Veterinary Services

• Heavy losses among yearling cattle due to BVD.
• Provisional diagnosis of ergotism in three buffalo cows.
• Five outbreaks of sheep scab confirmed.
• Deaths in garden birds from 14 sites due to trichomoniasis or to salmonellosis.

General Introduction

The warm weather seen in October and November continued until December with a mean temperature for the month of 4.3°C, which is 1.5°C above the 1961 to 1990 average. December was also the wettest December on record at 173 percent of the 1961 to 1990 averages. These conditions favour the spread of liver fluke disease.

The Scottish Executive paid 91 percent of Single Farm Payments to producers. This was over the target to pay 70 percent of claims during the first month and provided a welcome boost to cash flows. Regulations to improve the standard of welfare for animals during transport were laid before the Scottish Parliament. The rules come into force on 5 January 2007. The Scottish Executive also published a consultation on the principles of cost sharing and responsibility for animal health and welfare.