Welcome to the monthly bulletin from Iechyd Da. You will find useful information and updates all in one place.
On farm slaughter – Risks of medicating cattle ahead of scheduled TB tests
Over the 3 year period from November 2020 to October 2023, 1131 cattle were slaughtered on-farm for TB purposes in Wales because they had received medicines and were still within their medicine withdrawal period at the time they were tested.
Not only is the slaughter of an animal on farm a harrowing experience for the owner to witness it is also a waste of a carcase which otherwise would be fit for human consumption.
It is not possible to avoid on-farm slaughter completely, but there are practical precautions owners can take to greatly reduce the number of occasions when this is necessary.
General Points about Medication and TB Testing of cattle
Medications may interfere with the accuracy of the TB test, as agents may temporarily affect the animal’s immune system and influence the result. Medicated cattle may have to be slaughtered on farm or cause a delay in the removal of infected animals, thereby potentially prolonging TB problems in the herd and the duration of the restriction.
Advise the farmer to avoid applying routine, non-urgent treatments if the medicine withdrawal period will not have expired in advance of the TB test. Current veterinary advice is that routine veterinary medicines, such as parasite control or vaccines, should only be given to animals once they have tested clear in any planned TB test.
Clearly in some circumstances, urgent treatment must be given where the welfare of the animal would be compromised if medication is not administered.
In Wales, all Officially Tuberculosis Free (OTF) herds must be routinely tested annually (herds are tested every 6 months in the Intensive Action Area). Herd owners are aware when the tests are due. They generally have a 60-day testing window and receive a test notification letter from APHA 2 months ahead of the start of the testing window. Herd owners are required to arrange for the test to be completed with their veterinary practice during the testing window. This should allow the owner sufficient time to apply most routine treatments and ensure the withdrawal period will have expired before the start of the TB test.
Herd owners are encouraged to discuss the timing of treatments and products and associated withdrawal periods available with their veterinary practice to avoid the withdrawal period conflicting with the scheduled TB test.
Options to undertake tests in Officially Tuberculosis Free(OTF) herds sooner than scheduled
To assist those cattle keepers whose tests fall at an inconvenient time, certain test types may be undertaken sooner than scheduled. Reasons to test at your preferred time can include:
- To avoid periods of block calving in dairy herds
- To test cattle prior to turning out in the spring
- To test cattle prior to moving to summer grazing
- To test store cattle prior to selling in the autumn
A request from the herd owner to undertake a test sooner must be made in writing and before the testing window has started. No tests can be delayed.
Test dates cannot be changed if the testing window is already open.
The following test types can be undertaken sooner:
- Whole herd tests (WHT), 12 month check tests (12M) following a breakdown and 12 month contiguous check tests(CON12) may be brought forwards by a period of up to five months from the testing window start date
- For herds within the Intensive Action Area of Wales (IAA), the 6 monthly herd tests (IA6 and IA12) may be brought forwards by a period of up to one month from the window start date
The non-routine tests listed below may be undertaken sooner by up to one month from the testing window start date:
- Contiguous tests (CON)
- Contiguous herd tests (CON6) carried out six months after the initial contiguous test or a previous 6 month contiguous test
- Check tests undertaken six months after a breakdown cannot be undertaken sooner
A cattle keeper may have several years of non-routine testing due to a herd breakdown or contiguous test requirements, before being able to return to a routine schedule of testing. There is discretion to assist those keepers whose tests fall shortly after turnout or at another inconvenient time.
BTV3
Wales has seen the first case of BTV3 in animals moved from high risk area into Gwynedd. Contact sampling is currently underway. APHA are following up any “risky” moves with post movement testing. It is vital that you inform your farmers to be vigilant and to consider any on moves to there holding from high risk areas.
There will be another online meeting Thursday 4th October at 4pm, please keep your eyes peeled for the invite coming to your email.
You can catch up on the last meeting here.
VMD Enforcement hotline
Following the recent VPC meeting at Llandrindod Wells, ID have been in consultation with the VMD enforcement team, to discuss the above.
The details of the VMD Hotline are shown in the above picture and appear to cover a lot of what ID was hoping to achieve with its own proposed hotline. People can report issues anonymously.
As you will be aware, the VMD are mostly involved with enforcing the Veterinary Medicines regulations, so for our members it will be mostly overseeing distribution(i.e. advertising, marketing, supply and administration of drugs). There is some overlap with the RCVS “Under our care” rules and what the inspector said when we questioned him about breaches of the RCVS “Under our Care” type, was that they would always pass on any relevant information to the bodies concerned with overseeing other aspects of the medicines regulations. Vets can obviously contact the RCVS confidential advice line(Telephone the RCVS Advice team on 020 7202 0789 or advice@rcvs.org.uk)
The board at ID are keen to continue to promote responsible medicine use and to this end are available to mediate between practices if one practice or practices feel that another business is not abiding by the rules. Please make contact with one of the directors if you feel there is a problem and we will do our best to listen to your concerns and raise them with the business concerned.
Bovine TB New General licence TB24c – Authorising General Movement of Bovine Animals to a Licensed Slaughterhouse
From 30 September 2024, an amended TB24c Licence – Authorising General Movement of Bovine Animals to a Licensed Slaughterhouse will be available. The licence will allow keepers to move bovine animals from a TB restricted premises to an approved slaughterhouse in the GB, either directly or via an Approved TB Slaughter Gathering in England or Wales.
Movements under the amended TB24c do not require animals to have had a negative TB skin test in the previous 90days.There is no requirement to record the eartag numbers of cattle moving to slaughter on the TB24c general licence but movements must be reported to BCMS or ScotEID, as for any other movements. From 30 September 2024, no further TB24b licences – Authorising the General Movement of Bovine Animals from premises under TB restrictions to a Slaughterhouse through an approved TB slaughter gathering in England or Wales will be issued. Although, TB24b licences already issued will remain valid until the date specified on the licence. Keepers moving animals under this licence must ensure the animals comply with the licence conditions.
More information here.
TB Isolation Units
There is a forthcoming change to TB Isolation Unit (TBIU) rules.
TBIUs are useful for owners of some TB affected herds as they provide an outlet for calves or store cattle from TB restricted holdings that do not have sufficient rearing facilities. TB IUs can source cattle under licence from a single TB-restricted holding and currently a period of up to six weeks (42days) is allowed to fill the unit. From the 30th August 2024, the entry window will be extended to 60 days, thus making it easier for keepers to fill their TBIUs.
Further information here.
TB Skin Testing of Calves under 42 days old
All Short Interval Tests (SIT), Check Tests (Investigation & Intervention) (CT(I-I))and Check Tests (Exposure Mitigation) (CT(EM)) with a TT1 date on or after 15th June 2024, will no longer require calves under 42 days old to be tested by default.
When submitting results for any of these tests, testers should use the iSam ‘Not Tested’ reason of “Not Eligible for this test’ for any bovine animals aged under 42 days at TT1 of the SIT, CT(I-I) or CT(EM) listed in the CTS download. If it is only these bovine animals that have not been tested, the TB test should be submitted as “complete” on iSam.
Please read the full briefing note here.
Cymorth TB
When booking your Cymorth TB visits please ensure that you have accepted the voucher on DEWIN and completed the time and date along with the OV details.
Please ensure that you have given at least 48 hours notice (2 working days), so that APHA can provide up to date information.
If the farmer does not want the visit please decline the voucher.
KPI’s are in use for Cymorth visits, please ensure that you do not have over due WSA’s. If the farmer wants a later date then please let us know and the WSA can be altered!
Arranged tests
Please can all practices/OV’s ensure that the time and date are entered on SAM when tests have been arranged, ensuring that the OV name is also updated as soon as possible.
Near misses & Health & safety incidents
Please can all ATT’s and OV’s utilise the reporting facility on Dewin to report any near misses or incidents that happen while tb testing. This can be found when completing the checklist.
If you are unsure on this procedure then please contact the office and we will happily guide you through the process.
SAM downtime
SAM has some planned downtime, this is currently as follows.
09:00 Sunday 08/12/2024 to 08:00 Monday 9/12/2024.
Dewin
Personnel details
Can practices/OV’s please check their personnel lists on Dewin to ensure that all current staff members are listed and all relevant details are completed. This includes email addresses and SP numbers.
We work from Dewin to find any new starters that are required to attend training and to have up to date training records. If they do not appear then please add them.
If they have transferred from another practice please let us know and we can transfer their records.
Register here.
Dates for your diary
- Thursday 3rd October 4.30pm -Bluetongue - Welsh government and APHA Vet update
- OV Meeting - 6th November 3pm - 4pm on TEAMS
- APHA Ruminant Health Day, February 2025 - Organised by the Centre of Expertise for Extensively Managed Livestock, the day will focus on the disease and health challenges of livestock grazing extensively. This free-to-attend event is open to farmers, vets, and all stakeholders with an interest in extensive livestock farming
