How Easter Howgate Turned Their Herd Around with Premium Cattle Health Scheme Support
Cows at Easter Howgate Farm.
Set in the Pentland Hills just south of Edinburgh, Easter Howgate Farm is more than just a scenic spot—it's a working SRUC farm, education hub, and research centre. But behind the rolling hills and thriving biodiversity there is a story of transformation that could be a valuable lesson for beef farmer’s tackling Johne’s disease.
Meet Bruce Wyper: Turning Challenges into Opportunity
Bruce Wyper, stock manager at Easter Howgate, joined the team in 2018. Originally from Edinburgh and not from a farming background, Bruce studied agriculture at Oatridge College before gaining hands-on experience in Australia and New Zealand. When the opportunity came to manage the herd at Easter Howgate, Bruce saw it as the perfect challenge.
Back then, the farm had ramped up its suckler herd to over 300 cows and introduced dairy-beef animals to boost profitability. But the infrastructure couldn’t cope, and mixing age groups and breeds led to serious health issues—most notably, a spike in Johne’s disease.
A Herd in Trouble
Johne’s disease, a chronic bacterial infection caused by the organism Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis (MAP), was wreaking havoc. Poor conception rates, clinical disease such as mastitis and low daily live weight gains (DLWG) in the calves were just the tip of the iceberg. The herd was inefficient, and profitability was suffering.
Farm Director George Baikie and his team made the tough call: cull hard, cut numbers, and rebuild from the ground up.
The Turnaround Begins
They introduced strict qualifying metrics:
- Cows had to raise calves that hit target weaning weights.
- Poor feet, udders, temperaments, or history of caesareans? Culled.
- Heifers had to be at least 14 months and 400 kg before AI.
The results were dramatic. In 2019, only 210 of 300 cows calved, and 87% of calves gained less than 1kg/day. Fast forward to 2024, and 92% of calves hit 1.28 kg DLWG. The herd is now leaner, healthier, and more profitable—even with fewer animals.
A cow with her calf.
Health First: The Role of PCHS
Easter Howgate operates a closed herd with strict biosecurity. They vaccinate annually for BVD, Leptospirosis, and IBR, and screen for Johne’s, BVD and Neospora through SRUC’s Premium Cattle Health Scheme and are enrolled in the Scottish BVD eradication scheme.
Their approach includes:
- Annual blood testing for Johne’s.
- Faecal PCR testing three weeks before calving to identify “shedders.”
- Immediate isolation and removal of positive cows and their calves.
- Culling of maternal bloodlines linked to Johne’s positives.
Thanks to this rigorous regime, the farm went from high Johne’s prevalence in 2018 to less than 3% in their November 2024 test—a huge achievement.
This gives them a status of RL3, if they have no positives on their next test, they will move to RL2 and will achieve accreditation (RL1) after three consecutive negative annual tests.
Smart Health Management Pays Off
Easter Howgate doesn’t stop at Johne’s:
- Calves get IBR and PI-3 vaccines pre-weaning.
- Worming is minimal and targeted.
- Faecal egg counts guide treatment.
- Mineral boluses and energy lick tubs support fertility.
- Metabolic profiling and passive transfer checks ensure calves get the best start.
The result? A herd that’s easier to manage, more uniform, and more productive.
What Can Farmers Learn from Easter Howgate?
Bruce and the team have shown that you don’t need to sacrifice profitability to improve herd health. With the right testing, culling, and biosecurity measures, you can build a herd that’s efficient, resilient, and future-proof.
Ready to Take Control of Your Herd’s Health?
The Premium Cattle Health Scheme offers expert support, proven testing regimes, and peace of mind for buyers and breeders alike.
👉 Visit www.cattlehealth.co.uk
📞 Call the Health Schemes team on 01835 822 456
Posted by SRUC Veterinary Services on 19/09/2025
