HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT- THE FUTURE OF CATTLE PRACTICE IN IRELAND

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1 13 The Courtyard, Kilcarbery Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 22 Tel / Fax vetireland@eircom.net Web-page HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT- THE FUTURE OF CATTLE PRACTICE IN IRELAND Significant steps on the journey towards the introduction of Herd Health programmes in Ireland are being taken. On September 2 nd, Chief Veterinary Officer Paddy Rogan will formally launch the Veterinary Ireland Herd Health Management Programme to an audience of key Veterinary, Farming, Consumer, Media and Agri-industry representatives. Currently farmers and vets tend to have a relationship that involves a fire-brigade type service. The focus is largely on treating individual sick animals. Veterinary bills tend to be seen as a cost that a farmer wants to minimise. Herd Health management focuses on prevention rather than treatment, of the whole herd or group rather than the individual animal, dealing with the causes of the problem in addition to treating the problem itself. Herd Health management plans emphasise the significant savings and increased profits that can be made by improvements in animal health, and promotes an investment, yielding quantifiable dividends, rather than a cost. Veterinary Ireland s Animal Health Committee, with considerable help from a number of individuals and from organisations including the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), Department of Agriculture and Food, the Veterinary Faculty, and the Northern Ireland Veterinary Association, and having learned from difficulties encountered in other countries, has drawn up a programme suitable for implementation by vets on Irish farms. On September 16 th Veterinary Ireland will hold the first Unit of a four-part training course on Herd Health management. By the end of the training course, and through the use of organised mentoring and discussion groups, attending vets should have the skills and knowledge necessary to implement Herd Health programmes for their clients. The course will take place at the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, and will begin at 2.00 pm (lunch from pm). The cost will be 100 per attending vet, and will include the fee for the Unit, the HHMP Manual and refreshments, including a light lunch and dinner. A brochure on the programme, together with Registration Forms for the first training day will be circulated soon. If you would like to be a part of this new initiative, and attend the first day of the course, please contact Siobhan at Veterinary Ireland HQ on , or complete the attached Quick Response Form. This Event also qualifies for 6 CVE Credits. VICAS/BSAVA THERAPEUTICS EVENT VICAS/BSAVA will be holding a one-day CVE Event Which Pills For Which Ills A Therapeutic Update on 18 th September, at the Stillorgan Park Hotel, Stillorgan Road (N11), Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Jill Maddison, lecturer at the Royal Veterinary College, London, will give practitioners a practical view of what is new in the area of therapeutics, while Damian O Donoghue of sponsors, Pfizer, will make clear the sometimes confusing area of legislation, off-label use of drugs and the cascade system. For a cost of 180, VICAS members can sign up for this event by calling Siobhan on This Event qualifies for 8 CVE Credits. 1

2 TVIs DOING TWO SHIFTS In the January 2004 VetView we provided the following clarification on this matter: Two Shifts On Same Day This has been a problem for some time in some areas. The new Agreement states quite specifically: TVI s shall not be allowed to work two shifts on the same day unless as a last resort to enable factories to continue working and where no other TVI is available. In fairness to all TVI s especially those further down panels VI s should clarify whether any TVI being called in has worked another shift. Similarly, there is an onus on TVI s to tell the VI if they have worked one. If as a Shop Steward you find that this rule is being breached then you should bring the matter to the attention of your VI. In June the Department issued a Circular to all VIs at meat plants and to regional SVIs. We also included the text of this Circular in the June VetView. A relevant extract is repeated below. In the context of being requested by a VI to undertake a second shift on the same day at one or more meat plants and in order to facilitate VIs to allocate such shifts in an equitable manner any TVI who has a regular shift at one meat plant and who is also placed on TVI panels at other meat plants must inform the VIs concerned about his/her regular shift and his/her placement on the other panels including any shifts which he/she is working on an irregular basis. In this regard VIs must make appropriate enquiries. As a matter of equity and in accordance with established Veterinary Ireland policy it is important that this aspect of the Agreement on the Operation of TVI panels be adhered to. Accordingly, any such breaches of it should, in the first instance, be brought to the attention of the VI(s) involved. Where satisfaction is not received at that level, the matter should then be brought to the attention of Veterinary Ireland/Shop Steward. FOOD ANIMAL GROUP AGM The Food Animal Interest Group Annual General Meeting will be held in the Fitzpatrick Bunratty Hotel at 2.30 pm on Saturday 9 th October All Food Animal Interest Group members are encouraged to attend. TB/BLOOD TESTING FIELD BOOKS The Department of Agriculture has recently clarified that any veterinary surgeon recording TB and Brucellosis Blood tests in the Tuberculosis Testing and Field Sampling Note Book (Field Books) must retain these books for at least 6 years, in accordance with the relevant Acts and Revenue Commissioners requirements, and that the Field Book remains the property of the Department. TVI SHIFT PAY RATES The Department of Agriculture advise that the hourly rate of pay for TVIs in EU approved meat inspection plants has been increased to from 1 st July 2004, in line with the Sustaining Progress Social Partnership Agreement. TVI members should now see this increase appearing in their cheques and pay advices. TB REACTORS PASSPORT RETURNS Clarification has been sought from the Department of Agriculture with regards to the order in which animal passports are to be sent to the Department in the case of reactors in a non-restricted herd. The Department has responded: When reactors are disclosed in a nonrestricted herd the testing veterinarian is obliged to: -Submit the test report to the District Veterinary Office either electronically or by paper within 3 working days. -Have indicated on the test report those animals with or without passports/id Cards. -Submit all the passports/id cards, surrendered by the keeper at the commencement of the test, separated into three bundles 1. Reactor animal's passports/id cards. 2. Non-reactor animal's passports/id cards. 3. Surplus passports/id cards. These bundles must be clearly marked and returned to the DVO with the test report. It is not a requirement to have the passports/id cards in the three bundles sorted into any order. TB AND EPIDEMIOLOGY PAPERS We have a small number of copies of the Selected Papers from the Veterinary Epidemiology and Tuberculosis Investigation Unit at UCD. Copies are available from Veterinary Ireland HQ on

3 WORLD ANIMAL WEEK (WAW) World Animal Week 2004 will take place from 1 st October 2004 to 8 h October 2004, with World Animal Day on 4 th October, St Francis of Assisi s feast day. Already Veterinary Ireland staff and VICAS members are in discussions with Masterfoods to best facilitate the Irish veterinary profession s promotion of its own essential work in ensuring the health and well-being of the nation s companion animals. Sub-titled Vets Caring for Pets, the week will provide an opportunity for our members to participate in a range of activities including radio interviews, open days at practices and school visits, all designed to provide an interface between the pet owners and their veterinary surgeon. Volunteers Wanted For School Visits And Radio Interviews Volunteers are required to conduct school visits and to be available for media interviews. As a regular WAW activity, schools throughout Ireland will be asking veterinary surgeons to visit to speak with school children on how best to look after their own pets, while several local radio stations around the country have expressed an interest in having a Companion Animal veterinarian available for radio interviews during World Animal Week and possibly thereafter. To this end we are compiling a list of those members of Veterinary Ireland who would be available for school visits and/or radio interviews, either in the studio or by telephone. If you wish to be included on this list then please contact Veterinary Ireland Headquarters on or complete the attached Quick Response Form PETS TRAVEL John Melville, of the Department of Agriculture and Food has asked that the following points be brought to members attention regarding pet travel and pet passports. 1. Date of microchip implantation; Some veterinary surgeons enter month only rather than specific date in section 3 (Identification of Animal) of Passport Application Form. This is leading to difficulties issuing passports. 2. It would appear that some commercial operators (dog breeding establishments, greyhound racing/breeding establishments) are seeking passports. The passport is intended strictly for pets only and applications being made for passports by persons who are known to be selling onwards or transferring ownership will not be processed by the Department. The assistance of the profession in helping to ensure that only genuine pets within the meaning of EU Regulation 998/2003 (Article 3 (a)"pet animals" means...which are accompanying their owners or a natural person responsible for such animals on behalf of the owner during their movement and are not intended to be sold of transferred to another owner) are processed for passports would be very much appreciated. The Department website pages relating to pets have been updated and are now live. For the latest information please log on to: EQUINE GROUP REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE The Equine Group National Committee would like the assistance of all Veterinary Ireland members with an important issue. It seems that on some stud farms mare owners are being offered veterinary services that are not being provided by vets. In many such instances, e.g. rectal exams/scanning, it may be that we, as veterinary surgeons in a competitive market, must simply work harder to sell our services as superior to these alternatives for example, we can better determine the reproductive status of the mare than a "lay scanner", and are then legally in a position to manage it, whereas the layperson does not have legal access to antibiotics, sedatives, hormones etc. However, it seems that surgical procedures, e.g. Caslick's vulvoplasty, are also being advised and performed by some laypersons. This is of great concern as the welfare of mares may be compromised, and apprehensions of a professional and legalistic nature immediately arise - is local anaesthetic being used, is the procedure being performed correctly, and is it not illegal for persons not registered with the Veterinary Council to perform acts of veterinary surgery for reward? The Equine Committee would like to hear from any members who have further experiences and opinions in this regard, anonymously if necessary, so that we can give it due attention and action. In the first instance, please pass on any comments to Veterinary Ireland HQ. Please mark any documents For the attention of the Equine Group Chairman and, ideally, please include contact details, so that the Equine Group can follow up any comments. 3

4 CAVI CONFERENCE CVE CREDITS The Annual CAVI Conference 2004 will be held on 8 th and 9 th October 2004 in the Fitzpatrick Bunratty Hotel, Bunratty, Co. Clare. With speakers from Ireland and the UK, topics will be based on the problems confronted by Veterinary Surgeons in dealing with suckler herds and will include such subjects as BVD, Common Nutritional Problems, Retained Placenta Metritis, Infertility, Anthelmintic Resistance and Bovine Micronutrient Deficiencies. A presentation session of Clinical Case Studies will round off the event. All enquiries about the conference should be addressed to the Conference Secretariat: CAVI Conference 2004, 76a Upper Georges Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland, Tel: Fax: , info@eventplus.ie EQUINE CONFERENCE 15CVE CREDITS "Skin Disease and Perinatal Care" This year's conference will take place on 5 th, 6 th and 7 th November 2004 in the Marriott Hotel, Druids Glen, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow. The Marriott Druids Glen is an impressive hotel with excellent facilities for both conference and leisure. The Conference Dinner (Saturday 6 th November) will be held in nearby Druids Glen Golf Club. Weather permitting, a Golf Tournament will be held at Druids Glen on Sunday morning, 7 th November. This year the programme will start earlier on Friday 5 th November with two simultaneous interactive sessions prior to the plenary sessions. The Veterinary Ireland Annual General Meeting, which is open to all members, will be held there on Friday 5 th November, 4 p.m. As in previous years the Organising Committee is calling for practitioners to present case studies of practical interest. Anyone with a suitable case who wishes to present it should send details to the Conference Chairman, Bridget McGing, c/o the Conference Secretariat at the address below. Successful applicants will receive complimentary registration for the conference. All enquiries about the conference should be addressed to the Conference Secretariat: Irish Equine Veterinary Conference, 76a Upper Georges Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland, Tel: Fax: , info@eventplus.ie BEVA CONGRESS 2004 BEVA will be holding their 2004 Annual Congress in Birmingham, September Irish vets attending this event will qualify for up to 19 CVE Credits, depending on length of attendance. Equine Group members have already received details of this event by post. For further details please contact BEVA on AVSPNI CONFERENCE AVSPNI will be holding their 2004 conference at Manor House Hotel, Irvinestown, on 15 th 17 th October Among the speakers will be Jonathan Harwood, George Cooper, Emma O Neill, Graham Munroe, David Logue, and Frank Malone, with topics including the Downer Cow, Equine Lameness, Canine Neurology and Gastroenterology, Equine Ophthalmology and Clostridial Disease an Update. In addition, there will be a social programme for spouses and children, golf on Friday afternoon, and a dinner/dance on Saturday evening. For further details, please contact the AVSPNI Secretary, Richard Huey, on VHI VETERINARY IRELAND GROUP SCHEME As part of its Membership benefits, Veterinary Ireland has its own VHI Group Scheme, which offers Veterinary Ireland Members 10% off the cost of their annual VHI premiums. As an incentive to Members who have yet to avail of this Group Scheme, VHI have agreed to waive the usual 13-week waiting period for those new applicants who submit an application form before 30 th September 2004, and so provide immediate cover. IMPORTANT DATE FOR YOUR DIARY 5 th Nov 2004-VETERINARY IRELAND AGM The 2004 Veterinary Ireland Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Friday 5 th November 2004, at 4.00 pm at the Marriott Hotel, Druid s Glen, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow. The AGM will be held in conjunction with the 2004 Annual Equine Conference and we would encourage all members to put the date in their diaries and to attend on 5 th November. 4

5 VETVIEW QUICK RESPONSE FORM AUGUST 2004 Name: Vet Number: / Address: Tel: Fax: Please Tick: Please note my new contact details as given above [ ] HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME TRAINING DAY: I wish to attend the HHMP Training day at AbbeyLeix Manor Hotel, at 2.00 pm on 16 th September [ ] Cost 100. VICAS/BSAVA THERAPEUTICS UPDATE: I wish to attend the Therapeutics Update at Stillorgan Park Hotel, at 8.30 am on 18 th September [ ]Cost 180. I enclose a cheque for OR Please charge my credit card and debit my registration fee of. NAME OF CARDHOLDER: VISA ACCESS Card No. [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] *Security Code: [ ] [ ] [ ] Expiry date [ ] [ ] / [ ] [ ] (*last 3 digits of code on back of card above signature) Cardholder s signature: Please note: To take payment from your credit card the banks now require you to include the last 3 digits from the security code printed on the back of your credit card. WORLD ANIMAL WEEK 2004: I will be available for Radio Interviews during World Animal Week: [ ] My Contact Telephone Number is.... I will be available for School Visits during World Animal Week 2003: [ ] I will require the following number of School Packs... Signed: Date: RETURN BY POST TO: VETERINARY IRELAND, 13 THE COURTYARD, KILCARBERY PARK, NANGOR ROAD, DUBLIN 22. OR BY FAX TO: