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Pig health scheme is extended for a year
BPEX has extended its Pig Health Scheme for a year while a replacement Food Standards Agency scheme is devised.
BPEX has extended its Pig Health Scheme for a year while a replacement Food Standards Agency scheme is devised.

Decision while Food Standards Agency works on replacement scheme

A health scheme that provides disease data on slaughtered pigs, is to be extended for a further year, it has been announced.

The announcement by BPEX, part of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development board, follows a meeting by its board on January 15.

The board had already extended the BPEX Pig Health Scheme (BPHS) by three months to the end of March at its meeting in November.

The scheme will now be extended until March 31 next year.
The decision, it said, would allow time for BPEX to continue its work with the Food Standards Agency and abattoirs on a replacement scheme.

The Collection and Communication of Inspection Results (CCIR) scheme is being devised to provide a similar quality of post mortem pig data as is delivered currently by the BPHS veterinary assessment.

The data from slaughtered pigs provides valuable information for both veterinary surgeons and farmers on how best to manage pig diseases and improve carcass quality.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

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News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.