Animal Health News

“Must be done to minimise the risk,” said NFU Cymru while urging the UK government to tighten border controls to help protect the Welsh livestock industry as the fears over foot-and-mouth disease are increasing. 

Sheep farmers in the South West of England have been warned of the risk of blowfly strike as the local Blowfly Watch risk alert was raised to amber.

Defra has pledged to tackle illegal meat imports by offering £3.1 million in funding for checks at the Port of Dover in 2025/2026. However, the port authority said that this is not enough to protect the livestock sector from potentially devastating disease outbreaks. 

The avian influenza housing measures have been extended in the north of England to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of the disease, Defra confirmed.

Defra has just announced that the free-range poultry meat producers and processors will no longer need to change how free-range poultry meat is labelled when mandatory housing measures are introduced.

The UK government has extended the meat import ban to Austria, following a second foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Hungary, very close to the Austrian border.

Recent data by Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) shows that clostridial diseases consistently rank among the most frequent sheep submission diagnoses, prompting vets to remind farmers of the importance of timely vaccination to avoid such losses.

Heat stress is a growing challenge for dairy farmers worldwide. Rising temperatures in combination with high humidity can significantly impact cow health and productivity, leading to lower milk yields, reduced fertility rates, and increased health risks. Effective cow cooling is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity.

Johne’s disease is often missed in sheep, but can cause serious production losses. Sarah Kidby spoke to experts about cost-effective control.

Urgent action has been demanded to protect the UK from a host of diseases with the potential to devastate British farming and jeopardise food supply, following a Countryside Alliance investigation.

The EAE vaccine, Cevac Chlamydia, is now back in stock after supply challenges last year, with vets encouraging farmers to vaccinate their ewe lambs and shearlings for EAE (enzootic abortion of ewes).

English livestock farmers have been encouraged to sign up for free vet visits through the TB Advisory Service (TBAS) before the service’s funding ends.