ALL IRELAND STATE VETERINARIANS SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE 2013
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Main Sponsors
We would like to thank all of our very generous sponsors,
in particular the Staff Training & Development Unit,
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine,
and Society for General Microbiology
ALL IRELAND
STATE VETERINARIANS
SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE 2013
Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links
Portmarnock, Co. Dublin
5th/6th April 2013
Welcome to the All-Island State Veterinarians’ Scientific Seminar 2013. ANIMAL HEALTH & WELFARE
ABSTRACTS
We are delighted to welcome you back to Portmarnock Hotel and Golf registration and identification. His views on the controversy, given his Links between bacterial tolerance to biocides, biocidal
How microbiological criteria are established - some
Links, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin for the 2013 All Island State Veterinarians past leadership of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and the Eu- compounds and clinically important antibiotics.
Scientific Conference. This year’s event takes place on April 5th and 6th
recent developments
ropean Food Safety Authority will have added scope as he is recently ap- Biocides play an essential role in limiting the spread of
and looks to build on the success of last year’s event in addressing the
Microbiological criteria (MC) have been in use for many
pointed Chair of Horse Sport Ireland. infectious disease. The food industry is dependent on these
policy, regulatory and enforcement challenges faced by those working in decades and have been used traditionally to judge whether chemical agents and their increasing use is a matter for
the state veterinary sector. The social programme highlights include the after dinner speech by for-
batches of food were acceptable or unacceptable. In fact concern. Specifically the emergence of bacteria
We are again delighted to have those working in Department of Agricul- mer Lord Mayor of Dublin and pioneer of the Dublin Bikes scheme, Cllr. MC became a considerable barrier to trade in the 1970s and demonstrating increased tolerance to biocides, coupled with
ture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Department of Agriculture and Rural Andrew Montague (MVB Dublin 1991) and a tour of the recently restored 80s as countries imposed MCs on imported foods that were the potential for the development of a cross-resistance
Development-Northern Ireland (DARD-NI) and the Local Authority Veteri- Malahide Castle and Gardens. sometimes unreasonable. In 1997 the Codex Alimentarius phenotype to clinically important antimicrobial compounds,
nary Service co-operating to maximize the educational benefits for state The conference is a networked collaboration of employers, employee as- Commission (CAC) set an international standard for the way needs to be assessed.
veterinarians from the limited resources currently available. Attendance sociations, educational promotional groups and agencies with statutory MCs should be set and this included the concept that they In this study we investigated the tolerance of a collection of
over the 2 days qualifies for 9 of the 20 CVE credits necessary for annual involvements in the regulation and promotion of safe food. We gratefully should only be set where necessary to protect public health susceptible and multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella to a
registration with the Veterinary Council of Ireland. thank all our sponsors, and in particular the FSAI, for the generous fund- with a corresponding stringency that reflected the risk. panel of eight food-grade biocide formulations. We explored
The programme is rich and varied and features the best of national and Consequently this document set the eight components of their ability to adapt to these formulations and to individual
ing received and believe that this conference delivers the best training
international speakers and draws from both those working in the state
biocidal agents contained therein, including; triclosan,
possible to prepare veterinarians meet the objectives of the All-Island an MC that we are familiar with today in, for example, the
chlorhexidine and benzalkonium chloride. Susceptibility was
veterinary sector and those regulated by it. Animal Health and Welfare Strategy, which was agreed by North South EC regulation on microbiological criteria (2073/2005). This evaluated in a number of related ways; during planktonic
This year’s main theme is ‘Food Harvest 2020-Threats and Opportunities Ministerial Council Ministers in March 2012. went some way to reducing the technical barriers to trade. growth, against surface-dried bacterial cells, and cells
to Ireland’s Agricultural Expansion’. As Minister O Neill mentioned in her talk at last year’s conference “it pro- However, the world moved on and risk became the basis for contained in a biofilm. A cross-tolerance between different
We are particularly honoured to have the insights and perspectives of vides a basis to protect and enhance our animal health and welfare stan- decisions about the safety of food. In 2007 CAC set the prin- some biocidal formulations, their active agents and the
the main farming organizations with talks by Kevin Kinsella (Irish Farm- dards and to expand the opportunities for the export of our livestock ciples of microbiological risk management and in Annex II potential for co-selection of resistance to clinically important
ers Association), John Enright (Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association) and livestock products” of that document specified a number of risk management antibiotics was investigated. Finally, the biocide tolerant
and Harry Sinclair (Ulster Farmers Union). We hope that by attending this conference that we will as individuals Salmonella that emerged, following in vitro selection, were
metrics including those familiar, like MC, and those new and
Adam Buitellar, one of Europe’s leading Livestock traders will provide and organizations achieve what Dr Alex Morrow highlights in his talk on studied extensively at the genomic, transcriptomic and
unfamiliar like Food Safety Objective (FSO). In 2010 the
unique commercial insights on the opportunities for global live exports. ‘Animal Disease Threats’ proteomic levels and their mechanisms of tolerance
Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) mandated
We are honoured to have Dr. Peter Mertens, the leading global expert on “What is important is not predicting what will happen, but being more elucidated.
member countries to update the 1997 microbiological
Arboviruses, to address the conference on the spread and distribution of prepared to engage with whatever may happen.” Seven of the eight-biocide formulations were bactericidal
criteria document to align it with current practice and the
the Bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses. Approximately 70 cases of We hope you have a very informative and enjoyable conference. against planktonically grown cultures. MDR Salmonella
Schmallenberg have been confirmed in Ireland to date.
new risk management metrics. This work is ongoing but is exhibited the same pattern of susceptibility to the biocide
Peter Maher and Teresa MacWhite present some findings from their Dermot McCaughey NIPSA
close to completion. The new approach recognises that MCs formulations when compared to their susceptible isogenic
unique, pioneering research into tuberculosis in badgers. This is of rele- Diarmuid Lynch VOA
are used for more purposes than lot acceptance, it also counterparts. However, all showed reduced activity against
vance for the whole island and will be of particular interest to DARD-NI Brendan Smyth LAVS allows for MCs to be set for modern parameters like antibi- surface-dried and biofilm bacterial cultures. A stable tolerant
for their Test, Vaccinate and Remove project. otic resistance markers or molecular traits of pathogens. It phenotype to biocide formulations could not be selected for
Barbara Logar will review the new Animal Health Law, and its provision has updated the principles for setting MCs at international by in vitro means. Nevertheless, when exposed to individual
for adjusting the animal health rules to the local circumstances will be of level and introduced the need for specifying the statistical active biocidal compounds a high-level of tolerance emerged
interest to those interested in introducing Bovine TB Vaccination. performance of sample plans. in a number of Salmonella serotypes. No cross-tolerance
Animal Welfare issues at slaughter will be addressed in depth by Dr Tem- To meet this latter need the standard calculation of the between biocidal agents or food-grade biocide formulations
ple Grandin from the USA and will be of particular interest given the im- erformance of attribute sampling plans has been referenced containing the same actives, was observed in these mutant
strains. However, all mutants displayed changes in their
plementation of EU COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1099/2009 on the along with a modification of that approach based on the
susceptibility patterns to a panel of antimicrobial compounds.
protection of animals at the time of killing. methods of the International Commission on This work confirms that food industry biocides are effective
Prof Paddy Wall will cover the Horsemeat scandal and the issue of horse Microbiological Specifications for Food (ICMSF). This against Salmonella. However, if bacteria are exposed to
approach is designed to calculate the mean and standard sub-lethal concentrations of individual active biocidal agents
deviation of a log-normally distributed concentration of resistant isolates may emerge. Biocidal tolerance to individual
microorganisms in a food that would have a 95% chance of active compounds alone correlated with antimicrobial
acceptance for a given sampling plan. This approach is resistance.
being applied to Codex documents and was first introduced
in the CAC document on control of L.monocytogenes and Dr Orla Condell
again in the document on control of Cronobacter spp. in
infant formula. Since that time WHO and FAO have gone on BVD Eradication Progress to date
“Progress to date on the Irish BVD eradication programme
to develop their own support tool for calculation of
has surprised many. Whether BVD is a special case or not,
statistically based microbiological criteria. These there may be wider implications for the future infrastructure
approaches reinforce the fact that there is no such thing as required to control cattle health in Ireland. Irish BVD has
zero tolerance in the application of MC; just as there is no proved reassuringly predictable with technical lessons
such thing as zero risk. They also show that microbiological learned in other jurisdictions readily transferrable here. As is
testing is no replacement for HACCP. the experience with most diseases undergoing eradication,
the final tail of the process may require increased rigour and
Dr Wayne Anderson firmness which may require involvement of VOA members,
Director of Food Science and Standards medium term. Other short term impacts for VOA members
Food Safety Authority of Ireland include enforcing restrictions on PI animals, our nearest land
neighbour, and personal biosecurity in the face of a very ef-
fective and contagious virus. “
Dr. Ronan O’Neill
All Ireland State Veterinarians Scientific Conference 2013 ANIMAL HEALTH & WEL FAR E
ABSTRACTS ABST RACTS
The N11 Project- Road Building and Electonically Moni- Irish Dairy Expansion in a Quota Free Europe
Stray and Abandoned Irish Dogs - A Dogs Trust Perspective Human-(livestock)-wildlife interactions and implications for
tored Badger Movements' As we face into the abolition of milk quotas in 2015, the dairy
Anecdotal evidence suggests that major road works and clear felling Dogs Trust isIreland and Europe’s largest dog welfare charity, the food safety
sector is likely to see significant expansion of milk production.
of forests lead to TB breakdowns in neighbouring cattle herds. The Irish operation is based in a custom built facility in Infectious diseases shared with wildlife represent a significant
That expansion is going to involve both positives and negatives Finglas,Dublin11. Dogs Trust was established inIrelandin 2005.
N11 Badger Study commenced in 2010 with the objective of inves- and John Enright, General Secretary of ICMSA will outline the burden affecting public health, global economies and biodiversity
This happened because of the close links the charity had
tigating this phenomenon. GPS tracking collars were fitted to badg- challenges and opportunities identified by his Association conservation. Furthermore, the number of zoonotic emerging
developed with Irish welfare organisations who wanted to see
ers in an area of County Wicklow ahead of a major road building emphasising animal health and welfare. With the growth in the infectious disease (EID) events caused by pathogens originating in
more being done to deal with the stray dog situation inIreland.
project which gets underway this year. The study has so far estab- size of dairy herds and likely increased price volatility that will wildlife has increased significantly with time, suggesting that EIDs
Dogs Trust is working towards the day when all dogs can enjoy
lished the normal territorial behaviour and ranges of the badger so- come with expansion, animal health will play a crucial role in represent an increasing and very significant risk to global health. It
a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction. To
cial groups in the area adjacent to the road building project and this determining the success or otherwise of the post quota dairy achieve this the charity aims to rescue, care for and rehome lost is also widely accepted that total eradication of a shared infectious
information will allow the effect of the road works on them to be sector and the need, therefore, to bring forward detailed plans and unwanted dogs and work to reduce and, ultimately, agent is almost impossible if wildlife hosts serving as natural
quantified and to determine if perturbation and a resultant increase for this area. eliminate the incidence of homeless dogs inIreland. Education reservoirs of the pathogen are ignored.
in cattle TB breakdowns occur. of people in responsible dog ownership is key.
In the last decades, disease emergence in wildlife (e.g. chronic
John Enright Dogs Trust relies on the prevention and cure approach: Rescue
The movements of some 40 badgers over 3 years have provided and rehoming work aims to deal with the immediate needs of wasting disease, CWD), and difficulties in the eradication of
General Secretary
new insights into the normal behaviour of badgers in a natural en- abandoned dogs; preventative measures such as neutering, endemic shared diseases such as tuberculosis (e.g. TB), have
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association
vironment. The 40 badgers have sent over 70,000 GPS positions dur- microchipping, education and lobbying are used as longer term prompted a growing interest in disease control in wildlife reservoirs.
ing the study period. The talk will illustrate and discuss some of the Animal Health Ireland- What next? solutions. The control of diseases shared with wildlife requires the
findings to date. Animal Health Ireland is a not-for-profit organisation estab- The charity has built up and works to maintain a staff of the development of strategies that reduce pathogen transmission
highest quality in every area of its operation, which, together between wildlife and domestic animals or between wildlife and
lished in 2009 with a mandate to is mandated to pursue effec-
Peter Maher, Teresa MacWhite with the fruits of scientific research, enables it to take a leading
tive control strategies for important non-regulated diseases of humans. However, wildlife disease control often consists in an
Superintending Veterinary Inspector part in canine matters.
livestock. intervention in more or less natural ecosystems and is, as such,
Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine AHI’s strategic plan for 2012 – 2014 identifies four priority pro- Mark Beazely often controversial.
grammes addressing BVD, somatic cell counts (CellCheck), Executive Director The main content of this review is (1) summarizing the distribution
The new Animal Health Law -- Likely Impact Johne’s disease and IBR. Each programme is supported by a Dogs Trust Ireland and abundance trends of key wildlife hosts of zoonotic infections in
EU legislation for the prevention and control animal diseases and Technical Working Group (TWG) with members drawn from
to ensure safe trade in animals and their products has been in place Europe; (2) discussing some representative case-studies regarding
across industry, academia, service providers, the veterinary Puppy Breeding and the Law - The case for compulsory
since many decades. An evaluation of Community Animal Health zoonoses shared with wildlife, with particular regard to the role of
profession and government. Cross-industry implementation or microchipping?
Policy and subsequent consultations with the stakeholders direct and indirect human-(livestock) wildlife interactions; and (3)
consultative groups are responsible for development and de- The control of dogs has been legislated for since the 1840’s with
completed in recent years, broadly agreed that the current system livery of programmes at national level. Additional TWGs are specific dog control legislation first introduced in 1862. briefly addressing the efforts required to monitor and eventually
of EU animal health legislation functions well. But they have also also developing resources on biosecurity, calf care, parasites Legislation relating to the control of dogs was consolidated in control diseases shared with wildlife.
identified a number of areas, with the possibilities for and the economics of disease. The presentation will provide Ireland in the Control of Dogs Act, 1986. However, legislation in
improvements. more details of these programmes and activities with particu- relation to puppy breeding has only recently been introduced Dr. Christian Gortazar
The EU Animal Health Strategy 2007-2013 adopted by the European lar emphasis on the national BVD eradication programme with the Dog Breeding Establishments Act, 2010. This Professor at Universidad de Castilla – La Mancha (UCLM),
Commission in 2007 with the motto "Prevention is better than cure" presentation will give a general overview of current dog control National Wildlife Research Institute IREC.
has addressed the issues from the evaluation. The Strategy has legislation and will highlight the duties of persons who operate
foreseen a number of specific actions. One of them is to create a Dr. David Graham premises required to be registered as Dog Breeding
Establishments. Animal Disease Threats in Europe
new, single Animal Health Law in order to incorporate into the Programme Manager
The use of microchips to identify dogs has been steadily Animal Disease Threats in Europe'Animal diseases cause serious
Union legislation the preventive principles and other objectives of Animal Health Ireland
the Strategy, taking into account the standards of the World growing in popularity over the last three decades. Microchips social, economic and environmental damage and in some cases
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and ensuring consistency with Northern Ireland – Ramping up Food Production can be a very effective method of reuniting dogs with their also threaten human health. It is estimated that 60% of human
other Union policies. The Commission plans to deliver this owners. It is now compulsory for all dogs over 8 weeks old and pathogens are of animal origin while 75% of emerging animal
NI Government are currently producing an “Agri-Food Strat-
important legislative proposal in the next months for adoption by kept at a Dog Breeding Establishment, to be microchipped, diseases can be transmitted to humans. Demand for animal protein
egy” for all sectors of the industry, which includes ambitious
unless the operator of the establishment is also a registered hunt
the European Parliament and the Council. targets for increasing food production. However, expansion of is expected to increase by 50% in the next eight years necessitating
or game club.
The Animal Health Law provides for a comprehensive legislative our industry will require maximising efficiency. One of the further intensification of production, which will bring with it its own
framework for EU animal health policy. It clarifies animal health ways to achieve this will be through the eradication and con- challenges. Unanticipated and emerging threats are ever present.
Brendan Smyth
related responsibilities of operators, veterinarians and others trol of production diseases, hence the establishment of AHWNI The disease risks have increased over recent decades, especially as
County Veterinary Officer
dealing with animals. It sets out rules, which are necessary to and the commencement of a BVD eradication scheme both Monaghan County Council a result of the increased globalisation of trade and animal product
achieve further reduction in animal diseases while enabling the
North and South of the border. When the industry expands, it movements, and the consequent transfer of associated fast
growth of the EU's economic competiveness, releasing the World Buiatrics Congress 2016 Dublin
is vital that the quality standard of the product remains, there- evolving pathogens. These changes are exacerbated by interaction
unnecessary administrative burdens and providing more The World Association of Buiatrics Conference will be held in
fore a collaborative and innovative approach is required, going with environmental change, including changes to land use and the
possibilities to adjust the animal health rules to the local Dublin in July 2016 over five days and there will be pre and
forward. potential variabilities associated with climate change. Improved
circumstances, climate changes, changes in environment and post conference seminars organised. Buiatrics is the study of
changed needs of the society. By introducing a systematic listing cattle and their diseases and many topics will be of interest to awareness of and preparedness for the animal disease threats are
Harry Sinclair those working in state veterinary medicine. needed for their effective management. What is important is not
and categorisation of animal diseases on a scientific and evidential
basis it will allow for a better prioritisation of actions and the use of At the conference it is hoped to have a stream specifically for predicting what will happen, but being more prepared to engage
overall resources. state veterinarians and also to have a post conference seminar with whatever may happen.
on state veterinary medicine.
Dr. Barbara Logar Now is the time to start thinking about organising a topic for Dr Alex Morrow
Legislative Veterinary Officer research associated with your area of work in order to make a
Deputy Science Coordinator DEFRA
European Commission presentation at the conference.
Peter Mullowney
All Ireland State Veterinarians Scientific Conference 2013
ABSTRACTS
DR. ALEX MORROW - DEPUTY SCIENCE CO-ORDINATOR DEFRA
Dr Alex Morrow, BA, MVB, PhD, MRCVS is a Dublin trained veterinary surgeon with twenty years experience in rsearch,
followed by four years in a research support capacity at Edinburgh University and nine years in his current position in
Bluetongue and Schmallenberg- new viral diseases in Beef Expansion for Food Harvest 2020 research programme management with Defra where he is Deputy Science Coordinator in Animal Health and Welfare
Europe. Quality livestock, an abundance of grass, committed farmers, a (International Evidence Lead). He proposed the establishment of and currently coordinates the European Collabora-
The first bluetongue outbreak ever recorded in northern Europe well-developed processing sector and an enviable customer client
tive Working Group (CWG) on Animal Health and Welfare research, under the EU Standing Committee on Agriculture
was first recognised in the Maastricht region of the Netherlands Research, which is concerned with the co-ordination of animal health and welfare research across Europe. He also
in 2006, The virus overwintered (2006-7) before re-emerging list all combine to place Ireland in a strong position to expand and led the associated EU-funded EMIDA ERA-NET on Emerging and Major Infectious Diseases of Animals and currently
with massively increased severity, killing many thousands of grow the beef sector. The Food Harvest 2020 plan sets out an op- leads a work-package concerned with the creation of sustainable collaborative structures to ensure that the necessary
animals (mainly sheep) and spreading (in successive years) to timistic 40% growth target. Progress has been made over the last research capacity is available to address future animal health challenges in the new Animal Health and Welfare ERA-
almost every country in Europe. The virus was identified at Net. He represents the CWG on the Executive Board of the European Technology Platform on Global Animal Health.
Pirbright ( by RT-PCR assays and sequencing) as bluetongue two years with most of the gains coming from the €1.00/kg rise in His role in coordinating research activities has now extended to a global level with the establishment of the EU-funded
virus serotype 8 [BTV-8], closely related to a BTV-8 strain beef prices. STAR-IDAZ global network entitled Global Strategic Alliances for the Coordination of Research on the Major Infectious
previously isolated in Nigeria. In 2007 BTV-8 arrived in the UK The biggest challenge to growth is the low income problem at farm Diseases of Animals and Zoonoses which he also leads. This global initiative to address the coordination of research
but was successfully controlled in the UK by Defra’s voluntary level. Even on the most efficient beef farms, sales struggle to cover programmes at international level in the area of animal health and in particular infectious animal diseases, including
‘Joint Action against Bluetongue’ vaccination-campaign, which zoonoses, currently involves 23 partners in 18 countries with an additional 24 countries involved through regional net-
represents a landmark success for veterinary medicine. In production costs. In Ireland and across Europe, beef production is works for the Americas, Asia and Australasia and Europe.
DR. BARBARA LOGAR - LEGISLATIVE VETERINARY OFFICER
recent years many other BTV strains and several zoonotic very dependent on direct payments, making up over 100% of net
arboviruses have appeared in Southern Europe highlighting farm income.
continuing and increasing threats that may be related to
increased trade, tourism and climate change in the region. One European consumers demand the highest levels of traceability,
of the most significant of these is Schmallenberg virus (SBV), food safety, animal health controls and environmental standards. Graduated in veterinary medicine from the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, first in 1987
which cases deformities in unborn lambs and calves. An SBV These standards bring with them a high cost production and reg- in veterinary public health and in 1989 in animal health and animal production. In 1988 started to work at the University
outbreak which started in a similar region of northern Europe ulatory system not applied to imports, placing EU domestic pro- institute for public health in applicative research at the department for epidemiology, laboratory diagnostics and food
during 2011, was caused by a virus that is related to Shamonda hygiene. In the meantime also completed postgraduate studies in 1992. In 1996 joined the Slovenian veterinary serv-
virus (also isolated in Nigeria). However SBV spreads much more duction at a competitive disadvantage.
ices i.e. the Veterinary Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (VARS), a body organised within the Ministry of Agri-
rapidly than BTV-8 and has already infected the whole of The CAP Reform 2013 proposals involving cuts to the single farm culture, Forestry and Food, whereshe started her career as an official veterinarian and veterinary inspector in the local
England parts of Ireland and much of northern and western Eu- payment of 20% to 40% for productive farmers and EU trade liber- veterinary office. In 1998 was moved to the main office in of the Veterinary Administration (VARS), to the position of
rope. The implication of the events will be discussed. alisation proposals to allow a major increase in the volumes of beef the deputy director and later, the Head of sector of international affairs. During those yearswas involved mainly with
animal health and international issues, including the EU accession for veterinary dossiers. In 2008 joined Directorate
Prof. Peter Mertens imports from Canada and other countries pose very serious policy General for Health and Consumers of the European Commission, where she still works in the Animal Health Unit as
Head of Vector-borne Viral Diseases challenges for the beef and livestock sector. In addition, the Gov- a legislative veterinary officer. Within this role, her main responsibility lays with the development of the new EU Ani-
The Pirbright Institute
BRENDAN SMYTH COUNTY VETERINARY OFFICER
ernment austerity policy has impacted negatively on the Suckler mal Health Law.
Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach Cow Welfare Scheme and Disadvantage Area payments. All of
In the first part of my talk, I will discuss principles of these complex and inter-related domestic, European and Interna-
livestock handling and methods to reduce stress during han- tional policy agendas will impact heavily on the Food Harvest 2020 Brendan Smyth qualified from University College Dublin in 1990, and after working for a year as a veterinary college house
dling. Reducing stress improves both welfare and growth prospects for the Irish beef sector. officer, he spent the next ten years in mixed veterinary practice in England and Ireland. He was appointed County Veterinary
animal productivity. Animals that remain calm gain more Securing the right policy framework and implementing positive Officer for Monaghan County Council in 2001 and has since focussed his career on veterinary public health. He has an
weight and have better meat quality. In the second part of executive role in the Council's dog control and dog welfare activities and in the Council's efforts to promote responsible
my talk, I will discuss how to set up and implement change across the sector at farm, processing, marketing and regu-
animal ownership.
CHRISTIAN GORTAZAR
objective outcome based welfare scoring systems for both latory level will be vital to delivering on the Food Harvest 2020
farms and slaughter plants - some of the critical control growth targets for Beef.
points that should be measured during handling and on the
farm. Objective scoring systems are being successfully used Kevin Kinsella
in many countries. Dr. Christian Gortazar received a Degree in Veterinary Sciences at the University of Zaragoza in 1990, and a PhD—
Director of Livestock on the role of diseases in red fox population dynamics—at the same University in 1997. Since 1999, he is Professor
Dr. Temple Grandin: The Irish Farmers Association at Universidad de Castilla – La Mancha (UCLM), National Wildlife Research Institute IREC. The IREC is a research
Animal Scientist, Livestock Handling Designer institute run by the National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Castilla – La Mancha. IREC is a multi-
& Autism Activist disciplinary institute with biologists, veterinarians and engineers, working on basic and applied subjects relevant to the
DR. WAYNE ANDERSON
conservation and management of wildlife and their habitats (www.uclm.es/IREC). His lecturing on wildlife diseases is
part of IRECs M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs, where he has mentored 11 successful international Ph.D. students. Dr. Gor-
tazar’s research interests combine veterinary sciences and ecology. This includes viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases
of wildlife, with an emphasis on the epidemiology and control of relevant diseases shared with livestock and humans,
such as tuberculosis. The main host species he uses as models are wild boar, deer, rabbits, wild canids and game-
Dr Wayne Anderson joined the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in 1999 as Chief Specialist: Food Science, after birds, often in combination with domestic hosts or zoonotic aspects. Dr. Gortazar has acted as principal researcher
11 years service in the food industry, ten of which were with Unilever. Dr Anderson is now Director of the Food Sci- in numerous national and international grants and contracts on wildlife epidemiology and disease control. He is co-
ence and Standards Division. This Division develops and advises on best practice guides for the industry, co-ordi- author of over 200 papers in international peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Gortazar was responsible for Livestock and
nates the national HACCP strategy, conducts food safety risk assessment, advises on nutrition and healthy eating Fisheries research in the Agencia Nacional de Evaluación y Prospectiva (Ministry of Science) between 2006 and
policy and monitors the safety of food. Dr. Anderson is responsible for liaison with the food industry and works to bring 2008. He was Director of the IREC and currently is Head of the IREC Wildlife Disease Research Group. He is Editor
about voluntary programmes to improve the safety and nutritional content of foods. Dr. Anderson has published pa-
DR. DAVID GRAHAM
of the European Journal of Wildlife Research.
pers in the areas of food preservation systems, predictive microbiology, chemical contaminant risk assessment and risk
communication. He holds a primary degree in biochemistry and a PhD in predictive microbiology. He is a member of
the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF), a fellow of the Institute of Food
Science and Technology Ireland (IFSTI) and a fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology UK (IFST). He is
also an advisor on the scientific advisory committees of several State bodies. David Graham qualified from UCD as a Veterinary Surgeon in 1988, and after working as a house surgeon at the
Veterinary School in Dublin he moved back to Northern Ireland where he spent several years in mixed large animal
practice. In 1992 David joined the Stormont laboratories of the Veterinary Sciences Division of the Science Service (now
the Agrifood and Biosciences Institute) of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development where he has worked
in several branches. During his time there he gained extensive experience in the diagnosis and control of a wide range
Patrick Wall is Associate Professor of Public Health in University College Dublin's School of Public Health and Population of viral and bacterial diseases, including bovine viral diarrhoea (BVDV), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), Johne's
Sciences (http://www.ucd.ie/phps) which hosts the National Nutrition Surveillance Centre (http://www.nnsc.ie) His teaching
disease and leptospirosis. He received his PhD in 1998 on improved methods for diagnosing bovine respiratory dis-
and research interests include food borne diseases, lifestyle related diseases and health damaging consumer behaviour. He
is a co-director of the UCD Centre for Behaviour and Health which is engaged in research on behavioural economics, ease from Queen’s University Belfast and in 2007 he established, and has subsequently led a cattle health scheme
population health disparities and policy interventions. (http://geary.ucd.ie/behaviour). He was the first Chief Executive of the offering monitoring, eradication and accreditation programmes for BVD, IBR, Johnes and leptospirosis.David joined AHI
Irish Food Safety Authority and contributed to the setting up of this science based consumer protection agency in October 2010 and holds the position of Programme Manager for Biosecure Diseases where his role is to lead and
(http://www.fsai.ie). He was the second Chairperson of the European Food Safety Authority, a pan EU Agency with a remit is manage all AHI projects relevant to the non-regulated biosecure diseases which have been prioritised for action by AHI
ORLA CONDELL
to provide comprehensive scientific advice on food safety for the entire food and feed supply chains and issues directly (BVD, IBR and Johnes Disease).
impacting on these such as animal welfare, animal health and plant health (http://www.efsa.europa.eu). He was one of seven non Chinese
nationals on the committee advising the Beijing Food Authority on food safety controls for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He is the Chairperson of
the Mental Health Commission¿s Research Committee. He is a member of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland¿s Healthy Eating Guidelines
steering committee. He qualified in Veterinary Medicine in University College Dublin, in Human Medicine in the Royal College of Surgeons of Orla Condell graduated with a B.Sc in Industrial Microbiology from UCD in 2009. She then completed a PhD in public heath
Ireland. He has an MSc in Infecious diseases from the University of London and an MBA from the Michael Smurfit School of Business. He is a microbiology in the UCD-Centre for Food Safety in 2012. Her research interests include the study of the mechanisms associ-
Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Public Health, a Member of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine of Ireland, a Fellow of the
Faculty of Public Health Medicine in the UK and ia Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He hasrecently been appointed ated with the emergence of biocide tolerance and how this may be linked to antimicrobial resistance along the food chain.
Chairman of Horse Sport Ireland.
MARK BEAZELY - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DOGS TRUST IRELAND
DR. EDWARD FOX
Mark Beazley has worked in the field of animal welfare since 2003, following an earlier career in the military and
Dr Edward Fox studied Biotechnology at Dublin City University, and obtained his PhD from University College Dublin police service. He has been the Executive Director of Dogs Trust inIrelandsince May 2009 and prior to taking up his
while researching at Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark. He is currently a Newman Fellow at the Centre for Food current post he was the Chief Executive of the ISPCA. Dogs Trust isIrelandand Europe’s largest dog welfare charity with 19
Safety at University College Dublin. His research interests include physiological and molecular mechanisms employed rehoming centres throughoutIrelandandGreat Britain. Dogs Trust was established in the Republic of Ireland in 2005. Mark
was a member of The Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council (FAWAC) during 2008 and 2009. He was also a founding
by microorganisms to survive in their environment, with particular focus on persistence of microorganisms in the food member of the steering group of the FAWAC early warning / intervention scheme. Between 2006 and 2009 Mark
processing environment. Research interests also include epidemiology of human pathogens, host-pathogen interac- represented Irish animal welfare interests at Eurogroup for Animals inBrussels. Since joining Dogs Trust Mark has been
tions and defence mechanisms employed by bacteria to survive in their hosts, along with pathogenesis of the microor- heavily involved in lobbying for improvements to Irish animal welfare legislation, with particular emphasis on dog and
ganism. Previous work has included application of research activities to industrial processes and food safety programmes companion animal welfare
operated at food processing facilities, with particular emphasis on Listeria monocytogenes. He has worked at the Uni-
versity of New South Wales in Australia with the Helicobacter and Campylobacter research group, with research in-
cluding human-pathogen interactions, stress resistance mechanisms, pathogenicity and pathogen interaction with human
JOHN ENRIGHT - GENERAL SECRETARY, ICMSA
cells. Prof. Peter Mertens studied Virology at Warwick and Oxford Universities, then moved to the University of Guelph in
Canada in 1979. After completing his post-doctoral fellowship there, he returned to the UK in 1981. He has since
worked on the Arboviruses, particularly Bluetongue virus and African horse sickness virus, at the UK’s The Pirbright
Institute (formerly Institute for Animal Health), (for over 30 years). He is currently Research Leader within the Ar-
John Enright is the General Secretary of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), a farm organi- bovirus Molecular Research Group and Head of the Institute’s Vector-borne Viral Diseases Programme. Prof Mertens’
sation that has in excess of 16,000 members - principally dairy farmers. John became General Secretary in Sep- group was responsible for development of the diagnostic assays and molecular epidemiology systems, that were used
tember 2012 having previously served as Senior Policy Executive since 2000 and Research Policy Officer from to identify and track virus movements during recent bluetongue outbreaks in Europe, contributing to the eradication
1996-2000. Beginning in 2000, John served as Executive Secretary of ICMSA’s Dairy Committee as well as their of the bluetongue virus from the UK in 2008. He also played a central role in determination of the atomic structure
Beef & Cattle Committee. He has also represented ICMSA on various Government appointed Advisory Commit- the bluetongue virus core particle, in Collaboration with David Stuart’s group, still the largest single molecular structure determined to date. Pro-
tees and Forums. Prior to joining the association, John worked in the Department of Agriculture and Food having fessor Mertens has written over 180 scientific papers on these viruses has supervised over 20 Ph.D. students and is currently a Visiting Profes-
graduated with a First Class honours degree in Agricultural Science from University College Dublin in 1994 and re- sor within the Department of Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Glasgow, as well as a Fellow of the Society of Biology and Fellow of the
ceiving a number of Academic Awards. He is from a farming background in Ardagh, County Limerick, where he still Higher Education Academy . He is co-chair of the Reoviridae study Group for ICTV and a member of the Bluetongue Committee for USAHA, and
KEVIN KINSELLA - DIRECTOR OF LIVESTOCK
lives.
PETER MULLOWNEY
is currently working on next generation vaccines for bluetongue and African horse sickness viruses. .
With a membership of over 85,000, the Irish Farmers Association is the main organisation representing farmers at Na- Peter Mullowney qualified from UCD as a Veterinary Surgeon in 1974 and following a year as house surgeon in the
tional, EU and International level. Kevin Kinsella is Director of Livestock with the IFA and responsible for formulating and University of Bristol spent the next nine years in the USA, in academia and dairy practice. Returned to County Mayo in
coordinating IFA policy across the important €2.4bn livestock and sheep sectors and direct payments worth €1.8bn an- 1984 and set up a mixed animal practice. Peter joined the Department of Agriculture in 1994 at first in Leitrim DVO and
nually to farmers. Having graduated in Agricultural Science from UCD in 1984, Kevin worked as an agricultural consultant later in Mayo DVO. He spent two periods in Agriculture House during the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak and work-
for 6 years. He joined the IFA in 1990 as a Farm Business Specialist, focusing on finance, banking and taxation policy. He ing on development of AHCS. He was promoted in 2004 to SVI with a responsibility for Veterinary Training and Johne’s
was appointed Livestock Secretary in 1992 and promoted to Director of Livestock in 1994. Over the last 20 years, Kevin Disease. He has spoken at the last four World Association of Buiatrics conferences on Johne’s Disease and is on the
Kinsella has developed vast experience having been closely involved with three major reforms of the CAP and the organising committee for the 2016 conference in Dublin.
DR. RONAN O’NEILL
transformation of the Irish beef sector from being dependent on EU market support to a retail market driven sector. High profile IFA campaigns
coordinated by the Livestock Director include EU standards on Brazilian beef imports, protecting the Live Export trade, defending farm incomes
during the BSE and FMD crisis, and developing and implementing traceability and Quality Assurance schemes at farm level. Kevin Kinsella pro-
vides weekly information and analysis on cattle and sheep prices and market issues. Current IFA campaigns include the reform of the CAP 2013,
the resumption of the live trade to Libya, protecting the reputation of Irish beef during the recent equine DNA episode and EU/Canada trade ne- Ronan is originally from a farming background in Co. Armagh. He is now based in the Virology Division, DAFM
gotiations. Vet labs at Backweston with responsibility for ruminant related work. Rónan graduated from UCD as a veterinary
MARION KOOPMANS - HEAD OF VIROLOGY
surgeon in 1994 and then “served his time” in mixed practice in the Irish Midlands for five years. He spent two
periods studying at Glasgow Veterinary School – the first was as a pathology resident, the second being the
work for his PhD on the genetic control of respiratory vaccines in cattle. He’s gained invaluable experience and a
few grey hairs due to Foot and Mouth, Bluetongue, IBR and others in the intervening years. His current role in
Marion Koopmans (DVM, PhD) is head of virology of the Laboratory for Infectious Diseases of the National Insti- the Virology Division at Backweston sees him tasked with statutory viral diagnostics, national reference labora-
tute of Public health. In addition, she holds a position as professor of public health virology at the Erasmus University
tory duties, respiratory virus diagnostics and research, and more than a little BVD work.
of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Her responsabilities include reference diagnostics, syndromic surveillance and emer-
TERESA MACWHITE - VETERINARY INSPECTOR
gency preparedness for viral diseases, including research aimed at improving the response capacity of a public health
lab. Her research interests focus enteric viruses, food-borne infections, emerging disease preparedness, and infections
at the human-animal interface, with a particular focus on unraveling mechanisms underlying possible emergence of
new health threats and optimizing the early detection and response. She is initiator and coordinator of a network of lab-
oratories with responsability for norovirus surveillance, that agreed to share data and sequences internationally. She Teresa MacWhite qualified from the Veterinary College, UCD in 1988, and then worked in mixed and companion
has authored over 250 papers in peer reviewed journals. animal practice in Australia, England, Northern Ireland and finally in Counties Dublin and Wicklow. Shortly after being
appointed a Department of Agriculture veterinary inspector, she was appointed Veterinary Liaison Officer to the Chief
Veterinary Officer and spent 4 years in this role before taking a career break in 1998. Whilst completing a 2 year dis-
tance learning Internal Medicine course with the University of Sydney Veterinary Faculty, she returned to practice for
a number of years before rejoining the Department of Agriculture again in 2006. She was appointed to Dublin and East
Adam is the Managing Director of Buitelaar International which is an Irish-based company finishing up to 400 cattle Wicklow District Veterinary Office where the intractable TB problems meant that there was an emphasis upon finding
each week in mainland Britain. Buitelaar International Trading Ltd has a strong European presence which includes innovative and novel approaches to understanding and controlling this disease. The satellite tracking study of the N11
Badgers was one of these novel approaches and commenced in April 2010
TEMPLE GRANDIN
Ireland, the Netherlands, UK, Spain, Italy, France and more recently Baltic States. It is involved in global exports for live
cattle and also operates as livestock transporter. In recent years Buitelaar has introduce new products and services;
they include an integrated Rosé Veal system, the systems provide the farmer with a number of opportunities to produce
Veal in a unique forward price contract scheme. The systems that have been pioneered are engineered to provide a
sustainable agri enterprise for farmers. Most of the rearers work on a contract basis on behalf of Buitelaar- as do the finishers who take the Dr. Grandin obtained her B.A. at Frankin Pierce College and her M.S. in Animal Science at Arizona State Univer-
animals once weaned and accustomed to a solid diet. Under the umbrella of Buitelaar International Trading Ltd also sits the Buitelaar Tentomilk sity. She later received her Ph.D in Animal Science from the University of Illinois in 1989. Today she teaches courses
enterprise. Tentomilk, milk replacer has seen vast growth in the current market and is currently associated with the leading competitor brands. on livestock behaviour and facility design at Colorado State Univeristy and consults with the livestock industry on fa-
PETER MAHER - SUPERINTENDING VETERINARY INSPECTOR
cility design, livestock handling, and animal welfare.As an expert on animal behaviour, she has designed humane
handling systems for half the cattle-processing facilities in the U.S. and Canada. In U.S., many cattle are handled in
a centre track restrainer system that she designed for meat plants. The curved chute and race systems she has de-
signed for cattle are used worldwide and her writings on the flight zone and other principles of grazing animal be-
HARRY SINCLAIR
haviour have helped many people to reduce stress on their animals during handling.
Peter Maher qualified from the Veterinary College, UCD, in 1978, and then worked in Skibbereen in West Cork
before returning to Athy in October 1979 to work with his father in a mixed but mostly large animal practice. He was
a member of the Irish Veterinary Association executive for 14 years and was President of the IVA 1992-3. He was the
IVA representative on the ERAD board in the late 1980s. He left general practice to join the Department of Agricul-
ture in November 1996 and after a short stint in Liffey Meats went to join ERAD Division in January 1997 in Agricul- Harry Sinclair is a the current President of the Ulster Farmers Union and is alos suckler beef and sheep producer from
ture House where he has worked ever since initially on Brucellosis and following decentralisation moved to Backweston Draperstown, farming in the foothills of the Sperrin Mountains. Harry is married with four young children. He is a past pupil
and TB. He received a Masters Degree in Information Technology from NUI Galway in 2006. He has 3 children and of Greenmount Agricultural College. Harry has been actively involved with the UFU for the past 17 years, most recently being
nearly 3 grandchildren. Chairman of the Central Beef and Lamb Policy Committee, Hill Farming Policy Committee and the County Londonderry Com-
mittee. He has served for 4 years as Deputy President. Harry helped to establish Sixtowns Plant Machinery Hire Ltd, funded
through the Rural Development Programme, a scheme to assist local farmers with access to machinery. He has also been
involved in producer groups to promote the sale of high quality local produce from the beef and lamb sectors.
Friday 5th April Saturday 6th April
9.00 - 10.30 am Registration and coffee
Session C - Chairperson: Prof Seamus Kennedy CEO of AFBI
Time Session A (Links Suite) Session B (Moyne Suite)
Veterinary Public Health Animal Health & Welfare 11.45-12.20 Ronan O’Neill 'BVD Eradication- The Compulsory Phase'
Chair Mr Jim Buckley MVB Retired County Chair Ms Margaret Good, SSVI, Animal
Veterinary Officer, Cork County Council Health & Welfare DAFM
12.20-13.00 David Graham 'Animal Health Ireland- What next?'
Marion Koopmanns 'Food and waterborne Prof Temple Grandin 'Animal Welfare
10.30 – 11.10 viruses- hazards in food production' during Transport' 13.00-13.10 Peter Mullowney 'World Buiatrics Congress 2016 Dublin'
Christian Gortazar 'Human-Livestock- Peter Maher & Teresa MacWhite 'The N11
11.10 – 11.45 Wildlife interactions and the implications
13.10-13.40 Mark Beazely 'Stray and Abandoned Irish Dogs- A Dogs Trust Perspective'
Project- Road Building and Electonically
for food safety' Monitored Badger Movements'
13.40-14.00 Brendan Smyth 'Puppy Breeding and the Law-
Wayne Anderson 'Microbiological Criteria ' Prof Peter Mertens 'Bluetongue and The case for compulsory microchipping?'
11.45 - 12.20
Schmallenberg -new viral diseases in Eu-
Orla Condell 'Emergence of pathogens rope'
12.20 - 12.35 with resistance to biocides in use in the
14.00 - 14:30 Saturday Lunch: Light Lunch-Soup and Sandwiches Tea/Coffee
food industry' Location: Osborne restaurant
Edward Fox 'Listeria Monocytogenes- Prof Temple Grandin 'Ritual Slaughter and 14:30pm- 20:00 Social Programme: Social Programme
12.35 - 12.50 current trends' Animal Welfare- can they co-exist?'
14.30 Golf at Portmarnock Links Course (adjacent to hotel)
14.30 Tour of Malahide Castle -meet in Castle Foyer at 3pm sharp
1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch: Lunch- Main Course/ Dessert/ Tea or coffee 19.30 Informal dinner
Location: Osborne restaurant
Afternoon Forum (Moyne Suite) – Chairperson Mr Andrew Doyle, TD Chair of Agricultural Commitee Dáil Éireann
14.00-14.30 Dr. Barbara Logar 'The new Animal Health Law- Likely Impact'
“Our food safety, traceability and quality control systems must be beyond reproach to allow us provide the type of assurances
necessary to gain and maintain the edge in consumer markets worldwide.”
14.30-15.45 John Enright 'Irish Dairy Expansion in a Quota Free Europe' Minister Simon Coveney
Kevin Kinsella 'Beef Expansion for Food Harvest 2020'
Adam Buitellar 'Live exports - Global Opportunities'
Harry Sinclair 'Northern Ireland - Ramping up Food Production' “I also want assurances that traceability of raw materials continues from the fresh meat sector through to the processing sec-
tor. It is important that a system is put in place in order to ensure that ‘horizon scanning’ for future potential problems is im-
15.45-16.15 Tea/Coffee and biscuits proved”
Minister Michelle O’Neill
16.15-16.45 Dr. Alex Morrow 'Animal Disease Threats in Europe'
16.45-17.15 Prof Paddy Wall 'Processing and Supply Chain Security- Global Requirements' “The risk of getting caught and the punishment for breaches of the regulation must outweigh the potential gains from break-
ing the rules. The risk of getting caught will be greatly influenced by the number of inspections carried out and the number of
staff available to police slaughter plants and food processing faculties. Proper resourcing of the inspection service is required
11:00pm Gala Dinner: Gala Dinner Location: Moyne Suite
for this.”
20.00-Late Gala Dinner with Entertainment Seamus Fagan VOA President
After Dinner Speech with Cllr Andrew Montague (Former Lord Mayor of Dublin and 1991 UCD Graduate
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