The Government understands the need to protect the farming industry in the UK to preserve food supply, jobs, trade, and the environment. One of the most important things is making sure animals are healthy and productive. The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway is a crucial part of the Government’s work in this area. We want to have a closer look at it here, as well as the update from last month.

Standards

The Pathway aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of farm animals, helping farmers to achieve world leading standards. It supports the introduction of “higher welfare practices and systems”. At the same time, it encourages sustainability, improved biosecurity, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

First introduced in 2003, the Pathway gives important guidance to farmers. Crucially, it details what funding is available to help improve animal care. There are four things to keep in mind; funds for vet reviews of animals, grants for equipment and housing, financial support for prevention and reducing endemic diseases, and rewards for improvements in stockmanship.

Recent update

In February there was an update to the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. It means farmers will now be able to apply for funding for vets to review more than one animal species. Before this, they could only get funds for a single herd or flock, including cattle (beef or dairy), pigs, or sheep. However, there has been an expansion to allow more reviews.

During a review, a vet will conduct testing for potential diseases. For example, they will look for BVD in cattle, worm resistance in sheep, and PRRS in pigs. They will identify biosecurity risks and provide advice to help improve health productivity.

The second stage of a review is a follow-up. It will evaluate the health and wellbeing of animals based on the review’s findings. For example, it will identify additional risks if any diseases are present in a herd or flock.

Farmers can apply for an Animal Health and Welfare Review online. You will need an SPI and a sufficient number of animals (at least 11 cattle, 21 sheep, or 51 pigs). If you applied previously (before June 2024) you likely won’t need to register again.

What next?

There will also be a further expansion of the Animal Health and Welfare Review in the summer. It will allow farmers to claim funding if they have multiple flocks of the same species. The idea is it will provide more flexibility and security when someone is managing multiple groups of animals.

Finally, later in autumn there will be a consultation process to get views on making vet visits mandatory on reviews.

Do you want some help with animal health?

Many different factors have an impact on the health and wellbeing of animals. This includes housing, handling, and feeding. The UK Government is committed to helping farmers improve their standards. It is beneficial to the livestock, workers, consumers, and more. If you want to learn more, have a look at the DEFRA website.

JS Hubbuck Ltd also appreciates how important animal health is. We give farmers access to a wide range of high quality products, from feeds to feeders. More importantly, we can provide information about anything we stock. It can ensure you know what to expect and how to get the best results.

So, if you need anything, please browse our website or contact us.