we did the last test the cows were taken out of the pen & run round to the crush, the calves were put in the corner behind a gate, I helped him with 1 pen but the other he did on his own, depends on the stock & the vet too but dooable, plenty may not approve of the method but it works for us & them.

I am testing tomorrow morning, will do the milkers and dries first...then if we have problems with heifers or calves, sod it we are stopping. The admin in the vets said we are within our rights to do so, but not sure of the repercussions.

 

[goodevans]

Need to be at least 2m apart, vet could operate the yoke on crush themselves or maybe stand back whilst someone else does then they stand back whilst vet jabs. There isn’t any real need for particularly close contact between vet and farm staff, I would think social distancing would be much easier Tb testing than say working on a supermarket till.

Have you not seen the female Spanish vets

 

[Tarw Coch]

I am testing tomorrow morning, will do the milkers and dries first...then if we have problems with heifers or calves, sod it we are stopping. The admin in the vets said we are within our rights to do so, but not sure of the repercussions.

An incomplete Tb test, at least by the due date will mean you will be shut down from buying or selling, there will be no repurcusions in the form of fines or penalties to your bps.

 

[milkloss]

Have you not seen the female Spanish vets

You’d want plenty more than two metres from some of them!

 

[Tarw Coch]

You’d want plenty more than two metres from some of them!

That’s the opposite of what i thought he meant, I’ve never seen a female Spanish vet but I have seen a few I’d like to have been much closer to.?

 

[som farmer]

we had a female Spanish min vet out last year, re a 'complaint' of bad eyes in a group of calves, in a field with houses all round, luckily we had treated them, with our vets advice. She certainly looked allright, and efficient, and were getting on fine, until she looked at our med records (up to date ), we had used dry cow tubes, to put a/b into their eyes, on vet recommendation. That is when the shite hit the fan, not licensed use of a/b product, not allowed, then full inspection of vet records, med book, movements, cattle inspection etc. So, even though exactly the same product, a warning to others, take care.

 

[Tarw Coch]

we had a female Spanish min vet out last year, re a 'complaint' of bad eyes in a group of calves, in a field with houses all round, luckily we had treated them, with our vets advice. She certainly looked allright, and efficient, and were getting on fine, until she looked at our med records (up to date ), we had used dry cow tubes, to put a/b into their eyes, on vet recommendation. That is when the shite hit the fan, not licensed use of a/b product, not allowed, then full inspection of vet records, med book, movements, cattle inspection etc. So, even though exactly the same product, a warning to others, take care.

Don’t know what tubes you were using but I have heard that milking cow tunes can be used for bad eyes allthough we do use the Orbenin eye tubes, keeps things straight for the sake of the records which should be somewhere near right but as with all things, I wouldn’t like to subject them to too much in depth scrutiny, allthough we did have a records inspection a few years back by a male spanish vet, checked records against medicine cabinet and vets bills and found no problems.

 

[worker]

An incomplete Tb test, at least by the due date will mean you will be shut down from buying or selling, there will be no repurcusions in the form of fines or penalties to your bps.

I don't get any BPS.. my landlord snaffles that! It is a jersey herd so no beef sales either

 

[Barleycorn]

We've cancelled our test now. Not only due to distancing but what if somebody gets hurt? Wouldn't fancy going to casualty at the moment.
The government should call it a day on TB testing. Apparently it's safe to do a TB test, but not to sunbathe in a park!