Almost every business no matter the type, will have a business plan. This will be reviewed regularly and production figures will be compared on a year on year basis and any changes assessed as to whether they have made any improvement to the business.
As health is one of the biggest factors affecting profitability on a farm it makes sound sense to have a Health Plan in a similar way to a business plan.
The Health Plan is not just a document to satisfy farm assurance needs although it also carries out this function. It is a dynamic and changing Plan that looks to the future and details what will happen on the farm to improve productivity and profitability. It will require the recording of key information so that progress can be measured year on year and this also helps monitor whether changes made have been worthwhile.
We have various health planning tools available, these systems also help process the data. One of the systems is called the Scottish Animal Health Planning system, further information can be found at www.sahps.co.uk.
Each Health Plan is tailored to the individual farm and focuses on whatever that units main concerns are.
It is a collaboration between vet and farmer. The process should highlight areas where intervention is required to optimise flock health and productivity. It then provides a framework for monitoring agreed interventions, to make sure they have the desired effect on both livestock health and business profitability.
If you would like to discuss implementing a health plan on your farm, please contact the surgery.