Animal Health and Welfare Meeting

Chairman of the meeting Simon Hall, Chief Veterinary Officer announced that Caroline Spelman, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has announced that the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) is to merge with the executive agency, Animal Health.

The Animal Health Agency and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, are the two principal Defra executive agencies which work to combat animal diseases. This is fairly neutral as far as the Scottish red meat industry is concerned.

John Kinnaird's review of vet surveillance is on going. Questionnaires have been sent to 1500 farmers and all livestock vets.

Devolution of Animal Health (AH) budget is in the news. Political commitment from coalition government to proceed by 1st April 2011.

Bluetongue – all UK is low risk zone. This allows vaccination which is better than being disease free status (because you cannot vaccinate when bluetongue free. No reports of BTV's in Europe this year and very little BTV.

Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) is asking for work priorities. This is a different approach away from reports that took long to materialise. Lameness in cattle, welfare of sheep and farmed deer, role of vets in Farm Animal welfare are just some of the topics under consideration.

Tail docking of sheep has been permitted since 1982. AH sent out a press release on this on 12th March 2010. At the RHS inspectors found some tails were too short.

NFUS accept the regulation but hope that the marker drawn at RHS can be used to focus on getting out a message. NSA – Charolais, Beltex, Suffolk were the only breeds affected and not all in those breeds. Breeders failed to be aware of the rules. Breed societies need to communicate the advise and it is very unlikely that this problem will re-occur.

BOVINE TUBERCOLOSIS SURVEILLANCE

In 2010 2010 to date, 6 new confirmed incidences (2 as a result of import from England and 1 from Ireland).

Risk based surveillance in short term will target testing more effectively and where risk is highest. In the longer term Glasgow University has been commissioned to identify broader improvements across Scotland, reporting spring 2011.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT RESEARCH PROGRAMME IN RURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Most is strategic research over the long term. Objectives:-
1. Relevant, sustainable economic growth
2. Supporting knowledge exchange and exploitation
3. Maintain effective research capability

Research agenda was drawn up in consultation with QMS but other than that there has been limited opportunity for industry to input.

EXERCISE SILVER BIRCH

This is a GB-wide FMD exercise that will test the preparedness of Scottish Government. Member States are required to perform real-time testing and establish policy if there is a FMD outbreak.

After 2007 outbreak in England, reviews in 2008 and 2009. AH are leading project Silver Birch, in three parts-

Table Top 1 10th June 2010.
Case conferences, procedures etc (Andrew Wright IAAS was involved)

Table Top 2 5th October 2010
– largely briefing exercise.

Table Top 3 9th-10th November 2010
– will simulate day 9 and day 10 of an FMD outbreak.

Vaccination to live including zone creation might well be the preferred route. Crucial that major retailers accept vaccinated livestock.

EXPECT FORUM

In October 2008 cabinet Secretary proposed this expert Forum. Economic climate caused this to be postponed. Recently feasibility study by EU examined cost sharing. Cabinet Secretary has invited members to join Expert Forum to take forward partnership approach to responsibility and cost sharing. Announcement is imminent. Individuals are being asked on own expertise rather than organisations.

TSE Road Map 2 is under construction and SAMW asked that Scottish Government supported moves to relax controls.

Date of next meeting:- Tuesday 7th September.