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Animal Welfare: UK: Vets' shortage hits farm welfare
Posted by: JimEdwards on Mar 18, 2008 - 06:53 PM
animalwelfare
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Ed Foss
Source
A serious shortage of farm vets in parts of East Anglia could, according to this story, lead to failures in curbing devastating animal diseases such as bluetongue and impact animal welfare.
The number of vets working with large animals has declined drastically in some areas, meaning they have to travel longer distances and charge higher prices for their visits.
With many livestock farmers facing tough financial pressures linked with rising costs of fuel and feed alongside depressed market prices, the prospect of increasing vet bills is leading to fewer calls to vets.
This is turn threatens disease surveillance at a time when transport processes and travelling habits have brought ruinous animal illnesses such as foot and mouth and bluetongue to the fore.
North Walsham farm vet Graham Duncanson was quoted as saying “It is absolutely right to say this could lead to diseases not being spotted, and this at a time when disease surveillance is so important."
Mr Duncanson added that the reality of the situation was not so much about animals being left to lie sick, injured and untended in fields, but that a trend of putting animals down on the farm without seeking treatment would increase.
The writer goes on to cite Peter Stevenson, chief policy advisor with Compassion in World Farming, as saying there was a clear risk that animals would not receive the treatment they needed because of the state of the farming industry, adding, “Regular visits from the vet mean it is more likely a disease will be spotted in its early stages, be they seriously dangerous diseases such as foot and mouth or less severe illnesses."
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