December Newsletter

BOVINE TB INITIATIVE LAUNCHED

Last month the Bovine TB Biosecurity policy was launched, which aims to promote measures that will help to reduce the risk of your farm contracting TB. The ‘5 Point Plan’ listed below applies to any form, anywhere in the country.

Broughton Veterinary Group 12 Swannington Road, Broughton Astley, Leics, LE9 6TU Tel: 01455 282512 Elizabethan House, Leicester Rd, Lutterworth, Leics, LE17 4NJ Tel: 01455 552117 Broughton Veterinary Group is the trading name of Broughton Vet Group Ltd. Company number 9243007 registered in England & Wales. Registered office: 12 Swannington Road, Broughton Astley, Leicester, LE9 6TU.

www.broughtonveterinarygroup.co.uk

PRACTICE NEWS Sadly our dedicated small animal vet, Ashley Barron leaves us this month to return back to Scotland. We are currently interviewing for a replacement and will let you know when we have recruited our new vet. Meanwhile we are delighted that vet Hannah Morrison is pregnant but of course this will mean we will be missing Hannah (very much!) from our team for some time next year. Again, we will soon be recruiting a replacement for Hannah and will keep you informed of progress.

CHRISTMAS OPENING TIMES During the festive season, the surgeries will be closed on Friday 25th, Saturday 26th, Monday 28th December 2015 and Friday 1st January 2016. We will be open as normal on all other days and are available for emergencies outside office hours on 07711434290. May we take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2016.

www.tbhub.co.uk #TBFREE

INTRODUCTION

The University of Surrey provides a subsidised surveillance post-mortem examination (PME) service for farmed livestock on behalf of Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The service is delivered by experienced veterinary surgeons from Westpoint Farm Vets and Minster Veterinary Practice who have received additional training in pathology. The surveillance subsidy ensures that we can charge a single fee which covers the cost of both PME and reasonable testing needed to reach a diagnosis. All data and samples from submissions will be managed by the University of Surrey. Additional testing beyond what is necessary for surveillance purposes (and all testing for private

PMEs) will be agreed and charged separately.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Farm animal post-mortem examinations have become somewhat neglected recently despite the

many potential benefits for investigating outbreaks of pneumonia, abortion and sudden death,

amongst others.

1. It can be an invaluable tool in investigating a flock or herd health issue by giving us valuable visual clues as to what the real problem is. This allows us to target subsequent treatment and management plans in the most effective manner. 2. Many diseases result in similar or vague signs of illness so post-mortem examination may be the only reliable way to differentiate between them. 3. For diseases that result in sudden death, PME may be the only way to confirm the cause of death. 4. In some cases, valuable samples can be collected after death. This can help to yield information, not just about the animal that has died, but about surviving members of the group as well. 5. It can often be a great way of indicating whether a single death is likely to be a one-off or the first in a major outbreak, without having to just wait and see if further deaths occur. 6. Finally, surveillance enables new and emerging diseases to be identified thereby protecting your

animals and the national herd.

Broughton Veterinary Group 12 Swannington Road, Broughton Astley, Leics, LE9 6TU Tel: 01455 282512 Elizabethan House, Leicester Rd, Lutterworth, Leics, LE17 4NJ Tel: 01455 552117 Broughton Veterinary Group is the trading name of Broughton Vet Group Ltd. Company number 9243007 registered in England & Wales. Registered office: 12 Swannington Road, Broughton Astley, Leicester, LE9 6TU.

www.broughtonveterinarygroup.co.uk

FARM ANIMAL POST MORTEM EXAMINATION SERVICE – INFORMATION FOR FARMERS

HOURS OF SERVICE

The current hours of service are 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours, calls to the telephone service number will reach a voicemail message offering information on the service. PROCESS

1. Contact your vet to request a PME.

2. Your vet rings the PME service number 01483 689823 to provide the case details.

3. A decision is made about whether the case is eligible for the surveillance subsidy.

4. You arrange transport of the carcase to the fallen stock site. This can be done by you or Redferns. Redferns will transport the

carcase either to Flagg or drop off at Sutton Bonnington (see below).

5. The PME is performed and a report is sent to the your vet. The important findings and recommendations are then passed on

to you, the client.

6. Additional testing will be carried out if needed and will be reported when results are available.

If you have a carcase you would like to submit for examination, please call us to discuss further. There is now an agreement in place with Redferns to “drop off” post mortem carcases at the Sutton Bonnington Post Mortem facility (now run by Minster Vet Practice) for a small additional fee.