The number of animals killed without pre-stunning has risen sharply, according to analysis by the British Veterinary Association of the latest survey released by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

According to the FSA figures, 24.4% (758,263) of sheep and goats slaughtered between April and June this year had their throats cut without first being made insensible to pain, up from 15% in 2013, when the EU and UK-adopted legislation allowing an exemption for animals that are slaughtered for religious purposes came into force. 

The number of chickens slaughtered without pre-stunning rose from 3% in 2013 to 18.5% (45,396,583) in 2017.

The BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "This huge increase in the number of sheep, goats and poultry that are not stunned or not stunned effectively before slaughter is a grave concern to our profession. Millions of individual animals are affected, making this a major animal welfare issue. 

"The supply of meat from animals that have not been stunned massively outstrips the demand from the communities for which it is intended and is entering the mainstream market unlabelled.

"In the light of these official figures we reiterate our call for all animals to be stunned before slaughter. If slaughter without stunning is still to be permitted, any meat from this source must be clearly labelled and the supply of non-stun products should be matched with demand."

Welfare at slaughter is one of the UK’s most pressing health and welfare concerns for vets, according to the BVA’s latest member survey. The association has long campaigned for the re-introduction of law that guarantees all animals are stunned before slaughter on the grounds of animal welfare. While legislation exists to permit slaughter without pre-stunning, the BVA is calling for any meat or fish from this source to be clearly labelled to enable customers to understand the choice they are making when buying such products.

Photo: © Nevit Dilmen - Own work, Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced the launch of TwistPak, billed as a revolutionary mixing platform which allows swine producers to combine and administer two vaccines, Ingelvac CircoFLEX and Ingelvac MycoFLEX, in a convenient, fast and flexible way.  

TwistPak bottles have a hygienic interlock at the bottom, which allows them to be connected with a twist, creating one single mixing chamber which fits in all standard vaccination devices.

Currently, freshly mixing two vaccines requires a transfer needle.

Boehringer says the TwistPak bottle simplifies the mixing process while retaining the flexibility of using the products as a monovalent or combined vaccine.

TwistPak was jointly created with the industrial design and product development company DESIGNquadrat and awarded a Red Dot Design Award 2021 in the product design category.

Eva Joras, Global Brand Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim said: “TwistPak revolutionizes how vaccines are mixed.

"The mixing platform combines the best of both worlds: the unparalleled quality and efficacy of freshly mixed vaccines with the convenience of ready-to-use solutions.

TwistPak will be globally available in all registered presentation sizes starting May this year.

The Veterinary Development Council (VDC) is conducting a survey to investigate the role of paraprofessionals and technicians in veterinary practice, and is asking vets in large animal, equine, and mixed practices to complete a short survey.

The VDC says that information from the survey will help inform discussions on the regulation of technicians.

The survey will take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete and can be found on the BVA website at www.bva.co.uk/vdc. The BVA has also emailed the survey directly to practices.

The survey has been devised by the VDC working group looking at the role of the veterinary-led team, chaired by BVA Past President Professor Bill Reilly. This is one of three working groups that will report to the VDC:

• Veterinary engagement with the food supply chain chaired by Gwyn Jones of the National Farmers' Union (NFU). To consider how the veterinary profession might better engage with the food industry, with a view to better defining what food industry stakeholders need and want in terms of veterinary services, now and in the future and the implications of this for the veterinary profession. The group will also examine ways in which better engagement with food industry stakeholders might be facilitated.
• Business models for the provision of veterinary services chaired by John Fishwick, President of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA). To identify and classify different business models for veterinary practices and the provision of veterinary services, to consider the merits and limitations of each of these models and provide case studies of their successful application. This group will examine the whole range of models, recognising that one size does not fit all and acknowledging the differences between large and small practices.
• The role of the veterinary-led team chaired by Prof Bill Reilly, Past President of the BVA. To identify the range of services that could be supplied to the farming community by a veterinary-led team, including those services that could be undertaken by veterinarians and non-veterinarians. To identify how these services are currently delivered and to describe the benefits of bringing non-veterinarians into a veterinary-led team. The working group will also assess desire of veterinarians and non veterinarians to work together to deliver these services.

Professor Reilly said: "The relationship between veterinary surgeons and technicians is vital but it varies from practice to practice.

"The working group on the role of the veterinary-led team aims to take a snapshot of how services, such as artificial insemination and foot trimming, are currently delivered, and gauge how veterinary surgeons feel about other services being delivered by non-veterinarians in the future.

"I hope veterinary surgeons in large, mixed and equine practice will take 10 minutes to complete our survey to help us map the current use of technicians in veterinary practice and help shape our future discussions."

Forte Healthcare (UK) has announced the launch of Utertab 2000mg (Tetracycline hydrochloride, POM-V) for the treatment and prevention of post parturient disorders in cattle.

Forte highlights that Utertab's intrauterine administration allows it to act directly in the target tissue. It is presented in a perforated blister pack for better sealing. 

Dr John Henderson, Large Animal Product Manager at Forte Healthcare Ltd said: "Given the need to use appropriate first-line antibacterial drugs where possible we are delighted to bring vets a new Tetracycline pessary, ‘Utertab’, for the treatment of metritis and retained foetal membranes.

"In-situ therapy for these conditions has more recently been neglected in favour of injectables but still has much to recommend it. We look forward to highlighting these benefits over the next few months."

For further information on Utertab 2000mg, contact your local Forte Territory Manager or enquiries@fortehealthcare.com. 

Krka has launched Flovuxin, a fast-acting, single-dose, injectable solution for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) caused by Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma bovis and Histophilus somni, associated with pyrexia.

Krka’s Farm Key Account Manager Charlotte Read said: “BRD remains a priority issue on farm and advising farmers on the management of BRD risks, and treatment options when needed, is a key task for farm vets.

"Flovuxin’s combined formulation is a high efficacy BRD treatment acting within six hours¹, to improve treatment outcomes.” 

Reference

1. Julien Thiry, Laura Elvira Partida, Juan Vicente GonzálezMartín, Eric Pagot, Florian Voisin, Hubert Theys, Guillaume Lequeux, Allan Weingarten, Vincent de Haas (2014); Treatment of naturally occurring bovine respiratory disease in juvenile calves with a single administration of a florfenicol plus flunixin meglumine formulation; The Veterinary record 174(17)

A blog by UK chief veterinary officer (CVO) Nigel Gibbens, which highlights why vets are uniquely placed to take real action to tackle antibiotic resistance, has launched a series focussing on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is being hosted by the BVA in the run up to World Antibiotic Awareness Week (13 – 19 November).

Over the next few weeks, experts from the fields of veterinary science, academia and government will be offering sector-specific insight into key achievements, latest research and future action needed to tackle AMR through a number of blog posts published on www.bva.co.uk/BVA-blog.

Bloggers will include BVA President John Fishwick, presidents of several BVA specialist divisions, leading academics, and heads of the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) and the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH), among others.

AMR poses a global threat to human and animal health and requires concerted efforts across the medical and veterinary professions to steward responsible use and prescription, as recognised in the UK Government-commission global Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, chaired by Lord O’Neill (May 2016).

The veterinary profession in the UK has been committed to the responsible use of antimicrobials, with the Chief Medical Officer publicly recognising the concerted efforts to reduce antibiotic usage in agriculture. BVA is a member of RUMA and has been working closely with stakeholders in government and industry to develop appropriate and evidence based targets across the livestock sector, which will be announced tomorrow (27 October) at a conference in London. 

British Veterinary Association Senior Vice President Gudrun Ravetz said: "AMR is a serious global One Health issue that the veterinary profession is deeply concerned about, as it threatens our ability to treat animals and protect human health, and it is an issue BVA is addressing through joined-up working with UK governments, industry and other health sectors. Increased collaboration between the health sectors, underpinned by a commitment from each of us within the veterinary profession to maintain the highest standards of stewardship in using antimicrobials, most especially Critically Important Antibiotics, is the only way we can preserve these essential medicines for future generations.

"The blog series highlights various aspects of AMR by experts in their field, and we hope that throwing a spotlight on various sectors’ achievements so far and suggested steps for the future will help keep this important issue on all of our agendas, where it should be."

AMR discussions will continue at BVA Congress at the London Vet Show (16-17 November) with a Friday afternoon session on ‘The psychology of antimicrobial resistance: what can social science tell us?’, featuring David Brodbelt, Professor of Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine at Royal Veterinary College; Ian Donald,Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Director, Mulberry Research & Consulting Ltd, and Kristen Reyher, Senior Lecturer in Farm Animal Science at the University of Bristol.  

To read Nigel Gibbens’s blog and other blogs from the series, see https://www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/bva-community/bva-blog/safeguarding-the-future-of-antibiotics-is-our-moral-responsibility-as-vets/ and follow the ‘#AMRinfocus’ hashtag on social media.

The 2009 edition of the NOAH Compendium Data Sheets for Animal Medicines is now being dispatched, free of charge, to each practice premises.

Meanwhile, the online version of the compendium (www.noahcompendium.co.uk), launched 3 years ago to provide a free and convenient source of information about animal medicines for both prescribers and consumers, has just had its 9 millionth page view. The site gets about 3000 visits a day.

Whilst it is possible to order additional print copies of the compendium, NOAH points out that the online version has the beauty of being updated every week with new products, indications and other data. Plus the site is searchable by active ingredient, species, therapeutic indication or text search.

NOAH chief executive Phil Sketchley said: "We try to make the online Compendium as useful and as quick and easy to use as it can be, and while we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback we are always interested to hear how you think it could work better for you, so we can keep this in mind for any future improvements". 

Boehringer Ingelheim has launched "Change One Thing", a campaign in which farm vets are being urged to help livestock farmers move towards a sustainable, best practice approach to parasite control.

The campaign came after the company surveyed livestock farmers in January, February and March this year, and found that cattle producers are struggling to implement changes. 

The survey, which received 190 responses, investigated the extent to which beef and dairy producers are aware of methods to sustainably control parasites, how many are following best practice techniques, and what advice and support they need to make a change.

Sioned Timothy, Ruminant Technical Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health said: “Reassuringly, 70% of respondents who are the main decision maker indicated that they were either very concerned or a little concerned about wormer resistance on farm. This level of awareness is positive since wormer resistance is on the rise, and the livestock industry must make changes to parasite control if we are to safeguard the effectiveness of wormers." 

However, the survey indicated that farmers are not asking professionals such as their vet or SQP for advice on parasite control as much as they could. Only 55% of main decision maker respondents asked their vet for advice on parasite control planning as part of overall herd health planning, and that dropped to 21% for specific parasite control advice.

In addition, only 65% of main decision makers sought advice from an SQP when purchasing worming or fluke products, despite SQPs being qualified to provide parasite control advice at the point of prescription and supply.

Positively, over 60% of main decision maker respondents had already implemented some methods of sustainable parasite control, including quarantining and treating bought-in animals, managing pasture use, and calibrating and testing dosing guns. 

However, more than half of the same respondents were aware of but had not implemented several other methods, including weighing or tracking growth rates of youngstock, testing individuals or groups of animals for parasites, and using preventative methods such as vaccinating for lungworm.

Sioned pointed out that nearly 25% of main decision makers had not implemented the calibration or testing of their wormer dosing guns, and a further 12% were not even aware of the practice. She said: “These producers are missing a simple opportunity to ensure that their cattle are dosed correctly. Under-dosing is one of the factors that drives resistance to anthelmintics on farm, and over-dosing increases costs unnecessarily.”

When respondents were asked why they haven’t implemented changes to their parasite control methods, 22% said they did not believe they needed to make changes, 20% don't have the necessary equipment or buildings, 37% said the cost of installing new/better equipment was a barrier, and 32% cited the cost of additional diagnostic tests or treatments.

The survey did highlight some positives. Victoria Hudson, Senior Brand Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, said: “Respondents indicated a good appetite for change provided they could access the appropriate advice and support, including implementing weighing and tracking growth rates of youngstock (53%), testing for parasite burdens in individual animals (52%) and testing for parasite burdens in groups of animals (43%).

“Just over a third of respondents felt they might be able to quarantine and treat bought-in cattle, manage pasture, and use vaccination or other preventative measures. However, only 31% of main decision maker respondents felt they could make the easiest and simplest change: calibrating and testing dosing guns before use.”

One method of sustainable parasite control, targeted selective treatment, where the best performing animals in a group are left untreated, was not well understood or implemented by respondents (30% had implemented, 36% were aware of it but had not implemented, and 33% were not aware of it), and just under 35% felt that even with advice and support they would not be able to implement this method within the next three years.

Victoria said: “Unsurprisingly, over half of main decision maker respondents cited they needed funding to support new equipment/infrastructure to help them make changes to their parasite control practices, but there is a desire for more advice and support. 

“Nearly 49% want help in understanding the parasite challenges on their farm, 54% want advice on which changes will most benefit their cattle, and just over 33% want more information on the different types of wormer products.

“However, survey results were conflicting on how farmers would get this advice and support since only 13% wanted more visits from their vet, and 11% from their SQP, despite these professionals being best placed to provide advice at an individual farm level.

“It shows that there is more work to do to help beef and dairy producers make the most effective and sustainable changes to parasite control. This is why we have launched Change One Thing, a campaign to support farmers in understanding and implementing the options available to improve the sustainable control of parasites.”

The campaign is also calling on farm vets to Change One Thing, relating to the information, support and advice that they give livestock farmers.

Victoria said: “It can be difficult for vets to have conversations with farmers about making changes to their parasite control practices, so we urge them to think about changing their approach to discussing the topic, especially if their client/customer has so far resisted making any changes.

“Being inquisitive, and asking questions, can be more effective than ‘telling’, and it’s important that farmers believe in the need to make the change, and that they can practically do it. Even small changes can make a big difference, and testing and trailing strategies tailored to an individual farm will help the farmer to see the benefits for themselves.”

Boehringer says that changes that farmers could make to improve their parasite control in a sustainable way, include:

• Weigh and track growth rates of youngstock
• Implement monitoring strategies
• Quarantine and treat all bought-in cattle before mixing with home herd
• Manage pasture use to reduce the likelihood of parasite infection
• Leave some of the best performing animals untreated
• Use preventative measures e.g. vaccination for lungworm
• Calibrate and test dosing applicators/injectors before use

 Resources for farmers, vets and SQPs to Change One Thing are available on the Beat the Parasites website: www.beattheparasites.com/change-one-thing. 

Britain's dairy industry is doomed unless it takes more effective steps to control the spread of endemic diseases like tuberculosis and bovine virus diarrhoea, according to a leading cattle vet.

At a conference on infectious disease at the Royal Veterinary College last week, Devon practitioner Dick Sibley warned that the management and economic trends in the UK dairy industry are increasing the risk of disease transmission - and its potential impact once it does enter a herd.

Figures he obtained from the British Cattle Movements Service show that about four million cattle, or half the total UK cattle herd, are moved from one premises to another each year. Those being sent for slaughter were unlikely to spread infections but moving cattle of unknown disease status to new premises greatly increased the risk of bringing in new diseases. "If you set out to design a system that guarantees that we will continue to have problems with endemic disease then I could not think of a better one than this," he said.

Cattle numbers are increasing in those areas like Devon and Cheshire which already have among the highest population densities for dairy animals in the world - and are also the main hot spots in the current bovine TB epidemic. Farmers feel compelled to buy in heifers from as far afield as Germany and Holland to replace animals culled as TB reactors, as they will lose bonus payments from customers who demand that they maintain constant levels of production.

Several other factors also increase the likely impact of disease in a previously healthy herd - the concentration of cattle numbers into fewer but larger units, the growing emphasis on cattle kept indoors all year round and breeding for high yielding animals that are more vulnerable to disease. Meanwhile, a shortage of skilled manpower means that half the available stockmen are shared between farms and can therefore be responsible for bringing in disease.

But farmers have little or no control over some of the more important risk factors - particularly movements of badgers and the presence of diseased herds on neighbouring premises. "So these farmers with big herds in high density areas and neighbours that have the disease are done for unless we can do something serious to manage the risks."

Dairy farmers can work with their veterinary advisers to reduce risk using the four main pillars of disease control - improved biosecurity, better surveillance, appropriate vaccination and containment of disease transmission within the herd. But diseases also had to be tackled on a national level and if DEFRA is unwilling to take on the task, he proposed the creation of an independent livestock disease agency with sufficient staff and resources to carry out its remit. The costs of running such a body should be shared among all those stakeholders with an interest in preserving an economically viable dairy industry, including, for example the cereal producers who provide the dairy industry with much of its food materials, he suggested.

The BVA has welcomed the decision to prohibit the advertising of antimicrobials directly to animal keepers from 2013 in a bid to reduce antimicrobial resistance.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) announced that the Veterinary Medicines Regulations will be revised next year. The change has come as a result of the European Commission's view that the UK did not correctly transpose the European Directive 2001/82/EC which prohibits the advertising of certain veterinary medicinal products to the 'general public'.

When the VMD consulted on proposals to restrict the advertising of antimicrobials to farmers in 2010 the BVA supported the measure as a sensible approach to the responsible use of antimicrobials.

In a letter to stakeholders the VMD explained that: "A number of interested parties from veterinary medicine hold the view that the advertising of antibiotics to keepers of animals leads to undue pressure to prescribe newer antibiotics, which can often be important in human medicine and are associated with the development of multiple resistances."

Peter Jones, President of the BVA, said: "The BVA has consistently argued for the restriction of advertising of antimicrobials to animal keepers and we believe this is the right decision.

"New antimicrobials are heavily advertised by pharmaceutical companies and there can be undue pressure put on veterinary surgeons by clients who want to try new products that promise good results, but which may not be appropriate from the point of view of responsible use.

"Antimicrobial resistance is a very serious issue for both animal and human health and we are pleased that the European Commission and the VMD have taken the view that the Regulations need to be revised.

"Ultimately, it is the veterinary surgeon who will make the decision on which veterinary products to use and vets will continue to work with their farm clients to ensure antimicrobials are used prudently and responsibly."

Dechra Veterinary Products has extended the licence on its infectious bronchitis vaccine, Avishield IB G1-13, which is now available for laying hens and breeding chicks throughout the production period.

Avishield IB G1-13 is indicated for active immunisation of chicks to reduce the adverse effect on cilia caused by infectious bronchitis. 

The vaccine is one of two targeting the IBV 793B serotype and, with the addition of this new claim, Avishield can now be administrated on broiler, broiler breeder and laying hen farms.

Avishield IB GI-13 is a lyophilisate for oculonasal suspension/use in drinking water which contains live avian infectious bronchitis virus variant strain V-173/11: 102.7-104.6 EID50. 

It has an onset of immunity 10 days after vaccination and a duration of immunity of 56 days.

Johnny Wells West, poultry key account manager at Dechra Veterinary Products, said: “The new licence extension for Avishield IB G1-13 allows greater flexibility for poultry producers to protect their flocks against infectious bronchitis on broiler, broiler breeder and laying hen farms and it is welcome news for both Dechra and the poultry industry.”

For more information contact Johnny Wells West on 07584 175758 or visit http://www.dechra.co.uk/Avishield IB G1-13 

Ceva Animal Health Ltd has initiated a Class II recall of Ketofen 10% Solution for Injection, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory licensed for the treatment of cattle, pigs, horses and other equidae.

The recall was initiated because a visual inspection confirmed the possibility of particulate contamination which is not acceptable for an intravenous use preparation.

The recall is for the following batches only:

108AB Expiry 12/01/2023
113H Expiry 16/03/2023

Ceva Animal Health Ltd is contacting veterinary surgeons, retailers and wholesale dealers to examine inventory and quarantine products subject to the recall.

For further information, contact Peter Kyte Business Unit Manager on +44 1494 781510.