Ruminant Health & Welfare press release
Three new industry subgroups are being launched this summer to help support Ruminant Health and Welfare (RH&W) to focus on identifying, facilitating and promoting solutions in the key areas of health, welfare and interventions.
With a mission to improve the health, sustainability and productivity of the national flock and herd, we have two clear objectives, explains RH&W chair Gwyn Jones.
“It’s important we focus on where the greatest impact can be made on productivity, climate change, AMR and reputation. We need to support the reduction and, where appropriate, the eradication of endemic diseases to promote health,” says Mr Jones.
“There is a need to identify and support interventions that tackle the greatest animal welfare challenges in ruminant production.
“With such bold ambitions to protect health and improve welfare, we need the best people involved and by establish three dedicated specialist subgroups it allows more people to bring their expertise to the table,” he adds.
“With such bold ambitions to protect health and improve welfare, we need the best people involved and by establish three dedicated specialist subgroups it allows more people to bring their expertise to the table.”
Gwyn Jones – chair of Ruminant Health & Welfare
The three subgroups are titled: health, welfare and interventions and will each be headed up by a subgroup steward who will lead the group to focus on solutions.
Farm vet and farmer Dr Joe Henry based in Northumberland is the steward of the health subgroup. He brings a wealth of knowledge as senior vice president of Sheep Vet Society, is a recognised advanced practitioner in sheep health and production. Day to day he has over 130 ewes and 140 cattle – including 50 suckler cows – on his farm at home and works as a farm vet at Black Sheep Farm Health.
Claire White based in Warwickshire is steward for the welfare subgroup. Claire is senior veterinary adviser at the NFU, focusing on animal health and welfare policy across all farmed species. She has held various roles within the food and farming sectors, including farm vet, food business manager, university lecturer and industry trainer.
Hillary Cowley is the steward of the intervention subgroup. She is based in Surrey and is deputy CEO of Animal Medicines Regulatory Training Authority (AMTRA). She has vast experience across Veterinary Medicines including pharmacovigilance, regulatory affairs, technical leadership, and strategic oversight in the animal health sector.
RH&W Chair, Gwyn Jones explains how the new subgroups will benefit the RH&W group structure.
“It is great to be working with these leaders in their own areas who will build the subgroups. They will be able to collectively share their experience and knowledge to support the effectiveness of how the RH&W work translates practically out on farm and in the field by collaborating with the wider industry and main RH&W group.
“The subgroups will be responsible for identifying the key priorities integral to their area of focus – health, welfare, and intervention – facilitating evidence sharing and collaboration to influence research and find interventions that ultimately will improve ruminant health and welfare outcomes.
“It’s then down to the wider RH&W group and industry to promote the evidence and advice to generate positive conversations and action that cascades across the sector and to farmers.
“We’ve seen this structure work particularly well in how we have led a collaborative industry response to bluetongue since BTV-3 appeared in autumn 2023,” adds Mr Jones.
If you want to be involved in any of the subgroups, please submit an expression of interest to Ruminant Health & Welfare via email ruminanthw@ahdb.org.uk
