With the continued threat of antimicrobial resistance and the negative financial impact that a herd health issue could have on farm, a major focus has been placed on improving herd health on farms over the course of the programme.

On all farms, a detailed herd plan was put in place in conjunction with the local vet.

The negative effects of herd health problems on the profitability on beef farms come in the form of higher animal mortality rates, reduced performance, substantial costs of treatment, costs of prevention and additional labour.

As part of the herd health challenge, the team digs deep into vet bills to establish what are the main offenders requiring antibiotic use at farm level and then the strategy is to implement proactive rather than reactive approaches in managing these issues. The ultimate aim is to develop blueprints that favour the targeted use of vaccines and optimum herd management and husbandry practices to cut down on high-risk diseases – hence reducing antibiotic inputs by 20%.

On all farms, a detailed herd plan was put in place in conjunction with the local vet. During the planning, vets also looked at the environment where stock were kept, as well as taking a detailed look at hygiene and air flow.

Along with aiming to cut down on antibiotic usage, parasitic burdens will be regularly monitored with pooled faecal samples tested for infestations at regular intervals throughout the year.

Brian Doran Health focus

Like a lot of herds, there were a few lingering herd health issues present. Last summer, a herd health plan was put in place in conjunction with the local vet.

The plan targeted areas that previously caused issues on the farm. The fact that the herd was buying in stock, extra precautions had to be taken to prevent a herd health breakdown. A vaccination policy was introduced for the herd and improvements were also made to housing and the implementation of stricter bio-security measures.