New legislation to allow farmers carry out basic animal treatments

FARMERS will be able to legally carry out basic animal treatments such as bovine hoof trimming, farriery and scanning of cattle and sheep if proposed amendments to the Veterinary Practice Act 2005 are approved.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney yesterday secured Government approval to publish a bill outlining the proposed amendments. He said the goal is to ensure that procedures on animals, which do not require the expertise of a veterinary practitioner or nurse, can still be carried out by trad-itional service providers.

He expects the bill to be enacted into law in the next Dáil session, after which he would adopt detailed regulations setting down the parameters for each exempted practice and the conditions attaching to each practice.