SRUC’S vet changes confirmed

Plans which will see the closure of disease surveillance centres and livestock post-mortem facilities in Ayr and Perth at the end of January 2020 and their replacement by veterinary surveillance hubs have been confirmed by SRUC, Scotland’s rural college.

The college, which carries out the work for the Scottish Government, also confirmed that the postmortem rooms in Thurso, Aberdeen, St Boswells and Dumfries would continue in operation.

Diagnostic testing at Ayr and Perth would close at the same time as the postmortem facilities while those at Aberdeen and Thurso would close at the end of February – with Dumfries remaining open until May.

As part of the new model, the college said that SRUC veterinary investigation officers across the country would spend more time on outreach and delivering training.

“By identifying more efficient diagnostic strategies, the need to transport carcasses should be reduced. SRUC has begun speaking to local farm vets to arrange training on investigative strategies and methodology,” said George Caldow, SRUC’S head of veterinary services.

Revealing that SRUC was arranging meetings with local farmers and vets to discuss the changes, he said that the veterinary surveillance hubs would support on-farm investigations or arrange postmortem examinations at alternative sites when required by the wider regional and national disease surveillance programme.

“This decision will be made locally by the veterinary investigation officers.

“Some support will be available to transport carcasses in exceptional cases,” he added.

Vets, said Caldow, would be able to send samples directly to the veterinary and analytical laboratory or drop them off locally for onward delivery.