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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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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.