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Funding cuts could impact all equines, warns BEVA
race horses
"It is essential that the racing industry continues to repay the debt owed to the horse to maintain welfare."

Calls to retain veterinary funding under the new Horserace Betting Right

Funding for equine veterinary research must be maintained under the new Horserace Betting Right, vets have said.

In the pre-election budget this week, it was announced that the Horserace Betting Right will replace the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB), which has provided over £27 million in equine research and education since 2000.

"British racing significantly beats the rest of the world with its contributions to veterinary science," said Tim Mair, chair of the BEVA's education committee.

"The Equine Veterinary Journal has reported that over 10 per cent of its output relates to HBLB research. This is six times more than from Australia where a horseracing betting right is already in operation."

The new betting right is intended to generate more funding for the industry from off-shore gambling by selling the right to bet on horse racing, which is similar to the way musicians earn performing rights.

HBLB has provided considerable amounts of funding for infectious disease surveillance. Without this, BEVA warns that all equines in the UK could be impacted - not just racehorses.

David Mountford, BEVA's CEO, said: “This [surveillance] work is of benefit to all quarters of the equestrian world because viruses don’t distinguish between a racehorse and a pony. Any future cut-backs could affect the health of all horses and ponies in UK."

Britain is an international leader in terms of advances in equine veterinary science and improvements to health and welfare. Mr Mair said he is "cautiously optimistic" that the new funding generated will be good news for the industry, but called for a "robust mechanism" to ensure veterinary funding remains a priority.

BEVA's president Andrew Harrison concluded: "Without the horse there is no horseracing. It is essential that the racing industry continues to repay the debt owed to the horse to maintain welfare and enhance our understanding of equestrian science."

 

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.