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Webinar to give advice on sheep vaccine shortages
The webinar will take place on Wednesday, 4 October.
Experts will talk about supply issues and mitigating risks.

The National Sheep Association has announced that October’s Breakfast Club webinar will look at the shortages of sheep vaccines.

Jonathon Statham, chair of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England Commitee, will speak about the reasons for supply chain issues and how the problems might be resolved. He will also look at the long-term effects the current shortage might have.

He will be joined by Dr Joe Henry, a specialist beef and sheep veterinary surgeon, who will talk about how to mitigate the long-term impact of the vaccine shortage and what farmers can do if they can’t access vaccines.

In the past year, there have been supply issues with vaccines that prevent clostridial diseases, Pasteurellosis, abortion, lameness and orf.

In response, NSA has been in contact with manufacturing companies to try to resolve the shortages, as well as raising the issue with the Government at ministerial level. Recently, NSA wrote to Sir Robert Goodwill, chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ((EFRA) select committee, suggesting the committee should investigate the problem.

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker said: “NSA has endeavoured to keep its members and other UK sheep farmers up to date on the ongoing difficulties felt in sourcing vaccines via its NSA publications and online engagement.

“This webinar will add to this providing a fuller update on the vaccine availability situation across the UK, giving a a chance to attendees to hear and ask questions over alternative strategies to reduce disease risk.”

The webinar, which will be free to join, takes place at 8.30am on Wednesday, 4 October. Those interested in attending can register online.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."