Farmer Writes: the dreaded herd test

My herd test is this week and like many farmers, it’s a task that always makes me a little nervous.

Thankfully, my worries are always unfounded and apart from a few inconclusive animals many years ago I generally get the all clear. However, this year my herd is slightly different.

When I had suckler cows, the only thing I was buying in was a stock bull, I was breeding all my own replacements and even at that, using quite a bit of artificial insemination meant there weren’t a lot of bulls being bought either.

Bought in cattle

This year as my system has changed, over 75% of my herd is bought in, which obviously increases the potential risks that some of the bought in cattle could have been exposed to the infection.

Most of them would have been bought in Donegal, not that that makes any difference as TB could be bought in from anywhere but on the grand scheme of things, Donegal is probably not the worst of offenders.

There’s not much point in worrying about it, as Baz Luhrmann famously remarked in The Sun Screen Song “Know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.”

Fingers crossed everything will be fine and I’ll get the all clear like every other year.

Store to beef system

It’s not exactly a consolation but at least the system I’m in now, which is a store to beef system, would be better able to cope with a possible TB outbreak if it were ever to happen.

All cattle are taken through to finish so there would be no issue with killing cattle when they come fit.

Unfortunately, anyone operating a system selling stores or weanlings can often find themselves in a very difficult and stressful situation in the event of a TB outbreak.

They are unable to sell stock, which can seriously affect cash flow.

They can also often end up having to carry extra stock through the winter which can leave them in a position where they may not have enough fodder to feed everything for the entire winter and maybe not have access to funds to buy in extra feed.

Payments

The whole process is something of a vicious circle that can have a serious effect on a farmer or family’s mental health and well-being.

Thankfully the payment rates for available grants and compensations for farmers that find themselves in the horrible position of having a TB outbreak on the farm have increased in the past couple of years.

Something that will hopefully ease suffering for people a little.

Unfortunately, bovine TB does not appear to be something that Ireland is going to get rid of anytime soon.