Search

Background: Cattle lameness is a significant welfare and economic problem facing the livestock industry. Published research has investigated foot trimming practices in dairy herds, but little is known about the practices in beef herds. Therefore, the objective of this study was to obtain information about the current practices of professional cattle foot trimmers concerning beef cattle within the UK., Methods: An online survey comprising 16 questions was created using the Joint Information Systems Committee platform. The survey was open for 3 months., Results: There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the proportions of dairy cattle and beef cattle receiving preventative foot trims. Digital dermatitis was the most commonly recorded cause of lameness when a lame beef animal was trimmed by the respondents, followed by white line disease. A thematic analysis of foot trimmers' opinions of barriers to engagement on beef farms is presented, in addition to their opinions on veterinary involvement with beef lameness., Limitations: Distribution bias may have affected the results, as the survey was distributed online with support from the Cattle Hoof Care Standards Board and the National Association of Cattle Hoof Trimmers. The percentage of foot trimmers not affiliated with either professional body is not known., Conclusion: Further research on the impact of lameness on suckler and finishing cattle, including investigations into preventative actions to reduce lameness in beef systems, is warranted., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.)

Background: Legislation was introduced in Germany in 2018, requiring bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing before the prescription of fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins to dogs. We hypothesised that, following this intervention, the number of clinical samples testing positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) would reduce., Methods: Reports of S. pseudintermedius isolated from canine clinical samples by three German veterinary diagnostic microbiology laboratories during the 38 months before the introduction of the legislation and the 46 months after were compared. Bacterial identification was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing followed recognised recommendations but with changes during the study period., Results: Among a total of 120,571 S. pseudintermedius isolates, MRSP accounted for 7.1% overall. Following the legislative intervention, monthly submissions yielding S. pseudintermedius increased at all three laboratories. The MRSP percentage was lower in the period after the intervention in two of the three laboratories (p < 0.001); in the third laboratory, there was no change between periods, but a year-on-year reduction in MRSP percentages occurred after the intervention (p = 0.0004)., Limitations: Changing susceptibility testing methods limited the direct comparison of resistance patterns among laboratories., Conclusion: The reduction in MRSP in canine clinical samples following the introduction of this legislation suggests a positive impact of compulsory laboratory testing on reducing antimicrobial resistance., (© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.)

BVA has been calling for a ban on non-stun slaughter in the UK for some time and the millions of animals whose welfare is still compromised by this practice each year remains a major concern., (British Veterinary Association.)

Paul Roger argues that the structure for debating and endorsing new policy decisions at BVA is not fit for purpose, and that this should be reviewed and adapted so that it can meet today's demands., (British Veterinary Association.)

John Fishwick, BVA's new President, introduces the theme he has chosen for his presidential year., (British Veterinary Association.)