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Experts unite for 28th National Equine Forum
"The forum is all about being the facilitator of knowledge in the industry" - Georgina Crossman, NEF convener.
Event was live-streamed to more than 20 countries

Leading figures from across the veterinary, equestrian and charitable sectors gathered in London earlier this month for the 28th National Equine Forum (NEF).
 
The event, which was live-streamed to more than 20 countries, covered an array of topics from disease risk, the donkey skin trade and social licence. It also looked at behavioural change and preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.
 
To improve and maximise audience interaction, this year saw the introduction of an audience participation tool, Sli.do. More than 400 users submitted questions to the experts, which were answered in the Q&A panels after some of the sessions.
 
Georgina Crossman, NEF convener, said: "The Forum is all about being the facilitator of knowledge in the industry. Building our audience is the best way to ensure the right information reaches as many people as possible. We thank you all for your support, engagement and interaction."
 
During the event, rural affairs minister Lord Gardiner of Kimble presented The Defra view of the horse industry in a changing world. He announced that the Central Equine database will shortly allow owners to update their details via the online Digital Stable. This comes ahead of the microchipping deadline of 1 October 2020, which applies to all horses born before 2009.
 
The event also saw Dr Richard Newton, director of epidemiology and disease surveillance at the Animal Health Trust, discuss managing infectious disease risks. Using the recent outbreaks of equine viral arteritis and equine influenza outbreaks as examples, he explained strategies to minimise the chance of disease risk.
 
The NEF is organised by a committee reflecting various sectors of the equine industry and is presided by HRH Princess Royal. All of the sessions from the event can be viewed here. 

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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.