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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 11th September 2023
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SAGG launches ‘Healthy Feet Happy Sheep’ campaign
The campaign suggests that veterinary surgeons incorporate foot examinations into a tuberculosis or legal prescribing visit.

The campaign educates vets on sheep foot health.

The Sheep Antibiotic Guardian Group (SAGG) have launched the #HealthyFeetHappySheep campaign, to raise awareness for sheep foot health.

The industry-wide campaign, which was launched 7 September, sees a collaboration across the industry to educate and inform farmers and veterinary surgeons on all aspects of sheep foot health.

Veterinary surgeons will be able to access a downloadable toolkit on the website to support them with undertaking Healthy Feet flock visits, as well as the latest resources to help run Flock Health Clubs and sheep farmer meetings.

The campaign, led by SAGG, suggests that veterinary surgeons incorporate foot examinations into a tuberculosis or legal prescribing visit, and to utilise a Five Point Plan to prevent cases occurring.

There will also be short films featuring sheep veterinary surgeons Phillipa Page and Joe Angell, farmers from the HCC Stoc+ program and celebrity sheep farmer Gareth Wyn Jones.

The films will be released on social media and their website over the next few weeks.

Practices are encouraged to hold their own ‘Lameness Amnesty’ or ‘Healthy Feet week’ to spread awareness throughout the team.

The campaign involves partnership from organisations including MSD Animal Health, RCVS Knowledge and the Sheep Veterinary Society, and will run from September- December 2023.

Fiona Lovatt, an independent specialist sheep veterinary surgeon who developed the campaign, said: “We all know that maintaining healthy feet in flocks not only benefits sheep welfare but improves farmer well-being with less time, money and stress being diverted to dealing with lameness issues,

“A sound flock always means better flock sustainability and overall performance.

“We have plenty of evidence to show that we need to use injectable antibiotics to effectively treat lame sheep, but we are encouraging the use of ‘Plan Prevent Protect’ principles to reduce the chances of sheep going lame in the first place. Currently, the majority of antibiotics used in the sheep sector are for dealing with lameness, hence our emphasis on maintaining healthy feet.

The campaign will be hosted on the #HealthyFeetHappySheep website.

Image © Shutterstock

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.