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BVA welcomes Defra announcement on bovine TB
"We hope this news will provide further motivation for those farms that are currently TB free but do not yet meet the six-year threshold" - Simon Doherty, BVA president.
Move to reduce testing burden on lower-risk farms 

BVA president Simon Doherty has welcomed a government announcement on bovine TB (bTB).

On Tuesday (18 December), Defra announced that farmers with herds in the Edge Area of England who have remained clear of bovine TB for at least six years will be able to revert to annual, rather than six-monthly, testing.

Defra hopes the move will reduce the testing burden on lower-risk farms and incentivise other farms to take steps to mitigate their risk of bTB. The change will take effect in May 2019.

“From stringent biosecurity to the application of risk-based trading principles, farmers need to be doing everything they can to stop this disease spreading,” said farming minister George Eustice. “As a Government we will also continue to robustly apply a range of interventions, including cattle movement controls, increased and better TB testing and licensed badger control in certain areas.”

Responding, BVA president Simon Doherty said the BVA was 'pleased to see the government taking a risk-based approach to TB testing' and reducing the burden on lower-risk farms. He added the change reflects recommendations BVA made earlier this year, that Cattle Health Certification Standards should be prioritised and incentivised, with compliance linked to reduced testing and regulatory burden.

“Farms that have been accredited under the industry-led scheme require a raft of biosecurity measures to be in place and we hope this news will provide further motivation for those farms that are currently TB free but do not yet meet the six-year threshold,” he said.

“We welcome the second round of applications for the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, and the accompanying grants, to create a buffer zone between the highest and lowest risk areas of England. Halting the spread of bovine TB is essential and it is vital that we continue to take a comprehensive, collaborative and risk-based approach to curbing this devastating disease.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.