Leading Welsh dairy farmer Abi Reader has been appointed the new chair of Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHECS), the technical organisation that sets the specifications for health schemes involved in the control or eradication of endemic cattle disease in the UK. CHECS, which bases its standards on farm biosecurity measures, herd vet declarations, and quality…

The role of CHECS biosecurity measures in reducing the risk of a TB breakdown has been recognised in new Government rules, which will see participants in CHECS TB herd accreditation programmes exempt from more frequent testing. The new Government rules, likely to be introduced in 2019 following a consultation last year, stipulate that herds in…

The inclusion of CHECS Bovine TB Herd accreditation in new TB rules issued by the Welsh Government and a consultation recently launched by Defra has been welcomed in a presentation to vets on 26 July at the Royal Welsh Show. The address, which was part of a seminar hosted by the Welsh Government, came from…

A new industry-led cattle health programme to evaluate risk and recognise farmers who step up biosecurity to help control bovine TB (bTB), launches today on a dairy farm at Iron Acton near Bristol. CHECS bTB Herd Accreditation, a voluntary scheme which has been welcomed by Farming Minister George Eustice and Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for…