South West Healthy Livestock Initiative here to help


nfectious diseases have long been the bain of a farmers’ life. Foot and mouth has twice ravaged UK livestock numbers in living memory.


I


Bovine TB continues to trundle on with the widespread culling of animals testing positive to the disease.


These high profile examples of infectious diseases are common knowledge to anyone with an agricultural background.


There are however numerous other examples of infectious diseases which can be just as devastating on a herd to herd basis.


Thankfully awareness of disease prevalence and spread is ever increasing and various monitoring and advice programmes are appearing to help farmers assess the disease status of their stock.


The South West Healthy Livestock Initiative (SWHLI) is a partly government funded scheme arranged through Duchy College.


It is designed to help farmers assess the disease status of their farm and with the help of their veterinary surgeon embark on a programme to address any problems they may have thus minimising the impact on the animals and of course profits.


SWHLI concentrates on mastitis, Johne’s disease, Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD), lameness and respiratory disease.


The scheme involves group meetings to discuss specific diseases in detail, followed by collection of data from your farm.


Once results are received your vet will advise you on the best course of action to help control a disease or problem spreading and plan a surveillance strategy to help prevent a future breakdown.


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10 summer 2011


In 1969 Alan McIntosh started out with a wheel digger working for many farmers in his local area.


For a few years he worked alone and as he got more trade he decided to take on his first employee.


Rob Vincent started out in 1976 for Alan as he was recently made redundant from RMC.


The pair worked together for many years before Macplant Construction Limited was established in 1981.


Alan took on more employees and started working for the local authorities and Devon County Council in particular.


In the last 30 years Macplant have completed many drainage, structural and surfacing works for the county.


They have also carried out many private works, such as driveways, fencing, stone walling, kerbing, etc.


In the millennium year of 2000, Alan decided to sell the business, and as Rob had now been working for Macplant for 24 years and knew the ins and outs of the business, him


and his wife Ang Vincent decided to buy it. MacPlant construction Limited finally became theirs in 2001.


The business has since grown, owning a mixture of machinery and succeeding in many large jobs for Devon County Council.


Macplant has constructed many retaining walls, bridges, cycle ways, driveways, estate roads and farm lanes along with other contracts.


The firm has recently completed a big bridge rebuild in Bradworthy and two cycle tracks in Holsworthy and Hatherleigh and carried out many similar jobs in the past, helping to make up the national cycle network.


Macplant is proud to be able to do practically every aspect of civil engineering works, ground works and construction works including all types of drainage, excavations, fencing, driveways, patios, decking, brick or block paving, steel work, building, demolition, structural works and specialised surfacing contractors.


Follow up meetings or visits enable your progress to be assessed.


The SWHLI scheme is 70% funded by European government with the farmer being responsible for the remaining 30%.


This provides an extremely cost effective way to identify any potential disease risks on your farm and then take action to prevent a problem from escalating out of control.


Ask your vet for details on the SWHLI scheme to see how it may help on your farm.


Tom Beale MRCVS & Emily Shaw MRCVS Luxstowe Vets


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