SCOTTISH ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE ADVISORY GROUP MEETING - 16 MAY 2006 - MINUTES
Attendees
Members:
Charles Milne - Chief Veterinary Officer (Scotland) (chair)
Ian Anderson - Head of Animal Health and Welfare Division, SEERAD
Kay Driver - Chief Executive, Scottish SPCA
Bill McKelvey - Chief Executive, SAC
Mike Robson - President, Scottish Branch, British Veterinary Association
Julie Fitzpatrick - Chief Executive, Moredun Research Institute
Donald Biggar - Interim Chairman, QMS
Invitees:
Nick Ambrose - Animal Health & Welfare Division, SEERAD
Jane Downs - Meat Hygiene Service.
Chris Low - Head of Animal Health Research, SAC
Secretariat:
Neil Ritchie - Animal Health and Welfare Division, SEERAD
Gordon Struth - Animal Health and Welfare Division, SEERAD
Apologies:
Stuart Reid - Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow
Andy Robertson - Chief Executive, NFU Scotland
Agenda Item 1 - Minutes of Meeting of 18th January 2006
1. Members were welcomed to this meeting of the Scottish Animal Health and Welfare Advisory Group and agreed the minutes of the previous meeting.
Agenda Item 2 - Matters Arising
2. Progress against Action Points:
AP 2: SEERAD to provide figures for welfare prosecutions relating to farm livestock and the number of welfare visits made by the SVS - Circulated in advance, members felt this was worth monitoring particularly in the context of the Animal Health & Welfare Bill.
Other Action Points were completed or were covered under items in the agenda.
Agenda Item 3 - Update on recent Avian Influenza finding in Scotland.
3. The Chair outlined what had happened in three recent incidents. Firstly, he told the group about the suspect avian notifiable disease in domestic poultry in Orkney. He then covered the issues surrounding the finding of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a swan at Cellardyke, and low pathogenic avian influenza in Norfolk, explaining the Executive's response. The chair then asked the group for their views and if they were happy with the department's communication with them.
4. There was general appreciation of the use of the stakeholder group, while the written communication from the Executive was found to have been useful. However, veterinary practices had reported that they lacked immediate information to deal with calls from clients, though larger producers were better informed. There was concern about the welfare issues around a housing requirement for free range flocks with some owners considering wholesale euthanasia, while other members reported welfare incidents. Smaller poultry owners who had not previously registered didn't get information and were being encouraged to register. It was suggested that an email list for practices would help, possibly through the BVA though this wouldn't hit all practices.
ACTION POINT 1: SEERAD to liaise with BVA on communications with vets in future incidents.
Agenda Item 4 - Research and Scottish Priorities
5. Chris Low of SAC and Julie Fitzpatrick of Moredun each gave presentations on their research work, both of which are available from secretariat on request, at the conclusion of which the Chair invited comments, particularly on whether there were any gaps and how to encourage knowledge transfer.
6. The group discussed the difference between communicating research work and ensuring that the mechanism for targeting research works. Both SAC and Moredun have strong links to both farming and industry, with funding coming from a mixture of sources. Systems were said to be very good, that farmers were conscious of being asked their views, and they were involved on committees informing research, so the mechanics were felt to be working.
7. Discussion moved on to considering gaps, many of which were highlighted in the Moredun presentation, such as lameness. The group felt that we shouldn't jump into these but should focus on our strengths and attempt to have a real impact in a smaller range of things. However, the group felt it worthwhile to keep considering areas for future work if more resources were to become available, and that while changing course in the middle of programmes could be difficult for SAC or Moredun, we shouldn't forget Roslin or the Universities of Glasgow or Edinburgh.
8. It was queried what programmes related to companion animals, given the focus on them in the current Bill, which lead to a discussion about wider strategies for companion and wild animals.
ACTION POINT 2: SEERAD to discuss Animal Health & Welfare research with SSPCA.
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Agenda Item 7 - AOB
9. The Chair wished at this point to discuss the proposed Animal Health and Welfare Conference. The group were broadly happy with the proposal made by SAC and Moredun following discussion with the Executive, division between the days and the content. There was a suggestion to have fewer, longer sessions, possibly simultaneous. The need to fix dates soon was stressed as those originally proposed clash with the Winter Fair.
ACTION POINT 3: SAC and to arrange conference in liaison with SEERAD.
Agenda Item 5 - Update on the Scottish Programme of Priorities and Targets
10. Neil Ritchie presented a paper on progress to date and future actions, appending a calendar of events. The Chair was pleased to see the focus on welfare, while the group felt a 'quick win' would help get the industry moving with us, with a suggestion that we could initially focus on case studies rather than statistics. The group also considered communicating directly with farmers, and agreed the importance of having a plan of action for implementing the agreed priorities
ACTION POINT 4: SEERAD to convene sectoral discussions to take forward priorities and gather information on activity in the field.
Agenda Item 6 - Round-up of activities
11. Postponed due to time pressures.
Agenda Item 7 - AOB
12. The group discussed the recently convened Cattle Health Council, to which some of the group had been invited.
13. The group discussed Strangles, of which there had been an outbreak, and considered a role in raising awareness about non-notifiable diseases. The group was informed of the upcoming Strangles Awareness Week, Scottish Executive to pass details of this to SSPCA.
ACTION POINT 5: SEERAD to pass details of Strangles Awareness Week to SSPCA
14. Dates of future meetings - Secretariat to liaise with members.
Animal Health & Welfare Advisory Group Secretariat
May 2006
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