Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
EmailIphone Application    Posted: 31st January 2012
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.
Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel
Animal Health Board reaches quorum
Chairman Michael Seals MBE
Final two members of AHWBE announced

Body text The final two members of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England (AHWBE) have been announced. The Board will be responsible for providing Ministers with advice, and Chairman Michael Seals MBE has declared that the now-complete Board is formed of ‘excellent people who know the industry well and are already making a positive contribution’. They will attend their first meeting of the Board on February 7th 2012.

The new additions are Richard Davis, an arable and dairy farmer from North Bedfordshire, and Jonathan Rushton, an economist and senior lecturer at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). They join the aforementioned Mr Seals, Chairman of the National Pig Association Stewart Houston, Director of the British Horseracing Authority Professor Tim Morris, Director of Anglo Beef Processor Stuart Roberts and farmer Mark Tufnell. Six senior DEFRA animal health officials will also be on the Board.

About Richard Davis

Mr Davis farms 104 hectares in North Bedfordshire with 70 head of young stock and 110 pedigree Holstein Friesian cows. He is a farmer director of First Milk., vice chairman of DairyCo and a member of the NFU dairy board. He is a Privy Council Lay Member at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), and has been a member of both the English Cattle Health and Welfare Group and the Compassion in World Farming/RSPCA Calf Export Forum.

About Jonathan Rushton

Mr Rushton is an agricultural economist who grew up living and working on the family dairy farm, thus informing his interest in the economics of animal health and livestock production with practical experience. He is a senior lecturer and researcher in animal health economics at the Royal Veterinary College, and a member of the Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health. He also worked at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization during the global avian influenza outbreak in 2006. He is currently providing advice to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)/FAO/World Bank Working Group on foot-and-mouth disease.

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.