Level II Agricultural
Business Operations

This session will include
◦ Biosecurity
◦ Herd health planning
◦ Safe use of veterinary medicines

Maintenance of herd health is
important because
◦ Additional costs for treatments and losses
◦ Reduced production efficiency
◦ Reduced quality of marketable product
◦ Consumer perception of animal welfare
Biosecurity is the prevention of disease
causing agents entering or leaving any
place where they can pose a risk to farm
animals, other animals, humans, or the
safety and quality of a food product.
The same principles apply within the farm,
preventing disease spreading between
animals and groups
Weather
Water
People
Stock
Animals
Vehicles
Feed

Visitors, without disinfection

Colostrum from one farm to another

Hoof trimmers dirty equipment

Vets with dirty equipment

Dead lorry - carcass disposal

Slurry contractors

Safeguards herd against disease reducing
stress on animals and farmer

Safeguards human health

Improves production efficiency by reducing
the spread of disease within farm

Stops the spread of disease to other farms

Protects export markets






Maintain a closed herd
Pre-test and isolate purchased or sick animals
Restrict visitor access
Provide boot washing/disinfection facilities
Use common sense when moving around farm
Restrict access to water courses/neighbouring
stock
The factors above should be included
in a Herd Health Plan

Measure - Identify disease

Manage - Prioritise improvements

Monitor - Assess progress

Advice - Seek professional advice

Produced in conjunction with vet

Documents routine procedures,
treatments and vaccinations

Sets and monitors targets against
mortality and disease incidence

Quality assurance scheme requirement

Should include
◦ Routine preventative measures
◦ Treatment plans
◦ Management procedures
◦ Health performance monitoring
◦ Health performance review
◦ Action plan calendar
Points for consideration

Routine husbandry treatments

Vaccinations

Parasite control
Month
Oct
Routine
Treatments
Colostrum
Navel disinfect
Tissue tag
Disbudding
2nd Pneumonia
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Turn out
Parasites
Cryptosporidia
1st Pneumonia
Nov
Dec
Vaccinations
1st Leptospirosis
1st Clostridial
2nd Leptospirosis
2nd Clostridial
Coccidiosis
Month
Routine
Treatments
May
June
Vaccinations
Parasites
2nd Leptospirosis
2nd Clostridial
Pulse bolus worms
1st BVD
Liver fluke
Fly treatment
July
Aug
Fly treatment
2nd BVD
Sept
Oct
Freeze brand
Nov
Service prep
Pneumonia
booster
Routes of Administration:
 Injection
◦ Subcutaneous
◦ Intramuscular
◦ Intravenous (vet)
◦ Intranasal
 Intramammary: Dry-cow tubes
 Topical: Pour-on, Spraying, Dipping
 Oral: Dosing, Bolus, In feed

Health and Safety
◦ Protective equipment
◦ Animal Restraining Equipment


Know weight of animal (to know dose rate)
Read instructions on label
◦ Every medicine is different!

Correct medicine storage
◦ Secure store/cabinet (or fridge where necessary)
◦ Adhere to storage instructions

Clean equipment: Syringes/Needle(s)
1. Ensure coat is clean and dry
2. Fold loose skin behind shoulder, hold syringe with
other hand
3. When animal is calm insert the needle at 45°,
squeeze the barrel slowly
4. There should be no resistance
5. Let the skin go flat, hold the insertion point with
your thumb and then gently remove the needle
6. Rub the injection site gently to disperse all the
medicine
1. Hold the needle in one hand
2. Prepare the skin around the injection site by
tapping it with the outside of your fist, on the 3rd
tap, pierce the skin with the needle
3. Place the syringe on the needle and slowly inject
the solution
4. To extract the needle hold the skin around it with
your other hand and gently withdraw the needle
5. Rub the injection site gently to disperse all the
medicine.

Antibiotics are essential for the treatment of infectious diseases
in both animals and humans

Antibiotic resistance is the ability of bacteria that are usually
sensitive to a type of antibiotic to become resistant to it

The more you use an antibiotic, the higher the risk that bacteria
will develop resistance to it

Why worry about it?
◦ Very few new antibiotics being developed
◦ Important we use our existing antibiotics wisely to ensure these
life-saving medicines continue to stay effective for ourselves
and our animals

Important we use antibiotics in the right way:
◦ the right medicine
◦ at the right dose
◦ at the right time
◦ the right duration to slow down the development
of antibiotic resistance

http://www.dardni.gov.uk/responsible-use-of-antimicrobials-in-livestockleaflet.15.108_responsible_use_of_antimicrobials_in_livestock_leaflet_final_2.pdf

Legislative requirement to record;
◦ Purchase of veterinary medicines
◦ Administration of veterinary medicines
◦ Disposal of unused veterinary medicines
◦ Disease occurrences on farm
◦ Keep records for five years

Food Standards Agency

Farm Quality Assurance Scheme

Milk processors

Supermarkets

DARD Veterinary Service

DARD Agri-Food Inspection Branch

Locked medicine cabinet

Sharps container

Record book in cabinet
Vet has
suggested
treating with
Hexasol LA
Initial
intramuscular
injection at
1ml/10kg lwt
Sick calf,
40kg,
showing
signs of
pneumonia
Isolate calf,
dry straw bed
2/10/14
Hexasol La
100ml
3321- 5/8/15
91
Andy Vet, 14 Practice
Road, Mallusk. BT36 4TY
35
days
Hexasol
LA
123456
AF
234-5
35
4
ml
332191
Andy
Vet

-

Schemes designed to monitor, control and
ultimately eradicate a specific disease within a
herd:
BVD
Johne’s Disease
IBR
Leptospirosis
Herds may achieve ‘accredited disease free’
status for specific disease

http://www.animalhealthni.com/

Biosecurity is vital for animal health
and well being

Herd health planning is essential

Veterinary medicine records required