Farmers in England can now access more tools to fight livestock disease, as Defra expands its free vet visit scheme to cover multiple herds and flocks on the same farm.
Farmers will receive the significant boost in their efforts to improve animal health following the expansion in the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway scheme.
It means that, from today, funded veterinary visits will be extended to include health assessments for multiple herds or flocks on the same farm.
This aims to make it easier for farmers with larger or mixed-species operations to access tailored disease monitoring and prevention support.
The scheme, which began in 2023, has already delivered over 8,000 on-farm vet visits, covering hundreds of thousands of animals.
More than 95% of farmers who have taken part say they have already implemented or plan to act on the veterinary advice received.
Minister for Food Security, Daniel Zeichner, highlighted the link between animal health and farm profitability, stating that stronger disease resilience leads to “healthier animals and greater food security, boosting farmers' profits.”
He described the expanded vet visit scheme as “one step in the government’s plan to protect rural livelihoods,” adding that it offers “tailored support to each herd or flock” and plays a key role in maintaining high welfare standards.
The scheme now allows keepers of beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs or sheep to access a vet of their choice to assess all herds or flocks under one agreement, with the option of follow-up visits also funded.
The funded visits will support diagnosis, monitoring and treatment planning for a range of costly and disruptive conditions, including bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), and worming resistance in sheep.
These diseases and related health issues cost the UK economy more than £170 million each year.
North Devon livestock farmers Bryan and Liz Griffiths have underscored the scheme's benefits: “We have received government-supported vet visits since the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway began.
"These have allowed us to focus on issues specific to our farm as well as the set programme,” they said.
“Going forward, the new multi-flock and herd option along with the multi-species option will allow funding for a review and follow-up for each flock and species on the farm, all through one agreement, which is great.”
