13th July 2010
According to a recent article on the Telegraph online, "Chicken could be disinfected with an antimicrobial wash before it is sold in supermarkets or butchers in order to cut down on food poisoning." This is currently a process used in New Zealand but is yet to be used in the EU. The FSA (Food Standards Agency) say that this could reduce the incidence of the campylobacter bug. Although if the chicken is properly cooked the bug is killed, illness resulting from this affects about 300,000 people each year.
12th July 2010
According to media reports, camel milk could soon be imported into Europe. Read more about this in the Independent's article: 'Got camel milk, or a scoop of Cold Hump?'
12th July 2010
'Do you have a psychic pet?' This is the question the Guardian Online is asking following Paul, the famous 'psychic' octopus, correctly predicted the winning team in a number of different world cup football matches. The Telegraph has run with a similar article entitled: 'Paul the psychic octopus and friends', which looks at the role of 'psychic' pets throughout history and quotes a study from 2004 which "found that some dogs are able to predict when a child will suffer an epileptic seizure."
9th July 2010
In his latest blog, Pete Wedderburn asks: 'Poodles: French dogs invading the UK?' Here he discusses how popular poodles are in places like France, but here in England they don't even make it into the top twenty breeds. However, as he discovered personally with his own dog - many cross-breeds, even unknowingly, have a little bit of poodle in them.
8th July 2010
According to a recent article on the BBC news website, the Scottish SPCA are appealing for help after two puppies were stolen from a centre in Glasgow. For more information click here.
6th July 2010
According to many media reports, including this one by the Daily Mail: 'Cows boost milk production after listening to Shakespeare'. This article claims that a herd in Kent has produced 4% more milk since a theatre company routinely rehearsed a Shakespearean play in front of the cows.
5th July 2010
It has been reported that shares in CVS Group have dropped by over 30 percent as the company warns that their full-year turnover is lower than originally anticipated.
30th June 2010
'The Bionic Vet'
'The Bionic Vet', a new series showing on BBC1, has caught the attention of the media at large and also that of vet and Telegraph blogger, Pete Wedderburn who discusses the following question: "Are bionic cat legs taking it a bit far?"
30th June 2010
It may be interesting to UK vets to know that in the USA: "The Food and Drug Administration urged farmers on Monday to stop giving antibiotics to cattle, poultry, hogs and other animals to spur their growth, citing concern that drug overuse is helping to create dangerous bacteria that do not respond to medical treatment and endanger human lives." Click here to read the full article in the Washington Post.
23rd June 2010
Farmers weekly has run an article entitled 'DEFRA faces 25% budget cut' following the announcement of the Budget yesterday. More details are yet to appear...