Reminder to vets that the use of electronic equipment by farmers or stock persons known as cow “pacifiers” or electroimmobilisers are illegal in the UK.

For those of you not familiar with the process, electroimmobilisation commonly involves the insertion of a probe into the cows rectum, where a low voltage electric current is delivered to produce tetanic contractions in skeletal muscle. This results in a reduction in voluntary movements and the voltage can be increased until the animal is immobilised. It has been commonly marketed in countries such as New Zealand and South Africa as a method for restraining animals for routine procedures such as castrations, dehorning, foot trimming, training heifers in the milking parlour, difficult calving deliveries and other animal husbandry techniques in suckler and dairy cattle.  Research has revealed that cattle are aversive to this procedure (Carter and others 1983; Grandin 1988) and that no analgesic effects are produced. Current legislation clearly states that these methods are illegal in the UK.

Her Majesty the Queen bestowed the first ever Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Queen’s Medal to Des Thompson OBE at a private ceremony in Buckingham Palace on the afternoon of Wednesday 8 October 2014.  The Queen’s Medal was launched in 2013, with the approval of Her Majesty as Patron of the RCVS, and is now the highest award that can be bestowed upon a veterinary surgeon in recognition of a particularly outstanding contribution to the profession. In receiving the medal, Des was joined by Professor Stuart Reid, current RCVS President, Colonel Neil Smith, immediate past President, and Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar. The Belfast-based vet received two separate nominations for the medal, both citing his decades of active involvement in veterinary politics which includes being president of the RCVS, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA), the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) and the Northern Ireland Veterinary Association, among other organisations.  Also cited was his willingness to help other members of the profession, particularly young vets at the beginning of their careers, through his involvement with organisations such as the Young Vet Network in Northern Ireland and the Veterinary Benevolent Fund.  Commenting after the presentation, Des said: “It was a complete honour and a wonderful experience to be received by Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace today, and I’m thrilled to have been awarded the RCVS Queen’s Medal. Her Majesty was interested to hear about Northern Ireland, and the fact that I’ve been practising there since I qualified.”

Make sure you advise your clients correctly about the need for horse passports. You can download a flyer for display from DARD website http://www.dardni.gov.uk/2012-horse-passport-flyer.pdf
Link to Weatherbys Identification of horses booklet:https://www.weatherbys.co.uk/sites/default/files/Identification%20of%20Horses%20Booklet.pdf
Link to DARD info on horse passports:http://www.dardni.gov.uk/horse-passports-q-and-a.pdf
Horse passport agency:http://www.horsepassportagency.co.uk/