Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

Not sure about everyone else but although we are in a 4 yr testing area and although I have had animals tested in between for export, its always a worry when the time comes to have your test. However yesterday was checking day and thankfully all passed o.k. Not sure I could cope if I lived in an area with frequent testing!
Interesting to read the post about the problems halter training, animals have long memories about unpleasant experiences, fortunately my vets are very quiet and although a bunch of young heifers did not want to come back in, once in realizing that nothing awful was going to happen to them they quickly settled down and hopefully by the time I need them in the crush again they will remember its not a threat.
Not sure about the cow who needed a bit of horn regrowth trimming of, but she doesn't seem to bear any grudges today.

In Wales we all have to endure an annual TB test whether we are in a hotspot or not. We combine our TB with the blood testing for the health scheme so our cows do not look forward to the vet coming.

On his last visit he told us that he had just had to put two Dexters down as they were that loopy he couldn't test them. They were also attacking the owner and his wife so they thought it was for the best before one of them was seriously injured.

Not TB, but my flock of sheep was picked for a random blood test today as part of the programme to verify the national brucellosis free status. Talking to the ministry vet, I was interested that his views on bovine TB complemented those of my own vet. Basically, all TB breakdowns locally have been traced to stock brought in from 1 year testing areas. There is no reservoir of infection in the local wildlife. All movement from 1 year to 4 year testing areas should be stopped but the NFU (by implication) has too much political clout for this to be implemented.

Louisa Gidney wrote:Not TB, but my flock of sheep was picked for a random blood test today as part of the programme to verify the national brucellosis free status. Talking to the ministry vet, I was interested that his views on bovine TB complemented those of my own vet. Basically, all TB breakdowns locally have been traced to stock brought in from 1 year testing areas. There is no reservoir of infection in the local wildlife. All movement from 1 year to 4 year testing areas should be stopped but the NFU (by implication) has too much political clout for this to be implemented.

I'm inclined to agree with you all. It'd probably put the value of Dexters in 4yr areas up at the same time.

Louisa Gidney wrote: All movement from 1 year to 4 year testing areas should be stopped but the NFU (by implication) has too much political clout for this to be implemented.

Why not have a ban on animals from 1 year testing areas entering shows as well?

Got a couple of years to our next 4 year test, but vets have advised us that it wont be them doing it but a private company, think there arent enough cattle round here for them to justify the staff training required.

Thankfully my vets are continuing TB testing but we do have a lot of cattle in this area.

SteveM wrote:Got a couple of years to our next 4 year test, but vets have advised us that it wont be them doing it but a private company, think there arent enough cattle round here for them to justify the staff training required.

The powers that be have given a contract to XL vets to undertake TB testing. Your previous vets can no longer do the testing unless they choose to sign up to be a sub-contractor to XL. Complete farce so far as the new regime took over 1st June with no coverage in Worcestershire at the outset.

Under the new regime I have been told you can expect less flexibility i.e. full crush and race required, no additional services provided at the same time as TB testing without a call out charge, additional charges if cattle cannot be put through in a "reasonable time".

I got the letter from XL. You do not have to go along with the XL registered vets. I am continuing with my current vet, but it has been a complicated process to get this sorted. I also have to agree to pay for all government required testing, whether it is TB, brucellosis, or an outbreak of anything else, heaven forbid. But I have used the same vet for so many years now, it is just him and he knows me and my cattle well, and we have a lovely, well oiled system for any testing. So, As we are fortunate enough to be in a 4 year testing area, I would prefer to pay for his service and know who was coming and that he was used to my clever dexters, rather than having suddenly a new person turn up with a whole different way of working.
If you want to continue with your vets and accept you will have to pay, ring the AHPL number on the XL letter, they will say you have to email them in writing........when you do this, they then say that actually , you need to complete a form.... And hopefully this is it!

So if you have a regular government test each year XL vets undertake it but if you have a separate test to sell a batch of cattle can you ask your vet to do it... sounds a bit silly. I have my vet coming out next week to test some I have sold, I will ask what the situation is, they have said nothing to me so far.

Hi, down here in dorset we are with a branch of xl vets and find them to be fab. Nothing is too much trouble for them at test time. They are more than happy to have a dosing gun in hand or bolus our cattle on read day to help us out and we've never had any additional charges applied. I only speak as I find about them for us and can certainly understand the frustrations for you 4 yearly testing folk! Touch wood we have not had an issue for over 25 years. Interestingly though, our neighbour, literally opposite us across the road has been closed down with tb for 3 years now. Seems to be incredibly isolated.

XL, I am told by my vet do the compulsory herd tests and tracers and my vets still do the private pre movement tests. My vets have taken on the XL sub contract at a lower price to see how it goes.