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Thousands of ducks die on farm
Image: PETA
PETA calls on chefs to swear off foie gras

A factory farm in New York, which calls itself the "premier producer of foie gras", is estimated by its own calculation to lose 15,000 ducks a year before they make it to slaughter.

As part of a new US investigation, PETA has released video footage showing inhumane practices being carried out at the Hudson Valley Foie Gras farm.

The footage shows workers overfeeding the ducks through steel tubes three times day for several weeks in order to enlarge the animals' livers, as well as inhumane slaughter practices.

According to experts, such force-feeding leads to oesophageal tears and splits, liver rupture and failure, heat stress and aspiration pneumonia.

As a result of the recent investigation, PETA is calling on chefs to cease selling foie gras in their restaurants.

Mimi Bekhechi, associate director at PETA UK said: "Every exposé of foie gras farms has revealed how grotesquely cruel it is to jam pipes down birds' throats and force-feed them until they sicken and die." 

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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. 

Click here for more...
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.