Farmers will receive fully-funded annual vet visits and grants to improve conditions for livestock as part of new government reforms announced at the NFU Conference.
During his speech at the conference on Tuesday (22 February), Defra Secretary George Eustice outlined his vision for the future of the UK's livestock sectors.
He set out plans for the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway – a programme of financial support for farmers in the pig, cattle, sheep and poultry sectors.
These include measures such as reducing mastitis and lameness in dairy cattle, improving biosecurity to control pig diseases endemic to the UK and improving the feather cover of laying hens.
To help sectors make these improvements, the government will launch Animal Health and Welfare Grants within the next year.
These will fund investments such as equipment and technology or larger projects like upgrading housing for dairy cattle to deliver improvements in lameness, cow comfort and calf mortality.
Mr Eustice said the government will initially offer cattle, sheep and pig farmers who are eligible for BPS funding for an annual visit from a vet of their choice to carry out diagnostic testing, review biosecurity and responsible use of medicines, and provide advice relating to the health and welfare of their animals.
These visits will launch later this year and the offer will be further extended over time to other types of livestock farmers, he told attendees at the NFU Conference.
The reforms will also include a disease eradication and control programme. This will allow farmers to apply for financial support to enable them to take measures to prevent and reduce endemic diseases affecting livestock such as veterinary advice, vaccination, or improvements to on-farm management.
Mr Eustice said the government plans to trial a payment by results programme. This would mean rewarding farmers who can demonstrate high animal health and welfare outcomes, such as those such as those who provide their animals ample space and enrichment so they can better express their natural behaviours.
He said: “The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway is for those farmers who are in pursuit of higher profitability through better health outcomes, and it starts with an annual vet visit.
“Farmers will be able to have a vet of their choice, the family vet that they trust, and the government will pay. That vet will be able to help the farmer put together a plan for improved animal health and improved profitability on their livestock holding.”
What is included in the vet visits?
The fully-funded annual vet visits will include two to three hours of farmer and vet time to look at the health and welfare of their animals, including biosecurity and responsible use of medicines.
The farmer will receive a report from the vet, which will include some achievable actions the farmer can take to improve health and welfare – this will not be shared with the government.
Each review will be bespoke. The farmer and vet will decide how to prioritise their time. It will also involve testing: Cattle: BVD; Sheep: Drench Test; Pigs: PRRS.
It will be a cash payment and farmers will be responsible for agreeing a rate with their vet . The payments rates will be: pigs - £684; sheep - £436; beef cattle - £522; dairy cattle - £372.
