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Defra commits to CCTV in slaughterhouses
Mr Gove’s announcement has been warmly welcomed by the BVA, FSA and VPHA.
Welfare codes will also be updated, Gove says

CCTV will become mandatory in all slaughterhouses in England, the government has announced, following years of campaigning by vets.

Environment secretary Michael Gove outlined a series of new measures today (11 August) to reinforce the UK’s status as a global leader in animal welfare.

Under the new rules, CCTV will be required in all areas where live animals are present. Official Vets (OVs) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) will be given unrestricted access to the footage. Currently, OVs may request to see the footage if they suspect abuse, but if this has to be enforced by the courts it can become a lengthy process.

Mr Gove’s announcement has been warmly welcomed by the BVA, FSA and Veterinary Public Health Association (VPHA), who have long called for mandatory CCTV. BVA president Gudrun Ravetz described it as “a huge win for animal health and welfare”.

FSA chairman Heather Hancock added: “We look forward to the introduction of a comprehensive requirement for using, accessing and retaining footage from CCTV in abattoirs. We see CCTV as an invaluable management tool for business owners to help with compliance with official controls and to improve animal welfare standards across the industry.”

Defra has also pledged to to raise standards for both farm animals and domestic pets by modernising statutory animal welfare codes, to reflect advances in medicines and technology, as well as the latest research and veterinary advice. The first to be updated will cover chickens bred for meat. It is expected that the codes for laying hens, pigs, dogs, cats and horses will be updated over the next year.

Consultations on both proposals have been published today.

The BVA, VPHA and British Veterinary Poultry Association will consider the detailed plans before submitting their full response to Defra.

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FIVP announces third series of Practice Matters

News Story 1
 The Federation of Independent Veterinary practices (FIVP) has announced a third season of its podcast, Practice Matters.

Hosted by Ian Wolstenholme, series three will focus on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation, including a discussion about some of the expected impacts on independent veterinary colleagues.

Episode one launches on 13th January with guests Drs David Reader and Scott Summers, who will draw on their research into the CMA investigation and provide insights into themes such as transparency, pricing and consumer trust.

Ian Wolstenholme said: "In its third series, we will try and hone in on what the changes will mean in reality for independent practices with advice and guidance on implementation and delivery, drawing on the experience of our own team and other experts in the profession. Hope you can join us soon!" 

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News Shorts
Survey seeks ruminant sector views on antimicrobial stewardship

A new survey is seeking views of people working in the UK ruminant sector on how to tackle the challenge of demonstrating responsible antibiotic stewardship.

Forming part of a wider, collaborative initiative, the results will help identify the types of data available so that challenges with data collection can be better understood and addressed.

Anyone working in the UK farming sector, including vets and farmers,is encouraged to complete the survey, which is available at app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk