Farming Connect Animal Health & Welfare training programme to expand – supporting more farmers, attracting more vets, tackling more animal health issues in Wales

At this year’s Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd, the Welsh Government’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Professor Christianne Glossop will announce that due to the significant take-up and impact of Farming Connect’s fully-funded animal health and welfare training programme, launched earlier this year, further modules have been developed.   Professor Glossop will be addressing industry stakeholders at 3.45pm on Tuesday 23 July in the Welsh Government Pavilion.

Kevin Thomas, Director of Lantra Wales which leads on the delivery of the Farming Connect Animal Health and Welfare training programme, said that the new series of sector-specific animal health and training workshops, which are being delivered in collaboration with more than 30 farm veterinary practices throughout Wales, currently involves 145 vets who have received specialist training.

“More than 200 Welsh farmers have already attended one or more of the fully-funded workshops on the prevention, treatment and cure of some of the industry’s most common conditions or ailments.

“In response to increasing demand, more Welsh veterinary practices will be invited to participate, new animal health topics are being added to the current list and more eligible farmers, who must be registered with Farming Connect, will be encouraged to apply.

“Sheep scab, fluke, worms and other parasites, mastitis, lameness of stock – these very typical animal health issues are the scourge of the farming industry not just in Wales but throughout the UK, and if not identified and managed appropriately, this type of condition or ailment can have a huge impact on animal health and welfare and significantly affect the value of stock,” said Mr Thomas.

Workshop topics are aligned to current Welsh Government animal health and welfare priorities and the training modules have been designed by the National Animal Disease Information Services (NADIS).   The current list of workshop topics includes Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD), Johne’s disease; lameness in dairy cattle; sheep parasite control including roundworms and blowfly; and reducing pre and post-lambing losses.

New topics will be available during Royal Welsh Show week including:  reducing mastitis in dairy cattle; Bovine TB; sheep parasite control part 2, covering sheep scab, lice and liver fluke.   More modules currently being developed by NADIS will include animal health planning and countering antimicrobial and anthelmintic resistance.

All farmers registered with Farming Connect can apply for a place on one or more of the workshops by first completing an online ‘expression of interest’ form which can be completed on the Farming Connect website. The website also provides a list of upcoming workshops and participating veterinary practices.

Each three-hour workshop will provide practical guidance on identifying, preventing, controlling and treating some of the most typical or prevalent diseases and issues affecting Welsh farm businesses.   Additional elements which contribute to optimum animal health and welfare standards including biosecurity and how best to avoid disease transmission will also be covered.

All places will need to be confirmed by the relevant practice, as each workshop will be limited to no more than 20 farmers.  If your own vet is not running the workshop(s) you want to attend, you can express interest in the one(s) that are most relevant.

For further information on additional Farming Connect services which focus on animal health and welfare, including fully-funded one-to-one on-farm mentoring; a wide range of training courses (subsidised by up to 80% for registered farmers) and fully-funded online e-learning modules, visit www.gov.wales/farmingconnect

Both Farming Connect and the Animal Health and Welfare training programme have received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.  Lantra Wales leads on the delivery of the Animal Health and Welfare training programme, which is a call-off contract for the Farming Connect Lifelong Learning and Development Programme.