Animal health


Roadmap to tackle endemic disease will ‘deliver real benefits’


G


overnment plans to invest in better animal health and wel- fare will deliver real benefi ts,


say veterinary medicine manufactur- ers.


The roadmap outlines changes that will come into force over a period of seven years to help farmers adapt and plan for the future. It will start with an initial focus on endemic diseases among cattle, sheep and pigs. The aim is to ensure farmers can produce healthy food sustainably and without subsidy – while taking steps to improve animal health and welfare. The goal is to achieve this by 2028 – by which time direct payments will have been phased out to farmers. Dawn Howard, chief executive of


the National Offi ce for Animal Health said the plan echoed the industry body’s own vision paper. She added: “This will deliver benefi ts in terms of welfare, productivity, sustainability and resilience of farms.” Ms Howard said NOAH was pleased to see a timetable for the government’s Animal Health and Welfare Pathway for England. But she said it was impor-


tant to encourage meaningful co-op- eration between the devolved nations because “disease knows no borders”. NOAH’s vision paper proposes a holistic approach to improve livestock health, animal welfare and farm busi- nesses. And it suggests incentivising farmers to introduce endemic disease control programmes and support for vaccination. Ms Howard said: “Vaccination is one key tool that can be used in the push to tackle endemic disease. Live- stock vaccines prevent and protect against harmful disease and are an evidenced-based way to secure world leading standards in animal health and welfare.


“They are vital tools that should be harnessed at a population level and implemented into the management protocols of all livestock farms, sup- porting them to be proactive and pro- gressive and forming a part of each farm health plan.”


NOAH argues that this commit- ment to reduce disease will help fur- ther support in the farming sector to the challenge of reducing the need for


antibiotics in livestock production as it continues to play its part in the fi ght against antimicrobial resistance. “Professional development of farm- ers is also important,” said Ms Howard. “As Defra’s plans for support for


improved animal health and welfare are published, NOAH is pleased to see that over 500 UK farmers have already committed to raising stand- ards by completing our Animal Medi- cines Best Practice training.”


New bolus range expands with three extra products


Three new bolus products have been launched by the Denis Brinicombe Group to reduce the risk of micronu- trient imbalances in grazing and for- age fed cattle.


The EnduraBol boluses – Biotin, Pre-Calver and Organic – aim to meet the needs of cattle over 150kg through the sustained release of nutrients to op- timise a healthy hoof structure, sup- port calving and improve performance. Biotin for hoof structure provides


up to four months supplementation of six trace elements: cobalt, selenium, copper, manganese, iodine, and zinc as well as three key vitamins. It also de- livers about 20mg of daily biotin to re- duce lameness by optimising the hoof horn structure keratinisation. Denis Brinicombe Group managing director Keith Greig says: “Evidence from studies shows that cows supple- mented with this level of biotin per day had better locomotion while helping high yielding dairy cows reach their potential.”


34 MIDLAND FARMER • FEBRUARY 2021


Vaccination is a key tool against endemic disease, says Dawn Howard.


Pre-Calver contains the same trace elements and vitamins, but in levels tailored to pre- and post-calving cows and heifers. It delivers these micronu- trients for up to four months, to sup- port the cow either side of calving and optimise post-calving recovery for fu- ture fertility.


The cattle


boluses provide a range of


important trace elements


The Organic bolus supplies the six essential trace elements for up to six months to maximise production and performance potential of beef and dairy cattle. Each pack contains a 10- cow supply of boluses which can be ad- ministered using a recommended ap- plicator.


Photo credit: Tim Scrivener


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