Animal Health and Welfare 2011/12

Results from the 2011/12 survey on Animal Health and Welfare Practices on Farm have been published.  The results show that 57% of farms in England with livestock receive visits from a veterinary surgeon to discuss or implement preventative animal health plans at least once a year.  Conversely 30% of livestock farms never discuss or implement plans in conjunction with a vet.

97% of dairy enterprises were carrying out at least one animal disease prevention practice, this dropped to 94% for beef or sheep enterprises and 90% for pig enterprises.  Around threequarters of poultry meat enterprises were carrying out one prevention practice and around two thirds of egg production enterprises did so.  In this context a ‘disease prevention practice’ covers such things as stopping diseases being brought onto the farm by visitors or livestock purchases, controlling the spead of disease on-farm, training for farm staff, and having a farm health plan.  It goes beyond routine vaccination and treatment of animals. 

80% of farms gave ‘financial’ as one of their top 3 reasons to carry out these practices, 86% stated ‘animal welfare’.  The full report can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-health-and-welfare-practices-on-farm