TASAH – Tail Biting Risk Factor Assessment (Pigs) Training
Introduction to the Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH) and training opportunities for veterinary practitioners working with pigs.
As part of the Rural Development Plan 2014-2020, co-funded by the Irish government and the EU, funding has been provided for a Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH), for a risk factor assessment for tail biting for pig units that routinely tail dock their pigs. These risk assessments for tail biting, delivered by trained veterinary practitioners, will enable farmers to engage with their veterinary practitioner to address the risk factors for tail biting present at farm and in this way reduce the need to tail dock their pigs.
To participate in the programme, PVPs must first complete specialist training, which is being offered by AHI. The training will have a particular focus in how to do the assessment. The assessment follows a standard approach, typically based on evaluation of six different pens at different stages of production, based on six categories of risk: environmental enrichment, animal health, pen design, thermal comfort, competition issues and feeding processes. On completion, a trained PVP will be in a position to provide a free tail biting risk factor assessment to their eligible pig farming clients.
This specialist training is open to all veterinary practitioners working with pig farmers.
Details of the next series of Pig HealthCheck TASAH training events will be available soon.
