Pat's Note: This is much of interest here guaranteed to bring a
grimmace to any face interested in animal health.

This particular journal always works in the name of the "State
Veterinary Service." That piece of rebranding obviously did not work
with them either. Anyway, we all hardly had time to learn "Animal
Health" before they are going to have to change the name yet again.

Suggestions for a new name would be welcomed. It should be suitably
misleading. Failing that, why not start reform by reverting to "State
Veterinary Service?"

When will they learn that renaming a gang of irredeemable crooks
simply does not work, nobody is fooled. Certainly not any of their
many victims.

Mr Burgess,  in his glow of Scottish righteousness, has obviously not
realised that most of the vets driving rural England and Wales crazy
are actually Scots, by birth or veterinary education.

Substandard refugees from the annual surplus produced by Scotland's
over provision of veterinary education.

If they introduced ethics into the curriculum, it might be something.
Better close at least one establishment to save money and reduce an
embarrassing damaging export.

Some of their sources seem to be living in some kind of time warp:

"Our excellent record on animal health..."

or perhaps make sure, like so many, they don't just keep well away
from the remnants of the disease ridden Scottish pig industry.

Anyway, to the main point. Britain's vets have failed. All the
constituents countries are now riddled with animal disease and with
regular epidemics endngering human health (and that is putting it
politely)

If the BVA act like a trade union, treat them like one. Bring in
foreign vets to do the testing.

 They will be cheaper and will come from countries where animal health
is nor still in the dark ages and they have some conception of proper
behavior in someone else's home.

There is hope. The writer was delighted to learn that the BVA were
reading his comments this afternoon.

Perhaps they have realised that it is up to them to drive reform?



http://business.scotsman.com/fooddrinkagriculture/Vet-strike-looms--in.4433673.jp

Vet strike looms in dispute over TB fees

 August 2008 

By Dan Buglass 
AGRICULTURE is a devolved matter, meaning policies can be specifically
tailored to suit Scottish circumstances. 

However, the same does not hold true for animal health, where the
overall remit lies with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs, whose Secretary of State is Hilary Benn. 

Bovine tuberculosis is a huge issue in England and partsof Wales: last
year 28,000 cattle were culled and the total this year is expected to
reach at least 40,000 head. This year Scotland has had little more
than half a dozen confirmed cases with most of those being traced back
to "imports" from England.

However, Scottish herds still have to be tested on a regular basis to
maintain their high health status. The majority of testing in Scotland
is undertaken by private vets working as local veterinary inspectors
(LVIs) on behalf of the government. But it is increasingly clear that
vets are far from happy with the fees they are receiving.

There is a real danger that selective industrial action may be taken
in the autumn that could result in some herds being untested with
subsequent movement restrictions imposed.

Sandy Clark, who is based in Thurso, is the secretary of the Scottish
branch of the British Veterinary Association. 

He said: "We haven't had a review of the fee structure for almost five
years and that is obviously unsatisfactory. The fees are on a sliding
scale, based on herd numbers, but the reality is that on some smaller
units where the handling facilities may be less than adequate our
members are frequently working for less than the minimum wage. That
cannot continue."

Discussions between the profession and Animal Health, the organisation
formerly known as the State Veterinary Service, have been underway
since February, but there is little sign of a resolution.

There are now no more than 60 practices in Scotland where the major
focus is on large animals and many of those are feeling under
financial pressure. There is a widely held view is that vets can make
more money from treating small animals and horses, while also being
relieved of being called out in the middle of the night to calve a cow
or supervise a difficult lambing of an expensive pedigree ewe.

But Clark was keen to stress that there is still a serious commitment
to livestock farming. 

He said: "We most certainly don't wish to break off relations with
farmer clients, who are highly valued, but there has to be a sensible
approach from Animal Health."

Nigel Miller, vice-president of NFU Scotland, said: "Our excellent
record on animal health is dependent on preserving our declining
network of large animal veterinary practices. The viability of these
is underpinned by the LVI work they carry out. It is wholly
appropriate that the fees associated with delivering services, such as
TB testing, fully reflect the cost that this entails.

"For farmers due to test their herds for TB, our advice is to contact
your vet and discuss a date for the visit. Under current rules, if a
herd test is not completed on time, then movement restrictions can
apply."

The Scottish Government has indicated that it would like the matter of
animal health devolved, but is treading warily for now. At the centre
of the issue is Defra's determination that compensation for any future
major disease epidemic should be on a "cost-sharing" basis.

The foot-and-mouth crisis of 2001 cost the Treasury more than £4
billion, of which £177 million was paid to Scottish farmers, in direct
compensation. It is clear that no government would ever again
countenance forking out such vast sums.

In the next few weeks, probably when the House of Commons returns
after the summer recess, Defra is expected to announce its proposals.
The belief in the farming industry is that producers will be required
to pay a headage levy on all animals. The NFU of England and Wales has
said the Defra outline is more akin to cost-dumping than cost-sharing.

-- 
Regards
Pat Gardiner
Release the results of testing British pigs for MRSA and C.Diff now!
www.go-self-sufficient.com  and http://animal-epidemics.blogspot.com/