annual herd test date... can you push it out

49801

got notice today for our annual herd test in Oct.
just wondering is it possible to push out a herd test by 6-8wks beyound the given date?
I know it would prevent us from presenting animals to the factory for slaughter etc.
we would not be selling/buying any animals during this period.
what are the pitfalls of doing this?

Tora Bora

49801 wrote: »

got notice today for our annual herd test in Oct.
just wondering is it possible to push out a herd test by 6-8wks beyound the given date?
I know it would prevent us from presenting animals to the factory for slaughter etc.
we would not be selling/buying any animals during this period.
what are the pitfalls of doing this?

Dont even think about it! You will have half the box tickers in Ireland on your door step, filling forms in duplicate, triplicate, and every other "licate" you can imagine.

49801

Thats my feeling too but wanted to check what the implications would be. Are cross compliance or SFP affected?

it would really suit me to do it in sept. if i did it in sept will it alter my date for 2012 to sept too? is it like the NCT test were you can do your test early but you still have the same annual test date?

irishh_bob

49801 wrote: »

got notice today for our annual herd test in Oct.
just wondering is it possible to push out a herd test by 6-8wks beyound the given date?
I know it would prevent us from presenting animals to the factory for slaughter etc.
we would not be selling/buying any animals during this period.
what are the pitfalls of doing this?

yeah , ive seen it done , they wont touch you for at least four weeks after the designated date , you could contact them and ask for another few weeks on top , seen it done

blue5000

If you have cows on the point of calving and you don't want to put them through a crush, they'd probably let you pospone it a few wks.

just do it

Contact your local DVO or regional office as they are now called:rolleyes:.

The vet for your area can arrange it for you, particularly if you have justifiable reason e.g. welfare issues due to heavy in-calf stock! You may have to get permits for anything going to the factory, but once the DVO know in advance and you keep them on side, you shouldn't have a problem.

(Hope you get onto someone reasonable, do you ever notice no matter what you're dealing with it, it always seems to come down to the person your dealing with and how well you get on with them, even if it is only buying a 6 inch nail in your local hardware store!:D;))

raindodger

have also pushed out the herd test to when the kids are of school for the help .
i think that the test has switched to a calender date where before it was area based so if you test today your not due again for a year

49801

i booked it for 4weeks early.
i hope that this does not affect our traditional week and we end up having it earlier and earlier every year

just do it

49801 wrote: »

i booked it for 4weeks early.
i hope that this does not affect our traditional week and we end up having it earlier and earlier every year

Yes, i wondered about that too as the date I was given this year was exactly 12 months after last year's test!

reilig

49801 wrote: »

i booked it for 4weeks early.
i hope that this does not affect our traditional week and we end up having it earlier and earlier every year

It will. You'll be given the date 12 months in the future of the date that you actually had the test. Its not the NCT

49801

reilig wrote: »

It will. You'll be given the date 12 months in the future of the date that you actually had the test. Its not the NCT

its not the 'National Cattle Test' then?:pac:
What if your vet is over booked and can not do that week then?

you could easily end up having to do it a couple of weeks earlier every year for numerous very practical day to day reasons.

seems silly there is not a tolerance on it... like conduct it in a certain 4or6week period every year.

for me there is an important family event the week i've been told to conduct it by.

Bizzum

I'm going back 5 or 6 years here, but we let our annual test slip incrementally over a few years to a more suitable time.
Probably more difficult nowadays though.

5live

Ther way it was explained to me was an area was designated to be tested within a 2 month window. You are sent out the notification and then have to have the test within that window. The window may change from year to year but stays fairly constant. if you fail to have the test within the time limit nothing much happens except you are not allowed to sell or buy afaik. You will be sent a reminder letter to get you to move your ass and get them tested but if you dont then you may get a phone call and then a visit to 'discuss' your situation;).

Afaik the test is supposed to be within the same window every year so if you are late then the test doesnt automatically come in 12 months later ie outside your window

just do it

Ah ha but there are knock on effects!

Inspections these days are based on risk assessment. So if you have a few black marks against your herd your likelyhood of receiving any form of Dept inspection, including cross-compliance, is increased!

All's best to fly under the radar;)

Kovu

5live wrote: »

Ther way it was explained to me was an area was designated to be tested within a 2 month window. You are sent out the notification and then have to have the test within that window. The window may change from year to year but stays fairly constant. if you fail to have the test within the time limit nothing much happens except you are not allowed to sell or buy afaik. You will be sent a reminder letter to get you to move your ass and get them tested but if you dont then you may get a phone call and then a visit to 'discuss' your situation;).

The test is supposed to be within the same window every year so if you are late then the test doesnt automatically come in 12 months later ie outside your window

I only wish! Crackdown on trying to rid us of TB may ruin this country. We're not allowed to kill them but allowed to catch them, how do people deal with this? Snares, worse option possible.

just do it

Unfortunately TB eradication is not simple, and in Ireland at the moment it's not possible. There is no test for TB that is 100% accurate and being able to linger in the background in wildlife doesn't help. However due to our huge dependence on export markets we have to do what we can to keep the incidence down.

It's all controlled by EU rules and regulations, which in turn are negotiated to tie in with international trade agreements.

It might still be called a control programme except for C.J. Haughey's famous promise to eradicate it! So from the Department's viewpoint devil if you do, and devil if you dont! It's just a pity they can't be a bit more customer friendly!

td5man

Pushed last years test from september to january, i'm due a test again in september as this is the due date despite the fact that you only need to test once a year.
I was informed of this by the department when i rang them this week.
Also had an inspection this year for the first time ever probably as a result of pushing the test back.

KatyMac

I also tried to get date of my herd test changed. It's set for early Februrary and I wanted it end of March or April coz where I winter my cattle I don't have great crush facilities (just enough to hold a beast for AI or so). The DVO told me that tests are done according to areas and that I couldn't change it. This year I was late coz I hurt my leg and I got a letter warning me that I was going to be restricted if I didnt get it done immediately. Had to call on a neighbour for help which was a bit of a nuisance, but wouldn't we be lost without good neighbours??