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animal health glossary : health initiative :Herd Health InitiativeUptake In Limousin Herd Health Initiative Increases by 18%April 2009 Uptake leads to Herd Health Initiative being extended by BLCS Council 29% of all British Limousin Cattle Society registered calves in 2008 from herds in CHeCS health schemes. Breeders’ participation in The British Limousin Cattle Society’s Herd Health Initiative has continued to grow sharply with 156 herds, representing 5,375 pedigree Limousin calves, having registered for the financially incentivised initiative. This represents an increase on the year of 28 herds and a further 702 calves. At the close of what was initially a four year commitment by the BLCS, this represents a further growth in uptake of 18%. This means that of the 18,240 pedigree calves registered with the Society last year, a highly encouraging 29% are from herds operating within industry-licenced health schemes. Such has been its success, that the Society’s Council of Management have announced that they are providing the investment to continue the initiative for at least a further year. The British Limousin Herd Health Initiative offers financial support to breeders who are making a long term investment into herd health assurance through being a member of a Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHeCS) approved scheme. Herds within a CHeCS scheme are able to make a claim each year based on the numbers of pedigree calves they have registered in the preceding twelve month period. Commenting on the released figures, Tim Brigstocke, Executive Director for CHeCS said, "It is really encouraging to see the growth in Limousin registered calves linked to CHeCS accredited cattle health schemes. The success of these schemes is totally dependent on the cattle industry getting behind such initiatives to improve the health and welfare of the national cattle herd. The British Limousin Cattle Society are to be congratulated upon their continuing and extended financial commitment to this scheme." To receive the financial support, herds need to adhere to the terms of a CHeCS licenced scheme and have an approved animal health scheme in place through either Biobest Herdcare, SAC Premium Cattle Health Scheme, HI Health, Advance Cattle Health Scheme, NML Herdwise or the AFBI Cattle Health Scheme. This must include a whole herd test for Johne’s disease. As a result of the increased uptake, The British Limousin Cattle Society will pay out over £10,000 to participating herds for 2008, and has paid out over £30,000 since the initiative’s introduction in 2005. British Limousin Cattle Society Development Manager Richard Saunders also welcomed the released figures and emphasized that they underlined the Society and its members’ commitment to herd health. He said: “Good herd health plays such an important part in the productivity and profitability of both pedigree and commercial herds and this initiative shows that Limousin breeders are leading by example. An extension of the Herd Health initiative has been the successful introduction of standardised Herd Health Sale Declarations at all Collective Society Sales from the beginning of 2008. These have also been warmly welcomed by prospective purchasers and are becoming an integral part of bull selection at sale.”
Limousin Herd Health Initiative Continues To GrowMarch 2008 25% of all Society registered calves now from herds in health schemes Breeders’ participation in The British Limousin Cattle Society’s
Herd Health Initiative has continued to grow with 150 herds, representing
5,161 pedigree Limousin calves, having registered for the financially
incentivised initiative. This represents an increase on the year of
22 herds and a further 588 calves. News release - April 2007 Limousin Herd Health Declarations Introduced at Carlisle May Sale In an extension of Herd Health policy, the British Limousin Cattle Society is set to introduce the standardisation of herd health declarations and information at Collective Society Sales commencing with the 2007 May Sale at Carlisle on 5th May. The principal aim will be to provide breeders and customers alike with standard, clear, and accurate herd health information at the point of sale and within the given sale catalogue. It is anticipated that the standardising of herd health information will be introduced at all BLCS official collective sales in due course. At the time of entry vendors have been asked to complete Herd Health questions regarding for example: TB status; Brucellosis status; membership of CHeCS health schemes plus Johnes, BVD, IBR and LEPTO status. This information is to be used in two ways. A condensed version of the Herd Health sale declaration information will be produced in a Vendor’s Index within the respective sale catalogue. This will be supplemented by Herd Health sale declaration cards, based on the information provided, produced by the Society for display above each herd’s pens. The information requested has been kept simple to make it clear and understandable for members and customers. Helpful explanatory notes will also be included within the sale catalogue for members and customers. Commenting, Iain Kerr, the BLCS Chief Executive said, “Standardising Herd Health information at sales will help to increase understanding, accuracy and transparency of health information. As such it will be attractive to customers and help to again raise the level of buyer confidence. ”
Breeders’ participation in The British Limousin Cattle Society’s Herd Health Initiative has continued to grow with 106 herds, representing 3,722 pedigree Limousin calves, having registered for the financially incentivised initiative. At the end of the second year, of what is initially a four year £100,000 commitment by the BLCS, uptake has grown by 43%. The British Limousin Herd Health Initiative offers financial support to breeders who are making a long term investment into herd health assurance through being a member of a Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHeCS) approved scheme. Herds within a CHeCS scheme are able to make a claim each year based on the numbers of calves they have pedigree registered in the preceding twelve month period. To receive the financial support, pedigree herds need to adhere to the terms of a CHeCS licenced scheme and have an approved animal health scheme in place through either the Biobest Herdcare Scheme, SAC Premium Cattle Health Scheme or the HI Health Scheme. This must include a whole herd test for Johne’s disease. As a result of the increased uptake, The British Limousin Cattle Society will pay out over £7400 to participating herds for 2006. Commenting, British Limousin Cattle Society Technical Chairman Jim Bloom said: “These figures are very positive. The financial commitment to herd health is a principal and long term part of the Society’s technical drive to provide customers and breeders with cattle that combine the highest visual and genetic quality with an assured high health status.”
Participation In British Limousin Herd Health Initiative Continues To Rise February 2007 Breeders’ participation in The British Limousin Cattle Society’s Herd Health Initiative has continued to grow with 102 herds, representing 3,565 pedigree Limousin calves, having registered for the financially incentivised initiative. At the end of the second year, of what is initially a four year £100,000 commitment by the BLCS, uptake has grown by 37%. The British Limousin Herd Health Initiative offers financial support to breeders who are making a long term investment into herd health assurance through being a member of a Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHeCS) approved scheme. Herds within a CHeCS scheme are able to make a claim each year based on the numbers of calves they have pedigree registered in the preceding twelve month period. To receive the financial support, pedigree herds need to adhere to the terms of a CHeCS licenced scheme and have an approved animal health scheme in place through either the Biobest Herdcare Scheme, SAC Premium Cattle Health Scheme or the HI Health Scheme. This must include a whole herd test for Johne’s disease. As a result of the increased uptake, The British Limousin Cattle Society will pay out over £7100 to participating herds for 2006. Commenting, British Limousin Cattle Society Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “These figures are very positive. The financial commitment to herd health is a principal and long term part of the Society’s technical drive to provide customers and breeders with cattle that combine the highest visual and genetic quality with an assured high health status.” In an extension of Herd Health policy, the Society is set to introduce the standardisation of herd health declarations and information at Collective Society Sales commencing with the 2007 Premier May Sale at Carlisle. The principal aim will be to provide breeders and customers alike with standard, clear, and accurate herd health information at the point of sale and within the given sale catalogue.
2605 Calves Entered Through The Limousin Herd Health Initiative Eighty two herds representing 2605 calves claimed financial support through the first year of the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Herd Health Initiative. As a result, the Society paid out over £5000 in total to participating herds in 2005. Financial support to the level of £100,000 has been made available, initially over a four year period, as an encouragement to Limousin Society members who are making an investment in long-term herd health assurance. Monies have been paid back to participating members through a ‘cash-back’ scheme based on the number of individual herd registrations per annum lodged with the Society. To be eligible, pedigree herds have to be demonstrably within, and adhering to the terms of, a Cattle Health Certification Standards, or CHeCS, approved animal health scheme to include a whole herd Johne’s test. CHeCS is a self-regulatory body for Cattle Health Schemes in the UK and licence holders include Premium Cattle Health Scheme, HI Health and Herdcare. Herds are able to claim in each year of the initiative that they participate in and new herds can join at any time and claim from that year onwards in accordance with the outlined criteria. The significant financial commitment to herd health is a principal part in the Society’s ongoing technical drive to provide breeders and customers with cattle that combine the highest visual and genetic quality with an assured high health status. Commenting on the first year of the initiative, Aled Edwards, Chairman of the British Limousin Cattle Society said, “From a standing start, the first year’s participation is extremely encouraging. This is step one in what is very much a long-term initiative and one that has been widely welcomed by the agricultural industry as an important and leading project for the promotion of responsible Herd Health management”. “Members have been quick to recognise the industry value and marketing advantage this initiative will bring to the breed, breeders and customers. It is a responsible aim of the Society and its breeders to provide its customers with cattle of a known and assured high health status,” he said The Limousin Herd Health Initiative is indicative of the Society’s aim to provide high level, added value projects and services, with a commitment to invest heavily in initiatives that reward good practice in the management and promotion of Limousin herds and the Limousin breed.
Limousin Society Invests £100,000 In Herd Health Initiative February 2005 In a major policy announcement, The British Limousin Cattle Society has outlined its plans to invest £100,000 in the introduction of a progressive breed Herd Health Assurance initiative. The initiative, which will be open to all 2,500 members of the BLCS, will play a central part in the Society’s ongoing technical drive to provide cattle that combine the highest visual and genetic quality with an assured high health status. Announcing the plans, BLCS Chairman, Aled Edwards said: “This is an exciting step forward for the Society. The initiative is a responsible, long term commitment to herd health that is introduced with welcome scientific backing. In today’s industry the emphasis is very much on quality, efficiency and costs of production. We will continue to meet the demands of the market place and this is a logical further step forward to positively provide our customer base with health assured cattle, both male and female.” Financial support will be made available, initially over a four year period, to both those members who are already making an investment in herd health assurance and as a means of positive encouragement to those considering their herds’ involvement. Participating members will receive monies through the practical option of a ‘cash-back’ scheme based on the number of individual herd registrations per annum lodged with the Society. To be eligible, herds will have to be demonstrably within, and adhering to the terms of, a Cattle Health Certification Standards, or CHeCS, approved animal health scheme. CHeCS is a self-regulatory body for Cattle Health Schemes in the UK and licence holders include Premium Cattle Health Scheme, HI Health and Herdcare. Commenting, CHeCS Executive Director Tim Brigstocke warmly welcomed the BLCS plans, he said: “This is an excellent long term investment in herd health by a major breed society that will be welcomed by Government and the whole of the food chain.” The BLCS initiative will be administered by the Society with monies paid back to the value of £25,000 retrospectively at the end of each year. BLCS Chief Executive, Iain Kerr, said that the initiative was ground breaking for the Society and was again ‘taking the lead’ to meet the industry challenges ahead. “With the introduction of the Single Farm Payment, the BLCS believes that assured high health status is an essential criteria to sell breeding and prime stock into premium markets and to be in a position to fully exploit all new opportunities,” he said. In August of last year, the Society held an Elite Sale within its World Congress that carried high health status entry conditions. This principle was well received by vendors and purchasers alike and its success contributed to the Society’s determination to pursue long term positive herd health policies. |
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