review the current welfare of the applicant´s livestock, including assessing welfare against the 4 welfare criteria and 12 welfare themes in the EU Welfare Quality Project(5);

highlight disease risks in the surrounding area, nationally and internationally and the potential impact on livestock welfare;

identify potential opportunities to improve welfare in at least one of the following 5 areas:

in year one, agree actions from the list of actions in "(4) Actions to improve welfare" (below) to be undertaken for the 5 year programme; and

in years 2 to 5, review the impact of these actions and discuss the results of monitoring and benchmarking activities outlined at "(2) Animal welfare monitoring and benchmarking" (below) to identify-

perform additional inspections and record on an agreed regular basis (monthly, quarterly or annually) specified breeding and welfare measures according to enterprise type;

pass data to a veterinary surgeon within an agreed timescale as entered on the Animal Welfare Management Plan; and

arrange for a veterinary surgeon to enter and analyse the data in the central Scottish Animal Welfare Monitoring and Benchmarking System to investigate-

assess the welfare status, agree actions to improve welfare and obtain from a veterinary surgeon, by 1st December, and implement by the end of the scheme year, a plan that documents-

include in the plan a section signed and dated by both the applicant and a veterinary surgeon that includes-

procedures for sourcing new livestock that minimise the risk of bringing disease onto the farm. This must include obtaining written assurance that the person from whom the livestock is sourced has current membership in a relevant health accreditation scheme(s);

at least one separation facility to be used for new stock coming onto the farm. The separation facility must have physical barriers and stock management procedures that prevent both direct and indirect contact between animals in the facility and other animals on the farm. Records must be kept of the dates and use of the separation facility;

a standard regime on receiving new livestock, agreed with a veterinary surgeon, to include-

procedures to reduce the risk of staff, visitors, contractors, deliveries and collections bringing disease onto farm which must be documented and effectively communicated to them; and

disinfection procedures on the farm and for farmer´s own livestock transport to prevent the spread of disease which must be documented and effectively communicated to them.

adjust stock management to eliminate all routine-

limit the use of other mutilations to specific instances, where a veterinary surgeon considers not to undertake them would compromise health and safety of staff, visitors, contractors, public etc or animal welfare.

undertake and complete training in conditioning scoring from a veterinary surgeon in the first year of the commitment;

undertake conditioning scoring of all breeding females 6 to 8 weeks before breeding and 6 to 8 weeks before calving/lambing, record the results and assign to appropriate feeding groups;

undertake conditioning scoring of a sample of breeding females on each of the occasions listed in the tables below and record the results. In dairy herds a minimum of 50 cows, in beef herds a minimum of 25 cows and in sheep flocks a minimum of 50 ewes must be scored. Where the herd or flock size is less than these sample sizes all eligible stock must be scored;

during the annual review, obtain and implement advice from a veterinary surgeon on the type and timing of supplementary feeding, taking account of forage analysis and nutritional advisory services obtained, required to achieve (e) (below); and

maintain body condition scoring of at least 95% of the sample livestock between 1.5 and 4.0 at all stages and maintain at least 75% of the sample between the ranges at the stages outlined in the tables below.

footbathe all adult livestock as follows-

in respect of housed cattle clean all areas of the house twice daily, except straw bedded courts;

maintain gateways and areas around feeding stations in a firm condition;

undertake, and complete training in the first year of the commitment in,-

undertake regular lameness scoring as follows-

ensure physical foot inspection of all adult livestock is carried out twice in the scheme year and foot trimming untaken where necessary.

on a monthly basis, collect individual milk samples from each cow in the herd and arrange for laboratory analysis for somatic cell count. Where the cell count for an individual is greater than 250,000 cells per ml for more than one consecutive month, the applicant must ensure a veterinary investigation into the cause of the mastitis infection is carried out and follow veterinary advice on treatment;

ensure a minimum of one veterinary visit is made during the scheme year to investigate-

that may contribute to mastitis infection, and address any problem identified; and

during the scheme year ensure at least 2 visits from machine maintenance contractors are carried out, or more as may be required by manufacturer´s recommendations.

take-

undertake a lungworm surveillance programme to comprise-

where possible, obtain feedback of identified incidences of liver fluke from the abattoir;

at least once every 2 months collect faecal samples from at least 6 sites on the farm for bulk laboratory analysis. Initiate treatment if the liver fluke is detected;

identify high risk areas of ground for grazing and avoid using such areas between July and March inclusive;

on the basis of faecal sampling results, identify liver fluke infested pasture and do not use such pasture between July and March inclusive;

record in the Animal Welfare Management Plan fields that are partially or wholly affected by (b) and (c) (above); and

inspect and clear drainage for pasture at least twice a year.

isolate and test scouring cattle without delay;

ensure that housed cows calve in clean, well-bedded areas and outdoor cows calve in sparsely stocked fields free from heavy faecal contamination;

ensure that calves only receive colostrum from their own dam, or in the absence of their own dam´s colostrum, preferably from a single animal that has repeatedly tested negative for Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis;

ensure that housed calves are subsequently reared in a clean environment, free from adult faecal contamination;

not use pasture close to ponds/streams/ditches that also pass through neighbouring land;

not graze young stock on pasture where slurry has been applied in the last 3 months;

not graze weaned stock on pasture where adults have grazed;

not co-graze or sequential graze with other livestock that can carry Johne´s disease infection;

join an approved Johne´s disease control programme(7).

prevent nose to nose contact with neighbouring cattle at farm boundaries;

cull persistently infected adults and vaccinate the breeding herd against BVD in an on-going programme that adheres to the vaccine manufacturer´s recommendations;

where possible, source breeding replacements only from herds that are Cattle Health Certification Standard ("CHeCS") accredited free of BVD or individuals that have been satisfactorily screened for BVD virus according to the Cattle Health Improvement Plan for Scotland guidelines(8) and have been vaccinated;

where such cattle cannot be sourced, purchased animals must be screened for BVD virus and be maintained in isolation from other stock until freedom from persistent infection can be established;

calve in isolation pregnant animals purchased and found positive for antibody to BVD. The calf must be isolated until it can be tested and shown not to be a persistently viraemic calf. Where a calf is found to be persistently infected it should be culled;

not buy dairy bred calves to set on to cows that have lost a calf unless the calf can be sourced from an accredited BVD free herd;

monitor dairy herd infection by carrying out quarterly bulk milk antibody monitoring in the dairy herd. Where the bulk tank is strongly positive, composite first lactation samples must be used; and

in the beef herd, sample and test 5 animals from each separately managed group of calves in the 9 to 18 months age range each year.

contact farm managers from all neighbouring farms using common land or using land immediately adjacent to their own, where sheep from both premises could come into contact. Where possible co ordinate treatment for sheep scab; and