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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 2019-01-08
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BVA welcomes funding to eradicate sheep scab in Wales
Sheep scab has been identified as a disease priority by the Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group.
£5million to be made available through Rural Development Programme

The BVA has welcomed an announcement by the Welsh Government that £5 million of Rural Development Programme funding will be used to eradicate sheep scab in Wales.

BVA Welsh Branch President Sarah Carr said: “We welcome this positive step towards eradicating sheep scab in Wales. Vets see first-hand the very significant impact sheep scab has on livestock health and welfare and we are delighted to see Welsh Government supporting vets and industry to eradicate this highly contagious disease.

“Today's announcement is another example of Welsh Government leading the way in demonstrating that industry and government can work together for the benefit of animal welfare.”

One of the most contagious diseases of sheep in Wales, sheep scab has been identified as a disease priority by the Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group.

The funding was announced on Monday (7 January) by Welsh environment secretary Lesley Griffiths and follows an industry proposal to eradicate sheep scab in Wales.

“Eradicating the disease has the potential to deliver significant lasting economic benefits for the sector at a particularly challenging time as we prepare to leave the European Union,” she said.

More details about the project are expected in the coming months. 

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Nominations for 2019 RSPCA Honours Awards now open

News Story 1
 People across the UK are being urged to nominate a standout animal champion for the 2019 RSPCA Honours Awards.

The awards recognise those who have worked tirelessly to improve animal welfare, campaigned on behalf of animals, or shown true bravery. Previous winners include comedian John Bishop, who was awarded Celebrity Animal Champion of the Year, and 11-year-old Lobby Cantwell, who raised more than £1,000 for the charity through mountain climbs and bike rides.

To submit a nomination or find out more about the awards visit the RSPCA website. Nominations will remain open until 4 pm on Friday, March 15.  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New £1m project to investigate dairy cow lameness

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is leading a new £1 million research project to investigate the causes of lameness in dairy cows.

One in three dairy cows are affected by lameness every day in the UK, costing the industry an estimated £250 milion annually.

The project will take three years to complete and is due to finish by November 2021.

Professor Georgios Banos of SRUC commented: “In addition to pain and discomfort to the animal, lameness is associated with decreased milk production and inflated farm costs.

“Among cows raised in the same environment, some become lame while others do not. Understanding the reasons behind this will help us develop targeted preventive practices contributing to enhanced animal welfare and farm profitability.”