When it comes to the herd’s annual Tuberculosis jab – planning ahead is crucial.
Vaccination can prove to be both time consuming and stressful, with factors including the size of the herd, the waiting period for test results, and the length of time injections take to administer, all needing to be taken into consideration.
With this in mind Gareth Wyn Jones, Welsh hill farmer and ambassador of family-run Oil 4 Wales, has offered his expert advice in easing the process for both farmer and animal.
He said: “Due to the extensive nature of the process, planning for the day in advance is necessary, and varies due to the size of your herd.
“It is important to consider timings, how many animals are being vaccinated? How long is this likely to take? Can breaking this down into manageable time slots make the process easier?
“The three-day waiting period for results could also prove to be stressful, with the potential negative or inconclusive test result being such a huge weight on many famers’ minds. As such it is important to plan ahead for every eventuality and how this can be resolved going forwards. Making an action plan for this busy time, will not only create a smoother and more efficient Tuberculosis process for the farmer, it will also make it less stressful for the animals too.”
Gareth is working with Oil 4 Wales to campaign for more people in Wales to buy local and help ease the issues faced by those in agriculture.