[Marches Farmer]

On another tack, our vet told me that SBV is now considered endemic in the UK.  Last year's batch of vaccine failed but it should be available this year.  He said it had been seen in a small number of early calves this year.

[Womble]

I favour more Tim's idea of health screening

Well if you just wanted to check that you're clear, I guess you could always send a few tubes away for analysis (the rough costs would be as per my table above).

the segregation helps protect the accredited sheep

And quite right too!  Don't want my posh high-health-status pedigree girls mixing with just any old riff-raff now, do we!? 

[kanisha]

Part of my concern with mv accreditation is if there are other diseases with similar slow development that could also potentially be an issue. I wonder if (thinking of Tims expensive cull ) if screening incomming stock with a refund of purchase price if animals are found to be positive would encourage more health screening in non accredited flocks.

[Tim W]

Part of my concern with mv accreditation is if there are other diseases with similar slow development that could also potentially be an issue. I wonder if (thinking of Tims expensive cull ) if screening incomming stock with a refund of purchase price if animals are found to be positive would encourage more health screening in non accredited flocks.

I generally buy incoming stock directly off farm & usually ask to take blood samples before buying ---most people are happy with this and it makes sense all round ----there are people that have not allowed me to do this , which means they forfeit a sale
I have in the past tested rams that i have bought in and subsequently found them to have CLA ----the vendors have been in denial about this despite the evidence 
Screening is simple and cheap ---when added to the cost of a £600 ram is insignificant