APPENDIX 38
Memorandum submitted by The Royal College
of Veterinary Surgeons (F 58)
The prime concern of RCVS in relation to organic
farming is with the role of the veterinary surgeon in safeguarding
the welfare of livestock. RCVS takes no view on the principle
of organic farming, but the health of the animals must not be
compromised.
The Scottish Agricultural College and the British
Cattle Veterinary Association have kindly given RCVS sight of
their submissions to the Committee. These set out the issues very
clearly, and it would serve no purpose to repeat what they have
said. The point which we would emphasise is the essential part
played by veterinary surgeons in livestock farming, whether organic
or conventional.
Section 19 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966
lays down the general rule that veterinary medicine and surgery
may only be practised by qualified veterinary surgeons registered
with RCVS. "Veterinary surgery" is defined as including
diagnosis and the giving of advice based upon diagnosis. There
are a number of exceptions to the general rule, and in particular
the owners of farm animals and people engaged in looking after
them may give them medical treatment and carry out minor. The
veterinary surgeon's functions of diagnosing disease and prescribing
treatment are nevertheless vital both to the well-being of the
particular animals concerned and for the effective surveillance
of diseases and organisms which are economically important (such
as mastitis) or may be transmitted to people (such as Salmonella).
In principle there is no reason why organic
livestock management should make less use of veterinary advice
than conventional farming. If there is something wrong with an
animal, the problem has to be to diagnosed and managed appropriately.
Some conditions can be dealt with by an experienced farmer or
livestock manager, others need veterinary advice. In practice,
however, organic farmers can be inclined to turn to homoeopathic
or plant remedies without consulting their veterinary surgeon,
and there have been cases where the veterinary surgeon has been
brought in too late to save the animal which has received inappropriate
treatment and animal welfare has been severely compromised.
There is a commonly held misconception amongst
some organic farmers that veterinary surgeons are not interested
or that there is no need for veterinary involvement because traditional
medicines are not required. In other words the vets are sometimes
seen by organic farmers as purveyors of conventional medicines
rather than custodians of animal health. The consequences of this
approach have frequently been catastrophic for animal welfare,
with veterinary assistance being sought much too late. Veterinary
advice on disease control is probably even more important with
organic farming than with more traditional systems where there
is sometimes over-reliance on medication. A number of examples
have been brought to our attention with cattle, sheep and pigs
where veterinary advice has not been sought, animals have not
received suitable medication and consequently been subjected to
unnecessary suffering and even death.
The current standards for organic livestock
as approved by UKROFS recommend in para. 5.4(a) that phytotherapeutic
or homoeopathic products should be used in preference to allopathic
medicines or antibiotics provided that their therapeutic effect
is effective for the species of animal, and for the condition
for which the treatment is intended. This creates a problem because
there is a total absence of information on the efficacy of phytotherapeutic
or homoeopathic medicines for treating any disease or condition
in food producing animals. There is therefore a need for appropriate
funding to research the efficacy of alternative medicine. The
Research Councils are unwilling to support whole animal clinical
research and as the market is so small it is unlikely the manufacturers
will be willing to fund the appropriate work. Perhaps MAFF, as
a part of its overall support for organic farming, should consider
funding research into alternative or complementary medicine that
could be safely used in organic food production.
In sum, organic farming should not imply amateurish
or unscientific livestock management: on the contrary, expert
professional advice is all the more necessary if the health and
welfare of the animals is to be ensured with minimal recourse
to conventional medicines.
28 September 2000
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