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Following DEFRA’s tendering exercise for the supply of TB testing services, the contract to become a Delivery Partner to provide TB testing after 1st May 2015 in the North of England was won by XLFarmcare North Ltd and the Midlands by XLFarmcare Midland. Our practice has signed up to with XLFarmcare North and XLFarmcare Midland as a subcontractor so we will be able to continue TB testing on our clients’ farms.
What does this mean for you as farmers? It will be business as usual in that you will still receive notification from Animal Health when it is time to test.When the letter arrives it will state that you should contact XL Farmcare North or Midland respectively to arrange the test; however we advise that you contact the practice directly as we will have received the allocation for your test. Remember that it is your responsibility to arrange the test before the stated deadline and the sooner you contact us the easier it will be to book your test in at a convenient time for you. Health and safety TB testing has always been one of the most hazardous procedures carried out on farm, both for vets and farmers and occasionally animals. Our practice team are keen for everyone to stay safe on farm during the TB test and at all other times. When the test is arranged you will receive a letter confirming the details and setting out what equipment is required in order to complete the test safely for all concerned. The handling and restraint facilities – crush/ head yoke and race- need to be available on both days of the test. Quality assessment Testing must be carried out to a set protocol by all TB testing vets. Our TB testing vets need to read and record/ tick off ear numbers on both days of the test; they need to clip on day 1 and to be able to measure skin thickness at injection sites on both days. Our vets may also be accompanied by an auditor who is there to assess how the vet carries out the test. All our TB testing vets will be audited within the next 2 years. Farmer choice Animal Health worked together with the NFU in creating the idea that is “farmer choice”. They want the farmer to have the choice over who provides the TB testing on their farm. There is a website and phone line through which you can register your choice. If you do not specifically register your choice then when the test is due to be allocated the Delivery Partner XLFarmcare North or XLFarmcare Midland will assume that you will carry on using our practice to do your TB testing. The process will be speeded up if you do register your choice, especially as your test might not be due imminently, so we ask you to spare 5 minutes to go online/ phone up and do this. You will also find lots of other information about all the changes we have talked about on the website as well. The site is www.xlfarmcare.co.uk and the phone number is 0800 6125289.
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Small Animal Newsletter Summer 2014
Farmers evening - Monday 28th April
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Pool Farm Vets hosted our first farmers evening on Monday 28th of April at The Swan Inn, Betley. Our guest speaker from CEVA gave an interesting and useful presentation on sheep reproduction and vaccination. The night was a success and we hope to host our second farmers evening in September, which will be focussed around cattle. Thank you to our clients who attended the event, we were very pleased with the turn out and hope to see you again in September.
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