All breeders selling at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s (BLCS’s) forthcoming Bull Sale at United Auction’s Stirling Mart, on 17th October, will be active members of, and adhering to the terms of, a CHeCS licenced Herd Health Scheme.  This new requirement at Stirling follows the successful launch of the new herd health rules earlier this year at the Society’s May Sale held at Carlisle.

Commenting on the further roll-out at Stirling, BLCS Chairman Peter Kirton said: “Bull buyers both pedigree and commercial want to buy breeding stock from herds with a known health status.  The introduction of these health rules at the Stirling Sale will provide another hugely important level of information and choice at the point of sale for buyers. The feedback from buyers in May has been extremely positive.”

The Limousin Society’s health rules at sale have two principal elements:

Part 1. Herds selling at the premier Collective Limousin Society Sales have to be members of, and adhering to, the terms of a CHeCS approved Herd Health Scheme. As with the BLCS’s present Herd Health Initiative, at a minimum, this must include a whole herd test for Johne’s disease.

Part 2. All animals male and female, including calves at foot, presented at the premier Collective Society Sales have to be EITHER from a BVD Accredited Herd within a CHeCS approved Herd Health Scheme OR to have been BVD tested virus free. All animals forward are required to be BVD vaccinated prior to sale with an approved vaccine. Pregnant animals must have had testing and vaccination completed prior to service. Vaccination of calves at foot to be in accordance with CHeCS guidelines and recommendations.

The Herd Health at Sales rules will be in place at all premier Collective BLCS Society Sales at both Carlisle and Stirling from this point. Subject to ongoing review, the rules may be rolled out at other BLCS Society Sale centres including Brecon, Dungannon, Ballymena and Aberdeen respectively.

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3 COMMENTS

    • Thanks for the comment. In the sale catalogues themselves a herd health summary is included in the vendor’s index. This includes the herd’s status for Johne’s and indicates where a herd is accredited free, the number of years it has been testing for, or that it is testing. Any statement has to be in adherence with the terms of the CHeCS scheme that that herd is a member of. Every vendor is also issued with a herd health declaration form that is displayed on the respective herd’s pens. The herd declarations at sales have now been in place for four years. As the news piece notes, the move to all vendors now having to be in a CHeCS herd health scheme is another very positive step forward.

  2. Thanks for the reply,having purchased at several premier sales i appreciate the health schemes being introduced but many herds are not johnes free yet and may not for some time so information regarding the incidence of the disease in individual herds would be of assistance to purchasers.