HOME
ABOUT US
| |
|
|
| Arla Foods and the Partnership are committed to ensuring the highest animal welfare standards and strive to ensure that all members exceed the Assured Farm Standards (AFS) legislation relating to quality, traceability, hygiene and animal welfare. |
In a move to strengthen the red tractor logo, the ownership and operation of farm assurance in the dairy sector was transferred to Assured Food Standards from the previous National Dairy Farm Assured Scheme in June 2006. |
|
Arla Foods joined the former National Dairy Farm Assured Scheme in 1999 and has been involved with the welfare standards that have been set by the scheme ever since.
To become a member of AFMP, all dairy farmers must be farm assured and all dairy farm production standards must be achieved and maintained in order to claim farm assurance status.
Assured Farm Standards Auditors
Arla Foods works closely with CMS UK which has a team of AFS accredited auditors that inspect Partnership farms on a regular basis to ensure that they are fully compliant with the requirements of the scheme.
The scheme sets rigorous quality, hygiene and animal welfare standards, which are now increasingly being sought by Arla Foods customers. |
|
The production standards addressed include:
- Hygiene and food safety
- Housing
- Plant and equipment
- Feedstuffs and water
- Stocksmanship and training
- Contingency procedures |
Herd health plan
An integral part of the AFS scheme is a herd health plan, which is a detailed plan of preventative healthcare and protocols as well as a recording system to monitor herd health and welfare.
This includes protocols for routine footcare, examination and trimming, and actions to be taken for the treatment of lame cows. A mastitis action plan is also required and used to prevent and control mastitis of the herd, including methods for detection and treatment, protocols for clinical cases and procedures for drying off.
1000 cows for £1000
Long-term mastitis and lameness have been two areas of concern for dairy farmers. Arla Foods is working with Partnership members, through the Milk Development Council's (MDC) 1,000 cows for £1,000 scheme, to assist them in gaining a greater understanding of the causes and treatment of mastitis and lameness. This information is being shared with other producers within the Partnership and has proved extremely successful. |
|
|
|
|
|
Arla Foods Milk Partnership...building a sustainable future for members
|
© Copyright 2003-2008 Arla Foods UK plc
Terms of use - Privacy policy
|