East Midlands Farmers Develop Health Scheme

UK - Pig producers in the East Midlands are formulating plans to improve herd health across the region.
calendar icon 14 April 2011
clock icon 3 minute read

At three meetings in March, producers in the area gave their views, anonymously if they wished, on the direction the new East Midlands Pig Health (EMPH) scheme should take.

The frank and open discussions resulted in some good ideas on what producers would like EMPH to achieve as a long-term programme.

They have agreed initially to focus on health management and biosecurity training with the following benefits already on offer to members:

  • Training to improve biosecurity practices
  • Sharing information and experience with other members – producers can opt in to show information on the online map and see who else is a member
  • Health management – the BPEX Pig Health Scheme (BPHS) will be available free of charge to members of EMPH on registration, providing an invaluable source of information when planning health improvement and management.

BPHS has specialist pig vets checking carcasses for a range of important pig health conditions in specialist abattoirs throughout Britain. The report sent back to producers gives them a picture of their overall herd health including sub-clinical disease which is not always easy to spot on farm. Training will also be available to help producers interpret the BPHS results.

East Midlands producers should watch out for their membership form arriving in the post, which needs to be filled in to join EMPH and qualify for free BPHS abattoir reports. They can also email Helen Clarke to request the form or call 07973 701369.

The priority is to check BPHS assessment dates for April and May and start planning to get their pigs into the abattoir on an assessment day when BPHS vets are there. More information and the full list of BPHS assessment dates can be found at the BPEX web site [click here].

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