German vets call for focus on animal health
German veterinarians have called for more focus on animal health during the breeding of livestock, claiming that full attention is given to productivity, which is worrisome.
The German national organisation for state veterinarians (BBT) voiced this opinion, which was accepted at an international congress last week in Bad Staffel, Germany.
Turkey industry
Along with sow breeding the BBT heavily criticized the turkey industry. “Turkeys often cannot carry their own weight. Skeleton deformations are therefore a daily phenomenon.”
The veterinarians also criticised dairy production. They wrote: “On average, a dairy cow produces over 7,000 kg per year. At the same time, the period of use for dairy cows has been shortened dramatically due to several health problems.”
The veterinarians regret that they are hardly involved in the breeding process, which causes animal health knowledge to be overlooked. “These days, veterinarians need to spend attention to animal health problems, caused by one-sided breeding programmes,” BBT president Dr Martin Hartmann wrote in the statement.
Related website:
German national organisation for state veterinarians (BBT)
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