Animal Health and Welfare Steering group sets its priorities

During the last six months the Animal Health & Welfare (AHWS) Steering Group has been working with the Welsh Assembly Government to agree their list of top non statutory disease priorities for
beef, dairy and sheep. The Group agreed that their 2011-12 top priorities will be:

• Beef: Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD), Johne’s and Liver Fluke;
• Dairy: Johne’s Disease, Lameness, Mastitis and BVD; and,
• Sheep: Sheep Scab, Liver Fluke, Lameness and Lambing Losses.

As far as possible, these priorities will be reflected in the work of the organisations represented on the Steering Group both in the short and longer term. The priorities will be reviewed on a regular basis.

The Assembly Government still has the statutory responsibility for certain diseases and takes the strategic lead on any outbreak of exotic notifiable diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza and Rabies.

There are also cross cutting issues such as biosecurity, which remain as common themes across all priorities.

Professor Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales and acting Chair of the Steering Group said,

“I am looking forward to discussing these issues that are so pertinent to the industry as a whole as we continue to raise standards of animal health and welfare in Wales.”

To find out more about the Animal Health & Welfare Strategy and the AHWS Steering Group visit the Welsh Assembly Government website.