VetNI

Veterinary Northern Ireland

Seamus O’Kane represents local vet associations at Veterinary Ireland Annual Presidents Dinner

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Seamus O’Kane, AVSPNI President and NIVA Junior Vice President, recently represented local vet associations at the Veterinary Ireland Annual Presidents’ Dinner in Kilkenny.  As well as a great dinner, the event provided opportunity for networking with Veterinary Ireland peers, discussion on common issues and in depth debate on the impact of Brexit on animal health and welfare.  Seamus also found time for a morning walk to enjoy the beautiful surroundings at the Lyrath Estate.  AVSPNI and NIVA are grateful for the invitation from John O’Connor, outgoing President of Veterinary Ireland.

Honorary award for VetNI’s Jo Gibson

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It is with great pleasure that we can announce that VETNI’s very own Jo Gibson was made an Honorary Member of BVA at the AGM in W5 Belfast on 20th September 2017.
This award has been bestowed on Jo in recognition of her services to the Veterinary profession.

I am sure you will agree it is very well deserved and we wish Jo well.

Joint Autumn AMR meeting at AFBI

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In AFBI at Hillsborough last Wednesday, our large animal vets were treated to three fantastic lectures on AMR at our joint autumn meeting.  Our speakers Gwen Rees, who is currently completing a PhD aimed at understanding veterinary medicine use by UK dairy farmers within the context of antimicrobial resistance and Andrea Turner a Senior Clinical Training Scholar in Bovine Health Management at Bristol University, both delivered our two main lectures on the day on the ‘“Responsible use of medicines on farms’ with excellent feedback from our vets.  This was followed by our bonus topic  ‘Antibiotic resistance patterns of bacteria from dairy farm milk samples in Ireland’ brought by Patrick Greene from the Ulster University.

Afterwards our vets and guests got to enjoy a delicious supper which was much appreciated after a day of CPD.  A great day had by both NIVA, AVSPNI and guests!  Many thanks to our kind sponsors at CEVA and the Ulster University.

Photo credit: AFBI

Attention ALL Vets and Nurses… Don’t forgot to let us know you are coming to the Charity Dog Walk and Hog Roast BBQ on 3rd September!

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NIVA are holding a Charity Dog Walk and Hog Roast BBQ on 3rd September in memory of Jean Wales who died suddenly earlier in the year.  They would like to raise as much money as possible for Chest, Heart and Stroke NI.  I’m sure many of you would agree that this is a for a great cause, so please support this event by coming along, it is open to the whole profession and friends and family are very welcome too!  Click here for more details and how to register. This will be a very sociable, fun day out for all!

If you are unable to come along on the day but would still like to support this great cause visit our just giving page in memory of Jean Wales to donate.

 

NIVA Charity Woof & Walk Family Day

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Bring your dogs, family and friends or just yourself for a fun filled afternoon with organised walks, treasure hunt quiz and bouncy castle for the kiddies, whilst raising much needed funds for our chosen charity ‘Chest, Heart & Stroke’.  The price on the day includes a hog roast BBQ and sausages and burgers for the little ones! We would love to see you all there for what will be an amazing family day out!

Where: Shanes Castle, Antrim
Date: 3rd September 2017
Start Time: 2pm

For more information and how to register your place Click Here!

Book your place for our AMR Joint Autumn Meeting!

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Our NIVA/AVSPNI joint autumn meeting will tackle the topic ‘AMR’.  Andrea Turner and Gwen Rees will be presenting on ‘Responsible use of medicines on farms’  which will begin at 2pm at AFBI Hillsborough.  Throughout the day we will also have a bonus presentation from Patrick Greene from the university of Ulster whose topic will be ‘Antibiotic resistance patterns of bacteria from dairy farm milk samples in Ireland’.  After a great day of CPD there will be a delicious supper provided.

Thanks to our kind sponsors CEVA and Ulster University.

To book your place on the 6th September 2017 AMR joint meeting contact the VetNI office at info@vetni.co.uk.
For more information on our speakers click here!

Jean Wales – NIVA and BVA NI Branch President 2017

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It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that NIVA and BVA NI Branch President Jean Wales died this morning, June 26th, in Causeway Hospital, Coleraine.  She suffered a major heart attack on Sunday morning at about 1.00 am from which she did not recover consciousness.  Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband Billy, her son James, her wider family circle and her many, many close friends.  
Funeral arrangements will be posted here when they are available.
 

A closer look at the TBSPG Report – NEW DATE

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NIVA has organised a meeting to allow the vet profession to discuss the TBSPG report with TBSPG panel members.  The event will be held on 27th July at the Glenavon House Hotel.  Full details are on the Events page of the VetNI website or on the Flyer  This is YOUR chance to better understand the expected direction of travel toward bovine TB eradication in NI.  Do you want to discuss the drivers and methodology behind the panel’s conclusions?  Want to find out what fresh input and new partnerships your own sector of the profession may be required to offer? Come along on Thursday 27th!  Don’t forget to register by e-mailing info@vetni.co.uk

NIVA members hear Temple Grandin at Queens

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NIVA members were given the fantastic opportunity to go and listen to Temple Grandin on the 11th May 2017.  We were given a limited amount of places by Queens University Belfast and found these places proved popular.  Everyone who went to the lecture was blown away by how amazing Temples lecture was and noted how informative the question and answer session proved to be.

Her topics on the evening included:

  • Her unique perspective on the humane treatment of livestock for slaughter.
  • Beef cattle behaviour during handling.
  • Environmental enrichment for pigs
  • Design of animal handling facilities, especially visual distractions and other environmental distractions
  • Impact of good handling on production
  • Familiarisation of animals to environmental distractions
  • Simple ways of measuring animal welfare
  • The importance of not allowing “bad” to become “normal” (in terms of welfare, breeding etc. – e.g. brachycephalic dogs, unacceptable percentages of lame dairy cows)

NIVA Spring Meeting – ‘Does the vet have a role in tackling abuse in animals and humans?

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Shades of violence by Freda Scott-Park
‘Does the vet have a role in tackling abuse in animals and humans’

People don’t often see a link between the abuse of animals and the abuse of humans, but our speaker for the NIVA spring meeting, Dr Freda Scott-Park (BVM&S PhD,Hon.DVM&S MRCVS), is going to give us an insight through her work with links group.  The Links Group is a multi-agency interest group that promotes the welfare and safety of vulnerable children, animals and adults so that they are free from violence and abuse.

‘The relationship between a child and its family to a family pets will tell you a great deal and should be included in any assessment of need’

For more information on the NIVA Spring meeting and how to register Click Here!