Good herd health makes for well-cured pigs

MENTER Moch Cymru has today launched a new scheme which aims to help Welsh pig farmers lift herd profitability and performance by improving herd health.

Launched at Wales’ first Pig & Poultry Event, this new initiative will provide financial assistance for pig herd health planning. Eligible pig farmers can access 80% funding towards an initial herd health plan, followed by further support in subsequent years for its review.

The Menter Moch Cymru project is funded by 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.

This new initiative builds on the free training, support and information resources that the project provides for pig keepers in Wales. It delivers against the project’s commitment to helping farmers achieve on-farm efficiency and drive best practice in proactive animal health planning.

Christianne Glossop, Welsh Government Chief Veterinary Officer said “This initiative to raise disease awareness on Welsh pig farms is particularly important at this time as we face the threat of emerging diseases, such as African Swine Fever, arriving into the UK. Pig Health Planning and good biosecurity are an important part of preventing the introduction and spread of disease within the national herd.”

According to Melanie Cargill, Menter Moch Cymru Project Manager, “Herd health planning, a proactive and coordinated approach to animal health and eradicating disease, can have a significant impact on the efficiency and bottom line of a pig enterprise.”

“The launch of this new financial support initiative will help farmers to work with vets to put health plans in place and monitor their effectiveness over the years to come. This is a great opportunity for Welsh pig keepers in Wales to assess the health of their herd and, with the assistance of their vet, establish a practical, tailored health plan to improve productivity and profitability.”

In addition to this, over the past 6 months, Menter Moch Cymru, in partnership with the Wales Veterinary Science Centre, Animal Health Services and Iechyd Da, have been delivering bespoke CDP training for Welsh Vets to ensure they are confident and knowledgeable on how to carry out a herd health plan for a pig enterprise.

The primary aim of a herd health plan is to promote animal wellbeing by managing identified health problems so that they can be controlled by prevention. Better animal health leads to improved herd profitability and performance and a more sustainable business.

Visit www.mentermochcymru.co.uk to find out more.