Business Development GroupAnimal Health plans – PVP guidance notes
Background
Business Development Groups were set up to improve uptake of Knowledge and Technology Transfer, link RDP to innovation and improve the level of educational attainment among farmers.
They are based on groups of 15 – 25 farmers from the same sector meeting on each others farms to discuss improving management, facilitated by a CAFRE facilitator.
At present there are 150 livestock based groups operating.
Experience from previous business development programmes has indicated that an effective health plan can greatly benefit the management and profitability of a livestock enterprise.
Following consultations with DAERA Vet service and AVSPNI a template was devised for each sector that was felt to be a practical approach to biosecurity and health planning.
The plan should be completed by a PVP responsible for day to day calls/work on the farm. This is because they will have a unique insight into the issues on the farm that may not be apparent on a single advisory visit.
Purpose of plans
The purpose of the plan is to review each farms biosecurity, disease history and develop an effective approach & plan to improve biosecurity, disease treatment and prevention.
It is intended that the plan will be practical and achievable and proportionate to the size and complexity of the farm business.
The calendar and priority sections are intended as a summary of the recommendations.
Steps in the Health Planning process
BDG members identifies PVP
BDG members wishing to avail of the planning facility indicate to their facilitator their PVP practice and this info is collated by the BDG admin team.(Health planning is not a compulsory part of the BDG programme and the farmer is not paid for his/her time during the planning process)
CAFRE inform PVP practice of request for plan
Regularly practices will be informed by a CAFRE coordinator of the businesses that have indicated that they wish a plan completed and the enterprise on the farm to which it refers. Some businesses may be members of a number of BDG’s covering different enterprises – in this case they can have a number of plans prepared for the specific enterprise – these will be treated as separate plans and should be fully completed.
PVP arranges visit and completes the plan
The PVP arranges to visit the farm and complete the plan – the time allocated for completion of the plan is 4 hours. This is not necessarily contact/visit time but enough time should be given to allow an inspection of the housing/handling/isolation facilities and a discussion with the farmer. If other practice work is carried out on the farm on the same visit this should not be included in this time allowance. On completion of the plan – the plan should be explained to farmer and he/she should sign it to indicate they agree with the recommendations.
Completed plans copied & sent to CAFRE
Completed (and signed) plans should be copied – a copy is given to the farmer and the original is forwarded to BDG Admin – Address in contact list in Appendix.
We recommend that a separate copy of the calendar and priorities is given to the farmer to be used as an aide memoir – hopefully kept somewhere it can be referred to easily.
The practice can choose to keep a copy.
Plans are quality assured
All plans will be checked by CAFRE for completeness. A sample will be checked by a DAERA vet for technical accuracy. If approved, the practice will be paid for completion of the plan
Payments to practices
Each month CAFRE will advise each practice of the plans they have submitted that have been approved for payment. The practice will invoice CAFRE for these plans and will be paid through the AccountNI system (in the same way as testing)
Funding arrangements
For each plan completed and approved CAFRE will pay the practice £280 + VAT. Practices should claim their fee using the BDG Claim Form 4: Animal Health Plans 2016/17provided.
Blood Sampling
CAFRE have a small budget available to carry out limited blood testing where, during the course of completing the health plan you suspect an underlying cause of poor animal performance, you would be permitted to forward blood samples to AFBI to help towards a possible diagnosis.
One of the following tests can be offered and paid for through the project:
- Ruminant Comprehensive Profile (4 samples per plan - £104/plan);
(total protein, albumin, globulin, Ca, Mg, phosphorous, urea, BHB, urea, GLDH, GGT, copper, GPX)
OR
- Herd / Flock mineral profile (6 samples per plan - £52.50 / plan);
(Pooled plasma inorganic iodine, GPX (individual heparinised), Copper (individual)
OR
- Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome (PRRS) virus(6 samples per plan - £64 / plan).
OR
4.Zinc sulphate turbidity (ZST; serum) (10 samples per plan - £35 / plan
All samples should be sent to AFBI and submitted with the BDG submission form. Tests submitted to AFBI with any other form will not be eligible for support and cannot be claimed.
AFBI have advised they will invoice Veterinary Practices as normal and, in turn, Practices should invoice CAFRE the amount net the VAT.
You are advised to forward the AFBI invoice to CAFRE as soon as possible upon receipt, ideally accompanied with the BDG Claim Form 4: Animal Health Plans 2016/17.
Health Plans
Specific health plans are available for the following sectors. Plans for poultry and finishing may be developed but will not be in this tranche of the programme
- Pigs
- Suckler Beef
- Sheep
- Dairy
Outline plans are available online – links in Appendix 2
Plans can be completed by hand or typed. It is accepted that some sections may be common between most farms and practices/PVP’s may wish to develop a common approach to areas such as Action Plans that are amended where required. One of the checks carried out will be to ensure that plans reflect the business so overuse of pre-prepared materials will not be accepted.
Stocking / Purchasing numbers
This is a guide to you and anyone looking at the plan, of the scale of the farm. This will affect the extent and complexity of recommendations. Therefore it is a guide only and based on the farmers best estimate.
Biosecurity
Farm maps – Most farms will have a copy of his/her farm map outlining the land farmed. If they don’t we will send them one. The version we send them will not be suitable for making Single Farm Payment claims but should outline their farm area adequately to allow you to identify issues. On the map mark areas where there is a significant threat to biosecurity e.g. bordering another farm where nose to nose contact could take place, open watercourse downstream from another farm with open access.
Recommend appropriate actions – these can include management changes as well as any physical changes
Yard layout – these can be from Google maps or the DAERA online farm planner or just hand drawn. A list of the key areas for comment are given on the plan but add any relevant comments that would improve biosecurity on the farm.
Isolation facilities – all businesses are required to have these - they should be used to isolate outbreaks of disease and quarantine of new arrivals. Do they practically fulfil this function and are they adequate for the level of use they are likely to get on the farm given its size, purchasing policy and prevalence of disease?
Biosecurity of incoming stock – identify potential purchases/moves and recommend actions for each heading. Common groups of stock, treated in the same way on arrival, can be combined.
Review of health problems / issues
These will be based on the best records available on-farm which will vary. Encourage the farmer to record incidences and deaths more accurately and in more detail in the future. You should review practice records for the farm to identify possible issues from visits & treatments administered/ purchased.
Livestock Management
Routine procedures – These are common actions and should be reviewed to ensure best practice is carried out to prevent issues later on. Farm Quality Assurance & Welfare requirements are included as a guide on basic requirements.
Common diseases – Action Plans are included later in the plan for issues commonly found on most farms so you don’t need to address these here. Only problems that are, or likely to be, on farm should be addressed.
Action Plans – If the Action Plan is not required because it’s not an issue on this farm – it does not have to be completed for the farm.
Nutritional Status
General feeding and nutrition of stock will be covered as part of the general BDG meetings.
Address any concerns regarding the welfare of the stock in terms of feeding levels i.e. poor or excessive condition.
Review if mineral or metabolic deficiencies are present or likely and recommend appropriate actions/treatments.
Housing & Handling
Housing – Is there potential to improve the welfare and performance of stock in any of the main houses. Is it possible to clean and disinfect effectively to reduce disease.
Handling – Consider both the welfare and safety of the livestock and the operators. As someone who may be requiring the handling area to treat livestock – are there improvements you would recommend?
Calendar
This should be a summary of the main actions you have recommended based on livestock group and timing. It should not include any new recommendations. It should be the main part of the plan the farmer will refer to regularly so focus on the main points rather than filling it with a range of options that could confuse.
Priorities
These should reflect the farm and the farmer in terms of their extent and detail.
If basic improvements are required then these are the priorities. On more developed farms they will be higher level and more specific. They should always be realistic and achievable within a year.
Appendix 1 – Contact Details
Completed plans should be sent to
KT Admin (Health Plans)
Greenmount Campus, CAFRE
45 Tirgracy Road,
ANTRIM,
BT41 4PS
Queries regarding
Payments - contact KT Admin 028 94426790
Health Plans - contact Andrew Murray – 028 9442 6820
BDG Programme Manager – Robert Hull – 028 9442 6966
Appendix 2 – Health Plans
Suckler Beef –
Sheep –
Dairy – Link not yet available
Pigs –Link not yet available
Appendix 4 - AFBI - Diagnostic Tests – submission form
Appendix 3 - Claim form
DIAGNOSTIC SURVEILLANCE LABORATORY SUBMISSION FORM
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GROUPS
Case Vet: / HERD No:Flock/Holding No:
Client’s name and address:
Postcode:
BDG App. Ref. number:
Vet practice:
Address:
Tel:
Animal ID / Sample(s) submitted / Animal ID / Sample(s) submitted
A COPY OF THE REPORT MUST BE E-MAILED TO
Additional history / information (if applicable)
TEST PACKAGE REQUIRED (select one from below)
RUMINANT COMPREHENSIVE PROFILE (4 samples)
HERD / FLOCK MINERAL PROFILE (6 samples)
PORCINE RESPIRATORY AND REPRODUCTIVE SYNDROME (PRRS) VIRUS (6 samples)
ZINC SULPHATE TURBIDITY (ZST; serum) (10 samples)
Signed: / Date:
NOTE: THIS FORM MUST BE PRINTED AND SIGNED. SAMPLES MUST BE SENT WITH AN ACCOMPANYING SIGNED FORM.
BDG Claim Form 4: Animal Health Plans2016/17
Measure 1.1 – Knowledge Transfer through Business Development Groups
To be completed by the Veterinary Practitioner
- I wish to claim the sum of £280 plus VAT in respect of each of the following animal health plans. I have attached my original invoice
- I wish to claim the sum reimbursement of costs of blood samples taken in connection with this plan and have attached the AFBI invoice.
- No sum included in this claim has been included in any previous claim.
Application Ref / BDG Members Name / Group Number / Animal Health Plan completed - date / Amount claimed / VAT / Cost of Blood sample
(excl VAT)
£ / £
Total / £