CHECS has been setting industry standards in cattle disease control since 1999, and while farmers initially joined its licensed health schemes to accredit the health status of pedigree beef animals before selling, less than a third (30%) participate for that purpose now.
In fact, around 60% of new cattle health scheme members now join for management reasons, including the aim of having a healthier herd, better disease control and saving money on laboratory testing. Many more commercial dairy farmers are now realising the benefit of getting involved, with one in every three new joiners being a dairy herd.