What an AFU is:
An Approved Finishing Unit is a holding approved to take cattle from TB-restricted herds and finish them, with the cattle leaving only for slaughter. It opens up a pool of cattle that other finishers cannot buy.
Why do farms do it?
Access to cattle that are often keenly priced, with less competition from other buyers. For a unit set up to finish cattle indoors it can be a genuine advantage.
The trade-offs:
Cattle cannot leave alive, so the system has to be built around finishing everything you take in. There are housing, recording and inspection requirements to satisfy, and they have to be lived with year round, not just at approval.
Getting approved?
Approval runs through APHA and involves your vet, your buildings and your records. It is not quick, and it is worth talking to someone already doing it before you start.
Benefits by farm type:
The case for AFU status looks different on an intensive beef unit, an arable farm with sheds standing empty, an ex-dairy unit, or a new entrant or tenant building numbers. Each is covered separately in this section.
Next step?
Talk to your fieldsman about whether your buildings and system fit before you commit to the process.
