ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE PATHWAY

The Animal Health & Welfare Pathway is a government initiative aimed at supporting the continual improvement of farm animal health and welfare. You can book a 2-3 hour vet visit to discuss any key herd or flock health issues on your farm – fully funded by Defra. This scheme is an opportunity to boost your profitability through reducing the impact of endemic diseases and improving animal welfare and production.

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW?

This veterinary review is tailored to your farm and will concentrate on identifying your farm’s specific health and welfare priorities, including screening tests for endemic diseases.

The structure is completely open, allowing the time to be used to focus on the area that would benefit you most. For example, for cattle it may focus on lameness, mastitis, housing or cow tracks, and in flocks it may focus on parasites, ‘iceberg diseases’, lameness and abortion agents At no cost to you the visit involves testing cattle for BVD, and pre and post worming egg counts for sheep.

DURING THE VISIT WE COULD:

• Create a bespoke worm/parasite control plan to help improve performance and reduce wormer usage.
• Investigate calf scour and pneumonia.
• Help with lameness control, incl. footbathing regimes.
• Develop a mastitis control plan.
• Review lamb health and mortality.
• Discuss antimicrobial use.

GRANTS AVAILABLE

The review can also be used to support the application for small and large capital grants, aimed at improving farm animal welfare and production. Grants will be available towards the cost of equipment and technology items and also for new housing, building upgrades and pasture improvements.

All cattle and sheep farmers are eligible, as long as you are enrolled in the Basic Payment Scheme and have more than 11 cattle or 21 sheep. Funding has been calculated to cover around two hours of vet time and testing for priority diseases.