TB callipers

Re: TB callipers

Rachel Brown — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 08:50:26 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

It sounds really fun over there! I would never reach through anything to test cattle. I'm no use with a broken arm.You'd all collectively need to get together and insist up on it.

I like self lockers, but find the best place to be is cattle side. Test, then release each animal. Have farmer standing by flank so next ones doesn't swing around to crush you.

[/quote] I have used the single animal crushes in the UK and didn't like them, but we're old models though. I dislike having to put my arms through vertical bars which they all had in 1997 around us. Granted the Wiltshire cows were very cooperative and the testing was a minute fraction of my time!

Re: TB callipers

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 23:38:18 GMT

We are 4 yearly testing. I have never had a true reactor. I had a cow go as IR twice as was taken as a reactor (clear on PM). I had to ring DEFRA to find out what exactly I needed to do as I had never used the paperwork before. I would have to dig out the chart to tell you what measurement a reactor was..............

Re: TB callipers

macflea — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 23:29:18 GMT

ah sure tis good craic here.now the ministry want you to explain everything , when you find reactors , they come out within the week remeasure your lumps and do a gamma interferon test on reactors and if if they are negative on gamma interferon , you are in trouble you have to explain why it failed skin test but passed blood test .the onus is on you to explain . interesting times here? if a farmer is missing an animal at a test , its your responsibilty to account for it by asking the farmer, if you dont farmer is locked up. another rule that came in here last year is any inconclusive that you give can never be sold , can only go to slaughter, and if inconclusive at 2 consecutive tests is class as a reactor and locked up. here its 4 mm difference between lumps ,is the uk 4 or 5mm difference. i thought i heard its 5 mm difference. could be wrong.

a lot of cows being exported to uk at moment from here , they cant go for export if there is more than a 2 mm increase at bovine site , so hopefully irish cows wont be causing any trouble in uk. supposely cows in uk costing around 2000 pounds , buyers coming over to ireland and picking up in calf heifers for 8oo euros and feshly calf cows for about 1200 euros.

Re: TB callipers

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 23:05:57 GMT

It sounds really fun over there! I would never reach through anything to test cattle. I'm no use with a broken arm.You'd all collectively need to get together and insist up on it.

I like self lockers, but find the best place to be is cattle side. Test, then release each animal. Have farmer standing by flank so next ones doesn't swing around to crush you.

Re: TB callipers

macflea — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 22:53:55 GMT

never had any problems testing in a race/crush , occasionally you would hear of a vet getting arm broken when testing as a result of sticking in arm to reach cows neck , can be irritating as their heads bob up and down as you try to test them ,as they wouldnt be headlocked. i think irish farmers would have a stroke if i or any other vet insisted on all heads locked in head gate and tested one by one going throught head gate . it would be great if it was done this way. well we wouldnt be asked back to test again. here in ireland farmers pay for tb testing except when they get locked up . so they have some power over you , its very easy for them to switch veterinary practices. whats getting popular here is these head locking barriers in the newly built dairy sheds , a bit of a pain as you have to reach in through head barrier to test , but its quick , one client in the practice ,you would have 150 cows tb tested in less than 2 hours as all locked up in these head locking barriers at same time , and you just walk along and test.

Re: TB callipers

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 22:10:50 GMT

How safe is it testing in a race? Personally I'd be insisting on heads locked in a crush or yoke if beef. Dairy cows I am happy doing at the front of a herringbone parlour.

Re: TB callipers

macflea — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 19:05:20 GMT

greetings rebvet,

i was talking to a vet in fermoy and he said he was using a blade 40 for sucklers and it seems to work and blade 10 for dairy . you have same concerns as myself about the races , it would make it easier for clipping if stalled individually, like they do in the uk, i never saw a race when i worked in northern england .i find it hard enough to clip them in a race no mind clipping , i used an oster clippers , the buzzing drove cows crazy in the race. department here in munster seem to be very preoocupied with clip marks at the moment . i tend to source my tb sissors from vessco in lisburn , they last longer and better quality than what the other supplier supp;y , they seem to be best sissors on market.

cheers

Re: TB callipers

Rachel Brown — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 17:09:11 GMT

How well do clippers work with wet dirty suckler necks? I work in Ireland, tried a small clippers once but it died after it tried to clip wet faecal coated hair. Also do you find it more dangerous, as in your arm in the crush near the plunging wild suckler for longer? I find that some cattle have become extremely dangerous to work with, 18yrs qualified. I am concerned that my hand could get caught between cows when they plunge forward and a solid clippers may do more harm to me than my scissors, although that is sore enough! Here we test cattle in the race so not individually restrained.

Re: TB callipers

Zepher — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 12:54:53 GMT

AHVLA supply us with Andis.

Very reliable, easy to clean, can take a good bashing and hold charge well (I can test up to 400+ animals before changing batteries)

They are quiet enough and are essential kit in my eyes. My years of scissor callouses and pathetic clip marks are distant memory, thank goodness!

Re: TB callipers

macflea — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 23:47:21 GMT

thanks for info , i will have a look at andis clippers. use an oster clippers from practice small hand held , buzzing drove cows crazy

Re: TB callipers

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 23:21:09 GMT

The Saphire (the one I link) comes with 2 batteries. They are lithium ion and really hold their charge.

I have one of these as my 'car clipper'

http://www.heiniger.co.uk/heiniger_cordless_clipper.html

That sometimes does discharge on its own, especially on cold days. Just comes with 1 battery.

A great clipper, but I wouldn't recommend it for TT testing.

Re: TB callipers

macflea — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 23:07:22 GMT

thanks for info .

i assume you are saying that the heiniger is the better of the three, lighter , better for holding charge ? which blades do you use?

"Also use their full size battery power clipper, but that is shocking for holding charge and too heavy for TT testing". which clippers do this apply to ?

cheers

Re: TB callipers

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 22:29:14 GMT

Re clippers - have used various cheap and expensive ones over the years and recently bought one of these:

http://www.heiniger.co.uk/heiniger_saphir_clipper.html

Very impressed with it. Feels very well made and 'bouncable'. Have used the Oster, Andis rechargeable and this seems the best handheld.

Also use their full size battery power clipper, but that is shocking for holding charge and too heavy for TT testing.

We are Cox agents so can get them at cost............

Re: TB callipers

macflea — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 16:55:19 GMT

hi elisabeth

i use the 100mm brass callipers from maplin electronics , costing about £4.49. i bought a few , they are a bit on small side , they are cheap so dont mind losing them . i tend to loose callipers. i have also a stronger sturdy brass callipers as a back up.

can anyone recommend a good cordless electric clippers for tb testing , department of agriculture here in ireland are trying to get people to stop using the sissors and use a clippers instead , they are really clamping down on clips marks insisting that each clip mark is 2.5 squares inches ..

cheers m