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NOAH defends farm antibiotic use
cows
Medical experts made "a number of inaccurate points" about the use of veterinary medicines, according to NOAH.
Chief executive responds to 'inaccuracies'
 
The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has defended the veterinary industry's use of antibiotics in farming in a recent letter published in The Times.

NOAH responded to an earlier letter from the president of the Royal Society of Medicine and other academics. In it, they called for "political action against the overuse of antibiotics in farming" (The Times, 23 November).

Medical experts made "a number of inaccurate points" about the use of veterinary medicines, according to NOAH.

Chief executive Dawn Howard said: "Whilst it is encouraging that Antibiotic Awareness Week has sparked a debate in the national press, it’s important that everyone considers the wider context.
 
“We were particularly keen to point out the danger of quoting ‘total use’ figures for antibiotics on farms.

"There are significantly more individual animals in a country than individual humans, for example, and antibiotics are prescribed according to weight, which of course will result in a 600kg dairy cow requiring more antibiotic to treat an infection than an 80kg person.

"The letter from the Royal Society of Medicine failed to mention this."

NOAH's responding letter made mention of a recent one health report published by Public Health England and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. This showed that in the UK, overall human use of antibiotics in 2013 was 2.4 times that of veterinary use, based on kg per biomass.

Dawn added: "We will continue to stand up for our industry providing the essential medicines that are needed by responsible hard-working vets and farmers to maintain high standards of animal health and welfare, thus contributing to the continued availability of safe, affordable food for everyone."

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.