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Tackling animal disease in Wales
Welsh Government announces its priorities

The Welsh Government's Animal Health and Welfare Strategy (AHWS) steering group has announced its animal disease priorities for 2012/2013.

The priorities are: bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), Johne's disease and liver fluke in cattle; Johne's disease, lameness, mastitis, BVD and liver fluke in dairy and; sheep scab, liver fluke, lameness and lambing losses in sheep.

Owing to its magnitude, Bovine tuberculosis is being treated as a separate issue.

The list of priorities will be used to develop and implement proposals for tackling each issue in Wales.

The steering group, which is made up of 17 industry members, has said it also hopes to promote the importance of good farm biosecurity, in order to cost-cut, and will imbed this in all of its animal health and welfare work.

Peredur Hughes, group chairman, said: "We have a challenging time ahead as we continue our work on these very important priorities."

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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
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.