Five years 'should be sufficient time to adapt to zinc oxide ban'

Five years should be sufficient time for the UK pig industry to adapt to life without zinc oxide, according to pig medicine specialist David Burch.

Mr Burch, a past president of the Pig Veterinary Society, congratulated the European Commission’s on its ‘pragmatic’ decision which received 83% support in the final vote by the Standing Committee on Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP) in June.

Mr Burch said: “I think five years is sufficient time for most pig farmers to improve their husbandry position to reduce post-weaning stress, so that the majority of farms can go through weaning without major problems."

Mr Burch also considered whether Brexit could give the UK the opportunity to make its own decision on the future use of zinc oxide, a point also raised by NPA in its response to the zinc oxide ban. 

For more on this story, see Pig World