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ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE BENCHMARKING INDICATORS
1. As a voluntary action available under the Land Management Contract Menu Scheme - Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes option - support is available to help encourage additional inspections and collating of Animal Health and Welfare benchmarking information. Once collected this information can be used to compare performance across similar farm enterprises. Such comparisons are likely to identify areas for further action and will help further inform the development of Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes.
2. The following tables identify the agreed benchmarking indicators which have been set by a stakeholder group that includes livestock industry representatives. The group considered these to be most relevant and useful. It is produced in a way that copies can be taken to fill out on a weekly or monthly basis - whichever is considered most appropriate.
3. The Executive is developing a database that will collate the data on a national level and support ready analysis and comparison. The database is currently being piloted before roll-out in future years. In the 2005-6 Scheme year those claiming the benchmarking option need to maintain and record data. The following forms are designed to help those choosing the option to do so. In future years it is expected that claimants will work with their vet to ensure the data are put onto the national database. All such data will be anonymous, only individual farmers and their vets will have access to farm specific data.
Name_________________________________ Month____________
Production Measures | Sheep/Goat Breeding Flock | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
Number of ewes and gimmers mated | | |
Number of lambs scanned | | Only in flocks where scanning is in ewes carried out |
Number of lambs born alive | | May be an estimate for hill flocks |
Number of lambs marked | | |
Number of lambs weaned | | |
Number of barren ewes | | Ewes or gimmers found empty at scanning or otherwise known to be non pregnant |
Number of abortions | | Abortion means any lamb born dead before 140 days |
Number of lambs retained for future breeding or finishing | | |
Number of lambs sold | | |
Number of lambs culled | | Between birth and weaning |
Number of adult sheep died | | |
Number of adult sheep sold | | |
Reasons for culling adults | | |
Number sold/culled because of tooth loss | | |
Number sold/culled because of udder disease | | |
Number sold/culled because of poor bodily condition | | |
Number sold/culled because of lameness | | |
Number sold/culled because of poor breeding or mothering | | |
Disease Syndromes | Sheep/Goat Breeding Flock | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
No. of cases of pneumonia which required treatment | | |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour which required treatment | | |
No. of cases of observed lameness | | |
No. of cases of skin infestation | | Include lice and strike which require requiring treatment specific treatment other than normal (wool loss or skin irritation) prevention. Excludes scab |
Has sheep scab been present on your farm in the past 12 months? | | Yes or no response required |
Name_________________________________ Month____________
Production Measures | Pure Hill-Bred Sheep Flocks | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
Number of ewes and gimmers mated | | |
Number of lambs scanned in ewes | | Only in flocks where scanning is carried out |
Number of lambs born alive | | May be an estimate for hill flocks |
Number of lambs marked | | |
Number of lambs weaned | | |
Number of barren ewes | | Ewes or gimmers found empty at scanning or otherwise known to be non pregnant |
Number of abortions | | Abortion means any lamb born dead before 140 days |
Number of lambs retained for future breeding or finishing | | |
Number of lambs sold | | |
Number of lambs culled | | Between birth and weaning |
Number of adult sheep died | | |
Number of adult sheep sold | | |
Reasons for culling adults | | |
Number sold/culled because of tooth loss | | |
Number sold/culled because of udder disease | | |
Number sold/culled because of poor bodily condition | | |
Number sold/culled because of lameness | | |
Number sold/culled because of poor breeding or mothering | | |
Disease Syndromes | Pure Hill-Bred Sheep Flocks | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
No. of cases of pneumonia which required treatment | | |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour which required treatment | | |
No. of cases of observed lameness | | |
No. of cases of skin infestation | | Include lice and strike which require requiring treatment specific treatment other than normal |
(wool loss or skin irritation) | | prevention. Excludes scab |
Has sheep scab been present on your farm in the past 12 months? | | Yes or no response required |
Name_________________________________ Month____________
Production Measures | Breeder/ Finisher Flock | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
Number of ewes and gimmers mated | | |
Number of lambs scanned in | | Only in flocks where scanning is ewes carried out |
Number of lambs born alive | | May be an estimate for hill flocks |
Number of lambs marked | | |
Number of lambs weaned | | |
Number of barren ewes | | Ewes or gimmers found empty at scanning or otherwise known to be non pregnant |
Number of abortions | | Abortion means any lamb born dead before 140 days |
Number of lambs retained for future breeding or finishing | | |
Number of lambs sold | | |
Number of finishing lambs in flock | | Number bought in last 12 months |
Number of lambs culled | | Between birth and weaning |
Number of adult sheep died | | |
Number of adult sheep sold | | |
Reasons for culling adults | | |
Number sold/culled because of tooth loss | | |
Number sold/culled because of udder disease | | |
Number sold/culled because of poor bodily condition | | |
Number sold/culled because of lameness | | |
Number sold/culled because of poor breeding or mothering | | |
Disease Syndromes | Breeder/ Finisher Flock | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
No. of cases of pneumonia which required treatment | | |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour which required treatment | | |
No. of cases of observed lameness | | |
No. of cases of skin | | Include lice and strike which require infestation requiring treatment specific treatment other than normal (wool loss or skin irritation) prevention. Excludes scab |
Has sheep scab been present on your farm in the past 12 months? | | Yes or no response required |
Disease Syndromes | Lamb Finishing Flock | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
No. of cases of pneumonia which required treatment | | |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour which required treatment | | |
No. of cases of observed lameness | | |
No. of cases of skin | | Include lice and strike which require infestation requiring treatment specific treatment other than normal (wool loss or skin irritation) prevention. Excludes scab |
Has sheep scab been present on your farm in the past 12 months? | | Yes or no response required |
Name_________________________________ Month____________
Production Measures | Lamb Finishing Flock | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
Number of lambs sold | | |
Number of finishing lambs in flock | | Number bought in last 12 months |
Number of lambs culled | | Between purchase and sale |
Name_________________________________ Month____________
Production Measures | Beef Breeding Herds | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
Total number of cattle in the herd | | Available from Cattle Tracing System (CTS) |
Number of cows, heifers and bulls of breeding age | | All cattle of 24 months or greater |
Number of cows and heifers mated | | Within the previous 12 months |
Number of calves weaned | | |
Number of barren cows (not including any aborted) | | Includes cows not in calf at the end of the breeding period |
Number of abortions | | Abortions include all calves born dead before 270 days |
Number of assisted calvings including caesareans | | Assisted means any human intervention |
Total number of calves born alive | | This includes all calves seen alive after birth |
Number of calves born dead | | These are calves seen to be stillborn and calves which were found dead after birth |
Number of calves born alive but dying before 28 days | | Only include calves that have died and not those culled |
Number of calves dying between 29 days and weaning | | |
Number of cattle died/culled between weaning and 2 years of age | | |
Number of adult cattle died | | Includes only cattle dying of natural causes on farm. Cattle destroyed on farm must be counted as culls. All cattle of 24 months or greater |
Number of adult cattle culled | | All cattle of 24 months or greater |
Total number of cows and heifers calving | | |
Number of cows and heifers calving within first 4 weeks | | |
of calving period | | |
Number of cows and heifers calving in second 4 weeks of calving period | | |
Number of cows and heifers calving in third 4 weeks of calving period or later | | |
Name_________________________________ Month____________
Disease Syndromes | Beef Breeding Herds | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
No. of cases of lameness which required treatment | | Treatment includes antibiotic (topical or injected) and/or hoof paring other than routine herd footcare |
No. of cases of respiratory disease which required treatment or which died | | This includes respiratory diseases such as pneumonia |
No. of cases of mastitis which required treatment or which died | | This includes summer mastitis and mastitis in cows and heifers in milk. One case is defined as one quarter case. If a cow gets mastitis in two quarters this counts as two cases |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour before 0 - 6 months which required treatment or which died | | Treatment can include veterinary medical preparations or dietary changes intended to stop diarrhoea which has been recognised |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour in cattle between 6 months and2 years which required treatment or which died | | Treatment can include veterinary medical preparations or dietary changes intended to stop diarrhoea which has been recognised |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour in cattle 2 years plus which required treatment or which died | | Treatment can include veterinary medical preparations or dietary changes intended to stop diarrhoea which has been recognised |
No. of cases of milk fever which required treatment or which died | | Diagnosis may be made by farmer/stockman. Lab confirmation is not necessary |
No. of cases of hypomagnesaemia which required treatment or which died | | Diagnosis may be made by farmer/stockman. Lab confirmation is not necessary |
Name_________________________________ Month____________
Production Measures | Finishing Herds | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
Total number of cattle in the herd | | Available from Cattle Tracing System (CTS). For finishing herds this should include the throughput of the herd for the previous 12 months |
Number of finishing cattle died or culled in the herd | | |
Disease Syndromes | Finishing Herds | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
No. of cases of lameness which required treatment | | Treatment includes antibiotic (topical or injected) and/or hoof paring other than routine herd footcare |
No. of cases of respiratory disease which required treatment or which died | | This includes respiratory diseases such as pneumonia |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour in cattle between 6 months and 2 years which required treatment or which died | | Treatment can include veterinary medical preparations or dietary changes intended to stop diarrhoea which has been recognised |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour in cattle 2 years plus which required treatment or which died | | Treatment can include veterinary medical preparations or dietary changes intended to stop diarrhoea which has been recognised |
Name_________________________________ Month____________
Production Measures | Dairy Herds | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
Total number of cattle in the herd | | Available from Cattle Tracing System (CTS) |
Number of cows, heifers and bulls of breeding age | | All cattle of 24 months or greater |
Number of cows and heifers mated | | Within the previous 12 months |
Number of barren cows (not including any aborted) | | Includes cows not in calf at the end of the breeding period |
Number of abortions | | Abortions include all calves born dead before 270 days |
Number of assisted calvings including caesareans | | Assisted means any human intervention |
Total number of calves born alive | | This includes all calves seen alive after birth |
Number of calves born dead | | These are calves seen to be stillborn and calves which were found dead after birth |
Number of cattle died/culled between weaning and 2 years of age | | |
Number of adult cattle died | | Includes only cattle dying of natural causes on farm. Cattle destroyed on farm must be counted as culls. All cattle of 24 months or greater |
Number of calves culled before 28 days | | |
Number of adult cattle culled | | All cattle of 24 months or greater |
Calving index | | Keep a note of all the dates on which cows and heifers calved. Work out the interval between calvings in days (the calving interval). The total number of days divided by the number of cows and heifers which calved a full term calf is the calving index for the herd |
Total number of cows and heifers calving | | |
Name_________________________________ Month____________
Disease Syndromes | Dairy Herds | Definitions and Remarks |
|---|
No. of cases of lameness which required treatment | | Treatment includes antibiotic (topical or injected) and/or hoof paring other than routine herd footcare |
No. of cases of respiratory disease which required treatment or which died | | This includes respiratory diseases such as pneumonia |
No. of cases of mastitis which required treatment or which died | | This includes summer mastitis and mastitis in cows and heifers in milk. One case is defined as one quarter case. If a cow gets mastitis in two quarters this counts as two cases |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour before 0 - 6 months which required treatment or which died | | Treatment can include veterinary medical preparations or dietary changes intended to stop diarrhoea which has been recognised |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour in cattle between 6 months and2 years which required treatment or which died | | Treatment can include veterinary medical preparations or dietary changes intended to stop diarrhoea which has been recognised |
No. of cases of diarrhoea/scour in cattle 2 years plus which required treatment or which died | | Treatment can include veterinary medical preparations or dietary changes intended to stop diarrhoea which has been recognised |
No. of cases of milk fever which required treatment or which died | | Diagnosis may be made by farmer/stockman. Lab confirmation is not necessary |
No. of cases of hypomagnesaemia which required treatment or which died | | Diagnosis may be made by farmer/stockman. Lab confirmation is not necessary |