TB Test

Parishlad

Had a bad result with TB test at the weekend. Five of my suckler cows have gone down as reactors. Haven't had reactors in years and the first time since I have taken over so I am completely gutted with this.
Anyway, I was hoping for some advice....

Vet said that department vet will come out and confirm the reactors so what does this entail? Is there anything I should make sure that I have done before this visit?

All cows are heavily in calf and at least four of them are due within the next month. Can these cows be slaughtered or will they leave them until calves are born?

I have isolated the cows in to a pen on their own but they are still in the same shed. Is there any particular kind of disinfectant I should get to clean down the shed?

I'm sure I have loads more questions but so fed up now that I can't think straight!

visatorro

sorry to hear that . tb is an awful blow to any farmer.
as far as i know the dept basically buy the stock off you. they will be killed.
an "independent" valuer comes out and offers you what he thinks the animals are worth. if you disagree with this price a second fella comes out and gives you a price which is not for negoitation.
i think they come out and blood test the rest of your herd now aswell to see if anything else has traces of tb in their system aswell.
you will have dept personal around your place so i suppose all good farm practices must be followed. all registers filled up, medicine cabinets, all animals with two tags etc.
we were depopulated here years ago and they gave us guidelines to follow regarding disinfecting things.
best of luck and hopefully you'll be clear again towards the end of summer

on the river

if their not your own breeding you have a higher chance of TB.

i think you should have a closed herd policy and avoid buying large amounts from marts.

Again sorry what happened. but you have to start rebuilding the sooner the better.

greysides

It could be two weeks before paper work is completed and animals would be taken so if they're close to calving ask for them to wait until they have calved. They will likely agree. Your 60 day count-down to the next test will not begin until they have gone but the time difference will likely be small.

There are specific Department Approved disinfectants for use for TB. Your visit will likely inform you of all this. If your local CoOp sells disinfectants then check what the labelling says or ask the staff.

mayota

Sorry about that news parish. Follow the dept procedures and you'll be out of it before you know it.

maidhc

mayota wrote: »

Sorry about that news parish. Follow the dept procedures and you'll be out of it before you know it.

Or not...

Was locked up for 18 months about 2 years ago. One kept going down with each retest, until a an animal with particularly bad lesions evenetually showed up. You get compensated for the market value of the reactor, but not for the hassle, loss of profit and all the rest that goes with it.

Sheep breeder

on the river wrote: »

if their not your own breeding you have a higher chance of TB.

i think you should have a closed herd policy and avoid buying large amounts from marts.

Again sorry what happened. but you have to start rebuilding the sooner the better.

What a stupid comment to make TB does not say a here I will not infect home bred cattle only them ones from the mart,
You must have never had a TB break down we had it for three years and would not wish it on our worst enemy

on the river

Sheep breeder wrote: »

What a stupid comment to make TB does not say a here I will not infect home bred cattle only them ones from the mart,
You must have never had a TB break down we had it for three years and would not wish it on our worst enemy

you obvious never read my post properly.

I said 'a higher chance' of TB if cattle bought in from marts. i never said

TB came only from marts.

My grandfather herd was wiped out from tb after buying in dealer cattle.

He never got over it and the herd never reached the heights after that.



Sheep breeder you better cop on and read my posts carefully

before making daft and 'stupid' judgements.


I WOULD NEVER wish TB on any one even the most ignorant of people.

Sheep breeder

parish lad
when the dept of ag comes on to you about the valuer it is important to pick the person that does your type of stock and not the person that does dairy cattle and fight for every euro to get the best for your stock,when the dept vet calls to do the farm visit it is very important to ask lots of questions, who in the area is down, how bad, what is the possible source of the infection etc etc, and you will get good help and advice,
we had TB for three years in a row and my 6 neighbours at the same time with 3 clear and 4 down and when one got clear another went down, it can be very hard to cope with the stress involved and trying to plan goes out the window for selling, breeding etc. we lost a lot of home bred cattle to wild life problem and a guy a couple of miles away lost 52 cattle on recent test and had reactors on two previous. it is most important to keep the head up.
as for on the river sail on

ABlur

Hi Parish, sorry to hear of your troubles. There is a TB hardship grant payable Nov to end April each year, get form ER97 from your DVO:

https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/diseasecontrol/bovinetbbrucellosiseradicationschemes/diseaseeradicationtbbrucellosis/diseaseeradicationschemes/

J.O. Farmer

When the cattle are valued you will need to return a form saying that you are happy with the valuation (unless you want a second valuer). The reactor collection service will bring the cattle away and the factory will pay you the salvage value. This will probably be a lot less than the market value so the department will top up the payment to the agreed value.

Parishlad

Thanks all for the advice and support! Have been getting to grips with the situation over the last few days. Waiting on valuer to arrange a visit and Dept Vet will also be out to test the reactors. Haven't heard of any other visits from Dept personnel but have been busy getting everything in order so as to avoid any other problems.
The biggest thing with me is that the cows are so close to calving. I have been told that if any of them calve before they come to take them then the cows will be left for two weeks and I can then decide on whether or not I want them to take the calves. I know it would be a lot of work rearing the calves but I just can't see myself letting them go.
I asked if there was any evidence of the TB being passed to calves as I thought that naturally the calf would have it but was told that strangely enough there have been no studies/research carried out on this.
BTW I have a completely closed herd. Haven't bought in anything, except replacement stock bull, for as long as I can remember.

greysides

Ask about retaining the heavily pregnant cows until they calve!!!!! Worth doing so.

Within reason, it's worth digging your heels in but be polite. If the vet that comes can't say 'yes' then ask to talk to his boss. They all have limits in what leeway they may be able to offer.


The other option is induction, talk to your vet.

on the river

Parishlad wrote: »

Thanks all for the advice and support! Have been getting to grips with the situation over the last few days. Waiting on valuer to arrange a visit and Dept Vet will also be out to test the reactors. Haven't heard of any other visits from Dept personnel but have been busy getting everything in order so as to avoid any other problems.
The biggest thing with me is that the cows are so close to calving. I have been told that if any of them calve before they come to take them then the cows will be left for two weeks and I can then decide on whether or not I want them to take the calves. I know it would be a lot of work rearing the calves but I just can't see myself letting them go.
I asked if there was any evidence of the TB being passed to calves as I thought that naturally the calf would have it but was told that strangely enough there have been no studies/research carried out on this.
BTW I have a completely closed herd. Haven't bought in anything, except replacement stock bull, for as long as I can remember.

any neighbouring herd had a problem with tb ?

Nekarsulm

Parishlad, my sympathies on your TB problems. Depending on where you are, the cows could easily have calved before the cattle lorry comes. Depends on whether the factories are giving the dept. quotes for reactors or not. Sometimes they just don't want these cattle. You need to have them in separate accommodation, ideally in separate shed. Its a hard thing seeing fine cows go up the ramp, and even worse if they are heavily in calf. Dept. may blood all the rest of the herd (how many head in your herd?) but they may restrict themselves to testing only comrades of the reactor animals. They may have to get the go-ahead from ""on high" to spend the money on blood testing. Anything positive on the blood, is gone, as well. You will be required to pressure wash everything around the yards, almost impossible, I know, especially with cattle still in sheds. You may also be advised to make your sheds "badger proof" , to keep them off the silage (especially if you are feeding meals on the silage) You will probably be advised to raise all field drinkers up to about 30 inches high, badgers have been known to bathe in drinkers. Don't know how you will stop the cattle drinking out of a puddle, though............
PS, go to local marts, sale,etc, and familiarise yourself with the prices similar cattle to yours are making. You need all the ammunition to hand to fight your corner when the valuer comes.

Justjens

My sympathies, know only too well what it's like. You will be given the name of several valuers and you then have the choice, as Sheep breeder said get the one that knows beef cattle.

The reactor grant will be paid when you have done any remedial work/power washing and disinfecting of sheds or whatever is recommended by the Dept. vet.

They no longer take your cards and you will need a permit to slaughter while restricted, also you will be restricted on what you can buy in so if you want to be able to buy a few weanlings/new bull, or whatever, ask the Dept vet about this when he calls. However if any of these animals test positive for TB while you are restricted you will not get the grant, but you'll be grand once you have two clear tests if they then go down.

It's all quite complicated but don't be pressurised into doing things until you are ready, and the best of luck.

farmerjj

Just wondering from when you fail the test how long normally does it take before you get the all clear(assuming you pass the 2test after 1st time)

Justjens

First test is two months after the reactors are removed and the second test is then two months after the first, all going well restrictions are lifted.

You then have a test six months after your second clear test just to check all is still well.

Bodacious

Neighbour on out farm has a reactor .. Will I be tested and will it be me or department paying ?

Milked out

Bodacious wrote: »

Neighbour on out farm has a reactor .. Will I be tested and will it be me or department paying ?

You will be tested, department paying. Not sure on new rules that came in, the notification letter should explain all

Aru

If you want the extra stock then its worth keeping the cows until they calve or inducing them near the due dates...

Personally though I would not be letting the calves drink milk from reactor mothers .Just a personal observation but the only young calves I have seen go down with tb were sucking on mothers who went down as reactors.So if you are thinking of keeping them hunt down some good beastings to have ready.The artificial colostrum stuff doesnt cut it against frozen or natural either imo.

The dept vet should be able to tell you more when they contact you esp regards disinfection and timeframes.

Do you know of your the only outbreak in the area?

Count Mondego

Bodacious wrote: »

Neighbour on out farm has a reactor .. Will I be tested and will it be me or department paying ?

If you've had a test in the last 3 months you don't have to.

Capercaillie

Get extra compensation when cow in calf. The vet in factory will check whether she is in-calf.