News

Bluetongue does not affect human health or food safety.

The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer has urged farmers to remain vigilant for bluetongue virus after the disease was found in cattle and sheep in Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk.

You can now apply for an Animal Health and Welfare grant through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2024. 

The deadline to apply is midday 1 May 2024.

Being aware of and prepared for the risk that notifiable and new and emerging diseases pose to animals, and maintaining effective biosecurity to protect them has never been more critical.

NEW Scottish Government Blue tongue leaflet

To find out more about bluetongue and the latest situation visit: www.gov.scot/bluetongue

Wide fluctuations in temperature, weather patterns and topography means the nematodirus threat continues to be hugely variable for sheep flocks up and down the UK – which is why the traffic light warning system built into the Nematodirus Forecast provided by the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group is so valuable to sheep farmers.

The Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group is pleased to release the newest version of its popular ‘Know Your Anthelmintics Groups’ guide, which is a free and widely-used resource in the sheep sector.

he British Veterinary Association (BVA) has unveiled its latest three-year strategic plan setting out how it will deliver on its long-term goals and support the profession. It includes three new over-arching themes – People, Animals, Planet; a One Health approach, which has never been more pressing than in this time of climate emergency.

Sustained wet weather has put ewes under pressure this winter, meaning loss of body condition score (BCS) will be a valuable guide when deciding which ewes to worm around lambing.

That is the message from experts within the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group, which is continuing to urge producers to move away from blanket worming of ewes and towards a more targeted approach.

The Northern Ireland Branch of the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the North of Ireland Veterinary Association have jointly elected Dr. Sharon Verner as their new President.

Welcome to the first RH&W newsletter of 2024
Our important work continues with our focus now on developing a beef welfare strategy with the working group as well as progressing the welfare goals identified in the dairy and sheep strategies through 2024

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has broadly welcomed the publication of the Government’s plans to reform the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR) in Great Britain. The proposed amendments to the 2013 Regulations follow a consultation last year, which BVA jointly responded to alongside several of its specialist divisions.

Defra has announced that we are now in a seasonally vector low period when midge activity is much lower, leading to some changes to disease control measures for BTV-3.