The involvement of the UK’s pig vets in the ongoing debate over the use of medication and the “dark shadow of antimicrobial resistance” is vital for the welfare and productivity of the pig industry, according to Pig Veterinary Society (PVS) president, Annie Davis.
Commenting via an invitation message to PVS members, issued ahead of the Society’s spring meeting, the president said: “How we are permitted to use medication with the real threat of restriction and the dark shadow of antimicrobial resistance has taken centre stage and our presence in this debate is vital for the welfare and productivity of the pig industry.”
She also drew attention to the requirement for all Red Tractor units to provide an annual collation of antibiotic use, ready for auditing from October 2015.
“We have been working closely with the NPA and feed companies to create a sensible method of collating reports for in feed use which is scheduled to be in place from July 2015,” she said, adding that practitioners needed to be ready to provide clients with “this information for antibiotics provided through our practices”.
The spring meeting, which takes place on May 20 and 21, will include major sessions on PEDv and PRRS, an assessment of how proactive testing for the exclusion of pig notifiable diseases in the EU is working and an examination of nutrition and the environment, including a presentation on pending legislation to reduce environmental pollution from pigs.