Sunday 27 May 2012
Animal Health
Liver fluke infection is still on the rise in British cattle, according to the latest figures released by the Food Standards Agency. While the total percentage of cattle sent for slaughter in 2011 with livers that showed confirmed signs of liver fluke infection has only risen by half a percent - 22.2% compared to 21.7% in 2010 - the figures are...
At its meeting in Paris today the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) adopted recommendations for the welfare of beef cattle, Eurogroup urges the European Union to follow suit and propose EU rules to protect cattle as a matter of urgency. The production of beef is currently not regulated at EU level despite clear scientific evidence that sign...
On the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) has called for greater awareness of the threats to marine biodiversity. The greatest diversity of life on Earth is in the sea. Over 70 percent of the Earth is covered by ocean, constituting over 90 percent of the habitab...
Farmers are being warned to be on their guard against nematodirus this month, because changing weather patterns could produce a sudden surge in worm numbers. Simon Harris, Farm Animal Product Manager for Novartis Animal Health, said the changing temperatures over the last few weeks had created the conditions for nematodirus infection. "We ar...
Speed and accuracy are the key features that veterinarians and farmers want from diagnostic tests, a new Europe wide survey has revealed. More than 334 individuals from 8 countries were asked about their current usage and knowledge of diagnostics, and asked what they would like to see in the future. Greater accuracy was the number one need among...
The multi-stakeholder Veterinary Development Council (VDC) today publishes its report setting out practical ways to help the veterinary profession meet the demands of the UK food sector in the future. The VDC was established in January 2011 following a recommendation in Professor Lowe’s report ’Unlocking Potential’ in 2009 tha...
A raft of new and revised TB rules for England will be enforced on July 1st and farming bodies, including the National Beef Association, are encouraging its members to judge potential business impacts from the rules before they come into effect. Bill Harper, NBA TB Committee Chairman, said "the news rules cover a wide range of issues and a...
A European directive that could leave British pig farmers facing a £28 million bill has been criticised by agricultural accountants. New rules introduced by the European Commission will require pig producers to reduce the gap in slatted floors and keep animals in larger pens. Many of the pens currently used are too small for the pig to turn aro...
Large numbers of pigs could be screened more quickly and cost-effectively for a range of common pathogens, such as PRRSV, SIV and PCV2, thanks to a new PCR-based test system developed in the US. The system uses samples of oral fluids which can be obtained quickly and easily by leaving a cotton rope in each pen for pigs to chew on. After 20 minut...
There were about 216 million cases of malaria and an estimated 655,000 deaths in 2010, according to the World Malaria Report 2011. Malaria mortality rates have fallen by more than 25% globally since 2000, and by 33% in the WHO African Region. However, most deaths still occur among children living in Africa where a child dies every minute fro...
The Marine Bill, which was introduced to improve marine nature conservation, has attracted criticism from BASC for failing to take shooting interests into account. The draft Bill is making its way through the Northern Ireland Assembly and is currently at the committee stage. BASC has identified a number of clauses in the Bill which could pot...
Bayer have used their stand at the Pig & Poultry Fair to highlight the significant threats that rodents pose to stock health. Ken Black, Bayer’s national account manager for rural hygiene explains; "Pig and poultry farms are particularly susceptible to rodents due to the large amount of grain and feed on site." Ken Black, Bayer&...
BPEX Director, Mick Sloyan, will be announcing new developments for pig health at the Pig & Poultry Fair. As the national Pig Health Improvement Project (PHIP) scheme approaches its first anniversary, BPEX is anticipated to report strong support from producers and industry. Helen Clarke explains: "To date 345 businesses have signed up to the...
Animal nutrition specialists Optivite have launched a new salmonella control programme for pigs. The programme looks at meeting an overall need rather than looking at problems in isolation. "The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) report last year suggested that pigs and pig meat may be responsible for 10 to 20 per cent of all ...
The warm and sunny March weather was a godsend for the many UK sheep units lambing during the month, but producers must not become complacent if they are to gain full value from the new season lamb crop. "The weather has been great for the early spring lambers and generally it’s gone pretty well so far despite widespread worries about the...
Four European academic research groups, together with Pfizer Animal Health, have forged a new research consortium to combat uterine disease - a problem that costs the EU dairy industry about €1.4billion annually. Called the IPUD research project (Integrated systems approach for Preventing Uterine Disease in dairy cattle), the collaboration invol...
Leading global pig breeders and geneticists, JSR Genetics, have successfully won two prestigious Technology Strategy Board grants in conjunction with top UK academic partners. The recently awarded grants, totaling near £800k, have been allocated to projects firmly focused on efficiency and sustainability, highlight JSR’s on-going commitme...
Pig and Poultry Fair 2012 will see the launch of a keenly anticipated new Sireline, the ’faster finishing’ JSR Geneconverter 800m Boar, by leading global pig breeders, JSR Genetics. Bred specifically for speed of growth, JSR Geneconverter 800m progeny are up to 3 days faster to finish, giving an extra 5 kilos for those wanting more w...
Novartis Animal Health has published a product usage chart aimed at SQPs and vets that gives guidance on the use of ectoparasites through the seasons. The chart covers the use of blowfly preventatives CLiKR and CLiKZiNR, and the blowfly strike treatment Crovect,R which also covers ticks, biting lice, headfly and fly maggots. There is advice o...
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