Red Tractor is preparing to roll-out live streamed farm audits to enable new applicants to be assessed and current members to retain their status throughout the coronavirus pandemic. For full info from Red Tractor please open the link below:

Click her for information on Red Tractor Remote Assessments

For more information on Red Tractor’s advice for members during the Covid-19 pandemic, please go to https://assurance.redtractor.org.uk/covid-19-hub

Red Tractor is preparing to roll-out live streamed farm audits to enable new applicants to be assessed and current members to retain their status throughout the coronavirus pandemic. For full info from Red Tractor please open the link below:

Click her for information on Red Tractor Remote Assessments

For more information on Red Tractor’s advice for members during the Covid-19 pandemic, please go to https://assurance.redtractor.org.uk/covid-19-hub

A case of contagious equine metritis (CEM) in a non-thoroughbred stallion has been confirmed on a premises in Fife, Scotland, Friday 3 April 2020. The affected horse was imported in November 2019 from Europe and has had no clinical signs of infection.

The diagnosis was made during routine pre-breeding testing, as per the International HBLB Codes of Practice, with positive PCR results. The affected stallion has been isolated and is undergoing treatment. Freedom from disease will be confirmed in line with the International HBLB Codes of Practice requirements and breeding will not commence on this premises until freedom from infection is confirmed.

International trade does not require country freedom, only individual or premises freedom. There are no other stallions on the premises. There is one mare at a separate premises with epidemiological links to the positive case, and this mare has been isolated and is also undergoing treatment.

The outbreak will be subject to further investigations, including tracings to determine if there are any epidemiological links to Northern Ireland. Further information on CEM is available at https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/contagious-equine-metritis

A case of contagious equine metritis (CEM) in a non-thoroughbred stallion has been confirmed on a premises in Fife, Scotland, Friday 3 April 2020. The affected horse was imported in November 2019 from Europe and has had no clinical signs of infection.

The diagnosis was made during routine pre-breeding testing, as per the International HBLB Codes of Practice, with positive PCR results. The affected stallion has been isolated and is undergoing treatment. Freedom from disease will be confirmed in line with the International HBLB Codes of Practice requirements and breeding will not commence on this premises until freedom from infection is confirmed.

International trade does not require country freedom, only individual or premises freedom. There are no other stallions on the premises. There is one mare at a separate premises with epidemiological links to the positive case, and this mare has been isolated and is also undergoing treatment.

The outbreak will be subject to further investigations, including tracings to determine if there are any epidemiological links to Northern Ireland. Further information on CEM is available at https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/contagious-equine-metritis

Cafre have launched a new scheme called European Innovation Partnerships designed to help farmers work collaboratively with experts to address the practical issues or opportunities they are facing on their farms.
This scheme is offering 100% funding in two stages (£5,000 and up to £120,000). Projects will not commence until the Autumn, provided the current Covid-19 situation has passed.
For further information, please visit the CAFRE website: CAFRE Invites Applications for New European Innovation Partnership Scheme, which includes links to further information on the scheme and how to apply.
NB. Closing Date for Stage 1 applications will close at 4pm on Monday 27 April

VetNI is proud to be associated with NI vets – we see how hard you are all working to respond to a rapidly changing situation and use your training to providing veterinary services at the highest standards possible and in complete compliance with government and RCVS guidance. Information is coming through and changing at an astonishing rate.

USEFUL LINKS – We have collated a list of links which may be of use to you:

BVA guide to assessing emergency and urgent work

BVA Guidance for the vet profession

Government Business Support

BCVA Guidance for farm vets

RCVS Covid-19 Guidance

SPVS Reduced working and closures guidance

Our thanks to all these bodies for access to this material.

LOAN OF VET EQUIPMENT – Many of you have already volunteered spare medical grade which can be called into service by our Health Trusts in the most extreme circumstances. THANK YOU!

If you have any of the following to offer, please do so via the submission form that can be found HERE Please also drop David.Torrens@daera-ni.gov.uk a line, sending him a screen shot of your completed submission or just letting him know what additional equipment you have offered and where you are based. 

Equipment wanted on loan:

• ventilators
• anaesthetic machines
• anaesthetic monitors
• oxygen concentrators
• syringe drivers or drip pumps

Equipment that you would be prepared to donate:

• PPE

URGENT APPEAL FOR RETURN OF OXYGEN CYLINDERS – BOC medical oxygen cylinders are needed during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to utilise these in hospitals. If you have empty cylinders in your practice, please return them a.s.a.p. to BOC following the protocol outlined below:

• Email your collection requests to: inboundsales.admin@boc.com
• Include your BOC account number
• If you don’t know your account number then please state as much information as possible including Name of practice, Full address, Post code, Contact name, Contact telephone number (Mobile number if practice closed)
• Agree a day to meet driver or have cylinders left out on day of collection.  They must be accessible to the driver on the agreed day.

GUIDANCE FOR FARMERS– NIVA and AVSPNI have issued guidance to farmers via farming bodies which can be accessed HERE.

VetNI is proud to be associated with NI vets – we see how hard you are all working to respond to a rapidly changing situation and use your training to providing veterinary services at the highest standards possible and in complete compliance with government and RCVS guidance. Information is coming through and changing at an astonishing rate.

USEFUL LINKS – We have collated a list of links which may be of use to you:

BVA guide to assessing emergency and urgent work

BVA Guidance for the vet profession

Government Business Support

BCVA Guidance for farm vets

RCVS Covid-19 Guidance

SPVS Reduced working and closures guidance

Our thanks to all these bodies for access to this material.

LOAN OF VET EQUIPMENT – Many of you have already volunteered spare medical grade which can be called into service by our Health Trusts in the most extreme circumstances. THANK YOU!

If you have any of the following to offer, please do so via the submission form that can be found HERE Please also drop David.Torrens@daera-ni.gov.uk a line, sending him a screen shot of your completed submission or just letting him know what additional equipment you have offered and where you are based. 

Equipment wanted on loan:

• ventilators
• anaesthetic machines
• anaesthetic monitors
• oxygen concentrators
• syringe drivers or drip pumps

Equipment that you would be prepared to donate:

• PPE

URGENT APPEAL FOR RETURN OF OXYGEN CYLINDERS – BOC medical oxygen cylinders are needed during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to utilise these in hospitals. If you have empty cylinders in your practice, please return them a.s.a.p. to BOC following the protocol outlined below:

• Email your collection requests to: inboundsales.admin@boc.com
• Include your BOC account number
• If you don’t know your account number then please state as much information as possible including Name of practice, Full address, Post code, Contact name, Contact telephone number (Mobile number if practice closed)
• Agree a day to meet driver or have cylinders left out on day of collection.  They must be accessible to the driver on the agreed day.

GUIDANCE FOR FARMERS– NIVA and AVSPNI have issued guidance to farmers via farming bodies which can be accessed HERE.

Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) is the networking and forum body for organisations interested in the natural and built environment of Northern Ireland. NIEL have secured funding to run a survey to explore farmers’ opinions on current and future agriculture policy. They want to hear from a wide range of farmers in order to assess views on the current state of farming, problems faced and farmers’ opinions on possible future changes to agricultural policy in Northern Ireland. This survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete so please encourage your farming clients to take part
The survey can be found HERE.

Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) is the networking and forum body for organisations interested in the natural and built environment of Northern Ireland. NIEL have secured funding to run a survey to explore farmers’ opinions on current and future agriculture policy. They want to hear from a wide range of farmers in order to assess views on the current state of farming, problems faced and farmers’ opinions on possible future changes to agricultural policy in Northern Ireland. This survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete so please encourage your farming clients to take part
The survey can be found HERE.