The Scottish Government

SCOTTISH ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE ADVISORY GROUP MEETING
17 AUGUST 2005 MINUTES AND PAPERS

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Agenda

Attendees

1. Minutes of Meeting of 5th May 2005
2. Matters Arising
3. Animal Health and Welfare Questionnaire - survey update
4. Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes
5. Targets for Strategy implementation in Scotland
6. Scottish Animal Health and Welfare Conference
7. Round-up of activities
8. AOB and future agenda items

Papers

Paper 3.1 Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes
Paper 3.2 Animal Health and Welfare Strategy Targets For Scotland
Paper 3.3 Scottish Animal Health and Welfare Conference

Members:
Charles Milne - Chief Veterinary Officer (Scotland) (chair)
Ian Anderson - Head of SEERAD Animal Health and Welfare Division
Kay Driver - Chief Executive, Scottish SPCA
Julie Fitzpatrick - Chief Executive, Moredun Research Institute
Bill McKelvey - Chief Executive, SAC
Jan Polley - Chief Executive, Quality Meat Scotland
Andy Robertson - Chief Executive, NFU Scotland
Mike Robson - President, Scottish Branch British Veterinary Association
Linsay Eaglesham - Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes Development Officer (for agenda item 4)

Secretariat:
Neil Ritchie - SEERAD, Animal Health and Welfare Division
Alex Young - SEERAD, Animal Health and Welfare Division

Apologies:
Stuart Reid - Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow

1. Members were welcomed to the third meeting of the Scottish Animal Health and Welfare Advisory Group and agreed the minutes of the previous meeting. The chair encouraged members to circulate these within their organisations.

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2. It was agreed that all action points from the previous meeting had been covered. Some action points were to be discussed as agenda items. The chair noted that he would be meeting Helen Browning, Chair of the England Implementation Group, and invited members to let him know of any points they would wish him to mention.

ACTION: Group members to inform the chair of any issues to take to his forthcoming meeting with Helen Browning.

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3. One of the conclusions from last year's Conference was the need to establish priorities of the industry at the grass roots level. The group commissioned a survey to determine the priorities of these farmers and, at the previous meeting, members agreed to distribute this. To this end 1770 questionnaires were sent to members to be distributed, with 113 returns so far. A summary of emerging results was presented. It was agreed that this sample should ideally be larger and members were encouraged to seek as many additional responses as possible. The deadline for receipt of completed forms was extended to 16th September.

4. It was recognised that, although this is only one of many potential sources of data, it could be of some use when deciding future priorities. Further investigation of the data, including a breakdown of priorities by type of stock was considered potentially useful. The initial results were broadly welcomed, particularly the 86% of respondents who indicated that they are aware of Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes.

ACTION: Members to investigate encouraging more survey returns from their areas.

ACTION: SEERAD to carry out detailed analysis of the final results and present this at the next meeting.

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5. AHWMPs had been discussed at the Group's first meeting and the group were informed of progress - around 4000 livestock-holding businesses have taken up this option under the Land Management Contract Menu Scheme. Members reflected that this was very positive and that they have had good feedback from within their own organisations.

6. Linsay Eaglesham is the SEERAD appointed AHWMPs Development Officer, carrying out promotion of LMCs and training for AHWMPs. She informed the group of the work she has done so far in promoting these, including a successful on-farm open day at the start of August. She mentioned the localised farmers meetings she will be holding in the near future as well as the possibility of producing promotional DVDs to highlight the scheme.

7. Group members discussed feedback on AHWMPs within their organisations. This was largely positive and reflected a substantial interest from the industry. A positive response was reported from within the BVA - recognising the long term good and potential future opportunities they will provide. However, they thought that the plans had proved to be time consuming to produce and that vets might actually be making a loss from drawing up plans in the first year. They also indicated that due to the high take up rate in some areas, some practices may have to start with quite basic plans in the first year and build on these in future years.

8. It was felt that farmers may not be clear on when their plan should be produced and also how they will be informed that they have been accepted onto the scheme. SEERAD would investigate means of clarifying this for applicants.

9. SEERAD is starting to develop proposals for Tier 3 of Land Management Contracts. Whilst at an early stage, the Group were asked for potential thoughts on how it could be used to promote AHW standards in Scotland. There followed a discussion on future options, including:

• Support for building biosecurity;
• Collection of fallen stock;
• Lambing/calving pens;
• Feed storage;
• Conductivity meters for mastitis;
• Hospital pens;
• Quarantine pens; and
• Support for specific disease control or eradication schemes e.g. BVD.

ACTION: SEERAD to investigate how farmers will be advised that they have been accepted onto the scheme.

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10. One of Mr. Finnie's 4 pillars for Strategy delivery in Scotland, as stated at last year's Conference, is to establish targets. The targets once set, will impact on how we prioritise Strategy work in the future and Group members suggested that it was time for them to take the lead on this. It was agreed that ten targets was about the right number, and that three of these should be notifiable diseases, with the others being endemic diseases and welfare conditions.

11. During discussion , it was recognised that there may be difficulties in measuring some targets and that some conditions could be hard to quantify. However it was agreed that, at this stage, a list of probable areas for targets should be identified and that these could then be taken to the Scottish Conference, demonstrating to industry how the Strategy is being implemented. A shortlist was drawn up:

TB
Sheep scab
BSE
Lameness
Scrapie
Disease culling
Mortality rates
CLA
Johnes
CODD/ Digital dermatitis
OPA
Foot Rot
BVD
IBR
Pneumonia
Fluke
Mastitis
Anthelmintic resistance

12. In addition it was agreed that we should consider including measures that focus on pigs and poultry.

ACTION: SEERAD to circulate a paper listing proposed areas to target, along with any background information held about each. Members to come back with their thoughts.

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13. Members were reminded of the usefulness of last year's Conference, particularly in providing networking and knowledge sharing opportunities. Now is the time that we need to start thinking about this year's event, particularly the key themes and speakers on these.

14. The Group felt that we must be seen to be moving forward and that people should see that something is happening. They suggested that we should state at the Conference the areas we are looking to target, based on all the feedback we have received. Attendees could then be asked about ways of implementing this. It was thought that this would be the best way of showing the strength of the Group, rather than asking for endorsement.

15. Members also suggested topics and speakers for the Conference, including:

• Farmer experience of CBA on the ground;
• Pig health as an example of best practice;
• International speaker on best practice in cattle area;
• Practical LMC experience of the AHW option; and
• TB - experience of someone who has dealt with an outbreak.

16. November was agreed as a good month to hold the Conference.

ACTION: SEERAD to e-mail members asking for availability in November and suggestions of Conference topics and speakers.

ACTION: Following this, SEERAD to circulate a draft agenda for consideration by members

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17. This section was abbreviated due to time pressures, but it was reported that SEERAD have held discussions with the pig sector regarding support of their attempts to further raise AHW standards. Also, there have been almost 200 responses to the Animal Health and Welfare Bill consultation.

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18. It was agreed that the next meeting should be in early October and the following topics were suggested:

• A Scottish Programme of targets for Strategy implementation
• Scottish Conference
• Welfare
• Biosecurity

19. It was also suggested that Moredun and SAC could consider producing a research paper for a future meeting, and QMS offered input to this as well

20. The group accepted the SSPCA's offer to hold the next meeting in their boardroom, subject to availability.

ACTION: SEERAD to canvass availability for the next SAHWAG meeting in early October.

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Purpose

1. To update the Advisory Group on the introduction of Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes in Scotland and proposals for further development and roll-out.

Background

2. On 25 February Ross Finnie announced the introduction of the Land Management Contract Menu Scheme. Amongst the 17 options available, Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes, is one designed to support the proactive development of Animal Health and Welfare Management Plans, between farmers and their vets, and support their implementation. The Scheme was briefly discussed at the first Advisory Group meeting and Annex A provides an overview of the individual elements.

3. The closing date for applications for the 2005-6 Scheme year was 6 June: 10,500 IAC businesses applied for LMCs, and although detailed figures aren't yet available, over 3000 have applied for the Animal Health and Welfare option.

4. The Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes are seen by the Executive as a long term project. It is hoped that take-up will increase in future years. Supporting the uptake of the Scheme - in terms of explaining the benefits to individual farmers and helping the veterinary profession deliver - a new advisory activity was established with SAC at the start of the year. A particular element of this is to provide for a Development Officer to raise the profile of Animal Health and Welfare Planning across Scotland and raise awareness of its benefits to the individual farm business.

Ongoing Work

5. As part of the veterinary awareness programme, a series of veterinary induction meetings have been held. In total 12 meetings were held across Scotland with 184 vets representing 96 individual practices. For 2005/2006 only one vet per practice is required, as a minimum, to have attended the induction meetings. In future years all vets producing plans for their clients under the Scheme will be required to undertake such accreditation training. In addition to this programme of work other elements of developmental work include:

• 5.1 Benchmarking. Annex B sets out the benchmarking indicators agreed at the Stakeholder Group. The indicators reflect production, health and welfare conditions. They have been chosen in such a way as to allow farmers to collect information readily on an ongoing basis and avoiding issues of case definition. Data will be entered by the vet practice onto a central database which is currently being set up. The information will be confidential to that particular farm business and their vet. The database will facilitate comparison with similar businesses and should promote discussion between the farmer and their vet as to where they differ from industry norms. The data will also be available to others, on an aggregate basis, such as researchers. It is anticipated that the database will have been developed by October and we will be piloting the system to ensure it meets the needs as well as identifying lessons in data collection before it is fully rolled-out in the next Scheme year.

• 5.2 Promotion. We are developing a programme of further promotion to industry on the benefits of Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes. This will pick up heavily on available information on the cost benefit side (as discussed at the 5 May Advisory Group meeting). As well as trying to use some case studies of businesses where it has worked, development will also link into events such as Farm Open Days, shows (eg Agriscot) as well as providing material that others may be able to use e.g. vets for their farmers' meetings would welcome views from the Group on the approach being taken and the further opportunities to sell the concept.

Tier 3

6. SEERAD is developing the Land Management Contract model and is at present starting work on developing Tier 3. Tier 3 will provide discretionary grants and is likely to form part of the 2007 Scottish Rural Development Plan. Considerable work will be done over the next few months to develop our proposals and a consultation will be held as part of this. However, at this stage, we are thinking that there are a number of opportunities where discretionary grants may be available to help support the raising of animal health and welfare standards, particularly in the context of Management Programmes - eg animal handling facilities, hard-standing, flooring and fallen stock.

Work in UK

7. In addition to the work in Scotland we are liaising closely with other Administrations who are undertaking similar work. The Welsh Assembly is working with its own Implementation Group to set up sectoral pro formas which people can use to do Animal Health Plans and in England Defra is working with a number of sectoral groups to develop innovative ways of selling the concept.

Conclusion

8. The Advisory Group is asked to note the above work and provide views:

(i) on further opportunities of promoting the concept of Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes; and

(ii) further thoughts on how Tier 3 monies could be used to support animal health and welfare standard raising.

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Annex A

Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme

Annex B

Production Measures and Disease Syndromes for Cattle

Production Measures and Disease Syndromes for Sheep

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Purpose

1. To provide the Advisory Group with early thinking on the development of Scottish Animal Health and Welfare targets and to seek input into their development and agreement.

Background

2. At his speech at the 2004 Animal Health and Welfare Strategy Conference in Dunkeld, Ross Finnie, Minister for Environment and Rural Development set out a four point framework for the successful delivery of the Strategy in Scotland. The first pillar related to the establishment of targets for the eradication of endemic diseases such as TB and avoidable conditions such as lameness.

3. Any targets need to have industry buy-in if they are to be deliverable. The Advisory Group has an important task in identifying targets which matter to the industry and will have buy in to ensure that they deliverable. It is likely that the targets will have implications for the way the Strategy is implemented in Scotland, particularly through supporting the industry in meeting the targets. For example, some support may need to be given through research and associated knowledge transfer or promotion. In considering setting targets, we will also need to be mindful of resource implications, particularly where these relate to non-notifiable disease.

Targeting

4. Given the framework set out by Animal Health and Welfare Strategy, it will be important that the targets cover endemic zoonotic and welfare conditions. In addition to specifying those conditions of priority to the Scottish industry, we would need to consider the current baseline position and desired target change. For notifiable diseases this can be relatively straightforward given the information provided by the statutory basis. However, for other conditions, the information is more limited.

5. In terms of endemic notifiable diseases we would suggest the priorities are:

Bovine TB;

Scrapie;

BSE

6. In addition we need to consider setting targets for non-notifiable diseases of concern to the industry. From events such as the Scottish Conference (and also feedback from the questionnaire process), we know there is interest in setting targets for CLA, Sheep Scab CODD, Johnes, as well as welfare conditions such as lameness.

Discussion

7. Group feedback is welcome on these proposals. In particular, we would welcome views as to what a meaningful time period for setting of targets is. An initial suggestion is for 2010 to give focus to the need for action to start now and focus the mind. However, the Advisory Group will need to consider whether this is realistic to seek changes in all target areas. Once we have identified those diseases and conditions we wish to set targets for we will consider setting targets against the current baseline. Some specific survey work may need to be commissioned on this, though over the longer term targets could relate to outputs from the surveillance programme and the Animal Health and Welfare Management Programme's Benchmarking Database.

8. Overall we think it important that the priority list and associated targets are kept tight, perhaps up to a maximum of 10. Going much further is likely to dissipate effort and become confusing when considering the development of a Scottish programme of work which will need to support the achievement of these Scottish targets.

Monitoring the Strategy

9 In addition it should be noted that work is currently underway to develop a suite of monitoring indicators to chart the progress of the strategy across GB. This is something we are working on with other administrations and will provide the Advisory Group with further advice in due course. Whilst the exercises need to be linked we are keeping separate at this stage to facilitate the Group's focus on identifying those issues of most relevance to Scotland.

Conclusion

10. The Advisory Group is asked to:

(i) agree the timeframe over which targets should be set;

(ii) comment on proposed notifiable disease targets;

(iii) suggest target conditions for non-notifiable diseases and welfare conditions;

(iv) consider how the targets will be met.

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1. At the previous meeting of the Advisory Group, the subject of the 2005 Scottish Animal Health and Welfare Conference was raised. The conference would provide a further opportunity to share best practice and buy in to the way the Strategy is being developed in Scotland. This paper provides an overview of previous conferences and some thoughts on how this year's event could be developed and also recognises that a GB Conference is planned for early 2006.

Background

2. The last Scottish Animal Health and Welfare Conference was held on 25 October 2004 with the purpose of identifying the forthcoming challenges and opportunities for the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy, and informing the Executive and other stakeholders about the main priorities for taking the Strategy forward in Scotland.

3. Its format followed an earlier event which had formed part of the Strategy consultation process. The conference focussed on the four pillars highlighted by Mr. Finnie and included presentations from 4 areas:

• Veterinary;
• Welfare;
• Research; and
• Farming industry

This was followed by breakout groups.

4. It concluded that there was a strong need for a more proactive approach to raising standards of animal health and welfare - animal keepers must be educated on the need for preventative measures. More research into the costs and benefits of disease prevention was thought to be essential to demonstrate a financial incentive. Animal Health and Welfare Management Programmes were highlighted as an excellent opportunity to drive forward this culture change (with a take up of over 3000 businesses to date and our intention for further promotion in future years, this is looking like it could prove to be the case)

2005 Scottish Conference

5. This conference provides an opportunity to highlight the work that has been done since last year, particularly reflecting the conclusions mentioned above. We will need to consider what the best format would be for this, possibly involving a few relevant speakers on key themes as well as sectoral breakout groups as at last years conference. This should be focussed on key themes:

• Best practice;
• Costs and Benefits - as discussed at the last Advisory Group meeting, a prominent economist could be used to highlight the importance of this work;
• Stakeholder priorities - drawing out key themes from the survey results; and
• Future Strategy implementation - This could include information on benchmarking and targets for improved animal health and welfare, and an opportunity to discuss these in sectoral break-out groups. Demonstrating that the Strategy is making a difference will be important to help achieve buy-in and sustained momentum.

GB Conference

6. A GB-wide conference is being planned for February next year, reflecting a commitment made in the Strategy document. This will involve SEERAD, Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government and is likely to focus on exchange of best practice across GB.

7. Although this is not a substantive issue for the Advisory Group, it is something that we should recognise when planning the Scottish Conference.

Conclusion

8. The Advisory Group is invited to

• consider topics for discussion at this year's conference; and
• bear in mind the achievements made since last year's conference.

Animal and Health and Welfare Division

Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department

August 2005

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