Spending cuts pose a threat to animal health says UK's top vet

THE greatest challenge facing the veterinary profession in the UK is not the entry of some exotic disease or even any of the well-known and widespread ailments that attack farm animals but the cuts in spending currently sweeping through government.

Speaking in Edinburgh last night, Harvey Locke, the president of the British Veterinary Association, said that the most serious concerns among the custodians of animal health in the UK related to reduced funding for disease surveillance and a reduction in investment in animal health and welfare research.

"The BVA has voiced its concern on a number of occasions that cutting in the wrong places could have devastating consequences," he said.

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"In particular we have referred to funding for surveillance and research.

"In a changing world that brings new threats, it is invaluable to have such expertise at hand. And it is our research and surveillance capacities that are the key to our ability to adapt to that change."

He said he looked forward to the publication of a review into veterinary surveillance in Scotland currently being conducted by former NFU Scotland president, John Kinnaird.

He pre-empted the publication by saying he hoped it would include two specific recommendations: "Firstly, the future of veterinary surveillance must be practitioner-based, and secondly once data is collected it must be put to good use."

The review, he also believed, should play a major role in fulfilling the Scottish Government manifesto pledge to produce an animal health strategy.

Locke also praised the stance of the Scottish Government in looking at setting up an independent meat inspection body for north of the Border as a way around the current impasse between the meat processors and the Food Standard Agency.

After referring to the 250 years of the veterinary profession, Locke expressed his concern that tuition fees in English universities may hit the next generation.

Under the new arrangements, graduates from the five English university vet schools could end up with tuition fee debts of 45,000 to 54,000.

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"Consider that those graduates are likely to earn just half of their human medicine counterparts and it's a very worrying situation."

He was heartened by the First Minister's commitment to keeping education free for Scottish students at the two Scottish vet schools but worried how sustainable that pledge would be in the current economic climate.