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Hauliers warned over African swine fever risk
The advice cautions hauliers not to bring pork, wild boar meat or meat products back to the UK from affected areas.
Chief veterinary officer writes to UK transport associations 

Hauliers are being warned of the risks of bringing African Swine Fever (ASF) into the UK.

According to the National Pig Association, the UK's chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss has written to the Road Haulage Association, the British Retail Consortium, the Freight Transport Association and the Federation of Wholesale Distributors.

Ms Middlemiss is reported to have sent the associations a poster explaining why there is a heightened risk associated with ASF and what steps they can take to minimise the risk.

The advice cautions hauliers not to bring pork, wild boar meat or meat products back to the UK from affected areas. It also urges hauliers to use a secure bin to dispose of waste food, to never feed pigs or wild boar with meat or meat products, and to avoid contact with dead or sick wild boar.

Ms Middlemiss also gives instructions on how to clean and disinfect vehicles and stresses the importance for everyone travelling between the continent and the UK to take ‘several precautions to reduce the risk of ASF entering the UK’.

The poster and letter form part of continuing efforts by chief veterinary offiers to raise awareness of the risk of ASF to the UK’s pig population.

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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.