Veterinary surveillance services in Inverness and Ayr, which have been under threat of closure, are to be kept in operation according to a statement issued by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), which runs the two units.
The decision has already been welcomed by NFU Scotland whose Highland Regional chairman, Jim Whiteford, said farmers had got what they wished for and now needed to make full use of the excellent SRUC resource.
The union’s chairman in Ayrshire, Jimmy Ireland, commented: “We are delighted that SRUC has listened to farmers about how vital the services provided by the veterinary disease surveillance unit are. Ayrshire is renowned for its fine livestock and animal health is a crucial component for our herds and flocks.”
SAC Consulting’s managing director, Mike Wijnberg, said the decision to maintain surveillance facilities in both Inverness and Ayr was based on the feedback received from farmers and that both units would now be “tailored” to fit best with the requirements of their client groups.
Part of that tailoring will involve an investment in a new post mortem facility in Inverness, with the whole unit moving to a “state of the art facility” in the town.
The Ayr unit, meanwhile, is to be renovated and upgraded and equipped to accommodate both veterinary and consulting staff, working alongside SRUC research colleagues.