How are they checked?
Information on how herd registers are checked to determine if they are contemporaneous.
To decide if a herd record is contemporaneous a DARD official carries out a 6-point check
* In the case of natal herd records, the herd register must be contemporaneous for the calving season in which the animal was born, and 6 months onwards
**In the case of retagging herd records, the herd register must be contemporaneous for the period starting 6 months before the animal was retagged, and 6 months onwards.
To be considered contemporaneous the herd register should pass the following checks:
- Animals must be listed in order of date of entry into herd. Some flexibility may be granted in making this check provided that there is no case where the date of birth of an animal predates by more than 30 days (7 days in the case of a dairy herd) that of an animal entered in the register on a previous line.
- The date of the first entry relating to the period for which the herd register must be contemporaneous (as detailed at * and/or** above) must be after the date on which the herd register was printed (see the date in small print on the front cover)
- A register that has been maintained over a long period will normally show variation in the colour and grade of ink, in handwriting and will show signs of ‘distress’ (such as creases, stains, and fading)
- The number of register entries that have been erased, crossed out or amended must be very small (less than 5% of animals), otherwise the entire register must be considered suspect.
- The register must record death, movement and retagging information in addition to birth registrations
- The register must have been maintained continuously with no obvious breaks in the record (for example missed calving seasons)
After a herd register has been inspected the field Divisional Veterinary Office (DVO) should notify the owner of the herd register of the result with a copy of the report. The Divisional Veterinary Officer should be notified if the herd register is not contemporaneous and a copy of the report should be forwarded to the Central Enforcement Team (CET) for any necessary follow up action.
Validation checks on a computerised register are more difficult because a user could potentially make amendments without an audit record being made. For instance adjustments, alterations or deletions to the record could be made to make the record appear contemporaneous for the purpose of an inspection. If no audit record is available, data queries and ages cannot be validated. This may result in animals being designated as unfit for human consumption.
