British Simmental Review 2018

secured with a self-closing unit. We feed a TMR, and clamp
silage is used. The danger from our grass silage is minimal,
but we keep it well covered and tidy. Our watercourses are
all fenced off, and a bridge connects adjoining parts of one
field that is split in two.
Neighbouring cattle. Reducing the risk from your
neighbour’s animals is imperative. All your precautions
are worth very little if the less-than-careful next-door
neighbour’s playful limmy crosses can achieve nose-tonose
contact with your animals. Fortunately, the vast
majority of our land is very isolated from other livestock,
either because of its location or because of boundaries
with roads, rivers or railways. Where there is neighbouring
cattle, the fencing gap exceeds 6 metres due to stone
pathways, although 3m is considered adequate. There is
no shared grazing with either other cattle or other species.
Stop infected cattle entering the herd. This doesn’t
just cover the risk from dodgy Dave’s mongrel crosses
purchased from the market, but also from returning cattle,
either unsold from market or
returning from shows. We have a
closed herd, and use AI, so have
no risk from bought-in cattle. Our
show animals are kept separate
for the season in the isolation unit
and garden paddock, and then
tested after a suitable interval
before rejoining the herd.
set up. There is a permanent foot dip, and everyone is
asked to use it before visiting the cattle. All areas are kept
clean and tidy, and equipment is cleaned after use. The
cattle sheds are cleaned out regularly, disinfected and
are painted annually by the person who has the lowest
summer workload....
Although we may initially have been sceptical about how
successfully an electric fence could prevent badger access,
it really has worked. A bi-annual risk assessment of the
field with previous badger activity has shown no sign of
unwanted visitors at all.
Our key performance indicator is a small allotment
fenced carefully into one corner. For seven long years,
the allotment owner has cursed and vilified our black
and white furry friends as his attempts to grow maize for
his table have been scuppered. Post electric fence, the
maize has thrived, and harvest has been celebrated in
all quarters, both with great tasting sweetcorn and with
continuing clear annual TB tests which are against the
general experience in the area.
SIMMENTAL REVIEW 2018
Minimise infection from
manure. The M.bovis bacteria has
been shown to survive in muck
for up to six months. It is killed by
sunlight, so storing outside will
ensure it is quickly destroyed. The
site of the muck heap should be
fenced off from cattle with electric
fence, away from drains and on
flat land. We have allocated an
area of one field for muck storage,
which has been fenced off. The
muck is stored in rotation from
year to year – pretty much like
stock rotation at the supermarket
- so we know which is ready to
be spread. Spreading muck from
other farms and using external
equipment is a high risk game,
and to be avoided.
General housekeeping. Aside
from the recommendations of
the TBAS, there are some basic
but obvious measures that are in
place. Boots and outer clothing
are kept clean, and external taps
and a wash station have been
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