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Farmers urged to sign up to disease charter following recent Swine Dysentery cases

28th Aug 2016 / By Alistair Driver

AHDB Pork and the National Pig Association have issued a timely reminder about the importance of signing up to the Significant Disease Charter, after the recent re-emergence Swine Dysentery in Yorkshire.

Two new cases of Swine Dysentery have been detected on Yorkshire farms in August.

Outbreaks were identified on a rearing unit in North Yorkshire on August 5 and on a finishing unit near Driffield on August 22.

The cases were identified by clinical signs and subsequently confirmed by laboratory tests.

The previous two cases identified in the UK were also found in Yorkshire, in April 2016 and November 2015. 

No further details are being given of the most recently affected farms, except to members of the Significant Disease Charter, which enables farmers to share information on serious pig diseases.

The charter is run by AHDB Pork on behalf of the Pig Health and Welfare Council and is an extension of the swine dysentery charter.

AHDB Pork veterinary manager Martin Smith said: "The aim of the charter is to share information quickly making the control and elimination of the disease easier and faster.

"Those who used to belong to the old Swine Dysentery Charter still need to sign up to the new one as their details have not been carried across.

"I would urge all producers to become members as it benefits the whole industry, not only with outbreaks of Swine Dysentery but also any other exotic or emerging diseases."

NPA senior policy adviser Dr Georgina Crayford said: "These cases are cropping up more frequently so I can't overstress how important it is for producers to sign up to the Charter which can bring benefit to the whole industry."