Published: 22 Nov 2017 | Last Updated: 22 Nov 2017 13:02:48

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) recently hosted experts from across the pig production sector, who discussed emerging threats to porcine health. 

Attendees of the Pig Expert Group (PEG) meeting included representatives from Defra, former UK Chief Veterinary Officer Jim Scudamore, president of the Pig Veterinary Society Mark White, and Zoe Davies, CEO of the National Pig Association. The meeting took place on October 25th.

The PEG comprises senior representatives from all areas of the pig sector and is led by Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) vet Dr Susanna Williamson. The PEG produces quarterly GB Pig Diseases Emerging Threats reports, which summarise investigations into threats and other surveillance issues to inform governments, the veterinary profession and livestock farming industries.

At the PEG event at the RVC, the new pig diseases dashboard developed by the APHA was demonstrated. The dashboard collates surveillance data from the APHA network around the country and is an interactive tool allowing vets (and students) to search disease instances. The RVC is part of the APHA’s network of post mortem providers (led by Dr Sonja Jeckel) and this dashboard highlights the importance of the network and the RVC’s role in disease surveillance.

Other topics discussed included the spread of African swine fever in EU and a campaign to highlight the risks of (illegal) feeding kitchen scraps to pigs. Feeding kitchen scraps can spread notifiable diseases such as African swine fever and foot and mouth disease to pigs and the group is working to highlight the dangers to all involved in pigs.

Emphasising the legal and health risks of feeding pigs kitchen scraps, Dr Mandy Nevel, Senior Lecturer in Pig Health and Production at the RVC, said: “We at the RVC need to raise awareness amongst vets, vet students and anyone else involved in pigs, particularly pet pigs, of the risks and the legal implications of feeding kitchen scraps to pigs.”