Foreword: Pig supplement 2022

Welcome to the latest UK-Vet Livestock pig supplement. In this edition we have a medicine theme.

Recently Red Tractor Assurance required that all our clients receive additional specific training in medicine storage, over and above the training veterinary surgeons have been providing for decades. But this is also an opportunity for the veterinarian to become the coach in medicine use and disposal specifically, and animal welfare and wellbeing in general. The paper on medicine storage in this supplement illustrates the topics covered by one UK practice in their Red Tractor presentation, and may assist other practices wishing to make an approved presentation to their clients.

The medicine theme moves into African swine fever (ASF) and the problems created by premature release of attempted vaccines on corrupting the clinical signs of the disease. This makes essential early diagnosis even more difficult. The release of these variants makes it even harder for ASF free countries to maintain their freedom status. In countries with ASF, this is also an additional burden, as the pathogen may move in a population undetected. The OIE is encouraged to take a more forceful stance on these matters.