Animal Health News

DEFRA has announced that badger TB vaccinations increased to a record high across the country in 2024. 

The recent announcement regarding the future of Bluetongue (BTV-3) controls in Wales has coincided with the release of new ‘best practice’ protocols to control infectious cattle disease by CHECS. 

Concerns have been raised following a recent announcement by the deputy first minister regarding the future of Bluetongue (BTV-3) controls in Wales.

A new study led by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has revealed significant genetic and antigenic diversity in European swine influenza viruses, raising the critical need for pandemic preparedness and vaccine effectiveness in both animal and human populations.

Sheep farmers have been encouraged to stay alert and informed as Haemonchus contortus – commonly known as Barber’s Pole worm – gains more attention across the UK.

Sheep farmers in Northern England, Western Scotland and Northern Ireland have been warned of the risk of blowfly strike as the local Blowfly Watch risk alert has been raised to red.

The British meat industry has welcomed the announcement that the UK’s risk rating status for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been downgraded to negligible. 

The Farropen system isn’t just a concept; it’s a tried and tested solution that has delivered tangible results on the creators’ own breeding unit for over four years, as well as other units, the company says.

Research into a device that listens to the internal ‘symphonies’ in the bodies of living animals could potentially transform how medical conditions are detected earlier and are diagnosed more accurately in everything from livestock to people.

Early results from the 2025 FlockCheck diagnostic scheme, run by MSD Animal Health, reveal that 80% of farms tested so far show exposure to the Toxoplasma gondii parasite.

Defra has just announced that from 1st July 2025 the restricted zone for bluetongue will be extended to cover all of England.  

A single case of atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed on a farm in Essex, APHA said.