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Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 1:56 pm
by Sylvia
Well, some good news for a change.
Sophie (our single IR) has just gone clear on the re-test. Now to try and reduce the herd do I risk trying to sell some and having the pre-movement test put us back to square 1, or do I select a group, wait for them to calve and 6 months later send them to slaughter. Or send them as cull cows now?
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 1:58 pm
by Broomcroft
If you wait till they calve, then you'll have even more! high risk strategy possibly?
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:19 pm
by welshdexterboy
Which ever way they go off the farm Saffy they will be tested except direct to slaughter. Is there a wholesaler who might be interested in having some or pubs around by you? Cows with a calf at foot should sell well but they will need to be tested. Do you have a big problem with TB if so why not get rid of all the reactors-- I know it will be hard but it sounds like you are desperate to shift something i feel really sorry for you 
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:57 am
by Sylvia
Reactors are slaughtered without further ado, unless you are a Skandervale monk. It was Summer '06 when we had the reactors after a troublefree 5 years before that. They went. My problem since then is that we have had a single IR (inconclusive) at all but one of the tests since (one was all clear) and each time we get just a single IR the herd is on standstill again for 60 days. In the last 3 tests we had one IR (I sent her to slaughter) which meant another whole herd test. That generated one IR (I kept her) that meant only she was retested after 60 days - she is clear.
Taking the overview our problems started in a bunch of steers on one part of the farm (the rest at the other end of the farm were all OK). Since then we have had no more reactors. Just the single inconclusives which have been OK on re-testing. So, in fact about 79 animals have ALWAYS tested clear.
I ought to be more upbeat about this but it is amazing how this situation saps your confidence.
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:55 pm
by welshdexterboy
So Sylvia-- You know have a heap of animals that have a sixty day pass to the Mart or slaughterhouse Yipppeeeeee :D So what do you usually do to decrease your headage, Do you have some meat customers. I am a nosy beggar??? but i am looking at the options for you.
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:32 pm
by Sylvia
No Rob, because I had to wait 60 days for Sophie's re-test I now have one cow who could move and any of the rest I want to go will have to be tested yet again. If they are clear I will then have 60 days to move them off the farm.
I do have some meat customers but not enough to take all the meat I could produce. And because of the circumstances it is cows and calves which really need to go.
I am currently working on a plan to get the herd down to manageable size. I hope it works.
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:23 pm
by monica waltho
Hi Sylvia,
Why is your whole herd on standstill if you have one inconclusive? We had two this Spring who later went clear but we wre free to move or sell any other cattle.Of course it may put some buyers off but some are in a similar situation.
Is it different in Wales?
Best wishes Monica
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:55 pm
by Sylvia
I don't know, Monica. I thought it was the norm, but it may be because we had reactors last year or it is different in Wales. I never thought to question it. At the moment, now the IR has gone clear, we are not on standstill but I still need to get pre-movement tests done before I can move anyone (other than to slaughter) because they were all tested more than 60 days ago. I did get a Notice forbidding the movement of any bovines from the premises when Sophie tested IR.