Animal Health launches news alert service

The target is primarily farmers. By registering, subscribers will receive alerts on up to five notifiable animal diseases – foot and mouth disease, bluetongue, avian influenza, Newcastle disease and classical swine fever.
Alerts can be received via voicemail on a landline telephone or mobile telephone, via text, fax or email.

This new service complements Animal Health’s other channels for keeping the farming community and stakeholders informed about the latest developments on notifiable animal diseases – the Animal Health website, the Animal Health Recorded Information Line and Animal Health’s instant messaging system which allows the organisation to send messages to livestock keepers, local veterinary practices and local stakeholders where contact details are held.

Animal Health Chief Executive, Glenys Stacey, highlighted the importance of keeping livestock farmers up-to-date at a time of a disease outbreak.
“Although we have been able to improve our communications significantly we know we are not targeting everyone that we need to. The new subscription service means our customers can choose the way they receive information and can choose which disease or diseases they want to be updated about.”

To sign up online visit the Animal Health website at www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth.