Disease? Not On My Farm!
Disease? Not On My Farm! promotes the importance of proactive, preventative healthcare. It is a farmer-focused campaign, inspiring farmers to take pride in being disease free. With increasing pressure from regulation, changing consumer expectations and the ever-present challenges from economically-intrusive diseases, it has never been more important for farmers to understand the value of managing disease on-farm.
Disease? Not On My Farm! key messages:
- Not all disease is visible, the true cost of disease is often masked
- Farmers have a responsibility to prioritise healthy livestock and take pride in a preventative approach
- Increasing the number of farms proud to be disease free is vital for the long-term sustainability of the livestock industry
- Within a farm business, prioritising proactive herd health and working closely with a vet has true value
- Vaccinations are a crucial component of modern livestock production - there is no place for disease
The campaign helps farmers understand the true cost of disease and see the tangible value of a preventative approach to disease control. It challenges perceptions of how disease is spread and shares advice and tips from farmers and vets alike. It aims to make preventative disease control the norm by defining the value and opportunity of disease-free farms.
Disease? Not On My Farm! steps to achieving a disease-free farm:
1. Assess
Every farm is different, so a careful review of your situation is crucial. Sit down with your vet and assess the ways diseases can enter or leave your farm – you may also want to include diagnostic testing into your herd health plan to establish your herd status for common diseases.
2. Prevent
To protect your herd against the known challenges, make changes to minimise biosecurity risks and establish a vaccination schedule. You can also create, or modify, your herd health plan; your vet can support you with this.
3. Improve
It is important to regularly review your herd health plan to be sure you’re not missing anything. Herds change, and so do diseases – so keeping things updated will mean you’re a step ahead of the next disease threat.
One key element of Disease? Not On My Farm! is the Ambassador programme, with well-respected farmers acting as champions for proactive, preventative animal healthcare. These farmers encourage and inspire their farming peers to take pride in being disease free. Meet the Ambassadors on the Disease? Not On My Farm! hub and follow their journey towards a disease-free future.
